(GILBERTSVILLE, Ky.) — After years of finishing second and watching victory slip away, Murray angler Justin Berger finally got his moment in the spotlight Sunday, winning the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Super Tournament on Kentucky Lake with a two-day total of 10 bass weighing 34 pounds, 9 ounces.
The victory at his home waters was especially sweet for Berger, who had suffered through multiple runner-up finishes in Major League Fishing competition on Kentucky Lake, as well as other large tournaments on the same body of water.
“It’s one of those things where you don’t want to think you have it won, because you’ll get your heart broken,” Berger said. “I’ve lost the winning fish multiple times. I’ve been close quite a few times, and to finally win one is a monkey off my back.”
From Grind to Glory
Saturday proved to be a test of patience for Berger, who managed just five bites all day despite his intimate knowledge of the lake. Limited preparation time due to work commitments meant he was relying heavily on past experience rather than fresh scouting.
“It was as tough of a day as you could get,” he said. “Luckily, I landed them all and there were a couple of decent ones.”
Sunday brought a dramatic turnaround. Berger approached the final day with a relaxed mindset, telling himself to “just have fun.” That attitude paid dividends when he stopped at a spot he’d only fished twice before and immediately caught a limit on topwater lures.
The breakthrough moment came at 10:30 a.m. when Berger landed his second 4½-pound bass of the day. His scale showed the limit at exactly 20 pounds.
“I looked at my co-angler and said, ‘We have a chance now,'” Berger recalled. “I thought I was going to have to catch one more 4-pounder to win it. I really didn’t think I had it won.”
Berger’s Sunday performance was impressive by any measure — 11 keeper bass with only two weighing less than 3 pounds, and three successful culls using a spinnerbait after his topwater success.
Tournament Results
The tournament, hosted by the Kentucky Lake Convention & Visitors Bureau, served as the final regular-season event for the BFL Illini Division. Berger’s $4,668 victory came ahead of Brad Kell of Benton, Kentucky, who finished second with 33 pounds, 13 ounces for a $2,334 payout.
Levi Kohl of Edinburg, Illinois, claimed third place with 32 pounds, 6 ounces, earning $1,557. Matteo Turano of nearby Puryear, Tennessee, finished seventh but took home the largest payout outside the top three — $1,278 including a $500 Phoenix Bonus.
Joshua Bradley of Buchanan, Tennessee, earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $547 with a 4-pound, 11-ounce largemouth.
Co-Angler Division
Jeff Anderson of St. Louis, Missouri, dominated the co-angler division with five bass totaling 13 pounds, 1 ounce over two days, earning $2,334. Gary Huber II of St. Charles, Missouri, finished second with 11 pounds, 13 ounces.
Thomas Duke of Pana, Illinois, caught the biggest bass in the co-angler division — a 4-pound, 15-ounce fish that earned him the $274 Berkley Big Bass co-angler award.
Looking Ahead
With the regular season complete, the focus shifts to championship events. Riley Walk of Neoga, Illinois, claimed the Fishing Clash Illini Division Angler of the Year title with 1,330 points and a $1,000 prize, while Bobby McNeil of Crest Hill, Illinois, won the co-angler championship with 1,266 points for $500.
The top 60 boaters and co-anglers from the division, along with tournament winners, advance to the October 3-4 BFL Regional tournament on the Mississippi River in Quad Cities, Illinois. The stakes are high — boaters compete for a new Phoenix 819 Pro boat with 200-horsepower outboard worth $50,000, while co-anglers fish for a $20,000 top prize.
For Berger, though, this victory represents something beyond prize money — validation after years of coming close on waters he knows better than most.
“I am just completely pumped,” he said.