The 2021 National Walleye Tour started off with a bang as Bashore took a top 10 finish on Lake Francis Case/Missouri River out of Chamberlain, SD. " I had two goals going into this season, 1. Make the Championship, 2. Bring in a 5 fish limit." stated Bashore. Both of these goals were achieved with Bashore being one of only 3 anglers to bring in a limit to the scales every day. Bashore just finished outside the money in the Championship with a 21st place finish putting him at 26th place overall in the angler of the year race.
Even though he fell a little short at the championship on Otter Tail Lake,MN, Bashore found redemption on his favorite fishery Lake Sakakawea, ND. The first week of October each year offers the highest paying tournament in ND known as the BIG 10 Championship. This is held on the upper end of Lake Sakakawea and limited to 100 boat/teams. This is the second time Bashore and partner Craig Berger have fished this event with a 6th place finish in 2019 and they were able to be very consistent this year brining in 13.5lbs on day 1 and 13.4lbs on day 2 giving them a 4th place finish and just 1lb out of first. "Lake Sakakawea is my favorite body of water hands down. I have only fished it 4 times and cashed checks every time (4th, 4th, 6th & 14th). It's a body of water where you can fish to your strength's. This last tourney we rigged, pitched jigs, and pulled lead core with success." said Bashore.
2022 National Walleye Tour schedule is out and it looks like a good one especially for a river rat like Bashore, Starting the season of on the Detroit river, followed up by a visit to Chamberlain, SD again and then over to Prairie du Chien (Mississippi River) WI. to wrap up the rivers before heading to Marinette, WI to fish Greenbay and the championship to be held on Lake Erie out of Dunkirk, NY.
