LAKEPORT, Calif. – April 11, 2025 – The waters of Clear Lake bore witness to an exhilarating showcase of angling prowess during the 2025 WON Bass Clear Lake Open, where pro angler John Pearl made history. With an impressive total weight of 102.81 pounds over three days, Pearl not only secured the title but also set a new record for the event, underscoring his reputation as a formidable competitor and skilled guide on the lake.
"I’m absolutely excited about this," said Pearl, visibly emotional after his victory. "Today was a long, stressful day. I had 34 pounds in the livewell at about 3:00 and I told my AAA that we needed one more seven-pounder; I caught a 6.85 moments later and culled up to this final weight."
Pearl, hailing from Upper Lake, caught the bulk of his fish in depths ranging from 25 to 30 feet, primarily in the mid-lake area around Konocti. Utilizing his Forward Facing Sonar, he successfully located the bait balls that the fish were feeding on during the late winter and early prespawn season. "I caught them using a Bass Union Jighead with two different Sakamata Shads, Golden Shiner and Reservoir Shad," he noted.
Despite most of his catch coming from deeper waters, Pearl attributed two of his largest fish to different techniques on the final days. "I caught my biggest one today blind casting the Sakamata Shad under a dock, and my biggest yesterday came on a GCJ Customs 13-inch glide bait. Those fish were crucial to my finish obviously, but I caught most of them on my deep stuff. I'm thrilled to be standing here in front of my wife, family, and friends with this trophy," he said.
The prize for his remarkable achievement included $17,000 in cash and a 2025 Ranger Boats Z518 equipped with a Mercury 150 ProXS outboard engine, along with a suite of premium accessories from Bass Pro Shops, totaling a staggering $55,000 in value. This brought Pearl's total earnings for the event to over $72,000.
Nathan Phillips, a seasoned competitor from Cobb, California, wasn't far behind, finishing in second place with a total weight of 101.33 pounds. Having previously won the 2023 Clear Lake Open, Phillips began the day in second with 65.12 pounds and added a substantial 36.21-pound limit to secure his spot on the podium. "I was fishing the Highway 20 side around Kona Tayee for suspended fish in 8 to 15 feet of water," he shared. "I threw a variety of jigheads in different sizes with a 5-inch ZMan Jerk Shad in the Electric Shad color."
Phillips adapted his strategy over the tournament, transitioning from casting along long stretches of docks to targeting deeper anglers when cloud cover and wind hindered his original approach. He utilized a set of Dobyns Champion XB spinning rods paired with Shimano Stradic reels, providing him with the necessary tools to navigate the challenges of the lake.
In third place was Mason McAbee from Bakersfield, California, who totaled 93.57 pounds and took home $11,400. Rounding out the top five were Micah Jones from Kingman, Arizona, who started as the day-one leader with a total weight of 93.08 pounds, earning him $10,000, and Luke Lipanovich from Napa, California, who finished fifth with a total of 83.73 pounds, bringing in $9,000.
On the AAA side, Kevin Gross of Redding, California, claimed the top prize in this division, weighing in at 86.56 pounds and earning $6,800. Following him was Zac Ortiz from Kaysville, Utah, with 82.07 pounds, who secured $5,500. The competition was fierce, with Tim Skellett, Todd Tobiasson, and Dennis Saiki also finishing among the top five in the AAA Division, showcasing the depth of talent present at the event.
The daily weigh-ins were available for fans to watch via livestream on the WON Bass Facebook page, allowing supporters to engage with the excitement of the tournament.
With such fierce competition and record-setting weights, the 2025 Clear Lake Open not only highlighted the skills of these anglers but also set a high bar for future tournaments. The next event on the calendar is the Lake Shasta Open, scheduled for February 19-21, 2026, promising another thrilling chapter for bass fishing enthusiasts.