000420370October 30, 2020 • Rachel Dubrovin • Phoenix Bass Fishing League

Melinda Hays of Hot Springs, Arkansas recently became the first woman in FLW history to win a Phoenix Bass Fishing League Regional Championship. She competed in the Regional on Table Rock Lake in October and weighed 10 bass over three days totaling 22 pounds, 4 ounces. She took home the top co-angler prize package of $50,000, including a new Phoenix 819 Pro bass boat with a 200-horsepower Mercury outboard.

An Unexpected Season

Hays’ Regional win came shortly after she claimed the Strike King Co-Angler of the Year title in the Arkie Division of the Phoenix Bass Fishing League. It’s the perfect ending to a season that was only made possible due to an unfortunate turn of events. 

“This year has been so trying for so many people, and I’m going to admit that I’m definitely one of them,” Hays said. “I was laid off in April … April Fool’s Day of all days. And so I had a period of not knowing what my future held for a little bit.”

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Date Tournament Trail Division Lake
  
1/2 BFL  Cowboy Sam Rayburn Reservoir
3/6 BFL  Arkie Lake Ouachita
3/7 BFL  Arkie Lake Hamilton
3/25-3/27 Toyota Series Southwest Texoma
4/1-4/3 BASS Opens Central Lewis Smith Lake
4/8-4/10 Toyota Series Plains Grand Lake
4/24 BFL  Arkie Greers Ferry
4/29-5/1 BASS Opens Central Pickwick Lake
5/6-5/8 Toyota Series Plains Lake Dardanelle
5/16 BFL  Arkie Lake Dardanelle
6/3-6/5 BFL  All-American Douglas Lake
9/18-9/19 BFL  Cowboy Sam Rayburn Reservoir
10/7-10/9 BFL  Regional Arkie/LBL Norfork
10/21-10/23 BASS Opens Central Grand Lake, OK