Rookie Paul Marks Claims First Bassmaster Elite Win at Lake Hartwell

The Georgia pro delivered a super-steady performance, holding off the competition and putting positive momentum on his side heading into the remaining 2025 Elite Series.

Rookie Paul Marks captured his first Bassmaster Elite Series trophy at Lake Hartwell with a solid offshore game plan. | B.A.S.S. | Shane Durrance

Marks’ Breakout at the Bassmaster Elite at Lake Hartwell

Rookie Paul Marks delivered a rock steady performance seemingly well beyond his years at the Bassmaster Elite on Lake Hartwell this week. His four-day total of 68-8 earned the 23-year-old Georgia pro his first big blue Elite Series trophy and a check for $100,000.

“I don’t know what to think; it’ll probably take a week to set in — maybe a month,” Marks said. “I think I’ve been dreaming about this since I was a little kid.”

Paul Marks claims his first blue Elite Series trophy in his rookie season. | B.A.S.S. | Andy Crawford

Marks started the event with an early five-pound kicker. “I got lucky on Day 1 and caught a big one on the bed. That fish made my tournament.” By the end of that day, he had 19 pounds, 7 ounces and held down third place.

Offshore Strategy: Fish the Herring Spawn

But outside of that initial bed fish, his focus shifted offshore, where he capitalized on the herring spawn and the opportunistic largemouth and spotted bass.

Paul Marks focused on bass offshore chasing the herring spawn. | B.A.S.S. | Shane Durrance

Key Baits and Depths

“I started out throwing a Zoom Fluke Stick Jr and a Super Fluke on a 5/0 round bend worm hook and I’d catch a couple of good fish every morning that would be in my bag when I came to weigh in,” he said. “The rest of the day, I’d spend most of my time backing off a little deeper in 10 to 20 feet of water — sometimes 30."

“In the deeper water, I’d throw a 3/16-ounce SPRO Skip Gap shaky head with a Zoom Fluke Stick Jr.”

“I just ran around and went with my gut feeling,” he said. “I never let off the gas today; I ran so hard. It was a long day for me. I really didn’t think I had enough. Somehow, it worked out.”

Tucker Smith’s Strong Rally Falls Just Short

After climbing from 24th place on Day 1, Tucker Smith, of Birmingham, Alabama, nearly caught Marks. His four-day total of 67-10 was less than a pound behind first. “I just rode around and found some good stuff," Smith said. "I didn’t know it was gonna turn out this good.”

Luke Palmer finished third with 66-10.

The leader from Days 2 and 3, Drew Cook, finished the event in 4th with 65-07.

Looking Ahead: 2025 Bassmaster Elite Series at Lake Fork

The Bassmaster Elites continue the 2025 Series at Lake Fork, Texas May 8-11. Big things happened the last time they visited this stop in 2024 when rookie, Trey McKinney wasted no time getting his name into the bass fishing history books. The Illinois pro became the youngest angler to win an Elite Series event with an insane four day total of 130 pounds, 15 ounces. This year is likely to be another exciting event as anything can happen at legendary Lake Fork.