MLF Bass Pro Tour Stage 2 Knockout Round: Davis Puts On a Masterclass

Mark Davis won the Knockout Round with 60 pounds, 2 ounces on 22 scorable bass in the Suzuki Marine Stage 2 Presented by YETI on the Harris Chain of Lakes

60 pounds, 2 ounces on 22 scorable bass without using his forward-facing sonar, Mark Davis won the Knockout Round | Photo by TBrinks | Courtesy of MLF

The Legend Stays Old School

Suzuki Marine Stage 2 at the Harris Chain of Lakes has turned into a battle of patience, sweat, and old-school grit. This is Florida fishing in its purest form. No electronics, no sonar sorcery. Just a man, a rod, and the instinct honed over decades on the water. And if there’s one guy who thrives in that environment, it’s Mark Davis.

At 61 years old, Davis doesn’t need high-tech wizardry to prove he belongs. He put on a masterclass Saturday, stacking 60 pounds, 2 ounces on 22 scorable bass. The closest guy to him, Fletcher Shryock, trailed by more than eight pounds. Davis wasn’t just fishing. He was teaching.

A Career in the Making

Mark Davis 1995 Bassmaster Classic Win | bassmaster.com

Davis’ resume is thick with history. A Hall of Famer, a Bassmaster Classic champ, and two-time Angler of the Year. But a Bass Pro Tour victory? That’s still missing. Sunday’s Championship Round could change that.

Top contenders: Yamamoto Senko, YUM Dinger, and Mister Twister Comida SI soft plastic stick baits. | tacklewarehouse.com

He’s been doing it his way all week, flipping a Yamamoto Senko into the emergent vegetation of Lake Apopka. No rush, no frantic adjustments, just cold precision. When he found the right zone, it was game over. In a little more than two hours, Davis caught 16 scorable bass for a combined 43 pounds, 6 ounces. Then he made the kind of move that only a seasoned pro with ice in his veins would make. He left. Packed it up, knowing he had already secured his Championship Round spot, and went scouting for fresh water.

The Florida Gamble

Mark Davis is pleasantly surprised by his 10-pound lead going into the Championship Round. | Photo by Garrick Dixon

Florida bass are fickle. One day they bite like they’ve got a death wish, the next they vanish. Davis knows this all too well. The last time he was in this position, fishing the Kissimmee Chain in 2023, he laid down an insane 34-pound, 10-ounce five-fish bag in the Knockout Round. The next day he struggled, catching just 14 pounds and watching Chris Lane steal the win.

At my age, 40 years in this game, lifting a trophy one more time would mean everything.

Mark Davis

Davis isn’t counting any chickens. The wind is coming. It could help, it could ruin everything. The Harris Chain doesn’t play fair. The MLF trailering policy will save him some travel time, but once he’s in Apopka, there’s no hiding from the elements. He has no backup plan. Apopka is his ride-or-die.

Shryock’s War of Attrition

A sick Fletcher Shryock takes an early lead during the Knockout Round | Photo by PMoore | Courtesy of MLF

While Davis was methodically picking apart Apopka, Fletcher Shryock was in survival mode. He woke up feeling like hell, wrecked by a stomach bug and fever. Eight hours of competition was a brutal test of endurance. But he didn’t just survive. He thrived.

A red-hot punching bite was the cure. Shryock spent his day buried in hydrilla mats, dragging bass out of thick cover with brute force. By midday, he had 16 scorable bass weighing 47 pounds, 6 ounces. More than enough to punch his ticket to Sunday. So, he took the rest of the day to conserve energy and scout new water.

Fletcher Shryock punching mats to make the Championship Round | Photo by PMoore | Courtesy of MLF

“It was hurting to set the hook, maybe that’s the deal. Slow me down, make me more patient.”

Fletcher Shryock

He’s spent the whole event in the same area, playing defense against other anglers trying to muscle in. He’s the only one left in the Top 10 with a dominant punching bite. If it holds for one more day, he could claim his first BPT win. If it doesn’t, well, Florida bass don’t care about your plans.

The Last Push

Jacob Wheeler Advances to Championship Round | Photo by TBrinks | Courtesy of MLF

With Davis and Shryock leading the charge, the Championship Round is set. Jacob Wheeler, the Qualifying Round winner, is waiting in the wings. Nine other anglers, all hungry, all dangerous. The game is simple—whoever stacks the most weight takes home $150,000.

Tomorrow, the Harris Chain gives up its final secrets. Fans can follow the carnage on the MLFNOW livestream. No one’s playing it safe. It’s win or go home.

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