MLF BPT Stage 3: Sprague’s Domination at Lake Murray. A Masterclass in Precision

The Making of a Monster Performance

Some days, everything just clicks. The water, the conditions, the bait all line up like the universe decided, just for a moment, to let an angler have his way. Jeff Sprague had one of those days. Then he had another.

On the first day of PowerStop Brakes Stage 3 at Lake Murray, he surged ahead, stacking nearly 40 pounds in a single period and finishing almost 9 pounds ahead of the nearest competitor. The bite was relentless. The execution is surgical. And on Day 2? More of the same. Sprague didn’t just defend his lead. He stretched it into something untouchable. By the time the sun dipped lower in the South Carolina sky, he had totaled 122 pounds of largemouth over two days. No one else was close.

A Game of Adjustments

Tournament fishing is a mind game. The great ones don’t just react, they anticipate. When Sprague launched on Friday, the wind was gone. The lake was still, flat, deceptive. Calm water makes some anglers uneasy as it forces a rhythm change and a pattern disruption. But Sprague wasn’t here to be rattled. He leaned into it.

Jeff Sprague Day 2 6lb 11ounce Bass | Courtesy of MLF

He returned to his honey hole, where everything had gone right the day before. Nine fish, 33 pounds, 11 ounces in the first period alone— 6-11, a 5-pounder, and a 4-9. It was a clinic in precision. And then he did something that only happens when confidence borders on arrogance. He backed off.

For the last three hours, he barely fished. Instead, he scouted. He watched. He let the others beat themselves up, desperately clawing at an unreachable lead. He knew what he needed to know. The fish were still there and more were coming. And most importantly, he could catch them whenever he wanted.

The top 20 pros that now advance in competition on Lake Murray are:

1st: Jeff Sprague, Wills Point, Texas, 36 bass, 122-0

2nd: Terry Scroggins, San Mateo, Fla., 28 bass, 90-6

3rd: Marshall Robinson, Landrum, S.C., 27 bass, 89-1

4th: Brent Ehrler, Redlands, Calif., 27 bass, 81-6

5th: Brent Chapman, Lake Quivira, Kan., 23 bass, 81-5

6th: Jacob Wheeler, Harrison, Tenn., 26 bass, 80-5

7th: Bryan Thrift, Shelby, N.C., 28 bass, 79-15

8th: Drew Gill, Mount Carmel, Ill., 28 bass, 78-3

9th: Marshall Hughes, Hemphill, Texas, 23 bass, 76-6

10th: Alton Jones Jr., Waco, Texas, 24 bass, 73-12

11th: Jake Lawrence, Paris, Tenn., 26 bass, 73-5

12th: Mark Davis, Mount Ida, Ark., 21 bass, 73-3

13th: James Elam, Tulsa, Okla., 23 bass, 68-14

14th: Anthony Gagliardi, Prosperity, S.C., 24 bass, 66-11

15th: Mark Daniels Jr., Tuskegee, Ala., 21 bass, 63-8

16th: Britt Myers, Lake Wylie, S.C., 20 bass, 61-12

17th: Justin Lucas, Guntersville, Ala., 20 bass, 60-13

18th: Keith Carson, DeBary, Fla., 20 bass, 59-8

19th: Colby Miller, Elmer, La., 19 bass, 59-0

20th: Matt Becker, Ten Mile, Tenn., 17 bass, 58-14

Patience and the Fight Ahead

Sprague isn’t swinging for fences. He’s playing the long game. The difference between winning and losing at this level isn’t about luck. It’s about patience. He had learned that the hard way. Big fish are lost by anglers who rush, who muscle them in too soon. He played them carefully, easing them like a gambler coaxing cards from a deck. No panic. No hurry. Just cold efficiency.

Jacob Wheeler top 20 finish Day 2 on Lake Murray | Photo by PMoore | Courtesy of MLF

With his spot in the Championship Round secured, Sprague now stares down a shot at his first tour-level victory. He has been here 14 times before, to be exact, only to leave empty-handed. Brent Ehrler is the only angler with more Top 10 finishes on the Bass Pro Tour without a win. That eats at you. That sticks to your bones. But this time, Sprague feels it. This time, it feels different.

"I feel like I’ve been cursed for the past five years from getting one of these things closed out," he admitted. "I legitimately feel like I have an opportunity to make it happen here. I really do."

The Hunt Continues

Sprague has a day to breathe as the rest of the field battles it out in the Knockout Round. A day to plan. A day to sit with the possibility that by Sunday evening, he might finally get the weight of near-misses off his back.

And if everything clicks one more time? The others could stay home.