MLF REDCREST Day 2: Chris Lane Ditches Sonar, Gives Shallow Water Masterclass

With a huge 76 pound, 9 ounce catch on Day 2 of the 2025 REDCREST on Lake Guntersville, Chris Lane is the first in the field to secure his spot on Championship Sunday. The rest of the top 20 will battle for the remaining nine Championship Round spots. Will the day off tomorrow hurt Lanes momentum?

The Day 2 leader is Florida native, Alabama transplant, Chris Lane. | Kurt Mazurek

Chris Lane is the leader after two days of competition at REDCREST 2025 on Lake Guntersville. And just when it seemed like the sport of bass fishing was about to be undeniably and irreversibly dominated by fish caught using forward-facing sonar, Lane proved there are still other ways to catch bass.

“I took that thing off my boat, and the reason I did is because it was a distraction to me and what I do and the way that I do it,” Lane said. “Taking it off coming into REDCREST before the first day of the tournament allowed me to focus on what I do, and that was reassuring and beneficial to have success without it.”

Chris Lane Goes Old School to Top REDCREST 2025

Chris Lane stayed shallow and didn't use forward-facing sonar at all for his day 2 leading performance. | Kurt Mazurek

Contrary to popular opinion, Lane’s decision to ditch the “scope” was a good one. He turned in a solid 50 pound, 7 ounce day one and punctuated it with a crushing 76 pound, 9 ounce Day Two.

Lane reasoned that today’s rising water and warming temperatures brought new waves of bass ready to spawn into his shallow water areas.

“It may not even be that much, but it’s come up over a foot since practice started,” he said. “And the water is warming, so that’s why the fish got bigger and more plentiful.”

Jacob Walker held on to second place today, showing he is catching them consistently. But the weights zero to start the day tomorrow. Walker needs to do it all over again. | MLF | Rob Matsuura

Changing Conditions Could Shake Up Championship Sunday

But he added that he doesn’t expect those conditions to continue through Sunday. The weather forecast is calling for rain Saturday night into Sunday. It’s likely they’ll open gates and the current will flow.

“I think it’ll be different; I think you’re going to have to fish different,” Lane said. “I’ll play that by ear come Sunday… they could pull that water in 2 seconds, and they probably will.”

But he already seems to have come to terms with that and it doesn’t appear to be affecting his confidence.

“I’ve got 978 other spots where they like to get this time of year,” he said.

David Dudley fell from first to third on Day 2. But with the weights zeroing tomorrow, can he re-find what he had on Day 1? | MLF | Phoenix Moore

What It Would Mean to Win REDCREST on Home Water

Lane is no stranger to high level bass tournament performances. He had a Bass Pro Tour victory in 2023 and won the Bassmaster Classic in 2012. But hoisting the REDCREST trophy on his home waters would be a career-defining moment.

“It would mean the world to me to win… for your support system, for your sponsors… and for the hometown. Geez, that doesn’t usually work out like that at big tournaments.”

REDCREST Format Explained: Who Advances and What’s Next

Per the format of the 2025 REDCREST Championship, the angler with the most total weight of score-able-size bass after the two qualifying days, is fishing on Championship Sunday. That angler is Florida-transplant, now Guntersville local, Chris Lane. His two-day catch of 127 pounds is over 17 pounds more than second place Jacob Walker. He advances to the final round while the rest of the top 20 will fight it out on Saturday for the nine remaining spots to fish on Sunday.

Note: Lane Leads, but Bobby and Connell Are Charging

Interesting to note, both Bobby Lane who finished Friday in 8th place, and defending REDCREST Champ, Dustin Connell in 18th place, managed to more than double their Day 1 catches on Day 2. Could that be a sign that they've figured something out? Remember, the weights zero to start tomorrow. An angler with positive momentum could jump right to the top of the leader board and never look back.