By Jason Duran
The Alabama Bass Trail 100 wrapped up its 2025 season Saturday on Wilson Lake, marking the series’ first ever visit to the smallest lake on the Tennessee River chain. Wilson may not carry the fame of its sister lakes, but this weekend it showed that when the best teams in team tournament fishing arrive, it can hold its own with any stop on the trail. Launch and weigh in were held at Waterfront Marina & Dry Storage in Florence, Alabama, giving anglers direct access to a lake that may be small in size but proved massive in potential.
A dense fog delay kept boats staged in the cove for safety until just after 9 a.m., forcing anglers to adjust their game plans on the fly. Tournament officials extended the fishing day and weigh in by thirty minutes, giving teams a little more time on the water after the late start. The delay may have slowed the early bite, but it added a layer of strategy, turning Wilson into a test of patience, timing, and execution on a lake where space and current angles mattered most.
Spencers Win Big on Wilson
Father and son duo Nolen and Robby Spencer of Wartrace and Shelbyville, Tennessee, brought an impressive 24.28 pound bag to the scales to claim the victory and $25,000 in winnings plus a $8,000 Phoenix Boats Bonus. The pair relied on careful positioning near the Wilson Dam but stayed just outside the heaviest crowd.
“We didn’t have a great boat number, so we purposely looked for things off the wall, areas that didn’t really show anything on the map,” Nolen said. “We caught two big ones in practice and left. Today we found out there were a lot more there.”
While nearly half the field crowded into the tailrace, the Spencers played a different game, using patience, timing, and multiple bait presentations to coax the right bites.
“We caught them on a little bit of everything, jigheads with a Freeloader, scroungers on a Freeloader and spinnerbaits,” Robby said. “Every fish we weighed came on a Crush City Freeloader. That bait was huge for us, it’s so versatile you can rig it any way you need to.”
For the Spencers, the win was more than a payday. “Being able to win this one with my dad, that’s special,” Nolen said. “When we first started this, he said, ‘We’re going to win one of these one day.’ It felt like it was meant to be.”
West and Ellis Find Their Lane for Second
Finishing second, Steven West and Clayton Ellis of Mooreville, Mississippi, brought 22.37 pounds to the scales for a $12,500 check. They steered clear of the tailrace, choosing instead to study current patterns during practice and develop a broader approach that could hold under pressure.
“We covered a lot of water and zoomed out our map to see what all our bites had in common,” Ellis said. “They were related to the current, but not sitting right in it. They wanted that direct flow but not the full force.”
Their decision to stay mid lake to lower end paid off. “We practiced hard not to go up there,” West said. “We knew what the tailrace would be like, and we wanted something different.”
The team relied on a jighead minnow and a Zoom Fluke, fishing them on 3⁄16 ounce heads and catching around a dozen fish throughout the shortened day. “We were shooting for Angler of the Year,” West added, “but we’ll take second and a good check any day.”
Beck and Harvey Hold Home Lake Ground for Third
Local anglers Donny Beck and Tony Harvey of Florence and Rogersville, Alabama, showcased their Wilson Lake knowledge with a 22.15 pound limit that earned $10,000 plus a $2,000 Yamaha Bonus and a third place finish.
“Like everybody else, that fog delay hurt us,” Beck said. “We did okay, better than I thought, but if we’d had that early morning bite, maybe we could’ve chased one of those 25 pound bags.”
The pair stayed around the dam area but worked slack water edges instead of the heaviest current lines. “That edge of the current had so many boats sitting on it,” Harvey said. “We tried to stay back and fish a little calmer water, and it worked.”
Their key bait was a swimbait on Johnson Lures swimbait heads (½ and ¾ ounce). “It was steady all day,” Beck added. “We probably caught 20 fish, and it was just a fun way to finish the year.”
Gossett and King Claim ABT 100 Anglers of the Year
Consistency defined Zeke Gossett and Ethan King, who locked up the ABT 100 Angler of the Year titles and took home the championship belts. After finishing just short last year, they sealed the deal this season with strong performances across all three events.
“Last year we lost by two points, so this year feels like redemption,” Gossett said. “The fish weren’t cooperating early, but we made a move, found one little area, and that’s where we caught our weight.”
King recalled the moment that changed their season: “We made a late cull at Eufaula that jumped us from around eighth into second. That was probably the difference maker.”
“We might wear these belts all week,” Gossett laughed. “Might even wear them out to eat.”
Wilson Lake Delivers the Perfect Finale
With fog, current, and pressure all in play, Wilson Lake proved it belongs in the conversation with the other Tennessee River giants. Its smaller size highlighted the precision and teamwork that define the ABT 100, the best teams in team tournament fishing finding ways to separate themselves when every decision counts.
“Wilson may be small, but it fishes big,” said Tournament Director Kay Donaldson during weigh in. “These 100 teams proved why this trail is the toughest in the South.
View the full results here:
Wilson Lake Results – Alabama Bass Trail 100
Listen to the ABT Podcast New episodes drop every Tuesday. Search “Alabama Bass Trail Podcast” on your favorite platform.
2025 Alabama Bass Trail Sponsors
Phoenix Boats, AMFirst, Landers McLarty Chevrolet, McGraw-Webb Chevrolet, Rapala, VMC, Crush City, Buffalo Rock, Academy Sports + Outdoors, Jack’s, Thompson CAT, Garmin, Lew’s, Strike King, Piranh02, Southern Protection Agency, Alabama State Parks, Halo Fishing, Snag Proof, NetBait, Bait Fuel, TH Marine Supplies, Power-Pole, Pro Guide Batteries, American Trailer Rental, Yamaha, Anheuser-Busch, American Baitworks, E3 Sports Apparel, FishAlabama.org, Sweet Home Alabama, Alabama Mountain Lakes.
The Alabama Bass Trail 100 is run by the Alabama Bass Trail and is a program of the Alabama Mountain Lakes Tourist Association.
©2025 Alabama Bass Trail | All Rights Reserved | Site by McComm
