Bryan Thrift Looks to Go Back-to-Back at 2024 MLF REDCREST Championship
As the 2024 Major League Fishing REDCREST Championship approaches at Lay Lake, all eyes are on 2023 Champion, Humminbird and Minn Kota Pro Bryan Thrift. Despite the pressure of being a heavy favorite, Thrift remains focused on studying his Humminbird LakeMaster Mapping to strategize his approach when the 4-day tournament kicks off on March 14. Coming off a strong performance last year where he dominated the competition in his home state of North Carolina, Thrift is now aiming to make it two in a row.
Thrift's victory in 2023 on Lake Norman was a testament to his skill and adaptability, as he navigated through challenging conditions to claim the REDCREST title. Utilizing his Humminbird MEGA 360 Imaging® and MEGA Live™ Imaging to observe his surroundings, Thrift also relied on his Minn Kota Ultrex's Spot-Lock® feature to stay in position for making precise casts, demonstrating the effectiveness of his equipment in securing the win.
In 2023, Thrift easily advanced through the qualifying rounds, recording the tournament's highest weight limits of 17 pounds, 12 ounces in the first knockout round and 15 pounds, 6 ounces in the second. Despite challenging conditions on the final day, he managed to secure a weight of 13 pounds, 10 ounces, securing his victory and the title of 2023 Major League Fishing REDCREST champion on Lake Norman.
"Winning the 2023 Major League Fishing REDCREST on Lake Norman was an incredible experience, and it's a moment I'll always cherish. The conditions were challenging, but I had confidence in my game plan and the equipment, particularly my Humminbird MEGA Live, MEGA 360 Imaging, and Minn Kota Ultrex, which played a crucial role in my ability to fish effectively,” said Thrift. “Now, as I turn my attention to Lay Lake for the 2024 MLF REDCREST Championship, I'm excited for the opportunity to defend my title. Lay Lake presents a new set of challenges, but with the support of my sponsors, including Humminbird and Minn Kota, I'm ready to give it my all and hopefully secure another championship win."
After two MLF Bass Pro Tour events in 2024, Stage One at Toledo Bend and Stage Two at Santee Cooper, Thrift is excited about the opportunity to showcase his talents once again and make a run at another REDCREST Championship title in Birmingham, Alabama. Lay Lake's diverse fishing opportunities present a new set of obstacles for Thrift to overcome, and despite never having fished this particular body of water before, his excitement towards unfamiliar water makes him ready to take on the challenge.
“I am excited to get to Lay Lake, a place I have never fished and know nothing about,” added Thrift. “I enjoy going to new places and getting in the water and using Humminbird Lakemaster to break down the lake - to me, that is the purest form of bass fishing. Lay Lake is fairly small, and I can probably get a good look at it in one day of practice, which will give me some time to locate schools of bass, rather than individual fish.”
As the defending champion, he is expecting some eyes on him, but not anything near the expectations he faced as the local on Lake Norman in 2023. Flying under the radar and fishing how he likes to fish on a new body of water gives him something to look forward to.
“In our format, where every fish counts, you have to have bigger groups of fish that you can catch fairly quickly. I expect some forward-facing sonar will play, and I will be ready with my Humminbird MEGA Live, but my ultimate goal is to do what I was able to do on Norman last year - using Spot-Lock on the new, ultra quiet Minn Kota QUEST, which we did not have in 2023, to position the boat, MEGA 360 to understand what is going on around the boat, and MEGA Live to make precise casts.”
Thrift will compete against the top Major League Fishing anglers from March 14-17 on Lay Lake, vying for a chance to repeat his success from the previous year and claim another prestigious championship title.