The Rock Went To Jared

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by MoYak Fishing Series

Branson, Missouri – May 17, 2025
On a picture-perfect spring day in the Ozarks, 71 anglers launched onto the storied waters of Table Rock Lake for the third stop of the MoYak Elite Series. But this wasn’t just any tournament. This was the first-ever Ellie Bowman Memorial, honoring the memory of a special young girl who loved fishing with her father and whose spirit was felt across every cast and kayak.

In what may go down as one of the most competitive events in MoYak history, Jared Fosnow emerged victorious, edging out perennial contender Chad Davison by a razor-thin 1.5-inch margin. Fosnow, fresh off a $10,000 win earlier this month at Truman Reservoir during the All-American Kayak Classic, brought his A-game once again, proving his hot streak is no fluke.

The morning began with crisp 55-degree air, quickly warming into the low 80s under cloudless skies — a welcome change for a trail that’s become all too familiar with fishing through downpours and wind advisories.

Unlike the grind at Pomme de Terre, Table Rock showed out. A whopping 55 anglers recorded five-fish limits, and if you didn’t break the 80-inch mark, you weren’t even sniffing the top 20. In total, 425 fish hit the leaderboard for a stout FPA (fish-per-angler) of 5.99.

“It was a day for Ellie,” said MoYak director Joshua Boothe. “The weather was perfect. The fish were biting. But most importantly, we were all reminded why we do this — for family, for community, and for the love of the sport.”

Fosnow Eyes AOY
Fosnow’s win marks his second top-ten in three events and catapults him into the top 5 in the Angler of the Year standings, currently led by Richie McMichael, who’s quietly stacking up points with consistent finishes.

Team “Something to Prove” – Spencer O’Neal and Micah Funderburgh take the win on the team side of the inaugural Ellie Bowman Memorial on Table Rock!

Team Series Shakeup: “Something to Prove” Makes a Statement
On the team side, “Something to Prove” — Spencer O’Neal and Micah Funderburgh — lived up to their name, taking the win and jumping to the top of the Team Series AOY standings. The “Burrito Banditos” were in position to hold their lead until co-captain Troy Enke forgot to submit fish for the team tally — a rare misstep that proved costly.

Big Bass, Trash Fish, and a Tiny Titan
Eric Easter landed the Big Bass of the day — a chunky 20.5-inch largemouth caught during the early morning bite. He shared Twenty+ honors with Micah Funderburgh (20″) and Richy Laughery (20.5″), while Funderburgh also pocketed the Trash Pot with a carp pushing over 30 inches. On the opposite end of the scale, Michael Sandlin claimed the Smallest Bass Award with a 7.25-inch squeaker.

Here are your top ten for the 2025 MoYak Stop #3 Ellie Bowman Memorial on Table Rock presented by Eco Fishing Shop.

Jared Fosnow – 89.25″
Chad Davison – 87.75″
Evan Washburn – 87.75″
Jason Shifflett – 85.75″
Chris Gilbert – 85.5″
Micah Funderburgh – 85.25″
Spencer O’Neal – 85.25″
Lance Irwin – 85″
Trey Dawson – 85″
Patrick Bowman – 84.5″

Let’s take a closer look at the top five finishers and hear how they solved the puzzle in their own words:

What was your strategy going into the day?

  • Jared: Try to get in on an early shad spawn bite, then work some secondary points with a shaky head and look for suspended fish on the live sonar.
  • Chad: I knew there was a shad spawn deal, but I hadn’t really found it in practice. I started in a different area than I practiced, hoping I’d find it. I kept an open mind and let things develop.
  • Evan: I was hoping to fish shallow and catch topwater fish early with the shad spawn going on, but I never caught a topwater fish.
  • Jason: I knew the shad spawn was close, so my plan was to cover water and get them on a chatterbait.
  • Chris: No report.

Were you able to prefish and did you find anything that helped you on game day?

  • Jared: I prefished about 5 hours both Thursday and Friday. I found fish doing a bit of everything. I focused on tournament day on what produced the best quality — large rock slabs with small shade pockets.
  • Chad: Yes, I prefished Friday and had a good day around 90″. I found several areas with fish and chose one that ended up having a solid population. There was even a brief shad spawn bite.
  • Evan: I didn’t prefish and hadn’t been on Table Rock since early April.
  • Jason: I didn’t get to prefish, but was familiar with the area and decided to just have fun and go for points.
  • Chris: No report.

What was your best finish at Table Rock before this?

  • Jared: 4th place twice — in the 2020 BASS Nation qualifier and the 2021 Missouri State Championship.
  • Chad: I believe 3rd a couple of years ago in a MoYak event.
  • Evan: 8th out of 152 in 2022 and 6th out of 87 in 2020.
  • Jason: 1st place in the 2022 MoYak State Championship.
  • Chris: No report.

What was the general tackle you used on game day?

  • Jared: H2 Big Easy worm on a Crock-O-Gator shaky head, Senko Neko-rigged with a 1/8 oz KayakJak button head, and half a Senko on a Ned rig. All in green pumpkin blue with chartreuse-dipped tips.
  • Chad: Council Bluff Crankbaits Firefly jerkbait for most of my fish, and a big smallie on a Crock-O-Gator Swamp Bug.
  • Evan: Spinnerbait, chatterbait, and squarebill.
  • Jason: Started with a chatterbait but got short strikes, switched to a jighead with a 3” Keitech, and slow-rolled it. Upgraded later with a Rock Crawler in 8–10 feet.
  • Chris: No report.

How far did you travel to find your fish? General areas?

  • Jared: I covered a couple of miles to fish large rock slabs that created shade.
  • Chad: About 10 minutes from the ramp, fished the Kimberling City to Campbell Point section.
  • Evan: Spinnerbait, chatterbait, and squarebill.
  • Jason: One of the arms north of the dam. I circled the same area all day.
  • Chris: No report.

Did the weather affect your water or choice of water?

  • Jared: Not much, but I was glad for the wind, which helped keep fish shallow.
  • Chad: I avoided the dam area due to concern over clear water and no wind.
  • Evan: With full sun and no shade, fish stayed low. I gave up on topwater and focused on bottom contact.
  • Jason: Spring-to-spawn transition and fluctuating water levels steered me toward more stable areas closer to the dam.
  • Chris: No report.

Did you lose any fish or have a story about your biggest catch?

  • Jared: Fished clean all day. The big smallmouth I caught was full of eggs and needed time to revive.
  • Chad: Lost some early on, but nothing that would have made a difference. The biggest fish was a 19″ largemouth in 18″ of water, mid-morning, zero wind.
  • Evan: Lost two fish that didn’t matter. My biggest came in the final hour — same bait as the second-biggest, caught in the first hour.
  • Jason: No big losses. Caught a few decent fish but no kicker.
  • Chris: No report.

See any wildlife worth mentioning?

  • Jared: Snakes. Lots of snakes. And a few deer.
  • Chad: Not really.
  • Evan: Several snakes, turtles, and one otter.
  • Jason: Just deer.
  • Chris: No report.

Tell us about your kayak and electronics setup.

  • Jared: 2025 Old Town 136 AutoPilot with three 60Ah lithiums. Humminbird Helix for mapping, currently testing Lowrance FFS, switching to Garmin 12″ or 16″.
  • Chad: If you follow the Yakoff, you know all about it.
  • Evan: Bonafide SS127 with trolling motor. No electronics currently.
  • Jason: Hobie PA14 360 with two Lowrance FS9s, no motor. Great yak, but I go through a 360 Drive once or twice a year.
  • Chris: No report.

Do you have any sponsor or personal shout-outs?

  • Jared: Halo Rods, H2 Bait Design, Crock O Gator, American Bait Works, Glover Lures and Replicas, Elite Billiards & Alehouse, Everharts Outdoors, Gamakatsu. Big thanks to Strike Force Fishing scents — not a sponsor, but huge in my last two wins and $11K in earnings.
  • Chad: Sponsors: Old Town Fishing, Dungarees Clothing, Crock-O-Gator, Everharts Outdoors, H2 Bait Design, Council Bluff Crankbaits, Max It Out LEDs, Cashion Rods. Thanks to the Bowmans, Performance Food Service, and everyone who made the awards meal and memorial possible.
  • Evan: No sponsors. Thanks to Josh Boothe for running another great tournament.
  • Jason: No sponsors, but thanks to my close friends and especially my wife — they make my success possible both on and off the water.
  • Chris: No report.

Final Thoughts

As the MoYak season rolls on, the memory of Ellie Bowman will no doubt continue to ride along with every angler. Her name is now part of the legacy of the trail — and if this inaugural event is any indication, her tournament will be one of the most beloved on the calendar for years to come.

Derby Stats

  • Anglers: 71
  • Fish caught: 425 (FPA – 5.99)
  • Total limits: 55 (77%)
  • Margin of victory: 1.5″
  • Twenty+ Club: Micah Funderburgh (20″), Eric Easter (20.5″), Richy Laughery (20.5″)
  • Trash Pot: Micah Funderburgh – 30+” Carp ($125)
  • Smallest Bass Award: Michael Sandlin – 7.25″
  • Air temp at launch: 55°F
  • Air temp at takeout: 82°F