The Flathead Valley Bass League (FVBL) officially launched its five-event season last night, bringing local anglers together for a competitive evening on the water. According to Chancy’s Fish Camp, the conditions were ideal for the opener, with the shop noting, “We had a beautiful night on Echo to start off our first event for the season!!”
The competition was fierce, with the top three teams separated by a total of only 2.25 inches. When the scales and measuring tapes were finalized, the leaderboard showcased some impressive hauls.
- 1st Place: Jack Carroll and Andrew Turner took the top spot on the podium with a commanding total length of 90.75″.
- 2nd Place: Russ Geldrich and Warty Geldrich secured second with 89.50″.
- 3rd Place: Caleb and Christian rounded out the top three with a solid 88.50″.
While Carroll and Turner took home the overall victory, Russ Geldrich claimed the individual spotlight by landing the Big Fish of the night—a chunky 4.80 lb Largemouth Bass.
The event saw a diverse turnout of eleven teams, though the bite proved challenging for some. While the top of the pack stayed busy, teams like Dillon/Gavin and Chris/Andrew unfortunately finished the night with a “goose egg,” highlighting just how technical Echo Lake can be.
| Rank | Team | Total Length | Big Bass (lbs) |
| 1st | Jack Carroll / Andrew Turner | 90.75″ | – |
| 2nd | Russ Geldrich / Warty Geldrich | 89.50″ | 4.80 |
| 3rd | Caleb / Christian | 88.50″ | 3.05 |
| 4th | Robert Sharp / Jonathan Warrick | 87.75″ | 3.67 |
| 5th | Rick / John | 80.25″ | – |
With the first event in the books, the league looks forward to the remaining four events of the season. If the opener is any indication, the race for the season championship will be decided by the narrowest of margins! Nice work, all!
Images via Chancy’s Fish Camp