ESPN Bass Master Elite

Smith Mountain Lake - Casey Ashley of Donalds, S.C, was one fish shy of the limit at the end of the day Sunday, but after going into the last day of the competition with 4 ½-pound lead, those four fish pushed him over the top to take his first Elite Tournament win. The victory capped an incredible week for the young pro from Donalds, S.C. He struggled the first day and landed in 49th place. Day Two was an entirely different story, with Ashley loading the boat with the biggest limit of the tournament, a 22-pound sack that surprised everyone.

Ashley weighed in his days catch at 9 pounds, 10 ounces, a significant drop from pervious days but enough to overcome a last-day charge by Terry Scroggins and give the rookie angler his first career victory and $100,000. The victory completes a lifelong dream for Ashley, who once wrote a fifth-grade essay about what he wanted to be when he grew up — a professional bass fisherman.