Angler reels in powerful prize at the 2024 Bass Pro Series Grand Final

Tim Jones won a Mercury 115hp Pro XS © Mercury Marine

Central Coast angler Tim Jones was determined to secure a big win at the 2024 ABT BASS Pro Series Grand Final, and he certainly delivered.

Using a 2010 Mercury 150hp Optimax, Tim led at the end of all three days to capture the championship title and an impressive prize.

By taking out the grand finale at Lake St Clair in New South Wales, Tim earned a brand-new Mercury 115hp Pro XS, fitted to an Alloycraft bass boat.

"It felt incredible to win," Tim said.

"They say when it's your time, it's your time, and I really believe that everything I did on the water paid off right up until the last session.

"On the final day, I caught exactly five fish and missed two good ones, which had me a bit stressed. But thankfully it all worked out in the end."

He reeled in a total of 11 fish, weighing 12.075 kg to seal the victory. Tim's catches weighed 3.635 kg and 3.180 kg on day one and two and finished with a total of 5.260 kg on day three.

On the first two days of the tournament, anglers can submit three fish for weighing, with the top 15 boaters advancing to the final day. On the final day, the weight of five fish is recorded to determine the overall winner based on total weight across all three days.

Now equipped with a Pro XS, Tim is eager to have a boat setup he can dedicate exclusively to saltwater fishing. This will allow him to dive into new opportunities, particularly saltwater fishing tournaments.

"The Pro XS came on an Alloycraft boat, so I'm going to keep that setup just for saltwater and I'll use my 150hp Optimax for freshwater," he said.

"It opens more possibilities for me to branch out and maybe participate in Bream tournaments.

"Up until now I've primarily only done social saltwater fishing, so I'm really looking forward to exploring some new avenues along with being able to get on the saltwater more, without the stress of putting my current fibreglass boat in seawater."

It won't just be new environments that Tim's Pro XS will open him up to, but a whole new outboard performance experience.

"I'm excited to use my new outboard because it's my first four stroke," Tim said.

"My current Optimax is a two stroke from 2010, and has served me well, but I know the four stroke engines are much better in terms of fuel economy and performance.

"I can't wait to test it all out and see how it performs on the water."

With a Pro XS now in his fleet, Tim is focused on upgrading his Optimax and freshwater setup with another Pro XS to maximise his chances of defending his title next year.

"In the future, I plan to upgrade the motor on my freshwater boat to a 150hp Pro XS, so both of my boats will have the best engines available to set myself up for success," Tim said.

"I'm really excited to re-enter the Bass tour next season, I can't wait to get back into the competition."

Tim's prize also included a Minn Kota electric motor, trailer, Humminbird fishfinder, PowerPole and Green Marine lithium batteries.

Find out more about Mercury's Pro XS range here.