Americana Outdoors E-Magazine - July 2024

Eric shared water with his dad, Kevin, who was the Day-1 leader after weighing in 26-09. Fellow Aftco prostaff angler Drake Herd was also in the area and travels with the father-and-son duo. Drake also caught a limit that landed him in the Top-5 after day one in Oconto, WI. “Today, I just went out there hoping to fish clean and leave everything on the water. But to walk away with the victory on this body of water that I grew up fishing with my dad...it’s pretty special,” he said as he was wiping away tears. Sunday, the first day of practice, was Father’s Day celebrated across America. To end the third stop of the 2024 NWT season watch the McQuoids on stage as Eric raised his second trophy of his career made many in the crowd also have to wipe away a few tears.

Eric is also the Garmin Contingency Winner, earning him an additional $300 for being the highest finishing Pro-Angler with exclusive Garmin electronics and $200 for running a Garmin Force Trolling motor. For winning the tournament and being Ranger Cup qualified he will earn the $8,000 Ranger Cup money plus an additional $2,000 Bass Pro Shops gift card.

In total, the champ wins $127,769 in cash and prizes.

ELL ENDS THE TOURNAMENT IN SECOND

Ranger Pro-Angler Jacob ELL from Bismarck, ND recorded his first Top-5 finish of the 2024 season after catching a total of 42-02 and taking home a check worth 23,600.

To capture the win, Eric reported catching his fish on a Kalin’s Google Eye Jig targeting fish using his Garmin Livescope.

Jacob reported catching his fish using a variety of moving baits and focusing on the mud.