Avena and Wheeler post 40-9 at Tims Ford as the Heritage Cup field is set

The Elimination Round of Major League Fishing's Toyota Heritage Cup at Tims Ford Lake near Manchester, Tennessee, wrapped up Tuesday with a blowout. Team MillerTech's Adrian Avena and Jacob Wheeler combined for 22 scorable bass weighing 40 pounds, 9 ounces in Match 3, almost 19 pounds ahead of the next team. Instead of the stained creek backs the earlier groups had worked, they ran a clearer section of the lake and fished shaded banks with moving baits. Avena threw a bladed jig and led all anglers with 13 bass for 21-13. Wheeler mixed in topwater and a minnow-style bait.

Team Lucas Oil's Michael Neal and Wesley Strader took the second spot from Match 3 with 13 bass for 21-11. They passed 2024 champions Ott DeFoe and Andy Montgomery (16-1) with a late forward-facing sonar bite. Team Knighten Industries finished last with 5-5.

On Monday in Match 2, Bobby and Chris Lane of Team Star brite won with 17 bass for 33-13 by flipping a jig and throwing topwater around shallow cover. Bobby's 3-14 largemouth on a Berkley Choppo was the biggest bass of the event through two days. Brent Ehrler and Justin Lucas of Team Ferguson got through in second at 30-0 after Ehrler caught a 1-14 with about three minutes left, which pushed Team O'Reilly Auto Parts out at 28-6.

Wednesday's Knockout Match 1 pits Omori/Rojas, the Lanes and Neal/Strader against each other. Avena/Wheeler, Faircloth/LeBrun and Ehrler/Lucas fish Thursday. The top two teams from each match advance to Friday's championship round.

Photo: Phoenix Moore / Major League Fishing (from the Match 3 report).

This is a The Gillnet news desk summary, not a reprint.

Source: Major League Fishing — Team MillerTech’s Avena and Wheeler dominate Elimination Round Match 3 (Oct. 20, 2026) and Team Star brite’s Lane brothers advance from Elimination Round Match 2 (Oct. 19, 2026).