Piedmont Bass Classics Results - Shearon Harris - Mar. 5th
A record was set today! The team turnout was a record 82 boats! This is the largest turnout of teams in the history of the Piedmont Bass Classics! 216 bass were weighed for a whopping total of 541 pounds. All fish were released alive! Water temps averaged 55 to 58 and air temps ranged from 44 to 65 with winds ranging from light to 20 mph gusts midday.
Big fish for the day was 10.23 pounds and many bass in the 7 to over 8 pound range were also weighed. Just about any lure would work this day, but the Senko baits seemed to tempt the larger bass which were mostly caught in the 10 to 15 water depth. The smaller bass were caught mostly in the shallower water.
Once again, I want to thank our sponsors. Without their support we could not be offering the $5,000 Trail.
The next PBC tournament will be at Jordan Lake on March 12th. This event will be an 'Open Fun' tournament and will be a good practice run for the next 'Piedmont Bass Classics $5,000 Bass Tournament Trail' qualifier #2 at Jordan, March 19th. I hope to see all of you at Jordan on the 12th!
Now here are the Mar. 5th results:
1st Place..Dan Glosson & Phillip Eakes of Rougemont & Bahama..5 bass..28.45 lbs...$1,375
2nd Place..Donald Williams & Rick Ohlson of Garner..5 bass..26.93 lbs...$850
3rd Place..Todd Gibson & Mark Bayse of Archdale & Thomasville..5 bass..22.53 lbs...$655
4th Place..Randy Fisher & Donnie Lowe of Hillsborough & Mebane..5 bass..22.37 lbs...$590
5th Place..Mike Eggers & Randy Carr of Garner & Raleigh..5 bass..17.26 lbs...$520
6th Place..Richard Linton & Marc Peck of Pikeville..5 bass..16.90 lbs...$455
7th Place..Richard Cooper & Mike Vaughan of Clayton & Raleigh..5 bass..16.77 lbs...$390
8th Place..Jule Cameron & William Small of Wendell & Creedmoor..5 bass..15.23 lbs...$325
9th Place..Ken Wall & Ben Cannon of Asheboro & Apex..5 bass..15.14 lbs...$260
10th Place..Steve Woodlief & John Strother of Wake Forest..5 bass..14.32 lbs...$260
11th Place..Phil Hankins & Patrick Rose of Raleigh & Wake Forest..5 bass..13.96 lbs...$195
12th Place..Jason Dew & Randall Soles of Whiteville..5 bass..13.50 lbs...$195
13th Place..Ronnie Williams & Jason Butler of Clayton..5 bass..13.41 lbs...$131
14th Place..Thomas Sheffer & Ken McNeill of Cary & Raleigh..5 bass..13.15 lbs...$131 (tie)
14th Place..William Burns Jr. & Jerry Marshburn of Sanford..4 bass..13.15 lbs...$131 (tie)
16th Place..Jesse Soles & Ron White of Aberdeen..5 bass..13.03 lbs...$100
1st Place Big Fish..Team #4 above.....10.23 lbs...$1,106
2nd Place Big Fish..Team #15 above.....8.72 lbs...$474
1st Place TWT..Team #1 above.....28.45 lbs...$1,050
2nd Place TWT..Team #2 above.....26.93 lbs...$450
For More Information: Call 919-471-1571 or 919-971-5042 or visit: www.piedmontbassclassics.com
Thank you! Phil McCarson......Tournament Director
Winners Dan Glosson & Phillip Eakes!
Greene Boat & Motor Tournament Trail & CATT Lake Wylie March 5 - Top 6
Jody Wright and James Dyer took home 1st Place Saturday at Lake Wylie fishing the 3rd 2011 Qualifier of the Greene Boat & Motor Trail with 47 teams entering. The pair brought in a total weight of 16.76 lbs. Add in the Stratos 2x Bonus money and they took home a grand total of $3,414.00.
Tim Chapman and Marc Leech finished up in 2nd with 5 bass weighing 16.32 lbs and they recieved $925.00.
Cliff Kirby and Butch Holder took 3rd with a total weight of 15 .94 lbs and they took home $575.00.
Ryan Hinkle and Dan Mullane brought in the 4th place sack of bass weighing 15.91 lbs and they collected $375.00.
David Redman and Clay Williams finished in 5th place with a total weight of 15.71 lbs and recieved $250.00.
6th place went to David and Gerald Williams with 5 bass weighing 15.62 and they also took home the 1st place Big Fish place with a fat 7.24 lb bass. All total they collected $833.00.
Next Greene Boat and Motor trail Qualifier will be at Pinncale Access on Lake Norman April 23. The Lake Norman CATT Trail will be holding a qualifier also and you can fish both if you wish. If you do enter the CATT Qualifier on Lake Norman you will be eligible to enter the 2011 CATT Classic May 14-15 on Lake Wylie. 1st Place at the CATT Classic will be between $7,000 and $10,000 depending on the number of teams entering.
Brett Collins
CATT LLC
Jody Wright and James Dyer won with 16.76 lbs!
David and Gerald Williams won Big Fish with this 7.24 lb bass!
2011 Anglers Choice Marine Tt Smith Mtn Lake Champions
2011 Anglers Choice Marine Smith Mtn Lake Champions Tim Thurman and Ken Lackey join us after bringing in 5 fish for 18.48 and $3000 at the 1st Anglers Choice Tournament of this 2011 Season!!
Elite Series Tournament talk with Mark Menendez
Skeeter Pro Mark Menendez is looking forward to the first B.A.S.S. Elites Series Event on the Harris Chain of Lakes. Mark has experienced some success over the years in Florida but would like to start off the season with a win. " I am going to be doing a lot of looking around during the practice period mainly to try and locate one good area I can concentrate on." Mark explains. The bass should be in all three stages of the spawn and Mark will be using a variety of lures to try and catch them. His top three bait choices will be a Strike King Rage Craw, the new Strike King Finesse worm, and a Red Eye Shad. Right now the water is a little low and Mark predicts the winning pattern to be won either in the canals or in the Kissimmee grass. " Unlike most of the Florida lakes, the Harris Chain does have a structure element to it. If you find one of those key areas, you are likely to win it. It could definatly be a sleeper spot that most anglers could overlook." Mark says. However it plays out Mark will be giving it is all to try and make it to the winner's circle.
Record Entries Checking In For Anglers Choice On Smith Mountain Lake
The price of gasoline may be skyrocketing, but after a long, very cold winter, some fishermen are just anxious to get back on the water.
“It does not look like the rising gas prices are affecting us,” said Chris Lucas, tournament director for the Anglers Choice Marine Team Trail which opens its 2011 season Saturday on Smith Mountain Lake. “I talked to a a guy on the lake today and he said there was a fisherman around every corner on the lake getting ready for the tournament.”
In fact the fishermen are so eager to get going that entries are running far ahead of previous tournaments.
“The previous record for pre-registrations for a tournament was 80,” said Lucas Thursday morning. “We are at 115 this morning and expecting five or six more today. That means we are already over 120 pre-registered and that is not counting the guys who wait until the last minute to be in a late flight so they can get the afternoon bite.”
Lucas said on the tournament website that he will start registration the morning of the tournament at 5 a.m. And continue until 6:45 a.m. when he will get the tournament started.
“If you are not registered by then I will blast the late arrivals off after everybody else, so come on time,” he said.
The entry fee per tournament is $100, with an optional $20 Big Fish pot. Payback will be to one in every five boats registered, with $2,000 guaranteed for first place with at least 70 boats entered.
Anglers must fish four of the six scheduled tournametns to qualify for the championship. First place in the classic will win a new Ranger Z118 bass boat with a Mercury Opti Max motor and trailer.
Always a very popular tournament, this year Lucas said more new sponsors have come on board and there is plenty of bonus money to be paid out. The series is Triton Gold registered which means this year that a winner in the right Triton package can take home an extra $7,000. Anglers can also win with the Ranger Cup program and the Stratos 2X program.
And, while the bass in some lakes across the South are still languishing in a winter pattern following the long, cold winter, the bass in Smith Mountain Lake are biting, Lucas said.
“The guys I've been talking with who are catching fish say it's taking 20 to 25 pounds for five fish to win. A lot of people are saying it will take 20 pounds for five fish to get a check, so I think you are going to see a couple of big bags weighed in this week.”
While water temperatures are still in the 40s, a warm rain earlier this week has moved things along, Lucas said.
“There are some fish being taken in 2 to 3 feet of water on a crankbait. There are jerkbait fish in 10 to 12 feet of water and guys are still spooning heavy bags in 25 to 30 feet of water off the ends of points. I've even heard of a spinnerbait bite on some wind-blown points, too.,” Lucas said.
“With that many boats and that many teams, there will be some who will catch fish on a jig or a Shakey Head, but I think the tournament will be won on a jerkbait and a spoon.”
The main thing, he said, is that anglers will probably be able to catch fish just about however they want to fish.
Anglers Choice Marine Team Trail
Lake: Smith Mountain Lake
Landing: Parkway Marina
Date: Sat, Mar. 5, 2011
Call Chris Lucas 276-358-0844
www.anglerschoicemarine.com/TournamentTrail
Shallow Bite The Key For Berry's Team Trail Tournament On Lake Oconee
Brad Sears would love to be fishing the Berry's Team Tournament on Lake Oconee Saturday, but a father sometimes just has to give up some of the things he likes to do when his children are growing up and getting involved in sports and other activities.
“I'm fishing the (B.A.S.S. Southern) Opens this year and I'm gone so much for that,” said Sears who fishes Oconee a lot and is a Berry's Trail veteran. “My son is having a track meet Saturday so that is where I will be instead.”
But, if he could make the tournament, he knows just how he would fish it.
“The water is warming up. It's come up 10 to 15 degrees depending on where you are on the lake. It's gone from the low 40s to the mid 50s and in some areas probably up in the 60-degree range. The most stable water in the lake is probably in the area from Sugar Creek down to Lick Creek.”
That should have the fish in pre-spawn, he said, with another wave getting ready to go into pre-spawn and some behind them that are still out deeper and lethargic.
“Oconee is a shallow bite lake year round. The winning sack is probably going to come from flipping docks, throwing shallow-running crankbaits and shallow-running spinnerbaits.,” he said.
“For the pre-spawn fish I'd be fishing the back of Sugar Creek or Lick Creek,” Sears said. “Those fish stay shallow back there all year. In Sugar Creek I'd start out in the morning throwing a shallow-running crankbait or spinnerbait over some sandy bottoms. If I moved down to Lick Creek to rocks and wood, such as blowdowns.”
Since Oconee is noted as a “muddy water” lake, color is very important in lure selection, he said.
“I'd either throw a white and chartreuse or a blue shimmer shad spinnerbait. My spinnerbait choice would be a 3/8-ounce Buzzerbait with a Colorado/willow leaf combo or a double willow leaf combo,” he said. “If I was throwing a crankbait, I'd throw a SPRO Little John in black and chartreuse.”
If the sun comes out with bluebird skies, he said, he would be skipping under the docks with either a jig or a watermelon red fluke rigged weightless.
“The jig would be black and blue with a green pumpkin Zoom Speed Craw dipped in JJ's Magic chartreuse on the claws. That's the best kept secret in bass fishing.”
Or he'd bang a crankbait off the dock posts, he said.
“The key to fishing the docks is to find which post they are holding on, those closer in or the ones out towards deeper water,” he said.
Sears said the fish still out in the deeper water can be caught too.
“Don't be afraid to pull out and fish the ledges with a Carolina rig.”
Family comes first, but Sears admittedly would really love to fish the Berry's Trail this year if he could.
“It's a well run tournament. They are real sticklers on rules and safety and they keep everyone true and it shows because of the number of fishermen it draws. It attracts so many because of the paybacks, one in every six. I fished a tournament at Sinclair and finished 16th – and got a check.”
Because of the payback and the way the tournaments are run the family run trail is probably the biggest trail in the state of Georgia, Sears said.
“I fished the trail last year and in one tournament we had 155 boats,” he noted.
The current schedule began in December, with tournaments in January and February and five more counting this Saturday before the two-day Classic on the two lakes June 4-5. The first two events drew 119 and 124 boats and there were 84 in the February tournament.
“They average 85 to 130 boats a tournament and it should really pick up now that hunting season is over,” Sears said.
Teams have to fish five of the eight tournaments on the schedule to qualify for the classic in June.
Sears predicted it will take at least 17 to 18 pounds to win Saturday's tournament – and even that may not be enough.
“There are a couple of people who have fished that lake for years who may come in with a 20-pound-plus sack,” he said.
Berry's Team Tournament Trail
Lake: Lake Oconee
Landing: Sugar Creek Marina
Date: Sat, Mar. 5, 2011
Countdown to Blastoff 2011 Week 7
AC Insider Robby Byrum gets into some good detail as to what to expect this weekend with Tournaments all over the South!!
Yes, They're Bedding On Lake Guntersville!
This time last year air temps were in the teens and water temperatures were in the low-40's in late February on Guntersville Lake. Yes, its March the first. But its been many years since we have seen extreme warming conditions like we have recently experienced during this early spring season. Eighty degrees in late February is just unheard of, even in Alabama!
So how has this sudden warming trend affected both the smaller sized male bass and the larger-sized female largemouth bass on Guntersville lake? Alabama's largest man made reservoir has suddenly undergone some very quick changes...like you would not believe, that is unless you saw it. This week, I did.
Bass cruising in pairs and beds already showing in the shallows means there will definitely be an early spawn. Some of the bigger bass may have already spawned when the last full moon took place. A new wave of both males and females is now moving into the shallows. Officially March 20 is the beginning of spring. But with continuing weather like we are having, to me, spring is already here.
Monday we may have caught have 25 - 30 bass (who's counting?), mostly fishing very shallow with crankbaits, rattletraps, spinnerbaits, jig combos and topwaters like zara spooks and buzz baits. Other lures too!
Over half of those bass were smaller males weighing from 1-2 pounds each. But we did have several nice 3-4 pounders, a 5 pounder, one that looked to weigh from 7-8 pounds, one that pulled off a back hook on a crankbait and kept on going, and one that looked to be about 6 pounds, (we got a good look at it!) before it leaped two feet high and threw a crankbait! Yes, what a day!
No rain all morning Monday, but 25 m.p.h. winds made for a tough day and several back-lashed reels. We left at about 1 p.m. due to dark, threatening skies and rain coming in hard.
Such is Guntersville Lake in the spring...
GUNTERSVILLE LAKE
Impounded 1939
Date fished: Monday, February 28
Lake Level: Down 1.50 feet
Air Temperature: Low 70 degrees High 80
Cloudy, rainy conditions
Water Temperature 66-70 degrees
Water Clarity Clear - Main lake / Some mid-to-lower lake creeks have a slight stain from recent rains
Water Generation All Day
GUIDE SERVICE
* Always call on Reeds Guide Service...first! (205) 663-1504 " Guntersville Lake's (and all of Alabama's) oldest, professional "bass fishing only" guide service for over 40 years" Website www.fishingalabama.com Newly updated for spring!
* NOW BOOKING GUIDED TRIPS FOR SPRING FOR THE NOVICE ANGLER, TOURNAMENT ANGLER, TROPHY BASS ANGLER, PARENT AND CHILD FISHING TEAMS, CORPORATE GUIDED TRIPS AND FAMILY OUTINGS WITH SEVERAL BOATS AND PROFESSIONAL GUIDES AVAILABLE YEAR ROUND FOR ANY ALABAMA LAKE. DISCOUNTS AVAILABLE!
* HUNTING AND FISHING
* Hunting and fishing items and a new store! Go by Marks Outdoors Sports in Vestavia (near Birmingham), or see them online at www.marksoutdoors.com for all your fishing and hunting needs! Look me up at Marks Outdoors I'll be there on "Turkey Day" March 10!
* NEW AND USED BOATS
See www.airportmarine.com for new boats, used boats, close-out boat sales, parts and expert mechanic work...Alabama's best!
* TOURNAMENTS
See www.,airportmarinetrails.com for tournament updates on their first tournament of the year, Solo Trails and Annual Events. Alabama's most popular and best paying bass tournaments!
* WORLD'S BEST BASS BOATS
* NEED NEW BOAT BATTERIES?
Check out Exide's Trolling and Cranking Batteries now on sale at www.airportmarine.com
Thanks and Good Fishin'
Reed Montgomery / Outdoor Writer
Owner / Reeds Guide Service
Alabaster, Alabama (205) 663-1504
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.fishingalabama.com
" Over 40 Years Guiding, Fishing and Exploring Every Lake in Alabama For Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Spotted Bass and Striped Bass "
Always Call on Reeds Guide Service...first!
Alabama's Oldest Professional, Freshwater Fishing Guide Service!
Cold Front Chills Bass In Beaver Lake Before Flw Tour's First Major
FrogTape Pro Brian Travis is fishing the first FLW Major of the year this week
Most anglers have a love-hate relationship with Beaver Lake in Arkansas. Some love it; a lot hate it.
That's the opinion of Brian Travis, pro angler from Conover, N.C., who has been practicing on Beaver this week for the FLW Tour's first Major of the year.
On Sunday, the first day of practice Travis was loving it.
“It was about 68-69 degrees Sunday and I think the fish bit better for everybody. I had seven keepers that day and a lot of people I know caught some big fish on Sunday.”
But the euphoria was short-lived. Things changed quickly Sunday night when a cold front blew a line of storms across the region, dropping temperatures 20 degrees by Monday – and giving the bass a severe case of lockjaw.
That's when Travis began hating Beaver Lake.
“Fishing has been terrible,” Travis said. “I've caught four fish the last two days and no keepers. I've also talked to 10 or 15 other guys and nobody I've talked to is catching fish.”
The first couple of days after the storm, he said, it was hard to find water above the mid-50-degree range. On Tuesday, he noticed it beginning to creep up and found some areas with 48-49 degree water.
“The fish are in pre-spawn and they should be moving up. They had a really cold winter up here, though. Just four weeks ago they had 20 inches of snow, but then it turned off pretty warm.”
And, although the water has warmed slightly, he said, the fish have not moved out of the deeper areas yet.
“I”m sure some have started to move up,” Travis said, hopefully.
Before the storm Sunday night most anglers were catching fish on jerkbaits and crankbaits, he said, with a few coming on Shakey Heads.
The spot he caught those seven good fish on Sunday is along a little bank he discovered in a previous tournament on Beaver Lake.
“I caught a few there and then they fell out in that tournament. But they were there the other day. It is setting up like it could be a good staging place,” he said.
“If it warms up like it is supposed to – it's supposed to be 70 degrees Thursday, the first day of the tournament – I plan to fish that stretch of bank with a jerkbait. If that doesn't pan out I am probably going to run the river where the water is dirty and throw a Wiggle Wart and a jig along the little bluff banks.”
When the tournament is over Travis, who already has a top 20 finish this year, placing 14th in the FLW Tour Open on Lake Okeechobee a month ago, will head to Dallas, Texas, to represent his main sponsor, Frog Tape, at the Great big Texas Home Show at Cowboy Stadium. Frog Tape is a painter's tape treated with Paint Block to keep paint out and lines sharp when painting along edges,
“Things are going really good with Frog Tape and they are happy,” he said of the sponsorship. But, he added, he has some real sponsor competition this year on the FLW Tour.
“3-M came on board with FLW so I've got my hands full. I've got to beat the 3-M boat.” Travis said pro angler Ray Scheide of Dover, Ark., is sponsored this year by 3-M.
But, everybody appears to be in pretty much the same boat when it comes to catching fish in the first FLW Tour Major of the year.
“Everybody is kind of depressed right now, but we will see how this one turns out,” Travis said. “A lot of guys are wondering how it will turn out. Some are thinking 5 pounds a day will make a check.”
Things could change quickly if the weather warms like it is supposed to, he noted.
“They had a winter trail tournament here a week ago and it took over 23 pounds to win it. There are some big ones here. It's just a matter of finding them and getting them to bite.”
FLW Tour Major #1
Lake: Beaver Lake
Landing: Prairie Creek Park
Date: March 3-6, 2011
2011 Progressive Weekend Wrap Up Show Part Two
AC Pro Staffer Rob Digh continues our look back at this past weekend-with a focus on the 2 primary baits that caught most of the fish on Norman-Part Two
2011 Progressive Weekend Wrap Up Show Part One
AC Pro Staffer Rob Digh helps us look back at one great weekend of Tournaments across the region, highlighed by a 30+ LB bag on Chickmauga! Part One
Glasgow Brings In A Sack At The Bassmaster Weekend Series On Guntersville
Glasgow makes big score at Guntersville
ATHENS, Ala. – Allan Glasgow went home $5,000 richer after winning the Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Weekend Series, operated by American Bass Anglers, Alabama North Division 1 tournament, held Feb. 26, 2011, on Lake Guntersville.
The Ashville, Ala., angler landed five bass weighing 27.94 pounds for a 5.58-pound average. He helped his average with a 6.84-pound bucketmouth. Launching at Val-Monte Lakeside Resort, the anglers spread out through the 69,100-acre Tennessee River impoundment.
“I had a terrible practice, but was able to figure out something late,” Glasgow said. “The fish were super shallow. I flipped a black and blue jig with a watermelon red beaver in blow-downs, hitting the ends of the trees in about two feet of water. I had seven bites and they were all big.”
In second for the 108-boat event, Michael Bradford of Scottsboro, Ala., landed a five-bass tournament limit weighing 20.94 pounds. He took home $1,935.
“I mainly threw rattling baits in a shallow creek channel bend with stumps on it,” Bradford explained. “There was about a foot difference in depth and the fish were staying in the three-foot zone. I fished the front of the creeks because the fish were migrating into the creeks. The fish wanted red early in the morning, but after about 9 a.m., they wanted white.”
Casey Whitehead of Robbinsville, N.C., also topped the 20-pound mark with five bass going 20.08 pounds. He earned $1,290 for third place.
“I found some fish a couple weeks ago, but they swam up the channel about half a mile,” Whitehead said. “I caught them on shad pattern spinnerbaits in about four feet of water around isolated grass.”
In fourth, Alex Davis of the hosting town of Guntersville, Ala., caught five bass at 19.85 pounds. Gil Summerlin, also a Guntersville angler, landed three bass for 19.48 pounds, but anchored his bag with a 9.28-pound bruiser to take tournament big bass honors.
“I caught the big one in about eight feet of water along a grass line while throwing a jig,” Summerlin said. “I lost another good one just after that. That fish hit at about noon.”
In the Co-Angler Division, three anglers exceeded 13 pounds with Randy Snyder of Corryton, Tenn., coming out on top with three bass weighing 13.34 pounds, a 4.44-pound average. With more than 100 boats participating, Snyder won a guaranteed $2,500.
“I was throwing a 1/2-ounce Redeye Shad in white, red and gold and slowing it down,” Snyder explained. “In practice about a week ago, I noticed they were hitting that color really well.”
Jon Burt of Fort Payne, Ala., landed in second with a three-bass division limit weighing 13.10 pounds. He anchored his bag with a 6.46-pounder to win $960.
“I caught my fish on a shallow-running square-billed crankbait,” Burt said. “I was targeting grass growing in the shallows. I culled twice.”
In third among the co-anglers, Brian Helderman of Fyfe, Ala., caught three keepers going 13.02 pounds to earn $645. Curtis Norton of Decatur, Ala., took fourth with three bass at 11.94 pounds, followed by Benjamin Curry of Hayden, Ala., with three bass weighing 11.65 pounds.
“We threw blue Rat-L-Traps all day,” Helderman said. “Most of our bites came after about 10 a.m. I caught about two limits.”
Brandon Taylor of Scottsville, Ky., finished in eighth place among the co-anglers with two bass weighing 10.46 pounds. However, one of them tipped the scales at 7.99-pounds, the division lunker.
“I started with five Rat-L-Traps tied on, but found out that we were going to fish deep,” Taylor said. “I scrambled to find some plastics. I caught the big one on a beaver in about 12 feet of water at 11 a.m.”
For more information, call ABA at (888) 203-6222. On line, see www.americanbassanglers.com.
About American Bass Anglers: The Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Weekend Series provides weekend anglers a professionally operated competitive tour with a path the world championship of bass fishing the Bassmaster Classic. American Bass Anglers commitment is to provide low cost, close to home tournaments for the weekend angler and at the same time offer each competitor an upward path for individual angler progression. For more information about American Bass Anglers and the American Fishing Tour, The Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Weekend Series or the American Couples Series, visit www.americanbassanglers.com.
Chattanooga Bass Assoc Chickamauga Results
Truck n Trailers, Chattanooga's premier source for trailer repair and truck accessories was proud to host the first CBA event of 2011. Man was it a shoot out! Ole Lady Chick flexed her muscle for this one and put out a ton of big healthy fish. I would like to commend all of the anglers and the guys helping to release the fish, as there were no dead fish penalties and all fish swam away! I want to personally thank everyone who showed up for this historic event. We had a field of 96 boats show up, which is easily a CBA attendence record for Feb. Also, i want to thank all of the other officers and their partners who helped me get through probably the most stressful month of my life! We paid out cash and prizes through 80 places. here is a list of our top finishers:
1. Brandon Roop/ Brent Tharpe 30.26# + 9.43BF=$2000+$480
2. Brian Gladson/ Jim Kimsey 24.50# $950
3. Steve Kite/ Daniel Lewis 23.45# $800+ $100 for being highest finishing Towboat US member!
4. Greg Lamb/ Mark Heatherly 21.91# $750
5. Mark Varaday/ Mark Keith 21.22# $650
6. Richard Graham/ Jerry Webb 20.55# $550
7. Shawn Lusk/ Andy Lusk 20.38# $450
8. Rogne Brown/ Alan Brown 20.21# $400
9. Haden Lamb/ Jeff Richmond Jr. $350
10. Matt Jenkins/ John Mantooth $350 + free entry to March event for highest "New Team"
11. Buddy Gross/ James Milling $300
12. Bob Anthony/ Tony Gilliam $250
13. Galen James/ Tony Townsend $250
14. Mark Morgan/ Vick Welch $200
15. Wes Hardin/ Ron Willerson $200
16. Nick Pratt/ Chris Coffey $150
17. Carter Day/ Eric Caberra $150
Big Fish was 9.43lm caught by Roop/ Tharpe
Big Smallie was 5.07# caught by Steve Barnes and Spencer Smith
Big Spot was caught by Barry Wingo and Kurt Grammar at 3.85#
Again, sorry I didn't have the weights for 10-17th place in front of me. I appreciate everyone who came. I look forward to doing this again in 2 weeks! I would urge all of you to take advantage of the Towboat US incentives being offered by Capt. Shane O'Neal! We will Host the "Signs March Open" on Saturday March 12th. Hope to see you there!
2011 Airport Marine Tt Lake Martin Highlights And Champions
AC Pro Staffer Reed Montgomery gets some great Weigh-in highlights at the Airport Marine Lake Martin Tournament, including a one on one with the Champs-Andy Chapel and Jamie Butler...Congrats guys!!
Crank It Up With Strike King
2011 Buckeye Lures Preview
We visit headquarters at Buckeye Lures outside of Augusta, GA and get an update on some of the new and exciting products that are making their way into a retailer near you-
Catt Lake Wateree Feb 26 Results! Holy Cow!!!
CATT kicked off the 2011 CATT Wateree Trail this past Saturday with 43 teams geared up for some heavy duty bass fishing launching out of Clearwater Cove Marina.The CATT Wateree Trail pays out over $50,000.00 annually!If you want to add more cash to that total check out the new programs added to the 2011 CATT sponsorship team that can put more jingle in your pocket. Basscat Quest, Phoenix first Flight, Legend Advantage and Lock-n-Haul Bonus Award Programs have been added joining Startos 2x and Triton Gold. CATT has paid back over 1 Million in cash to South & North Carolina Anglers!
Robert Ross and Rick McLean: 25 Lbs=Wateree Champions!!
The conditons were right for someone to fill up their livewell with some sows at Wateree Saturday. You could find any water color you liked, spinnerbaits, Rattle Traps, crankbaits and jigs could do the trick plus the water temp was right. 35 of the 43 teams weighed in over 450 lbs of bass. If you didn't weigh in over 17 lbs you missed out on the money. There were easily 40 bass over 4 lbs weighed in. Mark & William Richardson had two bass of their limit weighing exactly 5.95 lbs each! The only thing missing were those 7 pounders that usually make an appearance this time of year but it's a safe bet we'll start seeing some of those larger bass in the coming weeks. Most of the teams said the morning bite was awesome! I would have to say fishing is only going to get better in the next few weeks if the weather is stable and we can get some more dirty water flowing throught the Catawba River.
Robert Ross of Sumter and Rick McLean of Dalzell knew the weather conditons were right for a big bag and they evidently knew where they were living. They brought in a limit of bass weighing a whopping 25.01 lbs taking 1st place. They also weighed in a 6.82 bass to take 1st place Big Fish. Making a very good day even better they also collected the BONUS $. All total they received $1,746.00 pushing thier career CATT winnings over $8,000.00!
Next Wateree CATT is this Saturday March 12th at Clearwater Cove. We have plenty of room for you!
Also we kick off the Lake Norman CATT March 5th at Midway Marine. April 16th is the 1st CATT on Lake Jordan. More info at www.catttrail.com
Brett Collins
2011 Bfl Lake Norman Boater Co-Champion David Williams
BFL Lake Norman Boater Co-Champion David Williams talks about his day as well fellow Co-Boater Champion Keith Kirby's 7+ LB BF which is one heck of a catch here at Lake Norman!!
FOM Eufaula Results
Ronald and Taylor Terry, a father and son team, captured 1st place with a 15.65 pound limit and a 4.67 kicker. Ronald Terry stated “They caught 30 fish on a chrome and blue Rat-L-Trap!” They were fishing points up river from Lakepoint and said they were pretty confident that the bass were staging for the pre-spawn.
Ronald and Taylor Terry: 1st Place Team
Taking the 2nd spot was father and daughter team, Derrick and Kallie Millirons. The Millirons picked up where they left off in the 2010 Legacy Season. Derrick and Kallie weighed in a five fish limit of 12.12 pounds with a big fish weighing 4.87 pounds. Derrick said “We caught our fish with a crank bait around rocks.” Kallie’s not sure exactly how her dad caught the big one, but did demonstrate his ‘cheer’ after getting it in the livewell.
Derrick and Kallie Millirons: 2nd Place Team
Capturing the 3rd spot was Adam Linkenhoker and Cody Byron, one fish shy of a limit. Adam and Cody weighed in 9.29 pounds with a kicker weighing in at 4.07 pounds. They caught their fish throwing Chatterbaits, Spinnerbaits, and Speed Worms.
Special thanks to Sam and Polly Williams and Calvary Baptist Church, our Friday night banquet host.
Place # Fish Biggest Total Total $ $ Breakdown Anglers
1st 5 4.67 15.65 $ 499 Place $340
Big Fish $34
Bonus Bucks $125 Ronald Terry - Taylor Terry
Seale, AL
2nd 5 4.87 12.12 $ 321 Place $195
Big Fish $51
Bonus Bucks $75 Derrick Millirons - Kallie Millirons
Seale, AL
3rd 4 4.07 9.29 $ 186 Place $136
Big Fish $0
Bonus Bucks $50 Adam Linkenhoker - Cody Byron
Columbus, GA
4th 5 9.17 $ 102 Place $102 Clayton Shoupe - Christian Cook
Newton, AL – Dothan, AL
5th 5 2.9 8.95 $ 77 Place $77 Randy Johnson - Logan Johnson
Hogansville, GA
6th 4 7.93 Robbie Sowash - Colton Sowash
Flowery, Branch, GA
7th 2 5.14 Richard Wilson - Stanley Lowe
Forsyth, GA
8th 2 3.38 4.85 Robert Stewart - Charles Weir
Panama City, FL
9th 1 3.21 3.21 Pate Flournoy - Blake Fincher
Birmingham, AL – Phenix City, AL
10th 2 2.87 Michael Gifford - Cassandra Gifford
Eufaula, AL
Fish the Fall Top 5 from Hartwell
1. Lanny Phillips and Jeff Glover 10 fish 37.20 $3000
2. Barton Aiken and Jeff Rohaley 10 fish 35.55 $1000
3. Mike Tidwell and Brock Taylor 10 fish 33.98 $900
4. Cole Hyder and Zach Hyder 10 fish 32.94 $600
5. James Edwards and Larry Williams 10 fish 32.31 $400
Big Fish on Friday Kevin Dye and Brad Perkins 7.37 $350
Big Fish on Sat Cole and Zach Hyder 7.40 $350
Tournament director Dennis Landrum says that these bags were some of the healthiest bass he'd seen come out of Harwell in a long, long time. Most fish were caught on shallow crankbait in 2-6 feet of water. Water was clear main lake, but pockets and creeks very colored. Water temp was 51-55 degree's and secondary pattern would be jerkbaits in 5-10 feet of water. Most anglers went up the river out of Portman fishing the stained water.
Countdown to Blastoff 2011 Week 6 Part 2
AC Pro Staffer Rob Digh and Shooter Jigs Founder Louie Hull continue our preveiw of the BFL on Lake Norman as well as some baits that Rob and Louie both agree could be a factor this sat-and its not a JIG!!
Countdown to Blastoff 2011 Week 6 Part 1
AC Pro Staffer Rob Digh and Shooter Jigs Founder Louie Hull join us at Lake Norman to discuss the upcoming BFL on Norman this Sat as well as some other BIG tournaments coming to our region this weekend-Part 1
Airport Marine Team Trail Results - Lake Martin - February 19, 2011
There were 72 boats that contained teams consisting of 144 of Alabama's best bass anglers, most of which just came out of late winter's state of hibernation looking for a cure for their bad case of cabin fever...and most of these anglers found it real fast on Alabama's Lake Martin this past Saturday, February 19. Over 50 of those teams weighed in bass on this partly cloudy day, following a week-long warming trend, with air temps in the upper-60's to low-70's including slowly, rising water temperatures in the 50's.
Perfect conditions for catching a bunch of pre-spawn bass!
There were buddy teams (that paid 12 places - 1st place paid $2000), parent and child teams (paying 3 places - 1st place paid $500), and male and female teams (paying 3 places - 1st place paid $500), all that were paid a nice first place pay day in each class.
* First Place Buddy Team - Andy Chappell & Jamie Butler - 5 bass weighing 18.66 pounds.
* Second Place Buddy Team - Chris Dill & Vern Moody - 5 bass weighing 15.48 pounds - (including the biggest largemouth bass - weighing 7.30 pounds)
* Second Place Buddy Team - Marty Giddens & Kim Giddens - 15.16 pounds
* It took 11.69 pounds (for 12th place) to get in the money on the buddy team pay out.
* Although most anglers caught some bass, there were some anglers that did not. There were 17 boats that turned in a zero weight for the day.
* See www.airportmarinetrails.com for the entire Lake Martin Tournament results, pay outs, pictures and the entire 2011 tournament schedule for all of Airport Marine's Buddy Trails, Annual Events and Solo Trail Tournament Trails.
OUR DAY
So how did our day go?
I fished this tournament with Terry Davidson. In all, we had about 25 bass that day. We made about 2000 long casts each that day and utilized a slow, stop and go presentation. I think most bites we had were instinct / reaction strikes from smaller male bass that had just moved shallow this past week. All but one of those 25 bass (that one I caught on a jig and craw combo) came on shallow to mid-diving crankbaits. Almost every bass we caught that day was near the bank in 1-3 feet of water.
Our day started off with a nice 5 bass limit in the boat by 7 a.m. One of our 3 best bass that day was caught by Terry on his very first cast of the day, fooled on a shallow diving crankbait. Another nice bass I caught at mid morning came on a jig & craw combo fishing brush in 10 feet of water. Up in the day Terry had another good bass caught in 3 feet of water on a mid-diving crankbait. Also, there was one key bass Terry lost...the only bass either of us lost all day, one that probably kept us just out of the money.
We placed 13th with 11.69 pounds. Just one spot out of the money. Our day came to a rather reluctant end when Terry hooked a very strong fish at 2 p.m. It was laying in 2 feet of water, right next to a Christmas tree brush pile. It looked to weigh about 8 pounds and it was caught on a shallow diving crankbait. But in this BASS tournament you cannot weigh in a cat fish...so he threw it back. Had that cat fish been a bass it would have moved us into second place for the day with over 15 pounds. But, it wasn't.
LAKE MARTIN CONDITIONS
In the past few weeks Alabama anglers have seen 2-3 inches of snow that quickly melted in a couple of days. Lake Martin water temperatures then were in the low 40's and the lake down 8 feet in early February. Two weeks ago a warming trend of 60-70 degrees began. Saturday, Feb. 19 the morning water temperature was 51 degrees at blast off in Airport Marine's Tournament. Some anglers reported seeing water temps close to 60 degrees by 2 p.m. that day.
With no rain in weeks the mid-to-upper lake is rather clear. Normally, in late February it is cold in the mid 40's and heavily stained. With heavy rain and thundershowers predicted for tonight and Friday all this could change by this weekend. Also the lake is slowly rising now at 7 feet below normal full pool lake levels.
So what can anglers expect that are planning on fishing Saturday's March 5 FLW Outdoors Bass Fishing League Tournament? Lots of bass weighed in that's what! Although most major bass tournaments held on Lake Martin during the early spring period are won with an average weight of 15 -16 pounds there is always a pair of anglers that may find bigger bass.
Water temperatures on Lake Martin should exceed 60 degrees by this Saturday, March 5 with mid-60's air temps predicted for Lake Martin. Coupled with rising waters and Martin's bass will be moving shallow to prepare for their annual rituals of bedding and making beds.
Wood cover and rock cover will hold bass in the shallows. It may take multiple casts with a variety of lures featuring several different presentations, to even get these now highly pressured bass to bite. Or it could mean fishing slow. Or it could call for covering water and fishing fast hitting as many key spots as you possibly can in one days time. We will just have to wait and see!
FISHING NEWS AND WEBSITES
* GUIDED TRIPS TO ANY ALABAMA LAKE
Stumped? Tired of trying to figure out these early spring season bass with little or no help? Always call on Reeds Guide Service...first! (205) 663-1504 or E-mail [email protected] Website www.fishingalabama.com Not only for fishing Lake Martin but for targeting bass on any lake in Alabama. "Alabama's oldest, professional "bass fishing only" freshwater guide service, for over 40 years guiding on all of Alabama's lakes for largemouth bass, spotted bass, smallmouth bass, and huge, striped bass"
Call me or e-mail me today to book / reserve your fishing trip date. Booking fast for spring and summer on all Alabama lakes! Corporate guided trips, family outings with several professional guides and boats, tournament anglers welcome, parent and child learning trips, discounts on two day or more guided trips, year round on all Alabama lakes! See the Guide Service link on my website www.fishingalabama.com for more info.
* CHECK OUT MY NEW WEBSITE! WWW.FISHINGALABAMA.COM SAME NAME - ALL NEW LOOK, NEW CONTENTS, FISHING REPORTS, FISHING TIPS, OLD AND NEW PICTURES, NEW FISHING LINKS, FISHING ARTICLES, ETC. FOR FISHING ALL OF ALABAMA'S LAKES YEAR ROUND IN ALL SEASONS!
* HUNTING AND FISHING ITEMS, NEW STORE and NEW LOOK! Check out www.marksoutdoors.com for all your outdoor needs! Coming to Marks Thursday, March 10 "Turkey Day Outdoor Cookout" with free food and hundreds of fishing and hunting bargains! All at Marks Outdoors Sports in Vestavia, Alabama! See you there!
* LOOKING FOR A NEW OR USED BOAT? Go to Airport Marine in Clanton, Alabama. or check out their website www.airportmarine.com for new and used boats, parts, expert mechanic work and a great sales staff. Also see their tournaments at www.airportmarinetrails.com Next tournament is on Guntersville Lake Saturday, March 12 out of Goosepond boat launch! Get there early to sign up, should be a huge crowd! See you there!
* WORLDS BEST BASS BOAT? See www.rangerboats.com newly designed website!
* NEW WEBSITES IN ALABAMA See www.bassnboat.com and www.bamabass.com and my new website www.fishingalabama.com !
* NEED NEW BOAT TROLLING OR CRANKING BATTERIES? Check out Exide Batteries! You can see a link to their website EXIDE BATTERIES on the home page of my website www.fishingalabama.com I have been using these 3 excellent batteries furnished by Airport Marine for my Ranger Bass Boat since the Fall of 2010. They hold a great charge all day, I have never ran down the trolling motor battery's and the 1000 amp cranking battery will last all day and keep a full charge. Even when not running the boat and running the live wells all day it never fails to crank that big outboard motor!
* WBRC FOX 6'S GOOD DAY ALABAMA MORNING SHOW - See Reed Montgomery Owner of Reeds Guide Service make his next appearance Tuesday, March 29 at 8 a.m. on Fox 6's Good Day Alabama morning show. Reed is on this very popular show seen state wide every, "Last Tuesday of each month" on Fox 6 Television now for over 6 years, answering all your fishing questions with his "Ask the Angler" Question and Answer session each month!
Thanks and Good Fishin' !
Reed Montgomery / Outdoor Writer
Owner / Reeds Guide Service
Alabaster, Alabama (205) 663-1504
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.fishingalabama.com
" Over 40 Years Guiding, Fishing and Exploring Every Lake in Alabama For Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Spotted Bass and Striped Bass "
Always Call on Reeds Guide Service...first!
Alabama's Oldest Professional, Freshwater Fishing Guide Service!
Fishers of Men NC Piedmont Division Results - Belews Lake - Feb 19, 2011
The Fishers of Men National Team Trail, NC Piedmont Division kicked off the 2011 season on the steam plant waters of Belews Lake outside of Winston-Salem, NC on Feb 19th.
The evening before the tournament had the teams meeting at Edgewood Baptist Church on Reidsville Road and all of the anglers had a great night of fellowship, food and fun. Division director Mike Sides challenged the anglers to avoid being lukewarm…like the trout…comfortable with the surroundings. He suggested Christians be like the bass…knowing what it wants, being particular about its surroundings. Six anglers rededicated their lives at the meeting…what a great start!
The morning of the 19th brought breezy conditions and clear skies for the 37 teams testing the waters of Belews. When all was done, a number of bass were weighed in, and everyone had a good time.
Finishing in first place was the team of Stephen Singleton and Bradley Singleton with a 5 bass limit of 11.85 pounds and taking home $1066.00. Second place was taken by the team of Bill Kohls and Joe Nieser bringing 10.82 pounds to the scales and earning $600 for their efforts.
Taking third place was the team of Robert Mixon and Steve Sink with 10.76 pounds and wining $578.50. The team of Joseph Ratcliff and Josh Akers took fourth with 10.50 pounds, including the big fish tipping the scales at 3.86 pounds and earning $622. Fifth place was won by James Allred and Clarence Brickey with 10.22 pounds giving them a check for $401.50.
Sixth place went to Dean Collins and Ray Furr with 10.20 pounds putting $266 in their pockets. The final paying spot of $200 went to the seventh place team of Joel Richardson and Neal Stockton with 9.66 pounds.
23 of the 37 teams weighed in 5 fish limits and all but two of the teams brought fish to the scales. What a great tournament! The next stop on the trail will be at Lake Norman on March 19th.
The Lake Norman Tournament will be held at McCrary Creek Ramp on Hwy 150 aproximately 10 miles out of Mooresville at the hwy 150 bridge. The Friday night meeting will be held at Peninsula Baptist Church. Registration begins at 5:30 pm. Directions to the church are as follows: traveling West from I-77 on hwy 150 just as you begin to get out of the business district, turn left on Williamson Dr. (turn right coming from the lake) go approximately 2 miles and turn right on Brawley School Rd. The church will be about one half mile on your left.
We cannot do this without the help of our sponsors…
Our Divisional sponsors are: Nester Hoisery, Snyders Packaging, Tamarac Marina, Ben Franklin; Atty at Law, Cagles General Store and Flow Motors.
Our tournament sponsors are: Sports Fisherman’s Center, Bass Pro Shops,Anglers Choice Marine, The Trophy House, Asheboro Alarm and Electric Co.,.Cashion Custom Rods,Pine Ridge Store Bens Salvage, Lead Chunkers and Carolina Marina.
Sponsoring our Adult/Jr. teams is Lyerly Dental and the door prize sponsors are: Advance Auto, Hwy 49 Sporting Goods, Fishing Fever, Get The Net Bait Co., Flemming Candy Co., Happy Farms, Tournament Lure Concepts. Fisherman's Friend , Capt Garys Instant Shine, Ron Moore Landscaping, Rudys Tackle, S&C Garage, Country Christian Book Store and Deep Creek Lures. We would also like to take this opportunity to thank all the fine companies that make Fishers of Men possible: Skeeter Boats, Yamaha,, Strike King Lure Company, Markel Marine Insurance, Abu Garcia, Power-Pole, Nester Hosiery, Marshall’s Marine Lake City SC, Keelshield, Solar Bat, Kistler,,Berkley, Spot Remover, Stanley Jigs,Gary 'Yamamoto, Jacobs Glass,and Dual Pro Charger.
For information on fishing our trail, contact Mike Sides at [email protected]!
Effects Of Winter Storm Make Fishing Tough For Bass Central Open On Lake Lewisville
Although temperatures have been warming, the residual effects of the winter blizzard that blanketed the Dallas area the week of the Super Bowl are still being felt in Lake Lewisville as anglers prepare for the opening tournament of the year on the Bassmaster Central Opens schedule.
“I was fortunate to get a few bites Monday, but today they have been hard to come by,” said David Mansue, a retired New Jersey law enforcement officer who now calls Hemphill, Texas, home. “I am hoping the water will warm up and some of the fish will move to the bank and be easier to get to.”
Two weeks ago Dallas was covered with a record snowfall of 12.5 inches, followed by an ice storm that sent water temperatures plummeting in area lakes. Lake Lewisville is a half hour's drive north of Dallas, so it has felt the brunt of the unusual winter weather.
Mansue, who practiced on Lake Lewisville last week, said the water temperature then was 41 degrees.
“We had a rather warm week in Dallas this week and the temperatures came up considerably. The high was in the low 50s, but then a cold front came in and chilled things down about 6 or 7 degrees.”
Although 2011 Bassmaster Classic Champion Kevin VanDam weighed in 58 pounds, 12 ounces, including a 12-pounder, in the June 2005 Elite Series event on Lake Lewisville, no one expects that kind of outcome in the three-day Open which begins Thursday.
Because it is a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers lake, there are very few docks and boathouses, and, Mansue said, there is no grass, so anglers will have to target rock and wood structure.
He said anglers likely will have to stay on the move to catch the winning weight because the bait and fish are moving a lot.
“A small crankbait around that wood and rock and maybe a spinnerbait will be the way to go,” he said. “Try to burn it down the bank. It's quite possible that could win the thing for somebody.”
While he considers the jig to be his forte, Mansue said he's not sure this tournament is one to rely on the jig – “but I sure will have one out on the deck.”
Mansue competed in the BASS Top 150 and the BASS Tour before it became the Elite Series while he was still working as second in command of a 55-man police department in New Jersey.
“I've been on the road now for 10 or 11 years and this is something I can concentrate on now that I am retired,” he said. Mansue, who won the 2009 Northern Open Tournament on the Chesapeake Bay, is fishing the Central Opens, Southern Opens and the PAA Tour events this year.
A full field will compete Thursday and Friday, with the top 12 anglers and top 12 co-anglers advancing to the final round on Saturday.
Many of the anglers, including Mansue, have already signed up to host wounded soldiers in a special tournament Saturday on Lake Grapevine, just to the west of Lake Lewisville, if they do not qualify for the championship round.
About 15 three-angler teams will participate in the no entry fee Wounded Warrior Benefit Tournament.. One of the team members will be a pro who provides the boat, and the other two team members will be soldiers. Each boat can bring in one five-fish limit.
“All of us who participate on the pro side hope we will be fishing Saturday, but if not we still win,” Mansue said. “We get the opportunity to take some real American heroes on the water and enjoy a day of fishing with them – and hopefully, catch some fish. It will be a great experience for them and for us as well to honor those men and women who have made such a sacrifice for our country.”
Bassmaster Opens Central Division
Feb. 24-26, 2011
Lake Lewisville
Lewisville Lake Park
2011 Feb Sportsmans Warehouse Report with AC and FLW Pro Dearal Rodgers
Anglerschannel.com Pro Staffer Dearal Rodgers joins us at Sportsmans Warehouse in Columbia, SC for a great preview of some BIG TOURNAMENTS coming to the region this weekend, including some outstanding tips for several of these monster fisheries!!
2011 State Of The Union With Randy Hopper Part 1
2011 State Of The Union With Randy Hopper Part 2
Georgia Lakes - Tournament Results - February 2011
American Bass Angler's Results for Lake Oconee 1/29/2011
1. Randall Woodham - 15.22 lbs.
2. Mike York - 10.75 lbs.
3. Albert Mcnair - 7.17 lbs.
4. Gerald Powe - 6.73 lbs.
5. David Fox - 5.86 lbs.
Oconee Marine Results for Lake Sinclair 1/30/2011
1. T. Adams/J. Whaley - 15.60 lbs.
2. A. Batson/M. Mincey - 15.34 lbs.
3. W. Sizer/T. Waters - 14.98 lbs.
Fishermen of Men Tournament Results for Lake Seminole 2/12/2011
1. Kyle Henderson/Matt Baty - 31.74 lbs
2. Randy Duncan/Adam Linkenhoker - 31.07 lbs.
3. Hubert Stafford/Steve Holt - 23.00 lbs.
4. Paul Tyre/Chris Bell - 21.10 lbs.
5. Steve Strickland/Stephen McCord - 20.62 lbs.
C & R Outdoors Tournament Results for Lake Seminole 2/13/2011
1. Steve Bushore/Jeff Wenhold - 21.20 lbs.
2. Ryan Weathersby/Brent East - 9.80 lbs.
3. Stanley Chandler/Kyle Brooks - 6.10 lbs.
Big Bass - Steve Bushmore/Jeff Wenhold - 5.60 lbs.
Fishermen Of Men Tournament Results for Lake Oconee 2/19/2011
1. Jack Morris/John Duvall - 15.62 lbs
2. Kevin Stowers/Rick Steckelberg - 14.31 lbs.
3. Alan Hampton/Steve Perdue - 12.47 lbs.
4. Eric White - 11.92 lbs.
5. Ty King/R L Wingo - 11.46 lbs.
R & R Outdoor Promotions Tournament Results for Lake Seminole 2/20/2011
1. Tommy King/Flint King - 28.20 lbs.
2. Robert Tindell/Rick Tendell - 25.14 lbs.
3. Darrel Jordan/Bradley Effinger - 24.91 lbs.
4. Terry Stevens/Clint Brown - 24.07 lbs.
5. Hubert Stafford/Steve Holt - 23.40 lbs.
**Look for March Tournament Results and Lake Reports Coming Soon!
"IF YOU BELIEVE IN YOURSELF, YOUR DREAMS WILL COME TRUE"
Until Next Time,
Brad Sears
The 2011 Lake Fork Trophy Lures Hyper Stick
Army Bass Anglers and Lake Fork Pro Staffer Chad Nelson goes over the new colors for the 2011 Hyper Stick and why this bait is going to win lots of anglers around our region some serious $$!!
What a Classic
Wow!!!! What a great Bassmaster Classic weekend. I spent Friday working the Strike King booth, Saturday in the boat with Shaw Grigsby, Sunday in the Strike King booth, and I had a blast. kevin claims his fourth classic championship and did he ever smoke em! It was a great experience and I will post a few more pics of Shaw this week and then it's off to my tournaments. Stay tuned to the Anglerschannel as all of us here bring you some up to the minute action on what's going on in the bass fishing world
Greene Boat & Motor Tournament Trail Feb 19 Norman Top 7
Many thanks to Anthony Williams who lended his weigh in trailer and his help for Saturdays event. Anthony runs the Christian Anglers Fellowship Trail and has a series of charity tournaments coming up and each event carrys a $1000 1st place prize. www.christiananglers.org
Also Anthony will be running a 2011 Spring CATT Trail on Lake Norman. You can find the Norman schedule right here on Anglerchannel.com and www.catttrail.com
The top 7 teams Saturday at Lake Norman....
1 - Rodney Morrow 15.23 $1300.00
2 - Butch Holder - Cliff Kirby 14.65 2nd BF 4.66 $1083.00
3 - Ted Geddis - Bill Warren 13.27 $520.00
4 - Doug Punch - Tim Bumgarner 13.27 $350.00
5 - Jeff & KJ Queen 13.24 $225.00
6 - Rusty White - Ron Farrow 12.54 $170.00
7 - Chris Marshall - Scott Willis 12.52 $140.00
Matt Haywood - Michael Steele 1st BF 5.21 $602.00
Day 2 With Shaw Grigsby
Day two of the Bassmaster Classic was delayed until 9:45 am due to fog. It didn't take long for Strike King Pro Shaw Grigsby to go to work once the fog lifted.
Points Leader Says Jig And Jerkbait Probably The Ticket In Greene Tournament On Lake Norman
James Dyer and partner David Fortenberry won the first Greene Boat and Motor tounament of 2011 on Lake Wylie
James Dyer has been “working around the clock and have not had a chance to even see the lake” so he plans to “do what I always do” on Lake Norman Saturday in the second tournament of the year on the Greene Boat & Motor Team Trail.
“This time of year I usually throw a jig and fish it really slow. Maybe throw a jerkbait every now and then,” said Dyer who is leading the points with his regular partner Jody Wright after winning the first tournament of the season Jan. 29 on Lake Wylie.
“Fishing on Wylie was tough. You had to throw out a jerkbait and just let it sit there and move it every now and then,” said Dyer who fished with a sub in that tournament. He and David Fortenberry weighed in 15.48 pounds, including the tournament big fish at 5.23 pounds, to win the first prize of $1,715 which made the team the points leader for now.
Dyer said the water in Lake Norman is still cold so fishing will probably be slow.
“Lake Norman always has shallow fish and deep fish. I'd say it probably is going to be a deep bite Saturday,” Dyer said. “This time of year the fish are running bait so where you find the bait you will find groups of fish. You just have to fish slow to catch them.”
Tournament director Brett Collins, who also runs the Carolina Anglers Team Trails on several different lakes in the Carolinas, said he has heard good fishing reports from Lake Norman this week as the weather has begun to warm up.
“I heard one report of a local fisherman who caught over 30 bass on jerkbaits and drop shots in the 8- to 12-foot range,” Collins said.
Collins said the first tournament on Lake Wylie drew 35 boats, which was right on the average per tournament in 2010, but he expects a much larger field Saturday on Lake Norman.
“We have already picked up some new teams for the tournament on Lake Norman. Last February the Lake Norman tournament drew almost 50 boats. And our two-day championship will be held Oct. 8-9 at Lake Norman so we look to have a really good crowd at all the tournaments on Lake Norman this year.”
Collins said teams must fish four of the six regular season tournaments to qualify for the championship in October. The season points champions will earn $1,000 and the runners-up will get a new Minn Kota Trolling Motor.
Membership in the Greene Trail is $15 and teams pay a $120 entry fee per tournament – $130 if they enter the morning of the tournament. The trail pays back one in every six places. There is also an optional Big Fish pot with a $20 entry fee paying back 100 percent for Big Fish and second Big Fish.
“We also have contingency opportunities, including the Stratos 2X program, Bass Cat Quest program and Nitro Tournament Rewards,” Collins said.
The regular season schedule following Saturday's tournament includes: March 5, Lake Wylie, Buster Boyd Bridge Access; April 23, Lake Norman, Pinnacle Landing; May 21 Lake Wateree, Dutchman Creek Marina; and June 4, Lake Hickory, Whittenburg Access.
Dyer said he is pleased that the trail replaced Lake Murray with Lake Hickory this year.
“I think Hickory is my best lake personally and I think everybody will have a good time there,” he said.
Greene Boat & Motor Team Trail
Sat. Feb 19, 2011
Lake Norman
Pinnacle Access
Water Warming Quickly Just In Time For Sc Division Bfl On Lake Murray
Jeremiah Jensen finished 2nd in the BFL on Murray last year. Photo courtesy FLW Outdoors.
A warming trend with near spring-like temperatures this week could not have come at a better time for the S.C. Division Bass Fishing League Tournament Saturday on Lake Murray.
“The water is real cold, but it should be warming up quick this week,” said Jeremiah Jensen of Columbia, S.C., who finished second in the SC BFL tournament on Lake Murray a year ago this Saturday. “I think there will be a lot of fish starting to move up and in the pre-spawn phase so they will be hungry. I think fishing will be pretty good this weekend.”
In fact, he said, it was already starting to get better a week ago though the bitter cold weather still prevailed at that time.
“I went last weekend and caught a pretty fair number of fish in the mid-depth areas, 6 to 12 feet deep. And the fish were fairly active. I caught several fish in pretty quick succession last weekend,” he said.
“There will be a lot of fish caught shallow Saturday, but there will possibly be some deep brushpile and jigging spoon fish for guys who want to do that. But I am going to try to get to where they are going, not where they have been.”
In the BFL tournament last February, Jensen caught a limit of bass that weighed 15 pounds, 7 ounces, on medium running crankbaits and jigs.
“I anticipate the fishing will be about the same scenario Saturday – mid depth,” he said. “But it all depends on what part of the lake you are fishing. Upriver you could catch them in three feet of water. Down near the dam you would be fishing in 18 to 20 feet of water.”
The disparity, he said, is because of the water clarity. The further down the lake the clearer the water and the deeper the fish. The further up the rivers feeding into the lake there is more stain in the water and the fish will be shallower.
“There are better quality fish down the lake, but they are harder to catch, so you just have to pick your poison,” he said. “A lot will depend on the weather the day of the tournament, as far as wind and cloud cover. It's been warming up all week and Friday and Saturday it is supposed to be in the mid-70s, with overnight temperatures up in the mid to high 40s, almost 50 degrees. If we get a little wind I think it will turn them on.”
If the wind is blowing, he said, the crankbait will work. If it's not blowing he will probably rely on the jig.
“My only concern right now is the weather is gong to get so good everybody will be catching them. As cold as it has been all winter long, it has kind of held things back and now it seems like they are ready to go all at once, not just feeding fish, but fish starting to work their way in,” he said.
“I know some guys are catching them out deep on spoons, I've been catching them at the mid-depth range and I know there will be some up the river catching them shallow. So whatever you like to do will be working this weekend.”
Jensen said he had a good year on the SC BFL trail last year with top five finishes on Lakes Murray and Wateree and he finished 15th in the BFL Regional Championship on Lake Guntersville. With a brand new baby in the Jensen household, the Columbia angler has decided to cut back on his tournament schedule this year and plans to just fish the SC Division BFL tournaments along with some local benefit tournaments.
But he is really excited about the 2011 BFL circuit in the Palmetto State.
“They did a really good job of picking the lakes at the right time of year,” he said. “The Lake Murray tournament is first followed by the tournament at Lake Wylie when the fish will be in late pre-spawn. When we get to Santee the fish will be in full spawn, some even in post-spawn. Then at Lake Wateree they will be in post-spawn which should mean some good topwater fishing. The tournament at Lake Hartwell will be in the fall and that tends to be a pretty good lake in the fall, at least from my experience. I think the whole season is shaping up really good for the BFLs in South Carolina.”
FLW Bass Fishing League (BFL) SC Division
Sat. Feb 19, 2011
Lake Murray
Dreher Island State Park
Airport Marine Team Trail Providing More Ways To Win This Year
The Airport Marine Team Trail is spreading the money around this year – at least $300,000 based on 150 boats per tournament.
“Last year we gave an awful lot of money to first place and that kind of eliminated a lot of people who came in down the line,” said tournament director Flynn Gerald. “This year we have guaranteed first place with 60 boats minimum at $2,000 and we are expecting more than that. We'll pay second place $1,000, third place $900, all the way down to 10th place.”
But the money does not end there. Qualifying boats will double their payback from 1st through 4th place. Qualifying boats are originally owned boats bought from Airport Marine, two years old or newer from the date of the tournament.
And there is more.
There is a $5,000 team bonus to be split three ways in each tournament between the top 10 boats by a random draw – $2,500 for first, $1,500 for second and $1,000 for third. Qualifying boats will be paid in cash; non-qualifying boats will get certificates equal to the cash value towards the purchase of a new boat.
There is also a $10,000 solo bonus to be split four ways in each tournament between the top 10 boats by a random draw – $4,000 for first, $3,000 for second, $2,000 for third and $1,000 for fourth.
Then there are the $1,000 Adult/Child and $1,000 Couples bonuses, each to be split between the top three teams in each category each tournament, in any boat, $500 for first, $300 second and $200 third
There will also be a $10,000 purse for the Team of the Year – $5,000 for the top team and $5,000 to the team chosen in a random draw among the top 10 teams.
On top of all that there are the manufacturer's bonus programs for Stratos, Ranger, Triton and Skeeter.
“There is a new Triton bonus of $7,000 for each tournament. Stratos will double your pay up to a certain amount and we have the Ranger Cup and Skeeter Bonus programs, too,” Gerald said.
The purse for the year-end Classic Oct. 15 on a lake to be announced will include $7,000 for first place, $4,000 for second, $3,000 for third and on down, Gerald said.
“Nobody pays back what we are paying back. Most tournaments pay back 60-70 percent and we are paying back about 125 percent.”
There is a one-time initiation fee of $20 per angler to enter the trail and the entry fee per tournament is $150, with an optional big fish competition at $10.
Teams can register by Tuesday of the week before each tournament to get an early flight number, but entries will be taken at the ramp the day of the tournament starting at 4 a.m., Gerald said. Teams must fish or pay for four of the tournaments to qualify for the Classic.
Gerald said there has been some confusion about the need to pre-pay for the Classic.
“Teams have to pre-pay and register before the lake for the classic is chosen, but not for every tournament on the schedule,” he said.
The schedule includes the opening tournament Saturday on Lake Martin out of Wind Creek; March 12 on Lake Guntersville out of Goose Pond; April 9 on Lake Logan Martin out of Lakeside; June 25, a SOLO tournament on Lay Lake out of Paradise Point; July 9, Lay Lake out of Paradise Point; Aug. 20, Lake Guntersville out of Goose Pond; and Sept. 10, a SOLO tournament on Lay Lake out of Paradise Point. The Classic on Oct. 15 will be held on one of the lakes in the regular season schedule.
Fishing on Lake Martin has been a little slow, Gerald said, because of the cold winter weather, but the water temperature should come up 2-3 degrees by Saturday with the weather warming.
“They have been catching a lot of fish, but not big fish,” he said. “The water could be up around 50 degrees when we get there and turn those fish on.”
Gerald said the fish have already begun moving shallow and can be caught in the shallow pockets protected from the north wind where the fish can warm up in the sun.
“They are catching them on shallow-running crankbaits, Rat-L-Traps, swim baits, Chatterbaits, anything you can move fairly slow.”
Airport Marine Team Trail
Sat. Feb 19, 2011
Lake Martin
Wind Creek State Park
Ranger Sends Strong Field Into 2011 Bassmaster Classic!
Being contested February 18-20 in the bass-rich waters of the Louisiana Delta, Ranger Boats will be represented by some of the top names in professional fishing from the B.A.S.S. Elite Series, as well as some up-and-coming anglers who qualified through Open and Weekend Series events.
Ranger Pros in the 2011 Bassmaster Classic:
Tracy Adams – B.A.S.S. Opens qualifier
Tommy Biffle – B.A.S.S. Elite Series qualifier
Keith Combs – B.A.S.S. Opens qualifier
Ryan McMurtury – B.A.S.S. Weekend Series qualifier
Andy Montgomery – B.A.S.S. Opens qualifier
Scott Rook – B.A.S.S. Elite Series qualifier
Randall Tharp – B.A.S.S. Opens qualifier
Dave Wolak – B.A.S.S. Elite Series qualifier
In addition to its field of qualifiers, Ranger Boats enters the 2011 Bassmaster Classic Outdoors Expo with one of the industry’s most sought-after displays. Joining legendary Ranger founder and Hall of Famer Forrest L Wood will be some of the greatest anglers to ever take to the weigh-in stand. Visitors to the Ranger booth can meet with and gain professional insight from a collection of Ranger loyalists, who, between them, have amassed seven Bassmaster Classic titles, five B.A.S.S. Angler of the Year Awards, a pair of Forrest Wood Cup championships and more than $11.4 million in combined career earnings.
Appearing in the Ranger Boats booth:
Forrest L Wood
Denny Brauer
Luke Clausen
George Cochran
Jimmy Houston
Hank Parker
Peter Thliveros
Jay Yelas
Along with famed Ranger Pros, visitors to the booth can also see the all-new 2011 Ranger boats and learn more about the latest “Gotcha Covered” sales promotion.
For Bassmaster Classic attendees – and those who wish they were – who want behind-the-scenes access to the tournament, inside looks at Ranger products and personalities or a chance to win prizes, follow Ranger Boats on Twitter (@RangerBoats) or become a fan on Facebook.
About Ranger Boats
Headquartered in Flippin, Ark., Ranger Boats is the nation’s largest manufacturer of premium fiberglass fishing boats, which include series of bass, multi-species, fish 'n play and saltwater boats. Founded in 1968 by Forrest L. Wood, Ranger Boats continues its commitment to building the highest-quality, strongest-performing boats on the water. For more information, go to RangerBoats.com.
TBF Tournament brings in Big Bass on Lake Murray
The Bass Federation of South Carolina held it’s 2011 season opener this past Saturday on Lake Murray. The unsettled weather we have been having had bass moving between deep and shallow water. But on this day the big ones showed up! Several 5, 6, and 7 pounder’s were brought to the scales. Crankbaits seemed to be the main lure of choice however jigs and shakey heads also produced some limits that finished in the money.
1st place honors in the boater division went to Darrell Shull of West Columbia with a five bass limit of 16.02 lbs. 2nd place was Johnathan Crossland from Irmo with another limit of bass at 12.58 lbs. Chuck Kinard also from West Columbia came in third with 12.47 lbs. Rounding out the top five were Robert Rikard with 10.39 lbs. and Pat Whaley at 8.84 lbs. Big Bass honor was won by Rich Gerken of Prosperity with a 6.77 lb. lunker.
In the Co/Angler division it would be Tommy Lindler of Lexington taking the win with 4 bass weighing in at 10.53 lbs. Second place finisher, DJ McEachern from Spring Hill had just moved up to fish the TBF trail from JR’s. program and showed that he knows how to catch them. His weight of 8.29 lbs was anchored by a 7.33 lb largemouth that was also the biggest bass of the tournament. Way to go DJ.
Third place would be Kenny Grimes who drove all the way from Akron Ohio to fish. Says he doesn’t like fishing through little holes in the ice. Ken’s weight was 7.64lbs. Also earning honorable mention for big fish are Dan Cook 6.49 lbs. and boater Bill Payne at 5.01 lbs.
Lake Murray gave up some nice bass this weekend and is sure to only get better in the weeks to come. The next TBF tournament of the season will be at Lake Wylie on March 12th. It’s not too late to enter. For more information please visit www.tbfofsc.com.
CATT Wylie Feb 12 Recap Top 5
Tom and Doug brought in a limit weighing 15.85 lbs and collected $550.00. They are almost to the $10,000.00 mark in total CATT winnings and it's a good bet they will break that mark this Spring. In 2010 we paid back over $23,000.00 to the guys fishing the CATT Lake Wylie Trail and this year we will see a substancial increase. The 2011 CATT Classic will be held on Lake Wylie May 14-15. To qualify a team must finish in the top 70 teams in the points race of any Summer 2010, Fall 2010 and Spring 2011 CATT Trail. www.catttrail.com
We had 24 teams enter Saturday and we launched out of South Point Accces. The temperature was cold in the morning and the wind kept the temps down but you can feel the change coming. Next Lake Wylie CATT Trail is this coming Saturday February 19 and we will once again will leave out of South Point. The work on Buster Boyd Landing will hopefully be done by the March 5th CATT Lake Wylie CATT and we will move the tournaments back to Buster Boyd. The forecast for the upcoming week is to expect temperatures close to 70 degrees so look for the fishing to improve over the next few days. A lot of the teams reported a very tough day. Seems like the teams fishing in water deeper than 8ft did the best.
1 - Tom Russell - Doug Gilmer 15.85 $550.00
2 - Hunter Hicks - Bobby Rice 1st BF 5.29 15.80 $468.00
3 - John Schon - Todd Moss BONUS $ 13.42 $320.00
4 - Mike Stephens - Sam Fascella 2nd BF 4.97 11.28 $192.00
5 - Chad Atchely - Jeff Benfield 9.90
2011 Anglers Choice Marine Open House Weekend With Tourney Director Chris Lucas
Anglers Choice Marine Team Trail Tounament Director Chris Lucas talks to us about what has become one of the top TEAM TRAILS in the Country, and how 2011 is sure to reach record levels!!
2011 Anglers Choice Marine Open House With Bass Elite Pro Casey Ashley
Bass Elite Series Pro Casey Ashley joins us at the Anglers Choice Marine Open House and talks about some BIG BAGS we all may be seeing next week at the 2011 Bassmasters Classic!!
Mcmurtury Feels No Pressure In His First Bassmaster Classic
Ryan McMurtry will be fishing the Bassmaster Classic on the Louisiana Delta Feb. 18-20!
Bassmaster Classic qualifier Ryan McMurtury has a unique theory about fishing a tournament in strange water: the less he knows about the fishery, the better off he is.
As a result he has not asked anyone who has fished the three previous Classics on the Louisiana Delta anything about how to fish there.
“I just feel like if somebody holds your hand and tells you where to go anybody can do that. It's not about the money – it's about being able to know you can find fish and compete,” said the 43-year-old Abbeville, S.C., angler who qualified through the Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Weekend Series, operated by American Bass Anglers.
In his first year on the Weekend Series trail, McMurtury won the 2010 Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Weekend Series National Championship on Lake Guntersville last November to advance to the 2011 Bassmaster Classic.
“Everywhere I go I don't seek out any information. When it gets tough you can adjust quicker – like at Guntersville. I had never been on that lake before.”
McMurtury had to adjust at Guntersville because his boat broke down in practice, so he had to go home and get a smaller backup boat.
“I feel that had I been able to use my big boat in pre-fishing, I would have fished more areas and not stayed where I did. In the tournament, I stayed in one spot for four days and never left it. I used a double rig fluke with exposed hooks. When one fish hit, I just held it down until another one hit. I caught fewer fish each day, but more weight.”
McMurtury caught 165 bass off that spot over the four days, weighing in 20 at 69.53 pounds to win the championship and the $100,000 first prize, plus a $10,000 bonus from Federated Auto Parts.
Ironically, a boat problem cost him a shot at also winning Angler of the Year in the BWS Division series in his first year on the tour last year.
“Last year at Santee Cooper I zeroed because of boat trouble. I would have come in third in that tournament, but my oil pump went out. I came back strong and finished 8th in points, but if I had not had that zero I would have been the divisional leader.”
A lifelong fisherman McMurtury began tournament fishing with a buddy in 1989 and has fished tournaments full time for the past five years, but last year was the first year he began fishing major sanctioned tournaments.
Three weeks before his Bassmaster Classic debut, he prepared for the championship by winning the Weekend Series South Carolina Division 9 opener Jan. 29, on Lake Murray.
He estimates he is on the water between 310 and 320 days a year, sometimes for just an hour or two.
“I counted one year and fished over 330 days that year. I am the type of person if I get a chance to get to the lake I will go. If I don't get to fish but an hour and a half to two hours I will still go. I'm not the type who will sit there and say I wish I had gone,” he said.
And, he added, those short trips really help hone his fishing skills.
“I think if you fish in little short spurts of time it helps because you have to find the fish quick,” he said.
The Louisiana Delta is a vast waterway, with numerous canals and streams connecting a myriad of “lakes” and ponds in a maze of fishable waters. The key is locating a group of fish like winner Davy Hite did in 1999 when he fished a junction of two canals for the winning weight.
The only experience McMurtury has on the Delta came during pre-practice in December when he had “a great practice.”
“I just hope those fish are still in the same areas,” he said.
He said the first thing he will do in practice before the Classic begins will be to check the water temperature.
“As soon as I get the water temperatures, I will know if the fish are in pre-spawn, spawn or post-spawn. But I know its going to be early pre-spawn. I doubt many fish are moving yet so I am going to fish it like I fish the lakes where I live, pre-spawn style.”
As for being one of a handful of anglers experiencing their first trip to the biggest championship in bass fishing, McMurtury said he is feeling no pressure despite the fact that most of the Elite Series anglers in the field have been to multiple Classics.
“Nobody is picking me to win. I kind of like that,” he said. “All I have to do is go fish. It's me against the fish, not me against them.”
Bassmaster Classic
Feb 18-20, 2011
Louisiana Delta
Bayou Segnette State Park
Rat-L-Trap May Be The Ticket For Bfl Choo Choo Division Anglers On Guntersville
Anglers in the Bass Fishing League Choo Choo Division tournament on Lake Guntersville Saturday will need to fish with something that will cause a reaction bite, according to Guntersville guide and BFL angler Capt. Pat Kelly.
“I was just out on the lake and the bite is a little tough right now,” Kelly said. “The water temperature is running 42-43 degrees and it's hard to find them.”
The fish he did find, he said, were in about 8 feet of water and they were associated with grass.
“The jerkbait bite was not working, but the Rat-L-Trap was so I think the best tactic for the tournament will be the Rat-L-Trap.”
With the water temperature so low, Kelly said the fish are just not interested in a worm or a jig.
“It's just too cold. But they will take that Rat-L-Trap. You just have to get it right above them, but you have got to find grass to get that bite.”
And finding 8 feet of water is also critical, he said.
“They are not on those flats in 3 to 4 feet of water with deep water nearby like they were last year this time, and the year before that, and the year before that.”
Kelly said the forecast for Saturday is 28 degrees in the morning, rising to 50 degrees during the day – and sunny, which will make fishing a little more difficult.
“There are some big fish to be caught. I caught one the other day over 7 pounds on a Rat-L-Trap up north and I think the north bite will be better than down here,” said Kelly who predicted a winning weight of possibly 20 pounds in spite of the cold weather and tough bite.
With the temperature so cold early in the morning, Kelly said he does not plan to make the run up north of Goose Pond until later in the day.
“I've been fishing all week, searching five to six miles from the marina. I am hoping to catch a few there in the morning and then go north,” he said.
Kelly, a former guide on Florida's Lake Okeechobee. guides out of Val Monte Lakeside Resort with pro angler Chris Lane. He can be reached at (256) 738-5264. Lane can be reached at (863) 221-5041 or email: [email protected]. For information on Chris Lane's Guide Service visit: www.chrislanefishing.com.
The BFL Choo Choo Division tournament on Lake Guntersville will be the first of five tournaments in the division schedule for 2011. Up to 400 boaters and co-anglers are expected to compete for top prizes of $8,000 and $3,000 respectively.
Takeoff and weigh-in will be at Val-Monte Lakeside Resort and Marina located at 7000 Val-Monte Drive in Guntersville, Ala. Takeoff is scheduled for 7 a.m. while weigh-in will begin at 3 p.m.
FLW Bass Fishing League (BFL) Choo Choo Division
Sat. Feb 12, 2011
Lake Guntersville
Val-Monte Lakeside Resort
Just Bring A Jigging Spoon To Phil Shope Tournament On Lake Hartwell Saturday
The story is pretty much the same across the South. It's been a cold, cold winter and the fish need some warming days just as much as the fishermen
“The water temperature in Lake Hartwell is running in the mid to high 40s on the lower end and up the river it's about 50 degrees,” said Phil Shope who will launch the inaugural Phil Shope Team Trail tournament of 2011 Saturday. “All the big fish are in 24 to 40 feet of water.”
So, said Shope, anglers in the tournament on Lake Hartwell Saturday can pretty much leave everything at home except a jigging spoon.
“Unless some guys go up in the Keowee River and catch them up there in that current,” he said. “They can go up there and get a limit pretty easy, but that is an awful long run.”
The majority of fish will be caught, he said, halfway back in the creek channels off the points.
“They have been catching fish on jigging spoons in the deeper water, but you have to be very proficient with a depth finder and know where to catch the fish,” he said.
The Phil Shope Trail, which will celebrate 21 years of tournaments, opens this year on Lake Hartwell, followed by the Phil Shope Busch Lite Challenge March 12-13 on Lake Julian; April 2 on Lake Hartwell out of Portman Shoals; May 7 on Lake Keowee out of South Cove Park; with the final tournament Oct 15 on Lake Hartwell out of Portman Shoals.
Teams pay a $40 annual registration with a $125 entry per tournament, which includes Big Fish. Payback is 100 percent with two Big Fish awards at each tournament.
“Nobody else is doing the kind of bonuses like we are,” Shope said. “The guy who wins gets a $500 bonus, plus there is a $500 bonus for the top finishing Ranger Boat.”
In addition, he noted, with Stratos now under the same roof with Ranger, Stratos will write a check equal to what he wins to the top angler in each tournament if he is fishing in a Stratos Boat. Platinum Equity acquired both Ranger and Stratos a year ago through the Genmar bankruptcy and formed Fishing Holdings LLC to oversee those boat brands, which also includes Triton.
“When we hold that tournament on Lake Hartwell in April it will be a night and day difference in conditions,” Shope said.
Phil Shope Team Trail
Sat. Feb 12, 2011
Lake Hartwell
Portman Shoals
Countdown to Blastoff 2011 Week 3 Part Two
AC Insider Robby Byrum continues his analysis of some big Tournaments this coming weekend, including the Rod Jimmy Series and CATT both coming to Lake Wylie on Sat!! Part Two
Countdown to Blastoff 2011 Week 3 Part One
AC Insider Robby Byrum is on a roll this week in Countdown to Blastoff as he helps us take a look at almost 10 Tournaments on the docket for this upcoming weekend........Part One
2011 Progressive Weekend Wrap Up Show Week 2 Part 2
Frog Tape Angler Brian Travis continues his re-cap of the incredible 4 days on Okeechobee as well as some other action on Eufaula and Lake Murray....Part 2
CATT Lake Murry Results
Top 5 for CATT Lake Murray Qualifier #1
1. Dave Franklin/Clay Riddle 5 fish 21.10 $1096
BF 7.15
2. Gene Gibbs/Danny Jorgenson 5 fish 18.05 $434
2nd BF 6.12
3. Sean Anderson/George Berry 5 fish 18.02 $250
4. Al Fortner/Kevin Fulmer 5 fish 17.12 $130
5. Howard Stephens/Mark McCormick 5 fish 16.01 $100
Most fish were caught on crankbaits in about 10 feet of water and the next qualifier is around the corner on March 5th at Dreher Island State park. Congrats to all the above anglers for a solid 1st outing on Lake Murray!!
2011 Greene Boat And Motor Open House With John Crews Part One
Bass Elite Series Angler John Crews joins us at the 2nd Annual Open House at Greene Boat and Motor and talks not only about this great dealership, but his trip to the Bassmaster Classic beginning next week!
Sportsmans Warehouse 2011 Week 2 Report Part 2
AC Pro Staffer Dearal Rodgers continues his insight into fishing shallow in early spring and what you really must do to seperate yourself from the pack-PART 2
