Pickwick Produces Solid limits for BFL Anglers, Crow Tops Field

Brent Crow of Hartselle, Ala., weighed a five-bass limit totaling 23 pounds, 4 ounces Saturday to win the second Walmart Bass Fishing League Choo Choo Division tournament of 2014 on Pickwick Lake. For his victory, Crow earned $3,592.
 Rounding out the top 10 pros were:
            2nd:   Leon Tidwell, Muscle Shoals, Ala., five bass, 22-15, $1,796
            3rd:   Gary Fleming, Russellville, Ala., five bass, 22-8, $1,201
            4th:   Nicholas Reeves, Moulton, Ala., five bass, 20-15, $838
            5th:   Wayne Christopher, Huntsville, Ga., five bass, 20-1, $718
            6th:   Shane Cox, Guntown, Miss., five bass, 19-13, $659
            7th:   Michael Stevens Jr., Fayetteville, Tenn., five bass, 19-11, $599 + $300 Evinrude Bonus
            8th:   Alex Carvell, Lawrenceburg, Tenn., five bass, 19-5, $509
            8th:   Michael Law, Arab, Ala., five bass, 19-5, $509
            10th: Donny Beck, Killen, Ala., five bass, 18-8, $419
     Complete results can be found at FLWOutdoors.com.
     Jackie Flack of Cullman, Ala., weighed a five-bass limit totaling 25 pounds, 5 ounces Saturday to win $1,796 in the co-angler division.
     Rounding out the top 10 co-anglers were:
            2nd:   Brandon Summers, Sherwood, Tenn., five bass, 20-8, $898
            3rd:   Thomas White, Iron City, Tenn., five bass, 19-3, $598
            4th:   Dwain Hargett, Muscle Shoals, Ala., five bass, 18-8, $419
            5th:   Gregory Nunnelly, Ohatchee, Ala., four bass, 18-7, $359
            6th:   Alan Barrett, Cullman, Ala., five bass, 18-0, $329
            7th:   Matt Huckaba, Lawrenceburg, Tenn., five bass, 17-11, $299
            8th:   Jason Mullinax, White, Ga., five bass, 17-10, $269
            9th:   Terry Smith, Tullahoma, Tenn., five bass, 17-0, $239
            10th: Tim Letson, Decatur, Ala., five bass, 15-13, $210
     The top 40 boaters and 40 co-anglers based on point standings will qualify for the Oct. 2-4 Regional Championship on the St. John’s River in Palatka, Fla. Boaters will compete for a top award of a Ranger Z518C with a 200-horsepower Evinrude or Mercury outboard and a Chevy Silverado, while co-anglers will fish for a new Ranger Z518C with a 200-horsepower Evinrude or Mercury outboard.
     The BFL is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 120 tournaments throughout the season, five in each division. The top 40 boaters and co-anglers from each division qualify for a regional tournament and compete to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the Walmart BFL All-American presented by Chevy. Top winners in the BFL can move up to the Rayovac FLW Series or even the Walmart FLW Tour.

2011 Collegiate National Champ Casey O'Donnell on MHX Rod Blanks

From the 2014 Bassmaster Classic Expo, 2011 Collegiate National Champion Casey O'Donnell shows us the fine MHX rod blanks in the Mudhole rod-building booth. FLW Tour pro John Cox used MHX blanks to place 5th on a stingy Lake Hartwell this weekend. Find out what John and Casey already know.


Scott Hamrick and Roger Pope hold on to win the 2014 Jim Ledbetter on Lake Norman

205 Teams showed up to a 2 hour Fog delay Sat am on Lake Norman after a week of horrific weather hit the area. This 28th year represents one of the longest running charity events in the country and the outstanding turnout despite the weather and multiple other HUGE Tournaments in the region proved that once again. This year turned out to be one of the tightest and most competitive finishes in the history of the Tournament. While Hamrick and Pope won with 17.71 Lbs, Thomas Hardwick and Tommy Williams finished 2nd with 17.66 while Jeff and KJ Queen fishined 3rd with 17.60!!! I don't know that we've ever seen a finish that tight! This is the 3rd time that Scott and Roger have won this event and they won it on the last cast of the day to haul in a 4.75 Lb kicker and ride home with a $35,000 Ranger/Evinrude Boat pkg! Congrats to all the anglers who fished, and open the attchment for full results at the bottom here with some great pictures below:

2014 Jim Ledbetter Champs Roger Pope and Scott Hamrick with their 17.71 Lb Winning Stringer!2014 Jim Ledbetter Champs Roger Pope and Scott Hamrick with their 17.71 Lb Winning Stringer!

 

2014 Jim Ledbetter Champs with Danny McCall of Denver Marine!2014 Jim Ledbetter Champs with Danny McCall of Denver Marine!

 

2014 Jim Ledbetter 2nd Place Team of Tommy Williams and Thomas Hardwick2014 Jim Ledbetter 2nd Place Team of Tommy Williams and Thomas Hardwick

 

2014 Jim Ledbetter 3rd Place team of Jeff and KJ Queen2014 Jim Ledbetter 3rd Place team of Jeff and KJ Queen

 

2014 Jim Ledbetter BF of 6.08 Held up by Mr Travis!2014 Jim Ledbetter BF of 6.08 Held up by Mr Travis!


Jerame Edwards and Butch McMurray win the Anglers Choice Marine Event on Smith Mtn

187 Teams launched to kick off the 2014 AC Marine Team Trail on Smith Mtn Lake Sat. Conditions improved tremendously firday night and all day Sat after some horrific ice storms and rain had pounded the area Wed and Thursday. The condistions really did't seem to effect the anglers too much as there were 34 teams that weighed in more than 10 Lbs. Edwards and McMurray held on to win by 2/100 of a Lb with 18.94 vs 18.92 for 2nd! Click on the attachment for full results and here is a picture of the Champs below:

Anglers Choice Marine Smith Mountain Lake Champs Edwards and McMurray with their 18.94 Lb Stringer!


'Sonar' Shows the NEW Curado

Bassmaster Opens Pro Miles 'Sonar' Burghoff gives us a look at the new Shimano Curado from the 2014 Bassmaster Classic Expo!


Kilgore Wins Bassmaster Southern Open On Smith Lake

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David Kilgore of Jasper, Ala., wins the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Southern Open presented by Allstate. Bringing in a three-day total of 54 pounds, 11 ounces, Kilgore earned a berth in the 2015 Bassmaster Classic.

Photo by James Overstreet/Bassmaster

At 6-feet, 9-inches, Jasper, Ala.’s David Kilgore appears better suited for basketball than bass fishing. His victory at the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Southern Open presented by Allstate March 6-8 was an impressive slam dunk.
 
Kilgore lead the tournament from start to finish. His three-day tally of 54 pounds, 11 ounces of chunky largemouth and spotted bass earned him $6,741 and a Nitro Z9 powered by a Mercury 225 Pro XS. Even more important is an invitation to compete in the 2015 Bassmaster Classic.
 
Any angler that wins a Bassmaster Open tournament and fishes all three events in that division (Northern, Southern or Central) punches his or her ticket to the Bassmaster Classic the following year. This is the second year in a row that Kilgore has qualified for the Classic via the Bassmaster Opens. Last year he did so by winning a Southern Open at Logan Martin Lake.
 
A Strike King Tour Grade Titanium Umbrella Rig dressed with Strike King KVD Perfect Plastic Swim'n Caffeine Shads accounted for most of Kilgore’s bass. He was targeting docks that were the farthest from the main lake in short pockets. The bigger female bass were staging there prior to moving shallow.
 
Kilgore slowly retrieved his umbrella rig along the shady side of the docks. It often took repeated casts to coax a strike.
 
The final day started slowly for Kilgore. He was getting bites, but the bass were slapping at the rig and not getting hooked. This was a common refrain among many of the Top 12 finalists today. The water was much clearer today than yesterday, which could be why the bigger bass were harder to dupe.
 
With only three bass in his livewell at midday, Kilgore alternated his umbrella rig with a 3/8-ounce Strike King Hack Attack Jig dressed with a Strike King Rage Tail Chunk.
 
“I was swimming the jig in the same places I was fishing the umbrella rig,” Kilgore said.
 
After that, it was game on. If a bass smacked his umbrella without getting hooked, Kilgore followed up with the jig. This ploy often put a bow in his rod.
 
Todd Auten of Lake Wylie, S.C., finished second with 48 pounds, 11 ounces. During the first two days of the tournament, Auten who stayed at Kilgore’s hunting cabin during the tournament, stated that he and Kilgore were sharing information, as good friends often do. However, Auten said that they were doing entirely different things to catch their bass.
 
Apparently, there was a lack of communication because it wasn’t until today that Auten learned that they were both fishing Alabama Rigs.
 
“I thought he was catching his bass on a jerkbait,” Auten said. “That’s what was working for him in practice.”
 
Although both anglers were fishing around docks, Kilgore was retrieving his umbrella rigs no deeper than 6 feet. Auten was running his 10- to 20-feet deep. Auten was using a homemade umbrella rig and another one made by Shane’s Baits. 
 
South Carolina's Michael Murphy culled through 30 bass today to bring 14 pounds, 3 ounces to the scales. It moved him up one spot to third place with a total of 47 pounds, 15 ounces.
 
“I caught more bass today than the first two days combined,” Murphy said.
 
Two different umbrella rigs accounted for the majority of Murphy’s bass, a Yumbrella and a Kahara brand from Optimum Baits. An Ima Flit 120 jerkbait did the rest of the damage. Murphy caught some of his bass today by following up with the jerkbait after a bass missed his Yumbrella rig.
 
The big mover today was co-angler Carlton Tipp from Grand Bay, Ala. His 11-pound, 3-ounce, three-bass limit jumped him from 10th to first place with a total weight of 24 pounds, 5 ounces. He happily hoisted a slick trophy and claimed a Skeeter TZX170 powered by a Yamaha F115LA outboard.
The Allstate Good Hands, Great Day award for climbing the most points from Day 1 to Day 2 goes to Stanley Gunter, who wins $250, and Drew Dupre, who wins $150.
 
The Carhartt Big Bass award of $500 goes to Stanley Gunter 7-8 catch.

The Power-Pole Captain’s Cash award of $500 goes to David Kilgore.

The Livingston Lures Leader Award of $250 goes to Kilgore, and on the co-angler side, Stephen Longobardi will take home a Livingston Lures gift pack valued at $250.

 

Smith Lake, Jasper  AL.
(BOATER) Standings Day 3

   Angler                   Hometown              No./lbs-oz  Pts   Total $$$

1.  David Kilgore          Jasper, AL              15  54-11  200  $47,491.00
  Day 1: 5   19-15     Day 2: 5   17-15     Day 3: 5   16-13   
2.  Todd Auten             Lake Wylie, SC          15  48-11  199  $16,011.00
  Day 1: 5   18-05     Day 2: 5   16-04     Day 3: 5   14-02   
3.  Michael Murphy         Lexington, SC           15  47-15  198  $12,008.00
  Day 1: 5   15-03     Day 2: 5   18-09     Day 3: 5   14-03   
4.  Jordan Wiggins         Cullman, AL             15  46-12  197  $10,744.00
  Day 1: 5   14-08     Day 2: 5   19-09     Day 3: 5   12-11   
5.  Justin Lucas           Guntersville, AL        15  46-12  196   $9,375.00
  Day 1: 5   14-05     Day 2: 5   17-01     Day 3: 5   15-06   
6.  Jesse Wiggins          Cullman, AL             15  43-11  195   $8,005.00
  Day 1: 5   15-10     Day 2: 5   17-00     Day 3: 5   11-01   
7.  Brandon Lester         Fayetteville, TN        15  40-01  194   $6,741.00
  Day 1: 5   17-15     Day 2: 5   11-07     Day 3: 5   10-11   
8.  Woo Daves              Spring Grove, VA        15  38-10  193   $5,372.00
  Day 1: 5   10-15     Day 2: 5   14-15     Day 3: 5   12-12   
9.  Jon Englund            Farwell, MN             14  38-03  192   $4,003.00
  Day 1: 5   13-01     Day 2: 4   16-09     Day 3: 5   08-09   
10. Kyle Fox               Lakeland, FL            15  38-00  191   $3,687.00
  Day 1: 5   12-10     Day 2: 5   13-14     Day 3: 5   11-08   
11. Carl Jocumsen          Queensland AUSTRALIA    15  34-10  190   $3,371.00
  Day 1: 5   11-03     Day 2: 5   14-10     Day 3: 5   08-13   
12. Derek Cummings         Clayton, NC             14  32-09  189   $3,160.00
  Day 1: 5   16-02     Day 2: 4   09-02     Day 3: 5   07-05   
CARHARTT BIG BASS
     Stanley Gunter           Saluda, SC          07-08        $500.00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day   #Limits    #Fish      Weight
 1       111       667      1451-01
 2        80       568      1158-09
 3        12        60       143-14
----------------------------------
         203      1295      2753-08

Smith Lake, Jasper  AL.
(NON_BOATER) Standings Day 3

   Angler                   Hometown              No./lbs-oz  Pts   Total $$$

1.  Carlton Tipp           Grand Bay, AL            9  24-05  200  $25,000.00
  Day 1: 3   06-04     Day 2: 3   06-14     Day 3: 3   11-03   
2.  Stephen Longobardi     Northford, CT            9  23-01  199   $5,161.00
  Day 1: 3   09-07     Day 2: 3   07-13     Day 3: 3   05-13   
3.  Dan Taylor             Olean, NY                9  21-07  198   $3,897.00
  Day 1: 3   05-08     Day 2: 3   08-10     Day 3: 3   07-05   
4.  Tyler Hicks            Jasper, AL               9  21-01  197   $2,633.00
  Day 1: 3   07-00     Day 2: 3   07-02     Day 3: 3   06-15   
5.  Joshua Price           Clarksville, TN          9  20-11  196   $2,423.00
  Day 1: 3   07-15     Day 2: 3   06-11     Day 3: 3   06-01   
6.  Joshua Kolodzaike      Toledo, OH               9  20-10  195   $2,317.00
  Day 1: 3   07-03     Day 2: 3   05-07     Day 3: 3   08-00   
7.  Dustin Seaborn         Guin, AL                 9  20-04  194   $2,212.00
  Day 1: 3   08-11     Day 2: 3   07-01     Day 3: 3   04-08   
8.  Kevin Roland           Mulberry, TN             8  17-08  193   $2,107.00
  Day 1: 3   07-15     Day 2: 2   05-02     Day 3: 3   04-07   
9.  Drew Dupre             Clinton, CT              6  17-06  192   $2,151.00
  Day 1: 1   03-08     Day 2: 3   10-00     Day 3: 2   03-14   
10. Reid Mcginn            Fort Mill, SC            7  16-02  191   $1,791.00
  Day 1: 3   09-07     Day 2: 3   05-06     Day 3: 1   01-05   
11. Kent Biggs             Morristown, TN           7  15-04  190   $1,580.00
  Day 1: 3   06-03     Day 2: 3   08-05     Day 3: 1   00-12   
12. Kelly Townson          Hartselle, AL            7  15-03  189   $1,475.00
  Day 1: 3   05-11     Day 2: 3   07-03     Day 3: 1   02-05   
CARHARTT BIG BASS
     Grady Maynard            Leesburg, FL        07-07          $0.00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day   #Limits    #Fish      Weight
 1        60       268       534-04
 2        48       224       425-11
 3         8        29        62-08
----------------------------------
         116       521      1022-07


2014 Jim Ledbetter Champs Scott Hamrick And Roger Pope Win Their 3Rd Ledbetter With 17.71 Lbs!

The A-Rig and Jerkbait were the keys to Scott Hamrick and Roger Pope winning their record 3rd Jim Ledbetter Memorial Tournament on Lake Norman today-click the video to hear more!!


Hot New Technique: 'Spybaiting' revealed

From the floor of the 2014 Bassmaster Classic Expo, FLW Tour angler JP Prouty and Realis pro-staffer Chris Jackson explore the newest finesse craze from Japan:  Spybaiting!


From Lake Guntersville - a look at a real life-saver

While filming the action of the 2014 Bassmaster Classic on Lake Guntersville for the Progressive Bass Wrap Up TV Show, Vance McCullough forgot he was wearing an Onyx PFD that friend, Clay Connor had loaned him. Yes, the Onyx PFD is that light, that comfortable. And if you saw the video clip wherein a careless spectator boat nearly sent Vance swimming in multiple layers of clothes and boots, then you understand the advice he shares in this video clip.


Ardent Reels Rolls-Out Latest Innovation: the Apex Line of Baitcasters

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Ardent offer 3 new models designed and tested by the best anglers on tour - the Apex line.

According to Ryan Hohl of Ardent the company has, “once again introduced a fishing reel innovation.”

He refers to the new Apex line of extremely light weight, low profile reels and says they offer the greatest casting distance and smoothness in the lightest package possible for tournament tough, high performance baitcasters.

“All Apex models feature high strength aluminum frames, combined with a deep V 6061 T6 machined aluminum spool, and 270 degree mag brake system with external adjustment,” says Hohl.

The Apex Elite features 12+1 stainless steel ball bearings, carbon fiber swept back handle, EVA grip knobs on handle, swept back forged aluminum star drag, and weighs 5.9oz. It will retail for $149.99 and is available in 6.5:1 gear ratio in both left and right hand retrieve.

The Apex Pro features 10+1 stainless steel ball bearings, swept back forged aluminum handle, and a swept back forged aluminum star drag. Retail on the Pro will be $129.99 and it is available in 7.3:1 gear ratio, right hand retrieve only.

The Apex Tournament features 8+1 stainless steel ball bearings, swept back forged aluminum star drag, and swept back forged aluminum handle. Retail on the Tournament is $99.99. Apex Tournament is available in 6.5:1 gear ratio and in right hand retrieve only.

Of course, All Ardent Apex reels are backed by the industry’s best 3 year warranty.

Apex reels have been designed and tested by some of the best anglers on the Bassmaster Elite Series, FLW Tour, and Major League Fishing, including Denny Brauer, Fred Roumbanis, Pete Ponds, James Niggemeyer, Cliff Crochet and Zell Rowland.

In fact, Greg Bohannan used the Apex Elite and Apex Pro to finish second in the Walmart FLW Tour season-opener on Lake Okeechobee with 82.08lbs over four days.

For more on the innovative and affordable Apex reels, visit ardentreels.com. To buy one now, visit Academy Sports & Outdoors, Gander Mountain, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Tacklewarehouse.com or Walmart.com.


Kilgore Tightens Grip On Lead At Smith Lake Open

The cold, wet, miserable weather that brutalized the fishermen yesterday at Smith Lake was nowhere to be seen today at the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Southern Open presented by Allstate. After the fog lifted this morning, the lake and the anglers were bathed in bright, warm sunshine.
Many anglers that struggled yesterday blamed the bone-chilling weather for their slow start. Those that did well yesterday wished for more nasty weather.

A few of the fishermen that did well yesterday believed they would fare even better today if the sun came out of hiding. One of them was local angler David Kilgore of Jasper, Ala., the leader after Day 1.

“The sun helped me a lot today,” Kilgore said. “It was just what I wanted.”

Kilgore’s day started slowly. It took him until 10 o’clock to boat his first limit. As the sun got higher, Kilgore tuned into what the bass were doing. From then on he landed another 30 bass. His 17-pound, 15-ounce, limit today brings his two-day total to 37 pounds, 14 ounces.

“I’m super psyched for tomorrow,” Kilgore said. “I’ll sleep well tonight.”

If Kilgore holds off the rest of the Top 12 on tomorrow’s final day, he will collect $6,741, a Nitro Z-9 powered by a Mercury 225 ProXS and an invitation to fish the 2015 Bassmaster Classic if he fishes all three tournaments in the Southern Opens series.

Kilgore leads his friend Todd Auten of Lake Wylie, S.C., who is second with 34 pounds, 9 ounces.

Although the two anglers are sharing information, Kilgore is catching mainly largemouth bass while Auten has weighed only spotted bass. Auten says they are doing entirely different things to catch their bass.

Jordan Wiggins of Cullman, Ala., made the biggest move today, leaping from 14th to third place with a limit that weighed 19 pounds, 9 ounces, the second heaviest of the tournament.

“I fished the same way I did yesterday, but I had to switch areas,” Wiggins said. “I left them still biting at noon.”

Wiggins’ limit consisted of four spotted bass and one largemouth of more than 4 pounds, which was his biggest fish.

South Carolina’s Michael Murphy also played leapfrog. His 18-pound, 9-ounce limit of largemouth and spotted bass jumped him from 10th to fourth place. The heaviest bass in his bag was a gorgeous 5-pound, 5-ounce spotted bass that he caught early in the day.

Connecticut angler Stephen Longobardi stubbornly refuses to give up the lead in the co-angler division. His three-bass limit of 7 pounds, 13 ounces brings his total to 17 pounds, 4 ounces. The keys to the Skeeter TZX170 powered by a Yamaha F115LA outboard are nearly in his grasp. He can’t let up, however. There are six other co-anglers within about 3 pounds of him. That’s too close for comfort.

Anglers will take off Saturday at 6 a.m. CT from Lewis Smith Lake Dam, 640 Powerhouse Rd., Jasper, AL 35504. The Saturday weigh-in will be held at 3:30 p.m. CT at Bass Pro Shops, 5000 Bass Pro Blvd., Leeds, AL 35094.

The event host is the Chamber of Commerce of Walker County, Ala.
Smith Lake, Jasper  AL.

(BOATER) Standings Day 2

Angler                   Hometown              No./lbs-oz  Pts   Total $$$

1.  David Kilgore          Jasper, AL              10  37-14  200     $250.00

Day 1: 5   19-15     Day 2: 5   17-15

2.  Todd Auten             Lake Wylie, SC          10  34-09  199

Day 1: 5   18-05     Day 2: 5   16-04

3.  Jordan Wiggins         Cullman, AL             10  34-01  198

Day 1: 5   14-08     Day 2: 5   19-09

4.  Michael Murphy         Lexington, SC           10  33-12  197

Day 1: 5   15-03     Day 2: 5   18-09

5.  Jesse Wiggins          Cullman, AL             10  32-10  196

Day 1: 5   15-10     Day 2: 5   17-00

6.  Justin Lucas           Guntersville, AL        10  31-06  195

Day 1: 5   14-05     Day 2: 5   17-01

7.  Jon Englund            Farwell, MN              9  29-10  194

Day 1: 5   13-01     Day 2: 4   16-09

8.  Brandon Lester         Fayetteville, TN        10  29-06  193

Day 1: 5   17-15     Day 2: 5   11-07

9.  Kyle Fox               Lakeland, FL            10  26-08  192

Day 1: 5   12-10     Day 2: 5   13-14

10. Woo Daves              Spring Grove, VA        10  25-14  191

Day 1: 5   10-15     Day 2: 5   14-15

11. Carl Jocumsen          Queensland AUSTRALIA    10  25-13  190

Day 1: 5   11-03     Day 2: 5   14-10

12. Derek Cummings         Clayton, NC              9  25-04  189

Day 1: 5   16-02     Day 2: 4   09-02

13. Warren Barnes          Dallas, GA               9  25-03  188   $2,633.00

Day 1: 5   17-03     Day 2: 4   08-00

14. Darrell Pons           Gainesville, FL         10  25-02  187   $2,633.00

Day 1: 5   10-03     Day 2: 5   14-15

15. Josh Bragg             Jacksonville, AL        10  25-02  186   $2,633.00

Day 1: 5   12-14     Day 2: 5   12-04

16. Bobby Lane             Lakeland, FL            10  25-01  185   $2,633.00

Day 1: 5   13-03     Day 2: 5   11-14

17. Jordan Lee             Vinemont, AL            10  24-07  184   $2,633.00

Day 1: 5   10-15     Day 2: 5   13-08

18. Robin Erb              Crane Hill, AL          10  24-02  183   $2,633.00

Day 1: 5   13-08     Day 2: 5   10-10

19. Steven Priest          New Lexington, OH       10  24-00  182   $2,633.00

Day 1: 5   12-06     Day 2: 5   11-10

20. Shaw Grigsby Jr.       Gainesville, FL         10  23-15  181   $2,633.00

Day 1: 5   14-06     Day 2: 5   09-09

21. David Walker           Sevierville, TN         10  23-12  180   $2,633.00

Day 1: 5   09-13     Day 2: 5   13-15

22. Derek Remitz           Grant, AL               10  23-09  179   $2,633.00

Day 1: 5   13-05     Day 2: 5   10-04

23. Brock Mosley           Collinsville, MS        10  23-05  178   $2,633.00

Day 1: 5   12-06     Day 2: 5   10-15

24. Joe Lee                Knoxville, TN           10  23-03  177   $2,633.00

Day 1: 5   10-04     Day 2: 5   12-15

25. Chad Morgenthaler      Coulterville, IL        10  23-02  176   $2,633.00

Day 1: 5   11-09     Day 2: 5   11-09

26. Craig Daniel           Cullman, AL             10  22-14  175   $2,317.00

Day 1: 5   14-15     Day 2: 5   07-15

27. Stanley Gunter         Saluda, SC               8  22-10  174   $2,567.00

Day 1: 4   08-09     Day 2: 4   14-01

28. David Hudson           Jasper, AL               9  22-09  173   $2,317.00

Day 1: 5   13-13     Day 2: 4   08-12

29. Hank Cherry Jr         Maiden, NC              10  22-05  172   $2,317.00

Day 1: 5   08-11     Day 2: 5   13-10

30. Roland Martin          Naples, FL              10  22-00  171   $2,317.00

Day 1: 5   13-09     Day 2: 5   08-07

31. Marty Nester           Mount Airy, NC          10  21-13  170   $2,001.00

Day 1: 5   12-01     Day 2: 5   09-12

32. Kazunori Okuma         Moriyama-Shi Shiga JAPA 10  21-08  169   $2,001.00

Day 1: 5   08-10     Day 2: 5   12-14

33. Ken Iyobe              Tokoname  Aichi JAPAN    9  21-05  168   $2,001.00

Day 1: 5   13-04     Day 2: 4   08-01

34. Brian Morris           Cullman, AL             10  20-10  167   $2,001.00

Day 1: 5   11-00     Day 2: 5   09-10

35. Matt Lee               Auburn , AL             10  20-09  166   $2,001.00

Day 1: 5   10-04     Day 2: 5   10-05

36. Clifton Coffey         Cypress, TX              8  20-08  165   $1,685.00

Day 1: 5   17-06     Day 2: 3   03-02

37. Kelley Jaye            Dadeville, AL           10  20-08  164   $1,685.00

Day 1: 5   12-03     Day 2: 5   08-05

38. Stephen Longobardi     Northford, CT            9  20-08  163   $1,685.00

Day 1: 5   10-11     Day 2: 4   09-13

39. David Williams         Maiden, NC              10  20-06  162   $1,685.00

Day 1: 5   11-06     Day 2: 5   09-00

40. Billy Shelton          La Crosse, VA           10  20-05  161   $1,685.00

Day 1: 5   11-14     Day 2: 5   08-07

41. Michael Reid           Perry, GA               10  20-05  160

Day 1: 5   09-08     Day 2: 5   10-13

42. Rick Morris            Lake Gaston, VA          8  20-04  159

Day 1: 5   13-06     Day 2: 3   06-14

43. Keith Pace             Monticello, AR          10  20-04  158

Day 1: 5   13-02     Day 2: 5   07-02

44. Matt Henry             Milledgeville, GA       10  20-03  157

Day 1: 5   11-01     Day 2: 5   09-02

45. Eric Silverstrim       Indian Mound, TN        10  20-01  156

Day 1: 5   08-05     Day 2: 5   11-12

46. Marty Robinson         Lyman, SC               10  20-01  155

Day 1: 5   11-09     Day 2: 5   08-08

47. Tim Hawley             Linwood, NC              8  19-15  154

Day 1: 5   12-14     Day 2: 3   07-01

48. Paul Pagnato           Reston, VA              10  19-13  153

Day 1: 5   12-01     Day 2: 5   07-12

49. Greg Pugh              Cullman, AL              8  19-10  152

Day 1: 5   15-04     Day 2: 3   04-06

50. Britt Myers            Lake Wylie, SC          10  19-06  151

Day 1: 5   10-01     Day 2: 5   09-05

51. Eric Conant            Lakeland, FL            10  19-05  150

Day 1: 5   12-14     Day 2: 5   06-07

52. Gerald Swindle         Warrior, AL             10  19-05  149

Day 1: 5   07-11     Day 2: 5   11-10

53. Cody Green             Philadelphia, TN        10  19-03  148

Day 1: 5   13-01     Day 2: 5   06-02

54. Kyle Worsham           Cherokee, AL            10  19-01  147

Day 1: 5   08-14     Day 2: 5   10-03

55. Rodney Marks Jr        Tavares, FL              8  19-00  146

Day 1: 5   12-11     Day 2: 3   06-05

56. Joey Nania             Cropwell, AL            10  19-00  145

Day 1: 5   08-00     Day 2: 5   11-00

57. Seth Feider            Bloomington, MN         10  19-00  144

Day 1: 5   10-00     Day 2: 5   09-00

58. John Figi              Bloomington, MN          6  18-14  143

Day 1: 5   17-06     Day 2: 1   01-08

59. John Brazzell          Ocoee, FL                8  18-13  142

Day 1: 5   07-08     Day 2: 3   11-05

60. Chuck Pippin           Winter Garden, FL       10  18-13  141

Day 1: 5   11-01     Day 2: 5   07-12

61. Rusty Camp             New Albany, MS           9  18-07  140

Day 1: 5   10-12     Day 2: 4   07-11

62. Russ Lane              Prattville, AL          10  18-07  139

Day 1: 5   08-12     Day 2: 5   09-11

63. Carl Whitfield         Anderson, SC             8  18-07  138

Day 1: 3   09-04     Day 2: 5   09-03

64. Ray Brazier            Lawrenceburg, TN         7  18-06  137

Day 1: 5   13-09     Day 2: 2   04-13

65. Randy Elliott          Bowie, MD               10  18-06  136

Day 1: 5   10-04     Day 2: 5   08-02

66. Waine Pittman          Villa  Rica, GA          8  18-02  135

Day 1: 5   11-00     Day 2: 3   07-02

67. Gene Eisenmann         Frisco, TX              10  17-13  134

Day 1: 5   09-04     Day 2: 5   08-09

68. Bigworm Ludwig IV      Auburn, GA              10  17-12  133

Day 1: 5   07-12     Day 2: 5   10-00

69. Arnie Lane             Lakeland, FL            10  17-12  132

Day 1: 5   09-06     Day 2: 5   08-06

70. Skylar Hamilton        Dandridge, TN           10  17-11  131

Day 1: 5   07-14     Day 2: 5   09-13

71. Larry Garner           Cottondale, AL          10  17-10  130

Day 1: 5   10-03     Day 2: 5   07-07

72. Patrick Currie         Millry , AL             10  17-08  129

Day 1: 5   09-05     Day 2: 5   08-03

73. Rich Howes             Oviedo, FL               9  17-06  128

Day 1: 5   11-00     Day 2: 4   06-06

74. Smash The Giant Gallelli Firenze ITALY           10  17-06  127

Day 1: 5   09-15     Day 2: 5   07-07

75. Jeff Holland           Winter Springs, FL       9  17-05  126

Day 1: 5   11-09     Day 2: 4   05-12

76. Charlie Hartley        Grove City, OH           7  17-04  125

Day 1: 5   14-04     Day 2: 2   03-00

77. Sonar Burghoff         Guntersville, AL         9  17-04  124

Day 1: 5   10-07     Day 2: 4   06-13

78. Danny White            Milledgeville, GA        7  17-02  123

Day 1: 5   10-09     Day 2: 2   06-09

79. Jeff Cloud             Lubbock, TX              9  17-02  122

Day 1: 4   06-12     Day 2: 5   10-06

80. Gary Isgrigg           Mt Washington, KY        9  17-02  121

Day 1: 5   10-03     Day 2: 4   06-15

81. Kotaro Kiriyama        Moody, AL                8  17-00  120

Day 1: 5   11-07     Day 2: 3   05-09

82. Jesse Tacoronte        Orlando, FL             10  17-00  119

Day 1: 5   08-03     Day 2: 5   08-13

83. Jason Patterson        Bluffton, IN            10  16-14  118

Day 1: 5   08-15     Day 2: 5   07-15

84. Patrick Pierce         Jacksonville, FL        10  16-12  117

Day 1: 5   10-08     Day 2: 5   06-04

85. Terry Scroggins        San Mateo, FL           10  16-12  116

Day 1: 5   07-07     Day 2: 5   09-05

86. Jordan Card            Knoxville, TN            9  16-08  115

Day 1: 4   05-06     Day 2: 5   11-02

87. Gary Clouse            La Vergne, TN            8  16-06  114

Day 1: 3   04-12     Day 2: 5   11-10

88. David Cooke            Mooresville, NC          8  16-05  113

Day 1: 3   09-14     Day 2: 5   06-07

89. Kyle Glasgow Jr        Guin, AL                10  16-04  112

Day 1: 5   08-13     Day 2: 5   07-07

90. Josh Herren            Pinson, AL               8  16-03  111

Day 1: 5   09-01     Day 2: 3   07-02

91. Craig Chambers         Charlotte, NC           10  16-02  110

Day 1: 5   06-11     Day 2: 5   09-07

92. Chris Lane             Guntersville, AL         6  16-00  109

Day 1: 5   14-10     Day 2: 1   01-06

93. Rick Nishio            Southside, AL           10  16-00  108

Day 1: 5   08-15     Day 2: 5   07-01

94. Ernest Morris          Seneca, SC               7  15-08  107

Day 1: 5   11-03     Day 2: 2   04-05

95. Michael Johnson        Talking Rock, GA         9  15-07  106

Day 1: 4   06-12     Day 2: 5   08-11

96. Rex Chambers           Baileyton, AL            9  15-06  105

Day 1: 4   05-06     Day 2: 5   10-00

97. Jamey Caldwell         Carthage, NC             9  15-04  104

Day 1: 5   09-13     Day 2: 4   05-07

98. Tommy Brown            Louisville, TN          10  15-04  103

Day 1: 5   08-04     Day 2: 5   07-00

99. James Castillo         Grandview, WA            9  15-02  102

Day 1: 5   08-12     Day 2: 4   06-06

100. Shaye Baker            Tallassee, AL           10  15-02  101

Day 1: 5   08-05     Day 2: 5   06-13

101. Sam George             Athens, AL               5  15-01  100

Day 1: 5   15-01     Day 2: 0   00-00

102. Casey Majni            Knoxville, TN            8  14-12   99

Day 1: 5   07-10     Day 2: 3   07-02

103. Drew Sanford           Northport, AL           10  14-11   98

Day 1: 5   08-04     Day 2: 5   06-07

104. Colby Flinn            Bradenton, FL            9  14-09   97

Day 1: 5   08-07     Day 2: 4   06-02

105. Rodney Jones           Athens, GA              10  14-09   96

Day 1: 5   06-03     Day 2: 5   08-06

106. Wil Hardy II           Harlem, GA               9  14-08   95

Day 1: 5   08-02     Day 2: 4   06-06

107. Adam Hock              Independence, KY         9  14-04   94

Day 1: 4   05-10     Day 2: 5   08-10

108. Joe Clements           Saint Cloud, FL          6  13-15   93

Day 1: 5   11-04     Day 2: 1   02-11

109. Sean Alvarez           Seneca, SC               8  13-12   92

Day 1: 5   09-12     Day 2: 3   04-00

110. Sambo Fish             Hoover, AL               8  13-12   91

Day 1: 5   08-05     Day 2: 3   05-07

111. Hunter Shryock         Newcomerstown, OH        5  13-05   90

Day 1: 5   13-05     Day 2: 0   00-00

112. Chris Adams            Jacksonville, FL         9  13-03   89

Day 1: 4   05-06     Day 2: 5   07-13

113. Josh Douglas           Shakopee, MN             5  13-02   88

Day 1: 2   04-12     Day 2: 3   08-06

114. Kevin Clark            Leesburg, FL             7  12-15   87

Day 1: 2   02-11     Day 2: 5   10-04

115. Shane Lineberger       Lincolnton, NC           6  12-15   86

Day 1: 3   07-01     Day 2: 3   05-14

116. Van Soles              Haines City, FL          7  12-13   85

Day 1: 4   07-09     Day 2: 3   05-04

117. Dustin Neat            Dunnville, KY            7  12-12   84

Day 1: 2   03-13     Day 2: 5   08-15

118. Scott Hayes            Newnan, GA               6  12-11   83

Day 1: 1   01-04     Day 2: 5   11-07

119. Scott Mcgehee          Madison, MS              6  12-11   82

Day 1: 2   03-02     Day 2: 4   09-09

120. Kyle Kempkers          Hamilton, MI             7  12-08   81

Day 1: 3   05-09     Day 2: 4   06-15

121. Tim Ezell              Key West, FL             5  12-01   80

Day 1: 2   04-12     Day 2: 3   07-05

122. Ron Wolfarth           Oakboro, NC              8  11-15   79

Day 1: 3   05-14     Day 2: 5   06-01

123. Greg Mansfield         Burnsville, MN           5  11-14   78

Day 1: 5   11-14     Day 2: 0   00-00

124. Jimmy Mason            Rogersville, AL          7  11-07   77

Day 1: 2   02-15     Day 2: 5   08-08

125. George Lambeth         Thomasville, NC          6  11-04   76

Day 1: 3   06-11     Day 2: 3   04-09

126. David Perdue           Wirtz, VA                6  11-04   75

Day 1: 3   06-08     Day 2: 3   04-12

127. Tim Frederick          Leesburg, FL             6  10-11   74

Day 1: 5   08-07     Day 2: 1   02-04

128. Alvin Shaw             Roaring Gap, NC          7  10-07   73

Day 1: 5   08-03     Day 2: 2   02-04

129. Chris Cline            Stafford, VA             7  10-06   72

Day 1: 5   07-04     Day 2: 2   03-02

130. Landon Lomax           Owens Cross Roads, AL    6  10-03   71

Day 1: 3   05-15     Day 2: 3   04-04

131. Kazuki Kitajima        Orlando, FL              6  10-02   70

Day 1: 5   08-12     Day 2: 1   01-06

132. Christiana Bradley     Bealeton, VA             5  10-02   69

Day 1: 4   08-03     Day 2: 1   01-15

133. Kendall Newson         Decatur, GA              4  10-02   68

Day 1: 3   05-06     Day 2: 1   04-12

134. Wesley Sams            Cullman, AL              5  09-12   67

Day 1: 5   09-12     Day 2: 0   00-00

135. Bruce Holcombe         Cullman, AL              5  09-11   66

Day 1: 5   09-11     Day 2: 0   00-00

136. Keith Poche            Pike Road, AL            5  09-09   65

Day 1: 5   09-09     Day 2: 0   00-00

137. Hunter Eubanks         Inman, SC                4  09-09   64

Day 1: 1   03-10     Day 2: 3   05-15

138. Matt Lowe              Walhalla, SC             4  07-14   63

Day 1: 4   07-14     Day 2: 0   00-00

139. Greg Vinson            Wetumpka, AL             5  07-01   62

Day 1: 5   07-01     Day 2: 0   00-00

140. Allen Brooks           Canton, GA               2  06-12   61

Day 1: 2   06-12     Day 2: 0   00-00

141. Earnie Jones           Blythewood, SC           4  06-08   60

Day 1: 1   01-11     Day 2: 3   04-13

142. Jim Garrett            Tyrone, GA               4  06-03   59

Day 1: 2   03-10     Day 2: 2   02-09

143. James Bailey           Warrenton, VA            4  06-00   58

Day 1: 4   06-00     Day 2: 0   00-00

144. Tony Tidwell           Horton, AL               4  05-13   57

Day 1: 2   02-08     Day 2: 2   03-05

145. Garrett Rocamora       Lithia, FL               3  05-05   56

Day 1: 1   02-03     Day 2: 2   03-02

146. Red Flowers            Deland, FL               3  05-01   55

Day 1: 3   05-01     Day 2: 0   00-00

147. Kameron Harbin         Abbeville, SC            2  05-00   54

Day 1: 2   05-00     Day 2: 0   00-00

148. Richard Rhodes         Calvert City, KY         3  04-08   53

Day 1: 2   02-02     Day 2: 1   02-06

149. Jared Dial             Winter Haven, FL         2  04-02   52

Day 1: 1   01-08     Day 2: 1   02-10

150. Clay Dyer              Fayetteville, TN         3  03-15   51

Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 3   03-15

151. Wayne Murray           Baton Rouge, LA          2  03-14   50

Day 1: 2   03-14     Day 2: 0   00-00

152. James Robinson         Jackson, TN              2  02-13   49

Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 2   02-13

153. Jimbo Harris           Lenoir City, TN          2  02-12   48

Day 1: 2   02-12     Day 2: 0   00-00

154. David Sheffield        Davie, FL                2  02-07   47

Day 1: 2   02-07     Day 2: 0   00-00

155. James Bader            Fruitland Park, FL       2  02-00   46

Day 1: 1   01-01     Day 2: 1   00-15

156. Gerald Sensabaugh      Gray, TN                 1  01-12   45

Day 1: 1   01-12     Day 2: 0   00-00

157. Hojin Chang            Windermere, FL           0  00-00    0

Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 0   00-00

157. Mark Costa             Andover, ME              0  00-00    0

Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 0   00-00

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Totals

Day   #Limits    #Fish      Weight

1       111       667      1451-01

2        80       568      1158-09

----------------------------------

191      1235      2609-10

2014 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Southern Open Smith Lake Presented by Allstate 3/6-3/8

Smith Lake, Jasper  AL.

(NON_BOATER) Standings Day 2

Angler                   Hometown              No./lbs-oz  Pts   Total $$$

1.  Stephen Longobardi     Northford, CT            6  17-04  200

Day 1: 3   09-07     Day 2: 3   07-13

2.  Dustin Seaborn         Guin, AL                 6  15-12  199

Day 1: 3   08-11     Day 2: 3   07-01

3.  Reid Mcginn            Fort Mill, SC            6  14-13  198

Day 1: 3   09-07     Day 2: 3   05-06

4.  Joshua Price           Clarksville, TN          6  14-10  197

Day 1: 3   07-15     Day 2: 3   06-11

5.  Kent Biggs             Morristown, TN           6  14-08  196

Day 1: 3   06-03     Day 2: 3   08-05

6.  Dan Taylor             Olean, NY                6  14-02  195

Day 1: 3   05-08     Day 2: 3   08-10

7.  Tyler Hicks            Jasper, AL               6  14-02  194

Day 1: 3   07-00     Day 2: 3   07-02

8.  Drew Dupre             Clinton, CT              4  13-08  193     $150.00

Day 1: 1   03-08     Day 2: 3   10-00

9.  Carlton Tipp           Grand Bay, AL            6  13-02  192

Day 1: 3   06-04     Day 2: 3   06-14

10. Kevin Roland           Mulberry, TN             5  13-01  191

Day 1: 3   07-15     Day 2: 2   05-02

11. Kelly Townson          Hartselle, AL            6  12-14  190

Day 1: 3   05-11     Day 2: 3   07-03

12. Joshua Kolodzaike      Toledo, OH               6  12-10  189

Day 1: 3   07-03     Day 2: 3   05-07

13. Grady Maynard          Leesburg, FL             4  12-09  188   $1,264.00

Day 1: 3   05-02     Day 2: 1   07-07

14. Tim Arnold             Cullman, AL              6  12-08  187   $1,159.00

Day 1: 3   06-02     Day 2: 3   06-06

15. Jamie Butler           Jasper, AL               6  12-07  186   $1,053.00

Day 1: 3   08-03     Day 2: 3   04-04

16. Michael Perry          Brownsville, TN          6  12-06  185     $948.00

Day 1: 3   06-15     Day 2: 3   05-07

17. JR Sapp                Cullman, AL              5  12-02  184     $737.00

Day 1: 3   05-00     Day 2: 2   07-02

18. Red Berry              Crane Hill, AL           6  12-00  183     $632.00

Day 1: 3   04-10     Day 2: 3   07-06

19. Doug Hasting           Athens, AL               6  11-14  182     $632.00

Day 1: 3   05-14     Day 2: 3   06-00

20. Tony Holliday          Piedmont, SC             5  11-09  181     $527.00

Day 1: 3   08-12     Day 2: 2   02-13

21. Mark Wethington        Liberty, KY              6  11-07  180     $448.00

Day 1: 3   06-15     Day 2: 3   04-08

22. George Hirapetian      Charlotte, NC            4  11-05  179     $448.00

Day 1: 3   08-15     Day 2: 1   02-06

23. Dennis Kempkers        Hamilton, MI             6  11-05  178     $448.00

Day 1: 3   06-14     Day 2: 3   04-07

24. Chad Alexander         Addison, AL              6  11-05  177     $448.00

Day 1: 3   06-04     Day 2: 3   05-01

25. Matthew Smith          Jasper, AL               5  11-03  176     $448.00

Day 1: 3   04-09     Day 2: 2   06-10

26. Travis Dehart          Greenville, SC           6  11-00  175     $448.00

Day 1: 3   06-08     Day 2: 3   04-08

27. Blaine Freeman         Dadeville, AL            5  11-00  174     $448.00

Day 1: 2   05-15     Day 2: 3   05-01

28. Brad Gandee            Mcdonough, GA            6  10-15  173     $448.00

Day 1: 3   07-01     Day 2: 3   03-14

29. Scott Fairchild        New Windsor, NY          5  10-14  172     $448.00

Day 1: 3   05-05     Day 2: 2   05-09

30. Brandon Bolton         West Point, MS           6  10-12  171     $448.00

Day 1: 3   03-15     Day 2: 3   06-13

31. Keith Broyles          Jackson, TN              5  10-09  170     $448.00

Day 1: 2   05-03     Day 2: 3   05-06

32. Mike Spears            Jasper, AL               6  10-07  169     $448.00

Day 1: 3   06-14     Day 2: 3   03-09

33. Wayne Prater           Jacksboro, TN            5  10-03  168     $448.00

Day 1: 2   04-09     Day 2: 3   05-10

34. Gary Holcombe          Cullman, AL              5  10-02  167     $448.00

Day 1: 2   04-04     Day 2: 3   05-14

35. Ben Humphries          Jasper, AL               4  10-01  166     $448.00

Day 1: 3   08-03     Day 2: 1   01-14

36. Timothy Swango         Winter Haven, FL         6  09-13  165     $448.00

Day 1: 3   03-08     Day 2: 3   06-05

37. Jonathan Phillips      Pittsboro, NC            5  09-10  164     $448.00

Day 1: 2   03-00     Day 2: 3   06-10

38. Jarrad Nickolite       Shakopee, MN             5  09-08  163     $448.00

Day 1: 2   02-11     Day 2: 3   06-13

39. Bud Morin Jr           Saint Cloud, FL          3  09-06  162     $448.00

Day 1: 2   05-14     Day 2: 1   03-08

40. Darien Craig           Hayden, AL               6  09-04  161     $448.00

Day 1: 3   04-12     Day 2: 3   04-08

41. Matthew Hodgkinson     Navarre, FL              5  09-04  160

Day 1: 2   04-11     Day 2: 3   04-09

42. Dave Davenport         Milford, OH              3  09-03  159

Day 1: 3   09-03     Day 2: 0   00-00

43. Jason Woodard          Arley, AL                4  09-03  158

Day 1: 2   03-10     Day 2: 2   05-09

44. Destin Demarion        Grove City, PA           6  09-03  157

Day 1: 3   04-15     Day 2: 3   04-04

45. Shannon Cleghorn       Cullman, AL              5  09-02  156

Day 1: 3   06-11     Day 2: 2   02-07

46. Andrew Mcclintock      Wellford, SC             6  09-02  155

Day 1: 3   04-10     Day 2: 3   04-08

47. JP Kimbrough           Bossier City, LA         5  08-12  154

Day 1: 3   05-10     Day 2: 2   03-02

48. Jerry Allen            Jasper, AL               5  08-11  153

Day 1: 2   03-09     Day 2: 3   05-02

49. Bill Bonner            Wetumpka, AL             4  08-08  152

Day 1: 1   01-04     Day 2: 3   07-04

50. Jason Rice             Swannanoa, NC            5  08-08  151

Day 1: 3   06-06     Day 2: 2   02-02

51. Russell Chargualaf     Mc Cordsville, IN        4  08-07  150

Day 1: 1   01-04     Day 2: 3   07-03

52. Matt Fair              Ocoee, FL                3  08-06  149

Day 1: 3   08-06     Day 2: 0   00-00

53. Austin Littrell        Moulton, AL              3  08-06  148

Day 1: 2   03-14     Day 2: 1   04-08

54. Kenneth Shumate        Elkin, NC                4  08-05  147

Day 1: 3   07-01     Day 2: 1   01-04

55. Ted Pearce Jr          Florence, MS             3  08-03  146

Day 1: 3   08-03     Day 2: 0   00-00

56. Jay Fagan              Mableton, GA             5  08-02  145

Day 1: 2   05-00     Day 2: 3   03-02

57. Justin Mcclusky        Jasper, AL               4  08-02  144

Day 1: 2   04-05     Day 2: 2   03-13

58. Toby Lillard           Clarksville, TN          3  08-00  143

Day 1: 2   05-00     Day 2: 1   03-00

59. Barry Maner            Trinity, AL              4  07-11  142

Day 1: 3   06-07     Day 2: 1   01-04

60. Stanton Harris         State Road, NC           5  07-11  141

Day 1: 2   02-07     Day 2: 3   05-04

61. Justin Hamner          Northport, AL            4  07-10  140

Day 1: 3   04-09     Day 2: 1   03-01

62. Satoshi Obata          Moriyama-Shi JAPAN       5  07-09  139

Day 1: 3   05-04     Day 2: 2   02-05

63. Brad Burkhart II       Speedwell, TN            4  07-06  138

Day 1: 3   05-09     Day 2: 1   01-13

64. Andy Kearns            High Point, NC           4  07-06  137

Day 1: 3   04-06     Day 2: 1   03-00

65. Matt Ramsey            Piney Flats, TN          4  07-06  136

Day 1: 2   03-06     Day 2: 2   04-00

66. String Bean            Mc Calla, AL             3  07-05  135

Day 1: 3   07-05     Day 2: 0   00-00

67. Barry Brandt Jr.       Newport News, VA         4  07-02  134

Day 1: 3   05-06     Day 2: 1   01-12

68. Lee Mcclendon          Trussville, AL           6  06-14  133

Day 1: 3   03-15     Day 2: 3   02-15

69. Jonathan Collins       Vinemont, AL             5  06-13  132

Day 1: 3   03-06     Day 2: 2   03-07

70. Tony Beck              Social Circle, GA        5  06-12  131

Day 1: 2   03-02     Day 2: 3   03-10

71. Sam Fish               Alexander, AL            4  06-10  130

Day 1: 2   04-05     Day 2: 2   02-05

72. Daniel Parks           Greer, SC                5  06-10  129

Day 1: 3   03-11     Day 2: 2   02-15

73. Preston Harris         State Road, NC           4  06-09  128

Day 1: 1   01-13     Day 2: 3   04-12

74. Kyle Elliott           Ashland, MS              3  06-08  127

Day 1: 3   06-08     Day 2: 0   00-00

75. John Minor             Caryville, TN            3  06-07  126

Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 3   06-07

76. Brad Voegele           Hamilton, AL             4  06-07  125

Day 1: 1   01-04     Day 2: 3   05-03

77. Aaron Batson           Oxford, GA               3  06-05  124

Day 1: 2   04-14     Day 2: 1   01-07

78. Bradley Sears          Covington, GA            3  06-02  123

Day 1: 2   04-11     Day 2: 1   01-07

79. Ty Story               Prattville, AL           3  05-15  122

Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 3   05-15

80. John Keith             Remlap, AL               3  05-11  121

Day 1: 2   03-13     Day 2: 1   01-14

81. George Beville Jr      Apex, NC                 3  05-06  120

Day 1: 1   01-08     Day 2: 2   03-14

82. Jeff Cox               Saline, MI               3  05-04  119

Day 1: 3   05-04     Day 2: 0   00-00

83. Lyn Melton             Florence, AL             3  05-03  118

Day 1: 1   02-06     Day 2: 2   02-13

84. Gerald Williams        Maiden, NC               3  05-02  117

Day 1: 3   05-02     Day 2: 0   00-00

85. Tim Lollar             Cullman, AL              4  05-02  116

Day 1: 3   03-10     Day 2: 1   01-08

86. Grant Shively          Westland, MI             3  05-01  115

Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 3   05-01

87. AJ Jones               Land O Lakes, FL         3  04-15  114

Day 1: 1   00-15     Day 2: 2   04-00

88. Bill Capps             Auburn, AL               3  04-14  113

Day 1: 3   04-14     Day 2: 0   00-00

88. John Jeter             Birmingham, AL           3  04-14  113

Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 3   04-14

90. Daren McDermott        Saint Cloud, FL          3  04-10  111

Day 1: 1   01-05     Day 2: 2   03-05

91. Tommy Menefee          Ashville, AL             3  04-08  110

Day 1: 2   02-15     Day 2: 1   01-09

92. Brad Henderson         Bremen, AL               3  04-07  109

Day 1: 3   04-07     Day 2: 0   00-00

93. Miriam Donohoo         San Mateo, FL            1  04-04  108

Day 1: 1   04-04     Day 2: 0   00-00

94. Will Rigsby            Enterprise, AL           3  04-00  107

Day 1: 3   04-00     Day 2: 0   00-00

95. Beth Atkins            Lenox, GA                2  04-00  106

Day 1: 2   04-00     Day 2: 0   00-00

96. Keith Ogden            Concord, NC              3  03-15  105

Day 1: 2   02-12     Day 2: 1   01-03

97. Teb Jones              Hattiesburg, MS          2  03-14  104

Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 2   03-14

98. Roy Hurst              Birmingham, AL           3  03-14  103

Day 1: 1   01-05     Day 2: 2   02-09

99. Jimmy Hayes            Fayetteville, NC         3  03-13  102

Day 1: 2   02-10     Day 2: 1   01-03

100. Kenneth Hoffman        Cambridge, NY            2  03-12  101

Day 1: 2   03-12     Day 2: 0   00-00

101. Mark Moretz            Chesapeake, VA           1  03-12  100

Day 1: 1   03-12     Day 2: 0   00-00

102. Jonathan Morrison      Harrogate, TN            2  03-11   99

Day 1: 2   03-11     Day 2: 0   00-00

103. Deron Donohoo          Sumter, SC               4  03-11   98

Day 1: 3   02-12     Day 2: 1   00-15

104. Joe Curry              Hayden, AL               3  03-10   97

Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 3   03-10

105. Ross Highsmith         Wimauma, FL              2  03-07   96

Day 1: 2   03-07     Day 2: 0   00-00

106. Phil Thalheimer        Raleigh, NC              3  03-06   95

Day 1: 3   03-06     Day 2: 0   00-00

107. Tim Guider             Lenoir City, TN          1  03-06   94

Day 1: 1   03-06     Day 2: 0   00-00

108. William Beekman        Diamond Point, NY        1  03-05   93

Day 1: 1   03-05     Day 2: 0   00-00

109. Kyle Parks             Albany , GA              2  03-03   92

Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 2   03-03

110. Curt Huff              Saint Cloud, FL          1  03-00   91

Day 1: 1   03-00     Day 2: 0   00-00

110. Steve Mcdaniel         Prattville, AL           1  03-00   91

Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 1   03-00

112. Paul Benson            Emerson, GA              2  02-14   89

Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 2   02-14

113. Rowland Liverett       Dora, AL                 2  02-12   88

Day 1: 2   02-12     Day 2: 0   00-00

114. Tommy Edwards          Fort Myers, FL           2  02-11   87

Day 1: 2   02-11     Day 2: 0   00-00

114. Steven Roosen          Charlotte, NC            2  02-11   87

Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 2   02-11

116. Lane Wright            Loganville, GA           1  02-11   85

Day 1: 1   02-11     Day 2: 0   00-00

117. Mark Hollifield        Walhalla, SC             2  02-07   84

Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 2   02-07

118. Hank Miller            Hamilton, AL             2  02-07   83

Day 1: 1   01-07     Day 2: 1   01-00

119. Joe Hamilton           Liberty, IN              1  02-06   82

Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 1   02-06

120. Donald Thompson        Marmet, WV               1  02-03   81

Day 1: 1   02-03     Day 2: 0   00-00

121. Phillip Pendley        Townley, AL              2  02-00   80

Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 2   02-00

122. Paul Garrison          Natural Bridge, AL       1  02-00   79

Day 1: 1   02-00     Day 2: 0   00-00

123. Jason Abrain           Seffner, FL              1  01-14   78

Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 1   01-14

123. William Smith Jr       Cullman, AL              1  01-14   78

Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 1   01-14

125. John Dial              Winter Haven, FL         1  01-12   76

Day 1: 1   01-12     Day 2: 0   00-00

125. Bryon Medeiros         Fort Lauderdale, FL      1  01-12   76

Day 1: 1   01-12     Day 2: 0   00-00

127. Jay West               Canton, GA               1  01-11   74

Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 1   01-11

128. Richard Madison        Oakman, AL               1  01-10   73

Day 1: 1   01-10     Day 2: 0   00-00

129. Bryan Talmadge         Moody, AL                1  01-07   72

Day 1: 1   01-07     Day 2: 0   00-00

130. Randy Dance            Newport, TN              1  01-05   71

Day 1: 1   01-05     Day 2: 0   00-00

130. Jenny Sander           Byron, GA                1  01-05   71

Day 1: 1   01-05     Day 2: 0   00-00

132. Larry Elrod            Cullman, AL              1  01-04   69

Day 1: 1   01-04     Day 2: 0   00-00

132. JJ Polak               Covington, GA            1  01-04   69

Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 1   01-04

134. Bryon McNiel           Baileyton, AL            1  01-03   67

Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 1   01-03

135. Jonathan Barnette      Jasper, AL               1  01-02   66

Day 1: 1   01-02     Day 2: 0   00-00

136. Roy Kelly              Petal, MS                1  00-15   65

Day 1: 1   00-15     Day 2: 0   00-00

137. Bryant Adam            Madison, MS              0  00-00    0

Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 0   00-00

137. Tom Bever              Boulder, CO              0  00-00    0

Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 0   00-00

137. Barry Brunges          Gainesville, FL          0  00-00    0

Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 0   00-00

137. Eric Carroll           Leesburg, AL             0  00-00    0

Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 0   00-00

137. Marty Denton           Huntsville, AL           0  00-00    0

Day 1: 0   00-00

137. Kirkland Desmond       Knoxville, TN            0  00-00    0

Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 0   00-00

137. Mike Drisko            Leesburg, FL             0  00-00    0

Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 0   00-00

137. Clay Ellis II          Ozark, AL                0  00-00    0

Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 0   00-00

137. Robert Gorman          Murphy, NC               0  00-00    0

Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 0   00-00

137. Bruce Griffin          Jasper, AL               0  00-00    0

Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 0   00-00

137. Eric Gumbrecht         Oakhurst, NJ             0  00-00    0

Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 0   00-00

137. Linda Higginbotham     Palm Coast, FL           0  00-00    0

Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 0   00-00

137. Francesco Marchioro    Cormano ITALY            0  00-00    0

Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 0   00-00

137. Greg Mauldin           Archdale, NC             0  00-00    0

Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 0   00-00

137. Nathan Mills           Ocklawaha, FL            0  00-00    0

Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 0   00-00

137. Harold Pickett         Moncks Corner, SC        0  00-00    0

Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 0   00-00

137. Robert Prebeck         Norwood, MO              0  00-00    0

Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 0   00-00

137. Jody Purnell           Birmingham, AL           0  00-00    0

Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 0   00-00

137. Marty Rodda            Pell City, AL            0  00-00    0

Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 0   00-00

137. Miles Smith            Birmingham, AL           0  00-00    0

Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 0   00-00

137. Jason Stodder          Wiscasset, ME            0  00-00    0

Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 0   00-00

137. Kenneth Underwood      Columbus, MS             0  00-00    0

Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 0   00-00

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Totals

Day   #Limits    #Fish      Weight

1        60       268       534-04

2        48       224       425-11

----------------------------------

108       492       959-15


Quadzilla - NEW from Z-Man!

Glenn Young shows us the NEW Z-Man Quadzilla - all the schooling minnow imitation of an umbrella rig without all the bulk - from the 2014 Bassmaster Classic Expo!


AC Marine Tournament is ON at Smith Mtn Sat-Details right here

All Anglers

I must say that today is a bad day to be a Tournament Director and I wish that we had the powers to be to control Mother Nature. Unfortunately we do not and I have had to make a decision based on the information that is given to me and make one that benefits the majority of our anglers. We are going to have the first tournament of the 2014 season tomorrow at Smith Mtn. Lake. I know that there are some of our friends that will not make it due to road conditions in your area. I would not expect you to come if you felt that the conditions were not right to make the trip. I hope that you will use good judgment in that matter. Once the storm system moved through the sun has come out and warmed up nicely so to our friends further east it is on the way. Everything to the west has melted off and it did not take very long for that to happen. I do want to let you know that we will do everything that we can to accommodate your needs, just let us know and we will work with you. A couple of things that I want you to know:

1.       I will keep registration open after we launch tomorrow morning in the event you are running behind due to your travel. (Some people planned to come up today but could not get here) I will launch the field at 8:00 A.M. and then get you in as fast as we can.

2.       Parkway Marina is ready for us and they have advised me that all roads are cleared of any snow and people have been putting in all day today. Parkway will also have Coffee and Biscuits tomorrow morning.

3.       I am looking at the idea of hosting a Wildcard Tournament at Smith Mtn as a NON-POINTS tournament but count it as a qualifier so the anglers that are not able to make it tomorrow will still have a chance to get their qualifier in toward the Classic. I would like to entertain some thoughts on this. Possibly a Sunday so it does not interfere with tournament schedules that are already in place.

4.       Anyone that does not check in tomorrow morning with me I will remove you from the tournament field so we can move your entry fee to another tournament.

5.       All weather reports say that you may be shoveling snow today and battling sun burn tomorrow, we have many anglers at the lake already and for those reasons I have decided to go ahead with the tournament.

To all of our friends to the east if you do not make it up tomorrow we will miss seeing you and make the right decision about tomorrow’s tournament wherever you are. I will make sure that you get what you need and assist you the best I can. The sun has come out and it is headed your way…

Chris 


Casey Ashley Leads FLW Tour on Lake Hartwell

SENECA, S.C. (March 6, 2014) – Despite a day that featured cold, windy and rainy conditions that drastically changed the patterns that were established in practice, FLW Tour rookie Casey Ashley of Donalds, S.C., brought a five-bass limit to the scale weighing 21 pounds, 7 ounces to take the lead on day one of the Walmart FLW Tour on Lake Hartwell presented by Ranger Boats.

Ashley will hold a 2-pound, 3-ounce lead over fellow rookie pro Skip Johnson of Goodells, Mich., heading into day two of the four-day event that features 176 of the world’s best bass-fishing anglers competing for a top cash award of up to $125,000.

     â€œI had no clue that I would catch that much,” said Ashley, who has nine career top-10 finishes in Rayovac FLW Series and BFL circuit competition. “I had some good stuff that I had found in practice and I caught some pretty good fish. But today was brutal. I fished some stuff that had gone well in practice and didn’t get bit today. I caught my better fish today on stuff that I didn’t even practice. I was only able to fish what was protected, and I didn’t get to fish all of my areas today.”
     Ashley was not yet ready to divulge any bait specifics, but he did say that he caught the majority of his fish using only three rods. He estimated that he caught around 20 fish today, and his five-bass limit consisted entirely of largemouth.
     â€œI did weigh in all largemouth, but I had several spotted bass in the livewell that I culled through,” Ashley said. “To be honest, I caught more spots in practice than I did largemouth. I like to catch them shallow, but I’m a junk fisherman. I’ll do whatever.
     â€œHopefully I can run some of my different areas tomorrow if the wind doesn’t blow quite as hard,” Ashley went on to say. “I’m keeping an open mind right now, because I have no clue what these fish are going to be doing. Tomorrow may be a completely different story.”
     The top 10 pros after day one on Lake Hartwell are:
            1st:    Casey Ashley, Donalds, S.C., five bass, 21-7
            2nd:   Skip Johnson, Goodells, Mich., five bass, 19-4
            3rd:    John Cox, Debary, Fla., five bass, 18-13
            4th:    Jason Quinn, Rock Hill, S.C., five bass, 18-9
            5th:    Ramie Colson Jr., Cadiz, Ky., five bass, 17-10
            6th:    Barry Wilson, Birmingham, Ala., five bass, 17-9
            7th:    Clent Davis, Montevallo, Ala., five bass, 16-14
            8th:    Repel pro Cody Meyer, Auburn, Calif., five bass, 16-4
            9th:    Barton Aiken, Greenville, S.C., five bass, 16-0
            10th:  Rich Dalbey, Greenville, Texas, five bass, 15-15
     For a full list of results visit FLWOutdoors.com.
     Keith Amerson of Bethel Springs, Tenn., won the Big Bass Award on the pro side with a fish weighing 6 pounds, 13 ounces to win $500.
     Overall there were 739 bass weighing 1,594 pounds, 1 ounce caught by 172 pros Thursday. The catch included 121 five-bass limits.
     Pros are competing for a top award of up to $125,000 this week plus valuable points in the hope of qualifying for the 2014 Forrest Wood Cup presented by Walmart, the world championship of bass fishing. The top 35 anglers in the point standings from the six events on the 2014 Walmart FLW Tour will qualify. The 2014 Forrest Wood Cup will be in Columbia, S.C., Aug. 14-17 on Lake Murray and is hosted by Capital City Lake Murray Country. Anglers could win as much as $500,000 – professional bass-fishing’s richest prize.
     Bryan New of Belmont, N.C., leads the co-angler division with five bass weighing 14-3 followed by David Redington of Sulphur Springs, Texas, in second place with five bass weighing 13-11.
     The top 10 co-anglers are:
            1st:    Bryan New, Belmont, N.C., five bass, 14-3
            2nd:   David Redington, Sulphur Springs, Texas, five bass, 13-11
            3rd:    Brandon Booher, Bristol, Tenn., five bass, 12-4
            4th:    Paul Lafleur, Benton, Ark., five bass, 12-1
            5th:    Dennis Kirby, Lakeland, Tenn., five bass, 12-0
            6th:    Braxton Setzer, Auburn, Ala., five bass, 11-1
            7th:    Eric Self, Lawndale, N.C., five bass, 10-5
            8th:    Alan Woodford, Winslow, Ind., five bass, 10-3
            9th:    Dalton Cooksey, New Concord, Ky., five bass, 10-0
            9th:    Nick Hensley, Cumming, Ga., five bass, 10-0
     For a full list of results visit FLWOutdoors.com.
     Jake Gipson of Niceville, Fla., caught Thursday’s Big Bass in the co-angler division weighing 5-15 to win $250.
     Overall there were 350 bass weighing 635 pounds, 14 ounces caught by co-anglers Thursday. The catch included 27 five-bass limits.
     Co-anglers are fishing for a top award of $25,000 this week plus valuable points that could help them qualify for the 2014 Forrest Wood Cup presented by Walmart. The top 35 co-anglers in the point standings from the six events on the 2014 Walmart FLW Tour will qualify.
     Anglers will take off from the Clemson Marina located at 150 Clemson Marina Drive in Seneca, S.C., at 7 a.m. on Friday and Saturday. On Sunday, the final day of competition, the top 10 anglers will take off at 7:30 a.m. from the Clemson Marina. Friday’s weigh-in will be held at Clemson Marina beginning at 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday’s final weigh-ins will be held at the Walmart located at 1636 Sandifer Blvd. in Seneca beginning at 4 p.m.
     Fans will also be treated to the FLW Expo at the Walmart on Saturday and Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. prior to the final weigh-ins. The Expo includes Ranger boat simulators, the opportunity to interact with professional anglers, enjoy interactive games, activities and giveaways provided by sponsors, and fans can learn more about the sport of fishing and other outdoor activities. All activities are free and open to the public. Also on Sunday, country music artist Josh Thompson will perform a free live concert on the Walmart weigh-in stage at 3 p.m.
     Coverage of the Lake Hartwell tournament will be broadcast in high-definition (HD) on NBC Sports Network when “FLW” airs May 24 from 11 a.m.-12 p.m. ET. The Emmy-nominated "FLW" television show is hosted by Jason Harper and is broadcast to more than 564 million households worldwide, making it the most widely distributed weekly outdoors-sports television show in the world.
     For complete details and updated information visit FLWOutdoors.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow us on Facebook at Facebook.com/FLWFishing and on Twitter at Twitter.com/FLWFishing.
 

Kilgore Takes Lead, Auten Off To Another Solid Start In Bassmaster Southern Open On Smith Lake

Todd Auten of Lake Wylie, SC took the early lead in the first 2014 Bassmaster Open on Lake Toho with only 4 largemouth in his livewell. Now in the 2nd Southern Open, on Smith Lake, he sacked 5 big spotted bass to put a little pressure on friend, local favorite and Day 1 leader David Kilgore of Jasper, Ala.

David Kilgore of Jasper, Ala., takes the lead on Day 1 of the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Southern Open presented by Allstate. Kilgore brought 19 pounds, 15 ounces of Smith Lake bass to the scales at Thursday's weigh-in. Photo by James Overstreet/Bassmaster

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

David Kilgore of Jasper, Ala., was just hoping to survive the cold, rainy first day of the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Southern Open presented by Allstate at Smith Lake. With a limit that weighed 1 ounce shy of 20 pounds, he did more than merely survive — he claimed the lead.

“I caught them really well in practice last Sunday when it was sunny,” Kilgore said.

However, the following practice days were cold and cloudy, and Kilgore struggled to get bites. He also had an early flight today, which made for an early weigh-in and a short fishing day. Despite these handicaps, Kilgore boated 12 largemouth and spotted bass, culling to the best five as the day progressed.

“Tomorrow is supposed to be sunny and warmer, and I have a late flight,” Kilgore said. “That will give me two more hours of fishing when the sun is out.”

Kilgore mentioned that the areas he fished today had plenty of pressure from other competitors. However, he saved some of his best water and is excited about his prospects for Day 2 of the Smith Lake Open.

Should Kilgore hang on and win, he will take home a check for $6,741, a Nitro Z9 powered by a Mercury 225 Pro XS and an invitation to fish the 2015 Bassmaster Classic if he fishes all three tournaments in the Southern Opens series. Kilgore qualified for the 2014 Bassmaster Classic presented by Diet Mountain Dew and GoPro by winning a Bassmaster Southern Open at Logan Martin Lake last year.

A half-ounce Strike King Pure Poison chattering jig dressed with a white Strike King Rage Tail Craw anchored Kilgore’s win at Logan Martin. It’s possible he may be fishing the same lure at Smith.

Kilgore isn’t saying, nor is his friend Todd Auten of Lake Wylie, S.C., who sits in second place with 18 pounds, 5 ounces of spotted bass. It was the heaviest limit of spots Auten has ever caught. His biggest today was a chub that weighed 5 pounds, 4 ounces.

Auten and Kilgore are sharing information, but their No. 1 techniques are nothing alike, Auten says. During practice, Auten would leave an area after getting a single bite there. When he went back today, he was happy to find that those places held several bass.

“I pulled up to my first spot at 7 o’clock this morning,” Auten said. “I had my limit by 7:05.”

In third place with 17 pounds, 15 ounces is Bassmaster Elite Series pro Brandon Lester of Fayetteville, Tenn. Lester feels fortunate that he sacked a heavy catch under the challenging conditions.

“The sun came out for 20 to 30 minutes this morning,” Lester said. “That’s when I caught my two biggest bass.”

Lester’s limit included three largemouth and two spotted bass. Although he is catching spotted bass, he is targeting largemouth. Unlike Kilgore, Lester has his fishing area to himself.

“I haven’t seen anyone else doing what I’m doing,” he said. “I saw some big largemouth where I’m fishing in practice. Tomorrow’s sun should help me catch them.”

Connecticut’s Stephen Longobardi and South Carolina’s Reid McGinn are locked in a tie for first place in the co-angler division with identical three-bass limits that weighed 9 pounds, 7 ounces. They will be casting for all they’re worth tomorrow, along with the other non-boaters, to claim the Skeeter TZX170 sporting a Yamaha F115LA outboard that goes to the victor.

Anglers will take off each day at 6 a.m. CT from Lewis Smith Lake Dam, 640 Powerhouse Rd., Jasper, AL 35504. On Friday, they will weigh in at 2 p.m. CT at the same location. The Saturday weigh-in will be held at 3:30 p.m. CT at Bass Pro Shops, 5000 Bass Pro Blvd., Leeds, AL 35094.
Smith Lake, Jasper, Ala.
(BOATER) Standings Day 1

   Angler                   Hometown              No./lbs-oz  Pts  

1.  David Kilgore          Jasper, AL               5  19-15  200
Day 1: 5   19-15
2.  Todd Auten             Lake Wylie, SC           5  18-05  199
Day 1: 5   18-05
3.  Brandon Lester         Fayetteville, TN         5  17-15  198
Day 1: 5   17-15
4.  Clifton Coffey         Cypress, TX              5  17-06  197
Day 1: 5   17-06
4.  John Figi              Bloomington, MN          5  17-06  197
Day 1: 5   17-06
6.  Warren Barnes          Dallas, GA               5  17-03  195
Day 1: 5   17-03
7.  Derek Cummings         Clayton, NC              5  16-02  194
Day 1: 5   16-02
8.  Jesse Wiggins          Cullman, AL              5  15-10  193
Day 1: 5   15-10
9.  Greg Pugh              Cullman, AL              5  15-04  192
Day 1: 5   15-04
10. Michael Murphy         Lexington, SC            5  15-03  191
Day 1: 5   15-03
11. Sam George             Athens, AL               5  15-01  190
Day 1: 5   15-01
12. Craig Daniel           Cullman, AL              5  14-15  189
Day 1: 5   14-15
13. Chris Lane             Guntersville, AL         5  14-10  188
Day 1: 5   14-10
14. Jordan Wiggins         Cullman, AL              5  14-08  187
Day 1: 5   14-08
15. Shaw Grigsby Jr.       Gainesville, FL          5  14-06  186
Day 1: 5   14-06
16. Justin Lucas           Guntersville, AL         5  14-05  185
Day 1: 5   14-05
17. Charlie Hartley        Grove City, OH           5  14-04  184
Day 1: 5   14-04
18. David Hudson           Jasper, AL               5  13-13  183
Day 1: 5   13-13
19. Ray Brazier            Lawrenceburg, TN         5  13-09  182
Day 1: 5   13-09
19. Roland Martin          Naples, FL               5  13-09  182
Day 1: 5   13-09
21. Robin Erb              Crane Hill, AL           5  13-08  180
Day 1: 5   13-08
22. Rick Morris            Lake Gaston, VA          5  13-06  179
Day 1: 5   13-06
23. Derek Remitz           Grant, AL                5  13-05  178
Day 1: 5   13-05
23. Hunter Shryock         Newcomerstown, OH        5  13-05  178
Day 1: 5   13-05
25. Ken Iyobe              Tokoname  Aichi JAPAN    5  13-04  176
Day 1: 5   13-04
26. Bobby Lane             Lakeland, FL             5  13-03  175
Day 1: 5   13-03
27. Keith Pace             Monticello, AR           5  13-02  174
Day 1: 5   13-02
28. Jon Englund            Farwell, MN              5  13-01  173
Day 1: 5   13-01
28. Cody Green             Philadelphia, TN         5  13-01  173
Day 1: 5   13-01
30. Josh Bragg             Jacksonville, AL         5  12-14  171
Day 1: 5   12-14
30. Eric Conant            Lakeland, FL             5  12-14  171
Day 1: 5   12-14
30. Tim Hawley             Linwood, NC              5  12-14  171
Day 1: 5   12-14
33. Rodney Marks Jr        Tavares, FL              5  12-11  168
Day 1: 5   12-11
34. Kyle Fox               Lakeland, FL             5  12-10  167
Day 1: 5   12-10
35. Brock Mosley           Collinsville, MS         5  12-06  166
Day 1: 5   12-06
35. Steven Priest          New Lexington, OH        5  12-06  166
Day 1: 5   12-06
37. Kelley Jaye            Dadeville, AL            5  12-03  164
Day 1: 5   12-03
38. Marty Nester           Mount Airy, NC           5  12-01  163
Day 1: 5   12-01
38. Paul Pagnato           Reston, VA               5  12-01  163
Day 1: 5   12-01
40. Greg Mansfield         Burnsville, MN           5  11-14  161
Day 1: 5   11-14
40. Billy Shelton          La Crosse, VA            5  11-14  161
Day 1: 5   11-14
42. Jeff Holland           Winter Springs, FL       5  11-09  159
Day 1: 5   11-09
42. Chad Morgenthaler      Coulterville, IL         5  11-09  159
Day 1: 5   11-09
42. Marty Robinson         Lyman, SC                5  11-09  159
Day 1: 5   11-09
45. Kotaro Kiriyama        Moody, AL                5  11-07  156
Day 1: 5   11-07
46. David Williams         Maiden, NC               5  11-06  155
Day 1: 5   11-06
47. Joe Clements           Saint Cloud, FL          5  11-04  154
Day 1: 5   11-04
48. Carl Jocumsen          Queensland AUSTRALIA     5  11-03  153
Day 1: 5   11-03
48. Ernest Morris          Seneca, SC               5  11-03  153
Day 1: 5   11-03
50. Matt Henry             Milledgeville, GA        5  11-01  151
Day 1: 5   11-01
50. Chuck Pippin           Winter Garden, FL        5  11-01  151
Day 1: 5   11-01
52. Rich Howes             Oviedo, FL               5  11-00  149
Day 1: 5   11-00
52. Brian Morris           Cullman, AL              5  11-00  149
Day 1: 5   11-00
52. Waine Pittman          Villa  Rica, GA          5  11-00  149
Day 1: 5   11-00
55. Woo Daves              Spring Grove, VA         5  10-15  146
Day 1: 5   10-15
55. Jordan Lee             Vinemont, AL             5  10-15  146
Day 1: 5   10-15
57. Rusty Camp             New Albany, MS           5  10-12  144
Day 1: 5   10-12
58. Stephen Longobardi     Northford, CT            5  10-11  143
Day 1: 5   10-11
59. Danny White            Milledgeville, GA        5  10-09  142
Day 1: 5   10-09
60. Patrick Pierce         Jacksonville, FL         5  10-08  141
Day 1: 5   10-08
61. Sonar Burghoff         Guntersville, AL         5  10-07  140
Day 1: 5   10-07
62. Randy Elliott          Bowie, MD                5  10-04  139
Day 1: 5   10-04
62. Joe Lee                Knoxville, TN            5  10-04  139
Day 1: 5   10-04
62. Matt Lee               Auburn , AL              5  10-04  139
Day 1: 5   10-04
65. Larry Garner           Cottondale, AL           5  10-03  136
Day 1: 5   10-03
65. Gary Isgrigg           Mt Washington, KY        5  10-03  136
Day 1: 5   10-03
65. Darrell Pons           Gainesville, FL          5  10-03  136
Day 1: 5   10-03
68. Britt Myers            Lake Wylie, SC           5  10-01  133
Day 1: 5   10-01
69. Seth Feider            Bloomington, MN          5  10-00  132
Day 1: 5   10-00
70. Smash The Giant Gallelli Firenze ITALY            5  09-15  131
Day 1: 5   09-15
71. David Cooke            Mooresville, NC          3  09-14  130
Day 1: 3   09-14
72. Jamey Caldwell         Carthage, NC             5  09-13  129
Day 1: 5   09-13
72. David Walker           Sevierville, TN          5  09-13  129
Day 1: 5   09-13
74. Sean Alvarez           Seneca, SC               5  09-12  127
Day 1: 5   09-12
74. Wesley Sams            Cullman, AL              5  09-12  127
Day 1: 5   09-12
76. Bruce Holcombe         Cullman, AL              5  09-11  125
Day 1: 5   09-11
77. Keith Poche            Pike Road, AL            5  09-09  124
Day 1: 5   09-09
78. Michael Reid           Perry, GA                5  09-08  123
Day 1: 5   09-08
79. Arnie Lane             Lakeland, FL             5  09-06  122
Day 1: 5   09-06
80. Patrick Currie         Millry , AL              5  09-05  121
Day 1: 5   09-05
81. Gene Eisenmann         Frisco, TX               5  09-04  120
Day 1: 5   09-04
82. Carl Whitfield         Anderson, SC             3  09-04  119
Day 1: 3   09-04
83. Josh Herren            Pinson, AL               5  09-01  118
Day 1: 5   09-01
84. Rick Nishio            Southside, AL            5  08-15  117
Day 1: 5   08-15
84. Jason Patterson        Bluffton, IN             5  08-15  117
Day 1: 5   08-15
86. Kyle Worsham           Cherokee, AL             5  08-14  115
Day 1: 5   08-14
87. Kyle Glasgow Jr        Guin, AL                 5  08-13  114
Day 1: 5   08-13
88. James Castillo         Grandview, WA            5  08-12  113
Day 1: 5   08-12
88. Kazuki Kitajima        Orlando, FL              5  08-12  113
Day 1: 5   08-12
88. Russ Lane              Prattville, AL           5  08-12  113
Day 1: 5   08-12
91. Hank Cherry Jr         Maiden, NC               5  08-11  110
Day 1: 5   08-11
92. Kazunori Okuma         Moriyama-Shi Shiga JAPA  5  08-10  109
Day 1: 5   08-10
93. Stanley Gunter         Saluda, SC               4  08-09  108
Day 1: 4   08-09
94. Colby Flinn            Bradenton, FL            5  08-07  107
Day 1: 5   08-07
94. Tim Frederick          Leesburg, FL             5  08-07  107
Day 1: 5   08-07
96. Shaye Baker            Tallassee, AL            5  08-05  105
Day 1: 5   08-05
96. Sambo Fish             Hoover, AL               5  08-05  105
Day 1: 5   08-05
96. Eric Silverstrim       Indian Mound, TN         5  08-05  105
Day 1: 5   08-05
99. Tommy Brown            Louisville, TN           5  08-04  102
Day 1: 5   08-04
99. Drew Sanford           Northport, AL            5  08-04  102
Day 1: 5   08-04
101. Alvin Shaw             Roaring Gap, NC          5  08-03  100
Day 1: 5   08-03
101. Jesse Tacoronte        Orlando, FL              5  08-03  100
Day 1: 5   08-03
103. Christiana Bradley     Bealeton, VA             4  08-03   98
Day 1: 4   08-03
104. Wil Hardy II           Harlem, GA               5  08-02   97
Day 1: 5   08-02
105. Joey Nania             Cropwell, AL             5  08-00   96
Day 1: 5   08-00
106. Skylar Hamilton        Dandridge, TN            5  07-14   95
Day 1: 5   07-14
107. Matt Lowe              Walhalla, SC             4  07-14   94
Day 1: 4   07-14
108. Bigworm Ludwig IV      Auburn, GA               5  07-12   93
Day 1: 5   07-12
109. Gerald Swindle         Warrior, AL              5  07-11   92
Day 1: 5   07-11
110. Casey Majni            Knoxville, TN            5  07-10   91
Day 1: 5   07-10
111. Van Soles              Haines City, FL          4  07-09   90
Day 1: 4   07-09
112. John Brazzell          Ocoee, FL                5  07-08   89
Day 1: 5   07-08
113. Terry Scroggins        San Mateo, FL            5  07-07   88
Day 1: 5   07-07
114. Chris Cline            Stafford, VA             5  07-04   87
Day 1: 5   07-04
115. Greg Vinson            Wetumpka, AL             5  07-01   86
Day 1: 5   07-01
116. Shane Lineberger       Lincolnton, NC           3  07-01   85
Day 1: 3   07-01
117. Jeff Cloud             Lubbock, TX              4  06-12   84
Day 1: 4   06-12
117. Michael Johnson        Talking Rock, GA         4  06-12   84
Day 1: 4   06-12
119. Allen Brooks           Canton, GA               2  06-12   82
Day 1: 2   06-12
120. Craig Chambers         Charlotte, NC            5  06-11   81
Day 1: 5   06-11
121. George Lambeth         Thomasville, NC          3  06-11   80
Day 1: 3   06-11
122. David Perdue           Wirtz, VA                3  06-08   79
Day 1: 3   06-08
123. Rodney Jones           Athens, GA               5  06-03   78
Day 1: 5   06-03
124. James Bailey           Warrenton, VA            4  06-00   77
Day 1: 4   06-00
125. Landon Lomax           Owens Cross Roads, AL    3  05-15   76
Day 1: 3   05-15
126. Ron Wolfarth           Oakboro, NC              3  05-14   75
Day 1: 3   05-14
127. Adam Hock              Independence, KY         4  05-10   74
Day 1: 4   05-10
128. Kyle Kempkers          Hamilton, MI             3  05-09   73
Day 1: 3   05-09
129. Chris Adams            Jacksonville, FL         4  05-06   72
Day 1: 4   05-06
129. Jordan Card            Knoxville, TN            4  05-06   72
Day 1: 4   05-06
129. Rex Chambers           Baileyton, AL            4  05-06   72
Day 1: 4   05-06
132. Kendall Newson         Decatur, GA              3  05-06   69
Day 1: 3   05-06
133. Red Flowers            Deland, FL               3  05-01   68
Day 1: 3   05-01
134. Kameron Harbin         Abbeville, SC            2  05-00   67
Day 1: 2   05-00
135. Gary Clouse            La Vergne, TN            3  04-12   66
Day 1: 3   04-12
136. Josh Douglas           Shakopee, MN             2  04-12   65
Day 1: 2   04-12
136. Tim Ezell              Key West, FL             2  04-12   65
Day 1: 2   04-12
138. Wayne Murray           Baton Rouge, LA          2  03-14   63
Day 1: 2   03-14
139. Dustin Neat            Dunnville, KY            2  03-13   62
Day 1: 2   03-13
140. Jim Garrett            Tyrone, GA               2  03-10   61
Day 1: 2   03-10
141. Hunter Eubanks         Inman, SC                1  03-10   60
Day 1: 1   03-10
142. Scott Mcgehee          Madison, MS              2  03-02   59
Day 1: 2   03-02
143. Jimmy Mason            Rogersville, AL          2  02-15   58
Day 1: 2   02-15
144. Jimbo Harris           Lenoir City, TN          2  02-12   57
Day 1: 2   02-12
145. Kevin Clark            Leesburg, FL             2  02-11   56
Day 1: 2   02-11
146. Tony Tidwell           Horton, AL               2  02-08   55
Day 1: 2   02-08
147. David Sheffield        Davie, FL                2  02-07   54
Day 1: 2   02-07
148. Garrett Rocamora       Lithia, FL               1  02-03   53
Day 1: 1   02-03
149. Richard Rhodes         Calvert City, KY         2  02-02   52
Day 1: 2   02-02
150. Gerald Sensabaugh      Gray, TN                 1  01-12   51
Day 1: 1   01-12
151. Earnie Jones           Blythewood, SC           1  01-11   50
Day 1: 1   01-11
152. Jared Dial             Winter Haven, FL         1  01-08   49
Day 1: 1   01-08
153. Scott Hayes            Newnan, GA               1  01-04   48
Day 1: 1   01-04
154. James Bader            Fruitland Park, FL       1  01-01   47
Day 1: 1   01-01
155. Hojin Chang            Windermere, FL           0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00
155. Mark Costa             Andover, ME              0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00
155. Clay Dyer              Fayetteville, TN         0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00
155. James Robinson         Jackson, TN              0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day   #Limits    #Fish      Weight
1       111       667      1451-01
----------------------------------
111       667      1451-01

2014 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Southern Open Smith Lake Presented by Allstate 3/6-3/8
Smith Lake, Jasper, Ala.
(NON_BOATER) Standings Day 1

   Angler                   Hometown              No./lbs-oz  Pts  

1.  Stephen Longobardi     Northford, CT            3  09-07  200
Day 1: 3   09-07
1.  Reid Mcginn            Fort Mill, SC            3  09-07  200
Day 1: 3   09-07
3.  Dave Davenport         Milford, OH              3  09-03  198
Day 1: 3   09-03
4.  George Hirapetian      Charlotte, NC            3  08-15  197
Day 1: 3   08-15
5.  Tony Holliday          Piedmont, SC             3  08-12  196
Day 1: 3   08-12
6.  Dustin Seaborn         Guin, AL                 3  08-11  195
Day 1: 3   08-11
7.  Matt Fair              Ocoee, FL                3  08-06  194
Day 1: 3   08-06
8.  Jamie Butler           Jasper, AL               3  08-03  193
Day 1: 3   08-03
8.  Ben Humphries          Jasper, AL               3  08-03  193
Day 1: 3   08-03
8.  Ted Pearce Jr          Florence, MS             3  08-03  193
Day 1: 3   08-03
11. Joshua Price           Clarksville, TN          3  07-15  190
Day 1: 3   07-15
11. Kevin Roland           Mulberry, TN             3  07-15  190
Day 1: 3   07-15
13. String Bean            Mc Calla, AL             3  07-05  188
Day 1: 3   07-05
14. Joshua Kolodzaike      Toledo, OH               3  07-03  187
Day 1: 3   07-03
15. Brad Gandee            Mcdonough, GA            3  07-01  186
Day 1: 3   07-01
15. Kenneth Shumate        Elkin, NC                3  07-01  186
Day 1: 3   07-01
17. Tyler Hicks            Jasper, AL               3  07-00  184
Day 1: 3   07-00
18. Michael Perry          Brownsville, TN          3  06-15  183
Day 1: 3   06-15
18. Mark Wethington        Liberty, KY              3  06-15  183
Day 1: 3   06-15
20. Dennis Kempkers        Hamilton, MI             3  06-14  181
Day 1: 3   06-14
20. Mike Spears            Jasper, AL               3  06-14  181
Day 1: 3   06-14
22. Shannon Cleghorn       Cullman, AL              3  06-11  179
Day 1: 3   06-11
23. Travis Dehart          Greenville, SC           3  06-08  178
Day 1: 3   06-08
23. Kyle Elliott           Ashland, MS              3  06-08  178
Day 1: 3   06-08
25. Barry Maner            Trinity, AL              3  06-07  176
Day 1: 3   06-07
26. Jason Rice             Swannanoa, NC            3  06-06  175
Day 1: 3   06-06
27. Chad Alexander         Addison, AL              3  06-04  174
Day 1: 3   06-04
27. Carlton Tipp           Grand Bay, AL            3  06-04  174
Day 1: 3   06-04
29. Kent Biggs             Morristown, TN           3  06-03  172
Day 1: 3   06-03
30. Tim Arnold             Cullman, AL              3  06-02  171
Day 1: 3   06-02
31. Blaine Freeman         Dadeville, AL            2  05-15  170
Day 1: 2   05-15
32. Doug Hasting           Athens, AL               3  05-14  169
Day 1: 3   05-14
33. Bud Morin Jr           Saint Cloud, FL          2  05-14  168
Day 1: 2   05-14
34. Kelly Townson          Hartselle, AL            3  05-11  167
Day 1: 3   05-11
35. JP Kimbrough           Bossier City, LA         3  05-10  166
Day 1: 3   05-10
36. Brad Burkhart II       Speedwell, TN            3  05-09  165
Day 1: 3   05-09
37. Dan Taylor             Olean, NY                3  05-08  164
Day 1: 3   05-08
38. Barry Brandt Jr.       Newport News, VA         3  05-06  163
Day 1: 3   05-06
39. Scott Fairchild        New Windsor, NY          3  05-05  162
Day 1: 3   05-05
40. Jeff Cox               Saline, MI               3  05-04  161
Day 1: 3   05-04
40. Satoshi Obata          Moriyama-Shi JAPAN       3  05-04  161
Day 1: 3   05-04
42. Keith Broyles          Jackson, TN              2  05-03  159
Day 1: 2   05-03
43. Grady Maynard          Leesburg, FL             3  05-02  158
Day 1: 3   05-02
43. Gerald Williams        Maiden, NC               3  05-02  158
Day 1: 3   05-02
45. JR Sapp                Cullman, AL              3  05-00  156
Day 1: 3   05-00
46. Jay Fagan              Mableton, GA             2  05-00  155
Day 1: 2   05-00
46. Toby Lillard           Clarksville, TN          2  05-00  155
Day 1: 2   05-00
48. Destin Demarion        Grove City, PA           3  04-15  153
Day 1: 3   04-15
49. Bill Capps             Auburn, AL               3  04-14  152
Day 1: 3   04-14
50. Aaron Batson           Oxford, GA               2  04-14  151
Day 1: 2   04-14
51. Darien Craig           Hayden, AL               3  04-12  150
Day 1: 3   04-12
52. Matthew Hodgkinson     Navarre, FL              2  04-11  149
Day 1: 2   04-11
52. Bradley Sears          Covington, GA            2  04-11  149
Day 1: 2   04-11
54. Red Berry              Crane Hill, AL           3  04-10  147
Day 1: 3   04-10
54. Andrew Mcclintock      Wellford, SC             3  04-10  147
Day 1: 3   04-10
56. Justin Hamner          Northport, AL            3  04-09  145
Day 1: 3   04-09
56. Matthew Smith          Jasper, AL               3  04-09  145
Day 1: 3   04-09
58. Wayne Prater           Jacksboro, TN            2  04-09  143
Day 1: 2   04-09
59. Brad Henderson         Bremen, AL               3  04-07  142
Day 1: 3   04-07
60. Andy Kearns            High Point, NC           3  04-06  141
Day 1: 3   04-06
61. Sam Fish               Alexander, AL            2  04-05  140
Day 1: 2   04-05
61. Justin Mcclusky        Jasper, AL               2  04-05  140
Day 1: 2   04-05
63. Gary Holcombe          Cullman, AL              2  04-04  138
Day 1: 2   04-04
64. Miriam Donohoo         San Mateo, FL            1  04-04  137
Day 1: 1   04-04
65. Will Rigsby            Enterprise, AL           3  04-00  136
Day 1: 3   04-00
66. Beth Atkins            Lenox, GA                2  04-00  135
Day 1: 2   04-00
67. Brandon Bolton         West Point, MS           3  03-15  134
Day 1: 3   03-15
67. Lee Mcclendon          Trussville, AL           3  03-15  134
Day 1: 3   03-15
69. Austin Littrell        Moulton, AL              2  03-14  132
Day 1: 2   03-14
70. John Keith             Remlap, AL               2  03-13  131
Day 1: 2   03-13
71. Kenneth Hoffman        Cambridge, NY            2  03-12  130
Day 1: 2   03-12
72. Mark Moretz            Chesapeake, VA           1  03-12  129
Day 1: 1   03-12
73. Daniel Parks           Greer, SC                3  03-11  128
Day 1: 3   03-11
74. Jonathan Morrison      Harrogate, TN            2  03-11  127
Day 1: 2   03-11
75. Tim Lollar             Cullman, AL              3  03-10  126
Day 1: 3   03-10
76. Jason Woodard          Arley, AL                2  03-10  125
Day 1: 2   03-10
77. Jerry Allen            Jasper, AL               2  03-09  124
Day 1: 2   03-09
78. Timothy Swango         Winter Haven, FL         3  03-08  123
Day 1: 3   03-08
79. Drew Dupre             Clinton, CT              1  03-08  122
Day 1: 1   03-08
80. Ross Highsmith         Wimauma, FL              2  03-07  121
Day 1: 2   03-07
81. Jonathan Collins       Vinemont, AL             3  03-06  120
Day 1: 3   03-06
81. Phil Thalheimer        Raleigh, NC              3  03-06  120
Day 1: 3   03-06
83. Matt Ramsey            Piney Flats, TN          2  03-06  118
Day 1: 2   03-06
84. Tim Guider             Lenoir City, TN          1  03-06  117
Day 1: 1   03-06
85. William Beekman        Diamond Point, NY        1  03-05  116
Day 1: 1   03-05
86. Tony Beck              Social Circle, GA        2  03-02  115
Day 1: 2   03-02
87. Jonathan Phillips      Pittsboro, NC            2  03-00  114
Day 1: 2   03-00
88. Curt Huff              Saint Cloud, FL          1  03-00  113
Day 1: 1   03-00
89. Tommy Menefee          Ashville, AL             2  02-15  112
Day 1: 2   02-15
90. Deron Donohoo          Sumter, SC               3  02-12  111
Day 1: 3   02-12
91. Rowland Liverett       Dora, AL                 2  02-12  110
Day 1: 2   02-12
91. Keith Ogden            Concord, NC              2  02-12  110
Day 1: 2   02-12
93. Tommy Edwards          Fort Myers, FL           2  02-11  108
Day 1: 2   02-11
93. Jarrad Nickolite       Shakopee, MN             2  02-11  108
Day 1: 2   02-11
95. Lane Wright            Loganville, GA           1  02-11  106
Day 1: 1   02-11
96. Jimmy Hayes            Fayetteville, NC         2  02-10  105
Day 1: 2   02-10
97. Stanton Harris         State Road, NC           2  02-07  104
Day 1: 2   02-07
98. Lyn Melton             Florence, AL             1  02-06  103
Day 1: 1   02-06
99. Donald Thompson        Marmet, WV               1  02-03  102
Day 1: 1   02-03
100. Paul Garrison          Natural Bridge, AL       1  02-00  101
Day 1: 1   02-00
101. Preston Harris         State Road, NC           1  01-13  100
Day 1: 1   01-13
102. John Dial              Winter Haven, FL         1  01-12   99
Day 1: 1   01-12
102. Bryon Medeiros         Fort Lauderdale, FL      1  01-12   99
Day 1: 1   01-12
104. Richard Madison        Oakman, AL               1  01-10   97
Day 1: 1   01-10
105. George Beville Jr      Apex, NC                 1  01-08   96
Day 1: 1   01-08
106. Hank Miller            Hamilton, AL             1  01-07   95
Day 1: 1   01-07
106. Bryan Talmadge         Moody, AL                1  01-07   95
Day 1: 1   01-07
108. Randy Dance            Newport, TN              1  01-05   93
Day 1: 1   01-05
108. Roy Hurst              Birmingham, AL           1  01-05   93
Day 1: 1   01-05
108. Daren McDermott        Saint Cloud, FL          1  01-05   93
Day 1: 1   01-05
108. Jenny Sander           Byron, GA                1  01-05   93
Day 1: 1   01-05
112. Bill Bonner            Wetumpka, AL             1  01-04   89
Day 1: 1   01-04
112. Russell Chargualaf     Mc Cordsville, IN        1  01-04   89
Day 1: 1   01-04
112. Larry Elrod            Cullman, AL              1  01-04   89
Day 1: 1   01-04
112. Brad Voegele           Hamilton, AL             1  01-04   89
Day 1: 1   01-04
116. Jonathan Barnette      Jasper, AL               1  01-02   85
Day 1: 1   01-02
117. AJ Jones               Land O Lakes, FL         1  00-15   84
Day 1: 1   00-15
117. Roy Kelly              Petal, MS                1  00-15   84
Day 1: 1   00-15
119. Jason Abrain           Seffner, FL              0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00
119. Bryant Adam            Madison, MS              0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00
119. Paul Benson            Emerson, GA              0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00
119. Tom Bever              Boulder, CO              0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00
119. Barry Brunges          Gainesville, FL          0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00
119. Eric Carroll           Leesburg, AL             0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00
119. Joe Curry              Hayden, AL               0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00
119. Marty Denton           Huntsville, AL           0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00
119. Kirkland Desmond       Knoxville, TN            0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00
119. Mike Drisko            Leesburg, FL             0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00
119. Clay Ellis II          Ozark, AL                0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00
119. Robert Gorman          Murphy, NC               0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00
119. Bruce Griffin          Jasper, AL               0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00
119. Eric Gumbrecht         Oakhurst, NJ             0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00
119. Joe Hamilton           Liberty, IN              0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00
119. Linda Higginbotham     Palm Coast, FL           0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00
119. Mark Hollifield        Walhalla, SC             0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00
119. John Jeter             Birmingham, AL           0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00
119. Teb Jones              Hattiesburg, MS          0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00
119. Francesco Marchioro    Cormano ITALY            0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00
119. Greg Mauldin           Archdale, NC             0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00
119. Steve Mcdaniel         Prattville, AL           0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00
119. Bryon McNiel           Baileyton, AL            0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00
119. Nathan Mills           Ocklawaha, FL            0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00
119. John Minor             Caryville, TN            0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00
119. Kyle Parks             Albany , GA              0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00
119. Phillip Pendley        Townley, AL              0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00
119. Harold Pickett         Moncks Corner, SC        0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00
119. JJ Polak               Covington, GA            0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00
119. Robert Prebeck         Norwood, MO              0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00
119. Jody Purnell           Birmingham, AL           0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00
119. Marty Rodda            Pell City, AL            0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00
119. Steven Roosen          Charlotte, NC            0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00
119. Grant Shively          Westland, MI             0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00
119. Miles Smith            Birmingham, AL           0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00
119. William Smith Jr       Cullman, AL              0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00
119. Jason Stodder          Wiscasset, ME            0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00
119. Ty Story               Prattville, AL           0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00
119. Kenneth Underwood      Columbus, MS             0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00
119. Jay West               Canton, GA               0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day   #Limits    #Fish      Weight
1        60       268       534-04
----------------------------------
60       268       534-04


Wintry Blast Holding Fish Back Before Southern Open No. 2 On Smith Lake

In late January Todd Auten of Lake Wylie, S.C., led the first day of the Bassmaster Southern Open on Florida's Lake Tohopekaliga, but he zeroed the second day and finished 28th. He had a winning pattern figured out on Toho until a cold wind blew out of the North and his fish acquired a sudden case of lockjaw.

“Everybody thought I was sight fishing, but I was actually fishing offshore grass beds. But when that wind blew the second day I never caught a bass,” said Auten. “I finished 28th on one day's fish so I still had a payday.”

He had a winning pattern at Toho, but it's a completely different story for the second Southren Open on Smith Lake at Jasper, Ala., this week. Frigid winter weather is making another late season push into the South and it has taken the bass out of their plans to move shallow for pre-spawn, Auten said.

“Before it got cold I thought fishing would be pretty good, but this cold front has set them back. I'm still getting a few bites, but it's not nearly as good as it was when it was 70 degrees.”

There is a good possibility fishing could get better during the tournament, however, Auten said.

“The first day of the tournament it is supposed to be in the 50s with a chance of rain in the morning, but it is not supposed to get super cold like it did Monday night. Then it is supposed to warm up Friday and Saturday, so I think the fish will start biting again.”

However, there is another problem, he said.

“There are only so many fish here and everybody is here practicing so they are getting beat up. Somebody who finds something deep is probably going to be a lot better off – unless it warms up good. If we get 3 or 4 days of warm weather in a row the fish will start moving.”

As it stands, Auten said, there are probably five major patterns that will produce this week at some level.

“I am sure somebody is going to find them deep on Shakey Heads and drop-shotting There will be some throwing Alabama Rigs. There will be some crankbait fish caught and a jerkbait is always good this time of year.”

Auten is hoping one more day of practice will give him the edge he needs for the Smith Lake Open.

“I don't know if what I have so far is enough to win, but with one more day you never know what you might find,” he said.

Auten is fishing the Bassmaster Southern Opens and Northern Opens, and the FLW Rayovac Southern Series tournaments.

“I am also thinking about doing the Northern Rayovac Series, but one of those tournaments conflicts some with the Texas Toyota Classic on Lake Fork in May. I'd have to leave the Potomac after the Rayovac tournament and drive all the way to Lake Fork to start practice for the Toyota Classic the next day – and I don't know if I have that in me anymore. I'm not as young as I used to be.”

 

Bass Pro Shops Southern Open #2

Mar 6-8, 2014

Smith Lake

Lewis Smith Lake Dam

www.bassmaster.com

 


Despite Lingering Winter Weather, Fishing Could Be Good For Jim Ledbetter Memorial Tournament

Shane Lineberger and Hank Cherry won the tournament in 2010

Anglers from many states around the Southeast love to fish the Jim Ledbetter Memorial Team Bass Tournament on so much that the annual event on Lake Norman is closing in on the Million Dollar mark for cancer research.

“It's called the 'Cancer Tournament',” said Allen Eaker of Cherryville, N.C., who has fished the tournament for years. “Most of the money raised, if not all of it, goes to the Jimmy V Foundation.”

The tournament, the longest running fishing tournament in North Carolina, is named for Jim Ledbetter, a legendary television fishing show host and professional angler from the Catawba County, N.C., area who died of cancer in 2002.

Presented by the Balls Creek Bassmasters, it is the largest charity bass tournament in the state and has raised over $800,000 cumulatively to benefit the V Foundation for Cancer Research, named in honor of the late Jim Valvano, the well-known basketball coach who led N.C. State University’s men’s basketball team to a national championship in 1983. Coach “Jimmy V,” as he was nicknamed, formed the Foundation after being diagnosed with cancer in 1992.

“I don't think there is probably any other disease that affects all families more than cancer,” Eaker said. “It touches everyone in some way and that is the main reason I want to support it. Most of the fishermen who come to the tournament obviously want to to fish, but they also come because it's for such a good purpose.”

Eaker added, “It's just been crazy over the years how many boats enter that tournament.”

And, he noted, although winter has found a way to stick around well into March, fishing could be pretty good for Saturday's tournament.

“We've had some really weird weather with it being cold one day and warm the next, but I think the days getting longer is pushing those fish up shallow. With more daylight the fish know it is almost time for the spawn.”

With freezing temperatures at mid-week and mild weather predicted by the weekend, Eaker said the fish are in about all stages right now, which means anglers should be able to catch fish just about anyway they want to fish.

“The weather is holding them back a little bit, but it seems to me that they are getting into that pattern of coming up,” he said. “So, I really think that is going to make for a good tournament. There is going to be a bunch of different ways to catch fish. They are not going to be locked into one pattern, so I think you will probably be able to catch them about any way you want to.”

Seeing Ledbetter's name attached to the tournament brings back a lot of memories, Eaker said.

“Jim did a lot of fishing in this area and he used to come to the Cherryville Bassmasters and speak to our club. It's great that the tournament took on his name, and it's great that the tradition keeps carrying on and it seems like it is getting bigger and bigger every year.”

 

Jim Ledbetter Memorial Bass Tournament

Sat, Mar 8, 2014

Lake Norman

Queen's Landing

Call Call 704-483-2628

www.teamdenvermarine.com

[email protected]

 


Oregon State Team Will Bring West Coast Tactics To Flw College Championship On S.c.'s Lake Keowee

Ryan Sparks and Zack McDonald of Oregon State

Ryan Sparks and Zack McDonald of the Oregon State University Fishing Team will have one day of practice before the FLW College Fishing National Championship to figure out if South Carolina's Lake Keowee is the same kind of deep, clearwater lake they are used to fishing in Northern California.

“We don't know much about Lake Keowee,” Sparks said during a telephone call from the Houston Airport en route to Greenville, S.C., to fish the championship. “We know it's a spotted bass lake with some largemouths in it. There are some blueback herring, but mostly shad for baitfish. So, we are going into it pretty much blind.”

Hopefully, Sparks said, he and McDonald will be able to figure some things out during that one day of practice before the tournament begins Thursday.

“We fish Northern California lakes, like Lake Shasta and Lake Oroville. Both of those lakes are deep and clear. We have a lot of experience on lakes like that,” he said. “We have fished Lake Havasu. All those lakes are pretty deep. We spent a lot of time fishing points and ledges that go from zero down to 40 feet and deeper pretty fast, and we are used to fishing for spotted bass and smallmouth. From what I have heard we match up with Lake Keowee pretty good.”

This will be the first venture into South Carolina for both college anglers, although they have come close to the Palmetto State before.

“We fished lake Chatuge for the Bassmasters College World Series last August and it's half in North Carolina and half in Georgia.”

The OSU team placed 16th in that College World Series, but they got to the national tournament by winning the Bassmaster College Series Western Regional last April on Clear Lake. They also won the FLW College Qualifier Western Conference on Roosevelt Lake in Arizona in February 2013 before placing 22nd in the FLW College National Championship on Arkansas Beaver Lake in April. They placed 6th in the FLW College Qualifying Western Conference tournament on Clear Lake last October to qualify for the College Championship this week on Lake Keowee.

Both Sparks, a junior from Gearhart, Ore., and McDonald, a sophomore from Willis, Calif., are majoring in Fisheries and Wildlife at Oregon State.

“I will probably work for a year or so after college and then try bass fishing,” said Sparks, president of the OSU Fishing Club. “And if that does not work out, I will have my degree in fisheries and wildlife to fall back on.”

Meantime, he and McDonald are concentrating on figuring out the bass in South Carolina's Lake Keowee which is situated in the mountains in the northwest corner of the state .

“We brought a few things with us that we do on the West Coast,” he said. “We tried them out at Chatuge and they worked pretty good so I think they will work out good on Keowee, too.”

 

FLW College Fishing National Championship

Mar 6-8, 2014

Lake Keowee

South Cove County Park

www.flwoutdoors.com

 


Fitzgerald Rods At 2014 Bassmaster Classic Expo!

Trevor Fitzgerald shows us one of his best selling rods on the floor of the 2014 Bassmaster Classic Expo in Birmingham, Ala. Rich Howes, who qualified for the Classic via his win on Florida's Kissimmee Chain, was out on Lake Guntersville using his Fitzgerald rods as we filmed this clip.


Xpress Boats signs marketing agreement with Onyx Outdoors

Industry leader Xpress Boats of Hot Springs, Arkansas has announced a marketing agreement with Onyx Outdoors, makers of the Onyx Deluxe Automatic/Manual Inflatable Life Jacket. Onyx products are comprised of a complete line of rainwear, inflatable life jackets (PFD’s), fishing and hunting life jackets, pet vests and paddling life vests. Also in the Onyx lineup is cold weather apparel and accessories for hunting and ice fishing including the ArcticShield heat retention technology as well as base layers, gloves, beanies and balaclavas featuring X-System odor control Technology.

Xpress Boats is most excited about the synergy between our 2 companies said Clay Connor, Director of Marketing for Xpress Boats. “Like minded people, working collectively to achieve like minded goals together”. Onyx is an outdoor recreation brand under the Absolute Outdoor, Inc. umbrella, based in St. Cloud, MN. Onyx provides unique, quality products that appeal to the great traditions of fishing, hunting, boating and camping, and offer the comfort and reliability when spending time outdoors or on the water.
Xpress Boats is family owned and operated by the Herndon family since 1966. Nearly 50 years ago in an old schoolhouse in Friendship, AR Kermit Bryant’s dream was to develop the original “all-welded” aluminum boat. Today Xpress operates out of a state of the art manufacturing facility in Hot Springs, AR producing top of the line boats for just about any application.
www.xpressboats.com
www.onyxoutdoors.com

Piedmont Bass Classics Spring Mini Trail Qualifier #2 Results - Jordan Lake - Mar 1, 2014

The Piedmont Bass Classics Team Bass Spring Mini Trail finally got off the ground Saturday at Jordan!

Our January 15th Qualifier #1 was rescheduled to Sunday, March 16th at Shearon Harris because of the snow storm and we almost thought this one was going to be postponed, but the rain and sleet never showed up and we got it done sending 21 teams to the frigid waters on Jordan!

It was very cold that morning at 31 degrees and it didn't warm up until after noon and then got up to about 49
degrees. The wind never got up at all which did our angler some good. Water temps averaged from 47 to 50.
The prespawn bass seemed to be in fairly shallow 4-6 foot water and about to bust with roe. You had to find the
warmer water and spray it with Shad Raps, Jigs & Spinnerbaits to get a hit. All the lakes around here are
getting ready to explode...we just need more warm weather to get it going!

Keith Deal & Ricky Kenworthy caught 5 beautiful bass weighing a total of 27.80 lbs taking 1st Place. They also
won 1st Place TWT for a total of $804 in winnings. Their kicker was a big 9.37 lb. bass, not bad, but they got
beat out of 1st place Big Fish by the team of Jesse Wise and Dennis Alexander (subbing for Terry Hobbs) with
a Piedmont Bass Classics record bass of 11.32 lbs. which earned them $210! 2nd Place Team went to the
Father/Son team of Tim and Tyler Goss with 4 bass weighing 17.70 lbs. They also won the 2nd Place TWT and
took home a total of $449.
35 bass were weighed in for a total of 157 pounds. This averaged over 4 lbs. a fish and they were nice and
healthy looking. Jordan is doing just fine!

I want to thank all the anglers that participated and all our sponsors that support these trails. Our next tournament will be the 2014 Boats Unlimited Team Tournament Bass Trail Qualifier #2, Saturday, Mar. 8th at Jordan Lake out of Farrington Point Wildlife Ramp (Right Side). Coming up Saturday March 15th will be the Hyco Lake Open and Sunday March 16th will be the make-up Mini Trail Qualifier #1 at Shearon Harris.

All the information on our tournaments can be found at yahoo and bing search or
http://piedmontbassclassics.com/

Now here are the full results:

1st Place: Keith Deal & Ricky Kenworth of Holly Springs & Cary...5 bass...27.80 lbs...$615
2nd Place: Tim & Tyler Goss of Franklinton...4 bass...17.70 lbs...$368
3rd Place: Scott Smith & Tony Woodard of Apex & Four Oaks...5 bass...17.22 lbs...$232
4th Place: Randy Fisher & Donnie Lowe of Hillsborough & Mebane...4 bass...15.38 lbs...$150

1st Place Big Fish: Jesse Wise & Dennis Alexander of Erwin...11.32 lbs...$210

1st Place TWT: 1st Place Team above: 27.80 lbs...$189
2nd Place TWT: 2nd Place Team above: 17.70 lbs...$81

Tow Boats US Award: Tim Goss of Franklinton: $50

Jesse Wise & Dennis Alexander caught the Big Fish - 11.32 lbs!!Jesse Wise & Dennis Alexander caught the Big Fish - 11.32 lbs!!

Contact Information:
Phil McCarson...Tournament Director---922 Valetta Rd.---Durham, NC 27712
Home: 919-471-1571 Cell: 919-971-5042
email: [email protected] website: www.piedmontbassclassics.com


Texas Team Trail Returns To Lake Lay Roberts

NORMAN, Okla. (March 5, 2014) – The Texas Team Trail presented by Cabela’s will host its second event of the 2014 tournament season on Saturday, March 15, at Lake Ray Roberts. Located just north of the Dallas/Ft. Worth area, Lake Ray Roberts is one of Texas’ premier tournament venues.

Registration for the event is already underway – anglers can secure an opportunity to pre-fish Friday, March 14, by completing their registration online or via phone prior to midnight on Thursday, March 13. All anglers that pre-register will also be entered into a drawing for a Minn Kota Talon Shallow Water Anchor. In addition, anglers that opt to register online at www.texasteamtrail.com will be entered into a drawing for a Mustang Survival inflatable PFD.

The Ray Roberts event is the second of four 2014 qualifying events that guarantee a fully rigged, 18-foot boat, motor, trailer package as first-place prize. The winning anglers at Ray Roberts will walk away with a brand-new Stratos 189VLO powered by an Evinrude 150 HO, valued at $30,000.

In addition to the payout, the event offers anglers an unprecedented opportunity in terms of sponsor bonuses and television coverage. The budget-friendly $250 entry fee, plus multiple contingency programs and a guaranteed, over-100% payback at every event provides tremendous value to the weekend angler.

On-site registration is set for Friday, March 14, from 4-7 p.m. at Elk’s Lodge (1601 Marina Circle, Sanger, TX 76266). At least one team member must attend, as boat numbers will be assigned during this time. The tournament will launch Saturday, March 15, at safe light from Lake Ray Roberts Marina and weigh-in will begin at the same location at 3 p.m.

Anglers with questions or anyone interested in more details on the event are encouraged to visit www.texasteamtrail.com or call 210-281-1752 or 210-788-4143.

Along with title-sponsor Cabela’s, Texas Team Trail has also welcomed Lucas Oil®, Ranger Boats, Stratos Boats, Triton Boats, Evinrude®, Minn Kota®, Talon, RAM Trucks, Lowrance, Power-Pole, Amphibia, iON, Garmin, General Tire, SuperClean, Valley Fashion, Mustang Survival, Artic Ice and Protect the Harvest as official partners.

2014 TXTT scheduled events:

March 15 – Lake Ray Roberts
April 12 – Lake Texoma
May 3 – Lake Livingston

Championship – June 7-8 – Toledo Bend Lake


Brad Henry shows NEW 12 foot Talon - DEEPEST shallow water anchor on the market

From the floor of the 2014 Bassmaster Classic Expo Brad Henry shows us the NEW 12-foot Talon and a couple of unique - and handy - features.


Mueller Throws Chatterbait Elite; Nets Largest Bag In Bassmaster Classic History

LADSON, SC (March 4, 2014) — When Stephen Browning, Z-Man pro, 2013 Bassmaster Central Open champion and 9-time Bassmaster Classic qualifier, predicted The Original ChatterBait would likely play a pivotal role in the 2014 Bassmaster Classic, the perennial Elite Series standout ended up being dead on.

Connecticut native, B.A.S.S. Nation qualifier, and fourth-year FLW Tour co-angler Paul Mueller made good on Browning’s hunch when, following a slow 47th place Day One, he switched to a ChatterBait Elite that produced a massive 32 lb., 3 oz. second-day bag and ultimately catapulted him to a second-place finish in one of professional bass fishing’s most coveted tournaments.

Following a lackluster start that centered around lipless crakbaiting, Mueller began fishing a Sexy Shad-colored ChatterBait Elite around depth irregularities in close proximity to eelgrass, popping it free from the grass to trigger reaction strikes.

"They'd sit on the upside of the point and I'd throw that ChatterBait and slow roll it and they'd react to that,” recalled Mueller. “The difference when you'd throw the lipless crankbait in the grass is if you reeled it slow, it would get buried in the grass. With the ChatterBait, you can slow roll it. I was just creeping it through there.”

"The ChatterBait could get through the eelgrass no matter how you retrieved it,” Mueller continued. “If you went too slow, it would get buried and you'd have to pop it. I'd work it slow enough to where it would get hung up a little bit and then I'd give it a short pop and a lot of times on that short pop, boom, they'd hit it."

From the angler who anticipated the ChatterBait would play a key role in the tournament’s outcome to another whose previous five-fish, single-day Classic record weight Mueller eclipsed, both Stephen Browning and fellow Z-Man pro, Luke Clausen, weighed in on the B.A.S.S. Nation angler’s success.

“The only good that came out of the Classic for me, unfortunately, was my prediction of the importance the ChatterBait would play in its outcome,” commented Browning. “It is truly a big-fish bait that has a ton of applications. My congratulations go out to Paul for utilizing the ChatterBait (Elite) to locate the right water—and area—on Guntersville.”

Past Bassmaster Classic and Forrest Wood Cup champion, Clausen echoed Browning’s sentiments. “The Classic record I set back in 2006 (29 lbs., 6 oz.) was broken this year on the best big-fish bait I know. Relying on the ChatterBait as much as I do, Paul’s success with it doesn’t surprise me at all.”

Introduced at the ICAST show in July 2012, the ChatterBait Elite boasts several improvements and upgrades over The Original ChatterBait and has quickly become a favorite of tournament anglers nationwide. Built upon Z-Man’s patented bladed swim jig design and hex-shaped ChatterBlade®, it sports a 5/0 Gamakatsu® hook, low profile EZ Skirt® jig skirt, molded-in trailer keeper and improved head-to-blade connection.

In fact, Mueller selected the ChatterBait Elite due to its beefed-up hook and other components, and construction. "If I hooked a big one, I didn't want any flex," he said.

Just two months into 2014, the ChatterBait Elite has played a crucial role not only in the Classic, but also in Brett Hite’s season-opening win at the first FLW Tour event at Lake Okeechobee last month. Along with Mueller’s impressive 32 lb., 3 oz. second-day bag at Guntersville, Hite’s day one catch of 34 lb., 14 oz. at Okeechobee are examples of the potential to produce a monster bag of fish with the ChatterBait.

According to Hite, the reason for the ChatterBait’s prowess as a big fish enticer is clear. “It’s a reaction-bite bait, which is deadly on big bass . . . Something suddenly snaps or flashes in front of a fish’s face and that fish’s gut reaction is to just inhale it. A ChatterBait snapping out of the grass, deflecting off a piling or ping-ponging off rock triggers the same thing.”

The ChatterBait Elite is available in 3/8 and ½ oz. sizes and is offered in eight different color patterns designed to match a variety of fishing scenarios.


Nathan Webber and Paul Rigsbee win the CBC on Wylie with 20.85 and take home $10,000!

Great Day for165 teams and the Carolina's Bass Challenge on Lake Wylie Sat. AC Pro Staffer Rob Digh said last Wed that it would take 19+ to win, and sure enough, the champs below hauled in 20.85 lbs! Congrats to Paul and Nathan on their $10,000 payday and all the other great anglers who brought in limit after limit!! Click the attachment for full results or scroll down past these pictures:

 

Below are the complete results from the CBC SC Divisional Qualifier #2 on Lake Wylie:

Place           Team Name Team # Fish Weighed Net Weight Big Fish Points Winnings
1 Nathan Webber - Paul Rigsbee 103 5 20.850 0.000 310 $10,000
2 Tommy Williams - Thomas Hardwic 91 5 18.420 0.000 309 $5,000
3 Thomas Richmond - Artie Phillip 105 5 18.350 0.000 308 $3,500
4 Keith Porter - Jason Threatt * 118 5 18.280 4.970 307 $7,300*
* Includes $5,000 Skeeter Bonus!!
5 Marcus Leech - Tim Chapman 36 5 18.250 0.000 306 $1,700
6 Scott Hamrick - Craig Chambers 77 5 17.470 0.000 305 $1,200
7 Bill Grier - Robby Byrum 11 5 16.650 5.420 304 $1,000
8 Eric Grigg - Marc Grigg 156 5 16.620 0.000 303 $900
9 Roger Medlock - Todd Lawrence 9 5 16.420 0.000 302 $800
10 Charlie Sansbury - Kevin Banks 56 5 16.300 0.000 301 $750
11 Rob Digh - Chuck Camp 72 5 16.240 0.000 300 $600
12 Jason Eaker - Allen Eaker 75 5 16.140 6.140 299 $525
13 Milton Yancey - Larry Yancey 78 5 16.100 4.310 298 $500
14 Michael Smith - Roger Pope 120 5 15.970 0.000 297 $450
15 Robby Hipps - Rodney Chastain 162 5 15.930 0.000 296 $430
16 Hunter Hicks - Mike Stephens 34 5 15.920 0.000 295 $400
17 Ron Carson - Johnny Johnson 165 5 15.540 0.000 294 $335
18 Ken McFarland - Darryl Watson 107 5 15.140 0.000 293 $300
19 Adam Fillmore - Jeremy Cabe 15 5 15.120 0.000 292 $320
20 Daniel Jordan - Lyn Langston 87 5 15.090 0.000 291 $300
21 Ronald Farrow - Roger Farrow 112 5 15.050 0.000 290 $280
22 Tracy Schiff - David Few 50 5 14.570 0.000 289 $260
23 Rick McLean - Robert Ross 128 5 14.460 0.000 288 $240
24 Larry LeHew - Adam Waters 39 5 14.340 0.000 287 $230
25 Rankin Chapman - Jayson Curtis 14 5 14.260 0.000 286 $220
26 Grady Oliver - Mike Jennings 121 5 14.140 0.000 285 $210
27 Wayne King - Max Terry 67 5 14.000 0.000 284 $200
28 David Kneece - Tim Harmon 110 5 13.910 0.000 283
29 Shane Suddeth - Fred Moore 74 5 13.840 0.000 282
30 Steve Addington - Scott Beattie 32 5 13.810 4.750 281
31 Jeremi Beatty - Bryan LeFever 138 5 13.800 0.000 280
32 David Wiggins - Alex Zipperian 17 5 13.760 0.000 279
32 Chuck Howard - Ken Ellis 161 5 13.760 0.000 279
34 Eric Self - Ricky Self 45 5 13.720 5.230 277
35 Ronald Moss - Justin Harvey * 123 4 13.710 7.270 276  $1,000 *
$1,000 Big Fish Bonus Winner!!
36 Chad Sinclair - Caleb Conner 115 5 13.690 0.000 275
37 Mike Allman - Mike Allman 6 5 13.650 0.000 274
38 Brian Stowe - Shannon Stowe 55 5 13.600 5.100 273
39 Wayne Frierson - Ronnie Mueller 122 5 13.460 4.840 272
40 Timmy Osteen - Chris Marshall 37 5 13.410 0.000 271
41 Ronnie McCoy - Jason McCoy 150 5 13.240 0.000 270
42 Bryan New - 100 5 13.200 0.000 269
43 Corey Stone - Mike Stone 12 5 13.090 0.000 268
44 Jason Wilson - Kelly Logan 60 5 13.030 0.000 267
45 Chris Ellis - Justin Shropshire 13 5 12.960 0.000 266
46 Kiel Kelly - Chuck Whittaker 18 5 12.850 0.000 265
47 Jay Keith - Donald Hinson 152 5 12.280 0.000 264
48 Phillip Frady - Dirk Porter 66 5 12.190 0.000 263
49 William Young  Jr. - James Mize 47 5 11.980 0.000 262
49 Tom Hucks - Chris Boehme 62 5 11.980 0.000 262
51 Glenn Gentry - Tommy Purvis 41 5 11.960 0.000 260
52 Jay Adams - Bobby Carroll 143 5 11.830 0.000 259
53 Dwight Dellinger - Doug Delling 65 5 11.820 0.000 258
54 Daniel Hill - James Bond 127 5 11.810 0.000 257
55 Paul Gettys - Brandon Temples 1 5 11.670 4.960 256
56 Kevin Fulmer - Mark Richardson 109 3 11.600 0.000 255
57 Gene Webster - Mike Seawright 131 4 11.530 0.000 254
58 Ferris Jennings - Larry Michale 108 5 11.440 5.000 253
59 Brad Nappier - Nathan Luke 49 5 11.400 0.000 252
60 Joe Marks - Anthony Marks 85 5 11.330 0.000 251
61 Shawn Gray - Keith Gray 125 5 11.320 0.000 250
62 Earl Purcell - Ed Matthews 5 5 11.280 0.000 249
63 Johnny Player - Robert Hall 44 5 11.200 0.000 248
64 John Hammett - Chuck Grant 113 5 11.090 0.000 247
65 Derek Lilley - David Clanton 106 5 11.030 0.000 246
66 Gordon Smith - Jared Kimak 70 5 11.020 0.000 245
66 Kenny Brice - Horace Morris 88 5 11.020 0.000 245
68 Todd Walters - Patrick Walters 84 5 10.950 3.920 243
69 Eddie Herlong - Rick Lamountain 146 5 10.840 0.000 242
70 Conrad Bolt - George Parker 16 5 10.700 0.000 241
71 Chris Morris - Brian Upton 126 5 10.690 0.000 240
72 Lee Sawyer - Cole Winn 92 5 10.600 0.000 239
73 Paul Guthrie - Danny Hucks 35 5 10.510 0.000 238
74 Rick Carson - Jason Turner 51 5 10.460 0.000 237
75 Ross Burns - Dane Odom 58 5 10.400 0.000 236
76 Randy Mathis - Jody Jones 25 5 10.210 0.000 235
77 Bernie Dreher - Les Westberry 114 5 10.180 0.000 234
78 Dusty Rhoad - Frederick Clement 154 4 9.910 0.000 233
79 Jimmy Stroud - Kirk Crump 95 5 9.890 0.000 232
80 Rob Thames - Daniel O'Brien 147 5 9.850 0.000 231
81 Billy Rochester - Grady Melton 102 5 9.600 0.000 230
81 David Wright - Chris Brown 133 5 9.600 0.000 230
83 David Winters - Russell Winters 7 5 9.120 0.000 228
84 Matt Queen - Jeff Raby 153 5 9.110 0.000 227
85 Chris Hawkins - Davey Thomas 42 4 9.050 0.000 226
85 Jeremy Johnson - Harry Johnson 163 3 9.050 0.000 226
87 Ray Dowey - Joey Outlaw 79 4 8.800 0.000 224
88 Wesley Cashwell - Shane Doughti 52 4 8.660 0.000 223
88 Randy Hall - David Wray 158 5 8.660 0.000 223
90 John Branstetter - Troy Buffing 40 4 8.610 2.390 221
91 Chuck Hensley - Larry Christoph 81 4 8.410 0.000 220
92 Donald Poteat - Johnny Allen 61 5 8.330 0.000 219
93 Jason Carleton - Jerry Uhrich 38 4 8.150 0.000 218
94 Jeff Horton - Eddie Belcher 64 5 7.990 0.000 217
95 Dwight Beavers - Brian Scott 30 4 7.110 0.000 216
96 Amin Jaber - Brian Nichols 73 4 7.090 0.000 215
97 Philip Burns - Todd Burns 148 3 6.800 0.000 214
98 Jimmy Drumm - Ben Parker 134 3 6.680 0.000 213
99 Mack Cook - Patrick Cook 10 4 6.500 0.000 212
100 Billy Martin - Brian Scruggs 57 4 6.380 0.000 211
101 Juddie Revels - David Oxendine 130 3 5.870 0.000 210
102 John Gutierrez - Rodney Tapp 164 2 5.230 0.000 209
103 Kevin Ashley - Keith Ashley 149 2 5.200 0.000 208
104 Will Dickens - Audie Epps 2 2 5.130 0.000 207
105 Jerry Buice - Billy Buice 28 2 4.940 0.000 206
106 Ron Brown - Bobby Brown 76 3 4.900 0.000 205
107 Clay Riddle - Eddie Bundrick 63 2 4.600 0.000 204
108 Kevin Rake - Terry Morris 139 2 4.570 0.000 203
109 Coy Watts - David Hutcherson 71 2 4.310 0.000 202
110 John Sturkie - Calvin Hewitt 116 2 4.290 0.000 201
111 David Williams - Gerald William 157 2 3.890 0.000 200
112 Clint Proudfoot - Eric Bozeman 141 2 3.610 0.000 199
113 Gene Parker - Stanley Harkins 101 2 3.560 0.000 198
113 Tony Jackson - Clint Jackson 117 2 3.560 0.000 198
115 Kevin Callahan - Cory Mahaffey 96 2 3.510 0.000 196
116 Russ Padgett - Meredith Havird 21 1 3.260 0.000 195
117 Todd Gambrell - Eddy Morgan 97 1 2.780 0.000 194
118 Reggie OBrien - Pat O'Brien 151 1 2.200 0.000 193
119 Austin Johnson - Andrew McClint 137 1 1.710 0.000 192
120 David Teel - Chris Ramsey 24 1 1.540 0.000 191
120 Joseph Toth - Daniel Grassi 159 1 1.540 0.000 191
122 Toby Keisler - Joel Watts 3 0 0.000 0.000 189
123 Matthew McBee - Cliff Kirby 4 0 0.000 0.000 189
124 Thomas Vickers - Brian Huskins 8 0 0.000 0.000 189
125 Nathan White - Chris Guest 19 0 0.000 0.000 189
126 Robert Fowler - John Parker 20 0 0.000 0.000 189
127 Brent Waynick - Rodney Jordan 22 0 0.000 0.000 189
128 John McKenzie - Christian McKen 23 0 0.000 0.000 189
129 Gary Michaud - Doc McDaniel 26 0 0.000 0.000 189
130 Wyatt Gwyn - Ryan Bear 27 0 0.000 0.000 189
131 Steve Shaw - Ken Fender 29 0 0.000 0.000 189
132 Mike Smith - Luke Britz 31 0 0.000 0.000 189
133 Danny Mason - Lionel Mason 33 0 0.000 0.000 189
134 Lewis Thomasson - Matt Haywood 43 0 0.000 0.000 189
135 Glenn Altman - Larry Parker 46 0 0.000 0.000 189
136 Robert Braxton - Joe Braxton 48 0 0.000 0.000 189
137 John English - Victoria English 53 0 0.000 0.000 189
138 John Ellender - Tina Ellender 54 0 0.000 0.000 189
139 Chris Langley - Greg Sigmon 59 0 0.000 0.000 189
140 Rodney Cromer - 68 0 0.000 0.000 189
141 Brian Hall - Doug Stallings 69 0 0.000 0.000 189
142 Billy Morris - Gary Angel 80 0 0.000 0.000 189
143 Eddie Smith - Michael Carson 82 0 0.000 0.000 189
144 John Pelinski - Michael Richard 83 0 0.000 0.000 189
145 James Rose - Marty Quesada 86 0 0.000 0.000 189
146 Robin Cairco - Michael Bushue 89 0 0.000 0.000 189
147 Paul Selle - Parker Miller 90 0 0.000 0.000 189
148 Sean Anderson - George Berry 93 0 0.000 0.000 189
149 Ray Walsh - Marc Deschenes 94 0 0.000 0.000 189
150 Ryan Sprayberry - Wendell Cause 98 0 0.000 0.000 189
151 Perry Wycuff - Dan Lowe 99 0 0.000 0.000 189
152 Eddie Davis - Rob Fitch 104 0 0.000 0.000 189
153 Robert Bauguess - Rodney Morrow 111 0 0.000 0.000 189
154 Louie Hull - Chuck Montgomery 119 0 0.000 0.000 189
155 John Paul George - Eric Weir 124 0 0.000 0.000 189
156 Darron Jeter - Eric Jeter 129 0 0.000 0.000 189
157 Shawn Jordan - Shannon Jordan 132 0 0.000 0.000 189
158 O'Neal Johnston - Richard Brads 135 0 0.000 0.000 189
159 Greg Whittington - Robert Churc 136 0 0.000 0.000 189
160 Shane Lineberger - Anthony John 140 0 0.000 0.000 189
161 Robert Guest - David Heatherly 142 0 0.000 0.000 189
162 Chris Wagner - Chase Deal 144 0 0.000 0.000 189
163 Buddy Walden - Troy Lytle 145 0 0.000 0.000 189
164 Chris Dover - Chad Lail 155 0 0.000 0.000 189
165 Todd Garner - Shane Hartman 160 0 0.000 0.000 189

Mitchell Breaks 32lb Mark Santee Cooper CATT

The 1st 2014 CATT Santee Cooper Qualifier saw 32 teams spread out over Lake Marion and Lake Moultrie chasing the magic 5. If you’ve fished Santee Cooper before this is the beginning of some of the best fishing in the South East and it’s going to get better in the next few weeks!

Brett Mitchell, Alx Rods Pro Staffer evidently found the right 5 as he weighed in a limit of Santee Hawgs at 32.40 lbs! His BF weighed 7.63 lbs and was the 2nd BF of the tourney plus Brett took home the BONUS $. All total he earned $1,176.00!

Brian Cook and Steve Harmon finished 2nd with another great limit at 23.95lbs and took home $375.00!

3rd went to Wayne Clifton and Kyle Welch with 5 bass weighing 23.37 lbs and they received $275.00.

Coming in 4th were Clay Lowder and Jon Smoak with 5 bass weighing 23.18 lbs and they took home $150.00.

Also coming in 5th Zach Peavy and Paul Geddings with another good limit of Santee bass weighing 22.39 lbs and they claimed $150.00.

Michael Earnhardt and Bruce Peavy finished 6th with 21.44 lbs and also weighed the 1st BF at 8.53 lbs. All total they took home $339.00! Remember guys the 1st BF winner at the Santee Final will take home a Lew’s Baitcast Reel!

Henry McFadden and Jeff Cantey were the 7th Place team and took $100.00 with 5 bass weighing 21.37 lbs.

Next up is March 8th at Alex Harvin Landing!

The week of the Final we will have a get together with some food and hold a Calcutta! Keep checking back for info!

Brett Collins

 

Carolina Anglers Team Trail LLC


Olsen & Burns Win CATT Shearon Harris

We held the 1st Old North CATT GOLD Qualifier on Shearon Harris with 31 teams entering. Teams had been asking for a larger payback and we’re going to give it em! We hope to have some large crowds at the future Old North CATT Gold events and we can really show you the money! Last year we had a few qualifiers with over 50 teams entered and if we can do that again you’re looking at a 1st place prize of $1,725.00 with 50 boats. If we can reach 75 teams 1st place will be $2,000.00. The next Old North Qualifier is March 15th at Lake Jordan which will be the normal CATT Qualifier. The Next Old North CATT GOLD Qualifier is March 22 at Kerr…make plans to be there and cash in!

Remember guys you have to enter 3 Old North Qualifiers as a team to be eligible to enter the Old North Final May 24th at Kerr…and by only entering 1 NC CATT event you will be eligible to enter the 2014 CATT NC Championship on Kerr June 21. Last year we had 115 teams enter the Kerr event so make plans to come out. 1st Place last year at Kerr took home over $13,500.00!

Rick Olsen and Shane Burns took 1st Place at Shearon Harris this past Saturday with 5 bass weighing 17.85 lbs and they also took home the 1st Place BONUS $. All total they collected $1,815.00.

2nd went to Jeremy Sabo and Dale Campo with a total weight 17.01 lbs and the 2nd BONUS $ plus 2nd BF at 7.85 lbs…they took home $943.00.

Jamie Fajardo and Josh Hooks claimed 3rd with 13.81 lbs and received $360.00.

Thomas Sheffler and David Walton weighed in 11.61 lbs good enough for 4th and also had the 1st BF at 7.95 lbs. All total they took home $457.00.

Mark Glende and Seth Ellis finished in 5th place with 11.35 lbs and earned $180.00.

The last money paying place went to Stump Bledsoe and Glenn Elliott with 9.65 lbs. They took home $125.00.

 


Anderson Wins Walmart Bass Fishing League Lbl Division Event On Kentucky/Barkley Lakes

BENTON, Ky. (March 3, 2014) – Brent Anderson of Kingston Springs, Tenn., weighed a five-bass limit totaling 26 pounds, 7 ounces Saturday to win the first Walmart Bass Fishing League LBL Division tournament of 2014 on Kentucky and Barkley lakes. For his victory, Anderson earned $4,610.

Anderson picked up his third BFL win by making an 85-mile run on a day he described as “eerily calm” to the New Johnsonville area of Kentucky Lake.

    “I caught one fish in practice, fishing in the Paris and Kenlake area,” said Anderson. “I got on a really good pattern in New Johnsonville in 2010 and I just decided to go there to start and pretend that I was practicing.
    “The first spot I stopped at I caught a limit that weighed probably 14 pounds, and I looked at my co-angler and said ‘I know where they are.’ The next spot I stopped at I caught a 6 ¼-pounder, and the spot after that I caught a 7-pounder. I could basically call my shots once I had that first piece of the puzzle to tell me where they were.”
    Anderson said he was cranking bars in 6 to 8 feet of water with a Strike King KVD HC Flat Side crankbait and that he caught upwards of 30 keepers.
    “Each win has meant something different,” added Anderson. “This one meant a lot because I was on absolutely nothing in practice. That’s probably my biggest weakness in fishing. Usually if I have a mediocre practice, I might as well drop out of the tournament. This was a big deal for me mentally. Finding fish on the day of the tournament is something I’ve been trying to work on.”
    Rounding out the top 10 pros were:
            2nd:   Michael McAtee, Waverly, Ky., five bass, 18-10, $2,305
            3rd:   Jackson Ryley, Clinton, Ind., five bass, 18-8, $1,536
            4th:    Craig Hipsher, Benton, Ky., five bass, 18-7, $1,076
            5th:    Andrew Mohlenbrock, Carbondale, Ill., five bass, 17-3, $922
            6th:    Gerald Andrews, Benton, Ky., five bass, 16-11, $845
            7th:    Harry Barber, Earlington, Ky., five bass, 16-4, $768
            8th:    David Young, Mayfield, Ky., five bass, 15-6, $691
            9th:    Darrel Knies, Danville, Ind., five bass, 14-13, $615
            10th: Tim Griggs, Paducah, Ky., four bass, 14-10, $511
            10th: Tad Ladd, Princeton, Ky., five bass, 14-10, $511
    Complete results can be found at FLWOutdoors.com.
    Ed Daniell of West Frankfort, Ill., weighed a five-bass limit totaling 21 pounds, 11 ounces Saturday to win $2,305 in the co-angler division.
    Rounding out the top 10 co-anglers were:
            2nd:   Jeff Scrimager, Mattoon, Ill., five bass, 15-13, $1,152
            3rd:   Bryan Henry, Lexington, Ky., five bass, 15-10, $768
            4th:    Matt Beckwith, Spencer, Ind., five bass, 15-4, $538
            5th:    Rick Minks, Marissa, Ill., five bass, 14-0, $461
            6th:    Ronnie Brown Jr., South Fulton, Tenn., five bass, 13-2, $423
            7th:    David Loyall, Louisville, Ky., five bass, 12-11, $384
            8th:    Randy Risley, Corydon, Ky., five bass, 12-10, $346
            9th:    Danny Robinson, Fairland, Ind., three bass, 12-8, $307
            10th: Douglas Lacy, Poplar Bluff, Mo., three bass, 11-14, $269
    The top 40 boaters and 40 co-anglers based on point standings will qualify for the Oct. 9-11 Regional Championship on Lake Cherokee in Morristown, Tenn. Boaters will compete for a top award of a Ranger Z518C with a 200-horsepower Evinrude or Mercury outboard and a Chevy Silverado, while co-anglers will fish for a new Ranger Z518C with a 200-horsepower Evinrude or Mercury outboard.
    The BFL is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 120 tournaments throughout the season, five in each division. The top 40 boaters and co-anglers from each division qualify for a regional tournament and compete to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the Walmart BFL All-American presented by Chevy. Top winners in the BFL can move up to the Rayovac FLW Series or even the Walmart FLW Tour.

 


Ranger Cup University For College Anglers

The Association of Collegiate Anglers wants to remind college anglers that Ranger Boats will continue its support of the 2014 Cabela's Collegiate Bass Fishing Series and that college anglers have a unique opportunity to be a part of the one of a kind Ranger Cup University program.

Modeled after the most lucrative contingency rewards in the industry, the Ranger Cup University is the only program of its kind exclusively for collegiate anglers and is open to those competing in Cabela's Collegiate Bass Fishing Series events throughout 2014. Regardless of which boat brand they own, sign-up is free, and anglers in compliance with the guidelines can earn merchandise prizes and a once in a lifetime fishing opportunity.

The highest finishing Ranger Cup University team in the BoatUS Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship presented by Cabela's, will compete in a head to head competition with the highest finishing team from the FLW College Fishing Championship. This unique battle includes a trip with paid expenses, fully rigged Ranger Boats for their use during the event and over $2,000 in cash and prizes. As well as nationally televised coverage on Americana Outdoors presented by Garmin, one of the nation's longest running outdoor programs.  Additional televised coverage of the event will also be provided on the Cabela's Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship Television Series.  Both programs are broadcast on numerous television networks as part of the largest dedicated coverage of college fishing in the nation.

"Without a doubt, the world of collegiate fishing is one of the most exciting opportunities we have as a company," said Ranger Boats Vice President of Marketing, Bart Schad.  "We get the chance to connect with anglers and build relationships with guys that are just getting started in competitive fishing. Their enthusiasm for the sport is contagious and we make a lot of friends in the process - hopefully some lifelong customers as well."

"Ranger Boats support of bass fishing in general is legendary and they are one of only a handful of companies that were involved in the early growth of college bass fishing and they have been there ever since," said Wade Middleton, President of CarecoTV, and Director of the Cabela's Collegiate Bass Fishing series. "It continues to be an honor to call them our partners in this series of events."

For more information on Ranger Cup University, including program guidelines, go online to For more information and to sign up for the Ranger Cup University Program vist RangerBoats.com.

 


NEW FOR 2014: RANGER VS1780 ALUMINUM DEEP V

New design brings Ranger quality and aluminum accessibility to multi-species anglers nationwide
FLIPPIN, Ark. (March 3, 2014) – Ranger’s acclaimed roster of aluminum bass, crappie and multipurpose boats continue to be one of the industry’s best-selling product lines as the brand’s strong heritage, quality construction and innovative design resonates with boat buyers. This year, Ranger Boats is poised to introduce another category to the most sought-after aluminum boats on the water, the all-new Ranger Aluminum Deep V Series.

With more models planned for introduction in the coming year, the new Ranger Aluminum Deep V Series will deliver feature-laden boats complete with a solid, all-welded aluminum hull constructed without the use of any wood components. Upright, level foam flotation adds even more confidence, stability, and security to this ultra-quiet design, as proven with the new VS1780.

“We’ve incorporated so many key elements we’ve learned and developed in our years of building the most popular and best-performing multispecies fiberglass boats into the new Ranger Aluminum Deep V Series,” said Ranger Boats President Randy Hopper. “The 1780, in particular, features a solid, one-piece feel and the peace of mind that comes with quality construction and attention to detail – all starting at under $20,000 in some configurations.”

Measuring 17 feet, 8 inches with a 96-inch beam, the Ranger Aluminum VS1780 is rated for outboards ranging in horsepower from 90-135. Equipped with a 24-gallon fuel tank, the boat offers plenty of fishing space on its expansive front deck as well as the ability to accommodate kicker motors.

Built with an inside depth of 23.5 inches for added peace of mind while motoring across big waters or trolling through choppy conditions, the new VS1780 features a custom-designed fiberglass console to accommodate walk-through windshields, a full complement of gauges and space for flush mounting large-screened electronics. With custom-fitted marine upholstery throughout the boat, the VS1780 is equipped with adjustable driver and front passenger seats as well as an additional matching fishing seat, which can be utilized in a variety of configurations within the cockpit or on the three fishing positions available on the front deck.

In addition, the new VS1780 features enhanced aesthetics with metallic paint on the hulls, Ranger’s proprietary Rawhide floor covering and available snap-in carpet throughout the cockpit area. Loaded with a variety of lockable storage options throughout the vessel, the VS1780 includes center rod storage under the front deck as well as additional rod storage in the portside gunnel; a livewell/baitwell forward of the cockpit plus an additional livewell at the stern.

Available with a wide range of factory-rigged outboards, the VS1780 comes paired with a RangerTrail® trailer, designed with a custom-fit specifically for easier launching, towing and maneuvering. Featuring solid, channel beam steel, the NMMA-certified RangerTrail trailer delivers exceptional strength and is equipped with a center swing jack, locking swing-away tongue, integrated load guides, waterproof lights and patented, super tough Road Armor finish. The new VS1780 also comes standard with a Minn Kota 45PD trolling motor, Lowrance X4 Pro electronics mounted at the console and an on-board 6x1 battery charger.

2014 RANGER VS1780
Overall Hull Length: 
17 feet, 8 inches
Beam: 96 inches
HP Range: 990-135
Engine Shaft Length: 25 inches
Inside Depth: 23.5 inches
Fuel Capacity: (1) 24-gallon tank
Approx. Boat Weight: 1,300 lbs.
Trailer GVWR: SM2995

About Ranger Boats
Headquartered in Flippin, Ark., Ranger Boats is the nation's premier manufacturer of legendary fiberglass and aluminum fishing boats, which include series of bass, multi-species, fish 'n play, waterfowl utility 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.


Thornton and Ross win the Alabama Bass Trail in Mobile-full results here!

€“ Matt Thorton and Adam Ross rode a rollercoaster of emotion Saturday en route to victory in the inaugural tournament for the Alabama Bass Trail Tournament Series’ South Division.

The tournament was held out of the newly renovated Live Oak Landing Park.

Thornton and Ross thought their chances of winning the tournament were over when they lost a largemouth bass, they estimated to weigh about 4.5 pounds.

“I couldn’t believe we lost it right at the boat. It just made us sick,” Thorton said.

Thorton and Ross quickly found a way to overcome that sick feeling, They caught more bass.

“We were lucky,” Thornton said. “They kept biting and we didn’t lose any more.

Thonrton and Ross, both of Tibbie, Ala. weighed in five largemouth bass that tipped the scales at 15.24 pounds to clinch the $10,000 first prize.

Thorton and Ross caught their fish on the Tombigbee River.

They used a variety of baits, including square-billed crankbaits, plastic lizards and jigs.

“We did a lot of running and ripping,” Ross said.

Duke Miller and Jeffrey Russell, both of Saraland, Ala., finished second with four bass that weighed 15.10 pounds.

Miller and Russell also lost a fish, which they estimated to weigh around 5 pounds.

“We knew losing that one was going to hurt us,” Russell said “We tried and tried to catch another fish, even a small one, to have a limit.”

Miller and Russell, who were fishing on the Alabama River, won $5,000.

John Wiggins of Daphne, Ala., and Barry McLain Bay Minette were third with 14.83 pounds. They won $4,000

Tommy Parker of Saraland and Joey Smith of Millry, Ala., finished fouth with 14.53 pounds. Jason Kyser of Saraland and Kevin Carpenter of Madison, Miss. Finished fifth with 13.59 pounds.

4th Place Team of Tommy Parker and Joey Smith hold up their 14.53 Lbs! 

4th Place Team of Tommy Parker and Joey Smith hold up their 14.53 Lbs!

 

Justin Hamner of Harpersville, Ala., and Chris Payne of West Blocton, Ala., had the big fish for the tournament, a 5.40-pounds largemouth. They won $500.

The anglers in the tournament weighed-in 379 bass, which weighed 656.21 pounds for an average weight of 1.73 pounds. Of the 160 teams in the tournament, 123 weighed-in fish.

All of the fish weighed in were returned to water alive. Both of the Alabama Bass Trail tournaments held so far have had a 100 percent survival rate.

The next stop on the Alabama Bass Trail South Division is Saturday, March 15 on Lake Eufaula.

The next stop on the Bass Trail’s North Division is March 22 on Pickwick Lake.


Snag Proof At 2014 Bassmaster Classic!

Connie Ehlers Fuller from Snag Proof shows us the newest American-Made fish-getters. She also covers the 2014 Snag Proof tournament schedule which offers excitment and excellent payouts from coast to coast.


What Makes Classic Champion Howell Tick - Off the Water?

We've learned a lot about Randy Howell's on-water exploits at the recent 2014 Bassmaster Classic. But what makes Howell tick when he's at home serving his community? Hear Howell talk about his title sponsor and what the kids of King's Home mean to him and his family.


Lifelong Dream For Randy Howell Comes True At 2014 Bassmaster Classic

Randy Howell - 2014 Bassmaster Classic Champion!!

After two decades of dreaming about being the Bassmaster Classic Champion, Randy Howell won bass fishing's world championship Sunday on Alabama's famed Lake Guntersville, and by mid-week he was still riding high on Cloud Nine.

“It feels like a dream,” said Howell after a day filled with interviews from magazines to newspapers to television to radio and even fishing websites. “I wake up and I still think, 'Oh God, please don't let this just be a dream'.”

The Springville, Ala., pro has qualified for 12 Classics in his career and his best finish prior to Sunday was last February when he finished 10th in the Classic held on Grand Lake O' The Cherokees at Tulsa, Okla., and won $20,000. He had a much heftier payday at Guntersville, claiming a $300,000 paycheck for first place, plus a $7,500 Toyota Bonus Bucks award, boosting his career win money to well over $1.5 million.

And he did it in championship fashion, vaulting from 11th place on Saturday into the top spot on Sunday when he had what observers termed a “charmed day,” one during which he caught so many big bass that he was culling 4- and 5-pounders before weighing in five at 29 pounds, 2 ounces, with his biggest bass a hefty 7 pounds, 3 ounces.

That boosted his three-day total to 67 pounds, 8 ounces, exactly one pound ahead of B.A.S,.S Nation angler Paul Mueller of Naugatuck, Conn., and 1 pound, 13 ounces ahead of Elite Pro Edwin Evers of Talala, Okla., who was the leader going into the final day of competition.

“It was the best day I’ve ever had in 21 years of professional bass fishing, a day of a lifetime,” Howell said.

“I caught my first one on my second or third cast,” he said. “I caught one almost every cast or two and had a limit in the first 10 or 15 minutes. It was quick. It would have been quicker if I hadn’t had to stop and retie every time because of the rocks.”
The rocks were the riprap up against a causeway bridge on Spring Creek. That early flurry included releasing eight 4-pounders, he said. Howell worked the riprap and a grassy area farther back in the creek with a Livingston Lures model being developed within the Pro Series – a medium diver in a crawfish color. He also used a Rapala DT6 crankbait in the “demon” crawfish color and a Yamamoto bladed jig.

Although he entered the final day of fishing believing he could win and had a fantastic day of fishing on the water, Howell said he did not know for sure he'd captured bass fishing's top prize until Mueller weighed in.

“Davy Hite told me in the hallway that Mueller had a chance to beat me, but he needed 25 pounds, 11 ounces, and he only had 24 pounds, 11 ounces. I bent over and almost started crying when I saw his weight.”

Winning the Classic, Howell said, is the culmination of more than 20 years of paying his dues and only winning two B.A.S.S. titles along the way. “I don't win tournaments very often,” said the 43-year-old pro who claimed his third win with the Classic title Sunday.

“I dreamed about it my whole life. I did a lot of praying and planning and I try every year to get better and learn more. I had a lot of talks with the Good Lord about what I had to do to make it happen. Then all of a sudden here it comes and it is a dream come true.”

Financially, Howell said, the prize money will be a major boost for his investments, college fund for his children and retirement.

“But, family-wise it is even better,” he said. “My wife and I do everything together. Our boys travel with us and my wife home-schools them, so we think of our family as Team Howell.”

Howell said he hopes his success and that of Team Howell will be a greater influence now on other families looking for direction in life.

“Everybody who knows me knows I wear my faith on my sleeve. The biggest thing about this is that it gives me a larger platform to reach out to more people and help more people. It opens up my ministry, so more people can hear what I have to say,” Howell said.

“Hopefully, we can revitalize fishing to where it is all about family, fishing for fun, and get more people into it like it was in the good old days,” he said. “I am living proof to the younger generation, college kids and high school kids fishing. If you have a dream chase it, but put God first and treat people right and it will all come to you eventually.”

For Team Howell, the dream lives on, beyond the celebrity of a Bassmaster Classic title.

 


Flw Announces Release Of Chris Jones Soundboard App

Teaser image:

You've heard him on stage. You've heard him on TV. Now hear FLW's Chris Jones on your phone. The word from FLW Outdoors:

MINNEAPOLIS (Feb. 28, 2014) – Alright, here we go! For years Walmart FLW Tour weigh-master Chris Jones has entertained fans across the world with his hilarious catch phrases and quick-wit observations. Now FLW fans can share the hilarity anytime with their friends and family with the release of the FLW Chris Jones Soundboard app.
 
 
The free FLW app is available on Apple iPad®, iPhone® and Android operating systems. Featured sound clips on the app include “Show us your two best bass!” “This guy catches them all over the country, everywhere we go,” and of course “WOW!”
 
Future updates featuring new Chris Jones sound clips can be expected throughout the 2014 FLW Tour season.

Dickson County High School Wins Tennessee State High School Fishing Open On Lake Barkley

WHAT:              Saturday, March 8, the South Carolina State High School Fishing Championship and Anderson Open is set to take place on Lake Russell. On Sunday, March 9, the High School Fishing National Championship will take place on Lake Keowee.
WHEN:             Saturday, March 8, 2014
WHERE:           South Carolina State High School Fishing Championship and Anderson Open
                        Lake Russell
                        Mountain View Park
                        900 Craft McGee Rd.
                        Iva, S.C.
NOTES:            There is a mandatory check-in and rules meeting at 6:30 p.m. on March 7 at the Crescent High School, located at 9104 highway 81 S., Iva, S.C. Takeoff is at safe light and the weigh-in takes place at 3 p.m at Mountain View Park.
WHEN:             Sunday, March 9, 2014
WHERE:           High School National Championship
                        Lake Keowee
                        South Cove County Park
                        828 S. Cove Road
                        Seneca, S.C.
NOTES:           Takeoff is at South Cove County Park at 7 a.m. and weigh-in is at 4 p.m. at the Walmart located at 1636 Sandifer Blvd. in Seneca, S.C. Both are free and open to the public. 
 

Thanks To Clay Connor, Friend Of Anglerschannel.com, For Taking Us Out In His Xpress Boat At The Bassmaster Classic!

Take a peek at some of the footage that will be shown on the Progressive Bass Wrap Up TV Show. We were able to bring you this on-water excitement because our friend, Clay Connor was kind enough to ride us around in his Xpress Bass Boat. And yes, it's aluminum. Tough. Light. Smooth on the waves and quiet on the flats. Check out http://www.xpressboats.com/


AC Pro Staffer Rob Digh " It will take at least 19+ Lbs to win the CBC on Wylie this Sat"

AC Pro Staffer Rob Digh says although fishing conditions are still tough, the fish are biting and for anyone to think it will take less than 19+ on Wylie or any of the regional fisheries this weekend is in for a big surprise...


Anglers Choice Ready To Start 2014 Season On Smith Mountain If Weather Cooperates

Weather permitting, the Anglers Choice Marine Team Trail Virginia Division kicks off the 2014 season Saturday, March 8, on Smith Mountain Lake with several changes that are sure to please the anglers.

“No. 1 is the invitation to be a part of B.A.S.S.,” said tournament director Chris Lucas. “One of the things we had to change this year is that we are going to have one points champion. We had to figure out a way to determine which team would go to the Toyota Tundra Team Championship, sponsored by B.A.S.S. So we are going to count six of the eight qualifiers for the points. Teams that fish all eight tournaments can have two drops.”

The overall points champions will earn a bonus of $1,250, plus a paid entry into the Toyota Tundra Team Championship, Lucas said.

Beginning last year the Anglers Choice Team series was split into two divisions, one for Virginia and one for North Carolina, with four qualifiers in each division.

“What's unique is that you can get four qualifiers in two weekends on Buggs Island,” Lucas said. “Make two trips and you have two qualifiers to fish for a boat. Then through the course of the season fish two more and qualify for the whole shooting match. You can fish six of the eight qualifiers in just four weekends the way the schedule is set up.”

The double qualifier weekends are April 5 and 6 and June 7 and 8, with anglers able to fish the Virginia Division qualifier on Saturday and the North Carolina Division qualifier on Sunday both weekends.

“Our anglers really like this opportunity because it helps cut down on expenses for the fishermen,” Lucas said.

“The other aspect of out trail this year is that we are going to have two separate Classics, with a Ranger Boat for the winners on the Virginia side and a Triton for the winners on the North Carolina side. So, with the opportunity to fish both Classics, guys have two chances to win a boat.”

The Virginia Division schedule runs March 8, Smith Mountain Lake; April 5, Kerr Reservoir; May 10, Smith Mountain Lake; June 7, Kerr Reservoir; with the Virginia Classic Oct. 4-5 on Smith Mountain Lake. The North Carolina Division runs March 23 on Falls Lake, April 6 on Kerr Reservoir; May 24 on High Rock; June 8 on Kerr Reservoir; with the North Carolina Classic Oct. 25-26 on High Rock.

Although the region has been under some severe winter weather in recent weeks, the fish are biting in Smith Mountain Lake, Lucas said.

 

“Guys are catching fish and they are catching them about any way they want to. The only problem is the fish may be a foot deep to 45 feet deep. You just don't know where they are going to be.”

But locating the fish is a minor problem compared to the weather situation, Lucas said.

“Between now and the tournament we have about five different weather systems coming at us. They don't know what any of them are going to do so we don't know what we might have to do.” He said. “The guys on Smith Mountain Lake don't mind fishing in the cold. That doesn't bother them. But the problem is travel. Safety will be out priority.”

Lucas said he will monitor the weather and make a decision on the tournament by Thursday, March 6, in time to notify anglers who would be traveling to the lake on Friday, March 7.

“We will post it on the website, so if the guys will keep a check on the website they can find information on the tournament up to the last minute,” he said. “They should definitely check the website before getting on the road.”

 

Anglers Choice Marine Team Trail VA Division

Sat, Mar 8, 2014

Smith Mountain Lake

Parkway Marina

Call Chris Lucas 276-358-0844

www.anglerschoicemarine.com

 


Weather Stabilizing, Fishing Should Be Good For Carolina Bass Challenge On Wylie

Thomas Hardwick and Tommy William caught 23.67 lbs on Lake Murray to win the 1st NC Division event of 2014

Fishing should be good for the Carolina Bass Challenge South Carolina Division tournament on Lake Wylie this Saturday, according to Reid McGuinn of nearby Fort Mill.

“There is a little bit of everything going on and the fish have been biting pretty much everything,” said McGuinn, who honed his tourmaline skills as a member of the Clemson Fishing Team before graduating three years ago. “The weather has finally stabilized and the water temperature is finally stable, too. It's not going up and down from all the cold snaps.”

McGuinn said the fish are in all stages, but with the weather calming somewhat since the ice/snow storm two weeks ago that forced postponement of the first North Carolina Division CBC tournament on Wylie, some fish have already moved up on the banks with spawning on their minds.

“They are catching them on ShadRaps and crankbaits on points about halfway back in the creeks,” he said. “There are still a lot of fish out deep and they are catching those fish on the Alabama Rig, which has been the main thing, and on jerkbaits off main lake points and in the big creek mouths.”

In fact, McGuinn said, the tournament Saturday could well be won on the Alabama Rig, which has been the dominant pattern in recent weeks.

McGuinn is fishing some of the CBC tournaments “close to the house”, as well as the North Carolina Division BFLs and as a co-angler in the B.A.S.S. Southern Opens.

There are five qualifying tournaments in the CBC South Carolina Division and five in the CBC North Carolina Division. The first South Carolina Division tournament was held Feb. 8 on Lake Murray with Thomas Hardwick and Tommy William weighing a limit at 23.67 pounds to win first place and a check for $10,000.

The 2014 CBC schedule includes: North Carolina Division: Lake Wylie, Feb. 15; Lake Norman, March 22; High Rock, April 12; Lake Hickory, May 17; Falls Lake, June 7. South Carolina Division: Lake Murray, Feb. 8; Lake Wylie, March 1; Lake Wateree, March 29; Santee Cooper, April 19; and Lake Hartwell, May 10.

“As in the past, we take all the teams from the South Carolina and North Carolina Championships to the two-day Classic,” said CBC Coordinator Brett Collins. “The dates and locations for the Championships and Classic will be announced very soon.”

Top prize at both the North Carolina and South Carolina championships is a Skeeter TZX190/150 with a Yamaha 150. First prize in the 2014 CBC Classic will be a Skeeter ZX200/200 Yamaha SHO.

There have been some changes in requirements for the anglers, he noted.

“We now have a single-file blast-off to reduce the tricky situations that can arise at a blast-off with a large number of boats. And we no longer take entry fees at the ramp. All teams must be paid by the Wednesday before each event.”

Collins suggested anglers check out the CBC website (www.carolinasbasschallenge.com) where the requirements and payouts are posted. Each angler must pay an annual $50 membership and teams pay a $200 entry for each tournament. The guaranteed purse for each tournament is $8,000 with an additional $5,000 to the top finishing Skeeter/Yamaha owner who participates in all 2014 CBC events.

 

Carolinas Bass Challenge - South Carolina Division

Sat, Mar 1, 2014

Lake Wylie

Buster Boyd Access Area

Call Brett Collins 803-413-7521

www.carolinasbasschallenge.com

 


Rapala's Role In 2014 Bassmaster Classic

Three of the top five finishers in the 2014 Bassmaster Classic caught many of their fish on Rapala DT-6 crankbaits, including winner Randy Howell.

“This is what I caught a good bit on this week,” Howell said, holding up a Demon-pattern DT-6 covered with teeth marks. “I’m not sponsored by Rapala, but that’s a great cold-water bait.”

Howell’s comments came as he recapped his final-day action during a live webcast interview with Rapala pro Davy Hite, the 1999 Classic winner, moments after Howell came off of Alabama’s Lake Guntersville and hours before he weighed in and was crowned champion.

Success with a DT-6 did not surprise Hite.

“On Friday, I said that would absolutely, 100 percent, be a bait that I’d be throwing a lot here,” Hite said of the DT-6.

And although Hite did not qualify to fish this year’s Classic, his instincts were spot on. Not only did the Classic winner catch numerous bass on a DT-6, so did two other anglers with a chance to win – Rapala-Terminator-VMC pro Ott DeFoe and VMC-Trigger X® pro Randall Tharp, who finished fourth and fifth, respectively.

“Every big fish that I weighed in – and all five of the fish I got today – came on this bait,” DeFoe said, showing Hite a DT-6.

“I had a 7-1/2 [pounder] the second day and I had one over five [pounds] on the first day that came on this,” DeFoe said, also in a pre-weigh-in interview with Hite . “Man, it’s been really key.”

A longtime Alabama resident who launched his professional fishing career by cashing checks in tournaments on Lake Guntersville, Tharp came into the Classic heavily favored to win. He led after Day 1, having caught a 27-pound, 8-ounce limit of five bass. Throughout the tournament, he caught many of his fish on a Bluegill-pattern DT-6.

“He said a lot of his big fish came on this crankbait right here,” Bassmaster TV co-host Mark Zona said of Tharp, holding up a DT-6 to the camera live-streaming bassmaster.com’s instant-analysis “War Room” webcast. “A ton of guys in this tournament are using that bait,” Zona said. “[It has a] very tight wiggle – it’s not a very wide-wobbling crankbait. It’s got a tight profile. Great cold-water crankbait.”

Brandon Palaniuk, a Rapala, Storm, Terminator and VMC pro, finished in 15th place. On the tournament’s final day, he caught most of his bass on the Red Craw-pattern Storm Rattling Arashi™ Square 3, a new crankbait unveiled last Friday at the Classic. Released along with the Square 3 was a Square 5. The numbers indicate the baits’ diving depths.

In the first two days of Classic competition, Palaniuk threw a Electric Blue 3/8 ounce. Terminator Pro Series Jig. Storm, VMC and Terminator are three of the many respected names in the Rapala family of brands.

DeFoe Predicted DT Bite
Before the Classic even launched, DeFoe predicted that a Rapala DT bait would be a player. “Everything from shallow-running stuff like a DT Flat-3, down to maybe a DT-10 or DT-16 even,” he said in a pre-tournament interview. Conditions dictated that the DT-6 would be most effective. DT stands for “Dives-To,” indicating the baits’ diving depths.

Fellow Rapala and VMC pro Michael “Ike” Iaconelli also predicted a DT bite. And although Ike, the 2003 Classic winner, didn’t find the fish he needed to be a contender in this year’s Classic, he described well why DTs are go-to pre-spawn baits.

“When the water’s cold, [bass’s] forage is cold and doesn’t really move quick,” Ike explained. And because DTs are made of balsa wood, he said, they float up very slowly when paused. “The bait kind of just hovers there, rising ever so slowly. That often in itself, in the pre-spawn period, is the trigger of the bite.”

Bites generally come on a pause following what Ike called a “secondary movement,” such as hitting a rock, laydown or strand of vegetation. Some of DeFoe’s bites in the Classic came in grass, but most came off riprap rock on causeways and around bridges.

“DeFoe methodically fishes the riprap,” outdoor writer Mark Hicks wrote in a bassmaster.com live-blog post on Day 3 of the Classic. “He's casting parallel and tight to the rocks and slowly grinding the bait over the riprap. And I mean grinding. He pauses frequently to let the crankbait float off snags as he's often snagging the rocks.”

Due to abuse from the rocks, DeFoe stopped frequently to re-rig his DT-6 with fresh VMC treble hooks. He uses VMC short-shank trebles, “same as what comes on there,” out of the package.

“It’s been a heck of a week for me,” he said.

Not to mention a heck of a young career. Since winning Bassmaster Rookie of the Year in 2011, DeFoe has not only qualified for three consecutive Bassmaster Classics – no small feat, in and of itself – he finished in the Classic’s Super Six twice (5th, 11th, 4th, in that order).

“He’s one of the best shallow crankers in the game,” Tharp said of DeFoe, whom he competed against previously on the FLW Tour, professional bass fishing’s other top-level tournament circuit.

But Tharp is one of the best in the game too. Last year, before qualifying for this year’s Classic by winning a Bassmaster Open, he won the Forrest Wood Cup, the FLW’s equivalent of the Classic.

“I had a chance today [to win], that’s all you can ask for,” Tharp said, offering a respectful “hats off” to Howell, DeFoe and the two other anglers that finished ahead of him, runner-up Paul Mueller and third-place finisher Edwin Evers. “They whooped me pretty good on my home lake.”

DT Feature Series
Rapala’s DT crankbaits are designed to dive fast to a pre-set depth and stay in the strike zone longer than any than other crankbait on the market. Made from the top 7 percent of balsa wood, this consistently perfect wood combined with carefully placed internal weights, a tapered fuselage and a thin tail design creates the ultimate crankbait action. An ultra-thin polycarbonate lip digs the bait down quickly to desired depth.

Swimming with a side-to-side action only balsa crankbaits can achieve, DTs pull with ease when cranked. Perfectly weighted to rest in a “quick-dive,” nose-down position allowing for immediate descent to desired depth, DTs can be easily cast up to 150 feet.
The farther your cast, the longer your bait stays in the strike zone.

DTs feature an internal baritone rattle tuned for optimal bite-triggering sound. They come in 27 color patterns, including eight “Ike’s Custom Ink” patterns designed personally by Iaconelli, exclusively for Rapala. All come with premium VMC hooks. Each is hand-tuned and tank-tested to swim perfectly right out of the box.

 


Classic Champ Howell Talks Lure Choices

Classic Champion Randy Howell talks about the lures that helped him win the 2014 Bassmaster Classic on Lake Guntersville.


Howell Tells How Instincts Lead Him to Greatest Classic Comeback Ever

Newly crowned Classic Champ Randy Howell talks about decision making - good and bad - and how he honed his ability to make the right call. The result:  he came back from 11th place to make up the most ground ever for a Bassmaster Classic winner.


Boats Unlimited NC Trail Qualifier #1 Results - Shearon Harris - Feb 22

1st Place: Todd Massey & Brandon Gray

The Boats Unlimited NC Team Tournament Bass Trail set a new attendance record with 94 boats showing
up for the 1st qualifier of the 2014 fishing season! We finally had a beautiful day to work with. It was about 34
degrees that morning and around 70 that afternoon with very light winds. Water temps ranged from 50 to 57
depending on the area fished and water was muddy in certain areas after the storm Friday. Clear warm water
was the secret to finding the bass but it was a challenge to get them to bite with all the shad around. Secret
lures for the day...no one is telling!
Todd Massey and Brandon Gray had the patience to catch 5 weighing 27.07 lbs. and it was just one of two
limits of 5 caught for the day. Massey & Gray won $1,485 for 1st, TWT 1st place of $1,610 and the Boats
Unlimited NC 1st Place Bonus of $750 for a grand total of $3,845.
Stephen Lasher took 2nd with 3 bass weighing 13.19 lbs winning $875 & 2nd TWT worth $690 for a total of
$1,565. Big fish for the day was a nice 8.34 caught by the team of Stewart Adams and Scott Dunn worth $1,260
and 2nd place big fish was a tie going to the teams of Kevin Woodall and William Tobias along with Scott
Woodson & Josh Hooks. Each team had a nice 8.13 lb. bass and took home $270 each.
Only 56 fish were weighed in for a total of 232 pounds. The slot limit on bass at Harris again took it's toll on
guys that caught fish but were not able to weigh them in. This slot limit is not fair to anglers that practice and
spend time and money to fish and get better. People that control the rules should at least give waivers to
tournament trails that practice 'Catch and Release'. That's just my 2 cents. We had numerous fish over 5 lbs.
and all the fish looked healthy.
I want to thank all the anglers that participated and all our sponsors that support this trail. Our next
tournament will be the 2014 Piedmont Bass Classics Team Bass Mini Trail Qualifier #2, Mar. 1st at Jordan
Lake out of Farrington Point Landing Wildlife Ramp (Right Side). The next Boats Unlimited NC Team
Tournament Bass Trail tournament will be at Jordan Lake on Mar. 8th, same ramp location.
All the information on our tournaments can be found at yahoo and bing search:
www.piedmontbassclassics.com

Now here are the full results:

1st Place: Todd Massey & Brandon Gray of Chapel Hill & Bullock...5 bass...27.07 lbs...$1,485
2nd Place: Stephen Lasher of Durham...3 bass...13.19 lbs...$875
3rd Place: Roy & Tommy Blackwood of Pittsboro & Efland...2 bass...11.82 lbs...$695
4th Place: Seth Ellis & Chuck Byrd of Lillington & Sanford...5 bass...11.72 lbs...$622
5th Place: Mike Eggers & Randy Carr of Garner & Raleigh...2 bass...11.70 lbs...$550
6th Place: Trevor Holman & Kenny Crespo of Durham...2 bass...10.30 lbs...$478
7th Place: Scott Dunn & Stewart Adams of Four Oaks...2 bass...10.20 lbs...$406
8th Place: Drew Johnson & Gill Young of Clayton & Wendell...2 bass...9.37 lbs...$340
9th Place: Tim Goss & Jeff Vincent of Franklinton & Durham...2 bass...9.30 lbs...$298
10th Place: Tony Stanley & Travis Parker of Four Oaks & Benson...2 bass...8.80 lbs...$262
11th Place: Todd & Jeff Sumner of Southern Pines...2 bass...8.69 lbs...$226
12th Place: Tie...Kevin Woodall & William Tobias of Angier...1 bass...8.13 lbs...$226
12th Place: Tie...Scott Woodson & Josh Hooks of Fuquay Varina & Apex...1 bass...8.13 lbs...$226
14th Place: Joe & Dwight Sholar of Wallace...1 bass...6.62 lbs...$160
15th Place: Stump Bledsoe & Glenn Elliott of Hope Mills & Fayetteville...2 bass...6.59...$160
16th Place: Billy Bledsoe & Brian McDonald of Fayetteville & Hope Mills...1 bass...6.41 lbs...$160
17th Place: Patrick Curran & Jason King of Fuquay Varina & Holly Springs...1 bass...6.35 lbs...$120
18th Place: Randy Fisher & Donnie Lowe of Hillsborough & Mebane...1 bass...5.84 lbs...$120
19th Place: Richard Cooper & Allen White of Clayton...1 bass...5.82 lbs...$111

1st Place Big Fish..7th Place Team above...8.34 lbs...$1,260
2nd Place Big Fish Tie:..12th & 13th Place Teams above...8.13 lbs...$270 each.

1st Place TWT..1st Place Team above...27.07 lbs...$1,610
2nd Place TWT..2nd Place Team above: 13.19 lbs...$690

Boats Unlimited Skeeter Boat Owner Bonus: Todd Sumner of Southern Pines...$250

Contact Information:
Phil McCarson...Tournament Director---922 Valetta Rd.---Durham, NC 27712
Home: 919-471-1571 Cell: 919-971-5042
email: [email protected] website: www.piedmontbassclassics.com


How the Classic was won

“There is always that little voice inside your head. Listen. Listen and head.” – Shaw Grigsby in his autobiography Bass Master Shaw Grigsby: Notes on Fishing and Life

To win the Bassmaster Classic an angler must make the right adjustments. We were told, repeatedly, at Media Day on Thursday that Sunday’s champion would be the man who figured things out during the course of competition, not the guy who had the best practice or the sharpest game plan coming into the event.

Kevin VanDam told us he was more prepared than ever to fish the Classic. He was the first man outside the cut and ended up working the floor of the expo for his sponsors instead of fishing on Sunday.

VanDam has won 4 Classic titles. His strength has been his ability to make adjustments on the fly and to do so before others do.

He later mentioned that he did not make the right moves when a heavy storm blew through Alabama at midnight before Day 1 of the 2014 Bassmaster Classic. Many anglers expected the storm to have little effect on fishing, but it changed everything.

One adjustment many pros say they now wish they had made sooner is to go shallow. Bass in the grass went to the inside edge – 0-to-3 feet deep. A lot of guys expected the fish do the opposite.

Eventual winner Randy Howell found bass as deep as 8 feet on the final competition day. But he was not fishing grass. He looked at his electronics and saw “noodles” – streaking fish at the base of rip rap along the highway 431 causeway over Spring Creek. They choked on crankbaits. Howell used a Rapala DT 6 and later switched to a new Livingston Lures model that as yet doesn’t have a name, not even a catalogue number. The Livingston crank vibrated his rod tip and Howell says bass could find it in the off-color water.

Howell did not credit a technical decision for his win. He said it was, instead, a bit of guidance from above. When his name was called at morning’s launch he had every intention of going to a particular bridge. “And then I heard a little voice say ‘do you want to be good, or do you want to be great?’. It’s the eeriest thing. I had a peace about it and I made a right turn and went to spring creek.”

Howell was immediately rewarded with a limit that weighed about 25 pounds.

Word spread and a crowd gathered on the water behind him. For nearly a half mile along Hwy 431 cars were parked and a crowd had gathered to cheer every 4-pound fish that Howell caught . . . and then released. How do you cull when your livewell is stuffed with 5 pounders? Howell had the answer. “I ran to the back the creek. Spring Creek has hardly any grass. Fish are on the rip, the creek channel or maybe the docks. But there’s a little grass way in the back. I went back there and caught a six-and-a-half-pounder. I won this tournament by a pound.”

Do the math:  Howell’s late big fish gave him his winning margin.

He was asked why he decided to pick up and leave such a productive spot and run to the back of the creek just to catch one, albeit very meaningful, fish. “I had another one of those moments. I heard the voice again.” Divine inspiration? “If people hear me talk about how I believe, well they might think I’m crazy.” Most would say it would be crazy not to follow such a clear calling.

In his book, Shaw Grigsby points out, “At the highest levels of the sport bass fishing enters the realm of the mystical.”

Rick Clunn has often spoken of the need to follow your gut, your intuition, whatever somebody wants to call it. I have asked Clunn where that voice comes from. Last night, in a quiet moment, I asked the same of Howell. “I know where mine comes from,” smiled the Classic Champ and follower of Jesus Christ.

 


Mueller makes record one-day Classic catch; jumps to 5th place

Paul Mueller of Naugatuck, CT talks about record-breaking catch - 32 pounds, 3 ounces is new heaviest single day haul in Bassmaster Classic history. Also, Randall Tharp becomes an improptu interviewer and Jason Christie makes a wish.


2014 Bassmaster Classic Day 1 Notes

Sitting here in the Bassmaster Classic war room, getting an earful from FLW Tour pro JP Prouty “I told you Tharp was going to win this thing! – Money in the bank.” Prouty’s prediction is 1/3 of the way true at this point. Smart money is on the Floridian-by-way-of-Alabama. Tharp gets his mail in the Sunshine State now, but he cut his angling teeth on Lake Guntersville, site of this year’s Bassmaster Classic.

Tharp brought in 27 pounds, 8 ounces to take a firm lead on a day that saw many anglers’ plans muddied along with the rising water from “last night’s torrential downpour” – there goes JP again.

It is big fun to predict who will win in this star-studded field. As the weather caused everyone to scramble, some guys adjusted better than others. 13 of them weighed better than 20 pounds today. But even Tharp had to adjust. “I fished about two-dozen spots today and 6 of them were blown-out.”

Tharp also expects things to get better for everybody. “As the water clears up and the weather warms up weights will get better each day.”

As for the much talked-about spectator interference, Tharp’s fish are positioned so that he is not worried. Could that mean he’s fishing a tad deeper than most?

Hang on folks, it’s gonna be a slugfest!


Spectator Boats a Problem? You Decide!

While filming Chris Lane on Lake Guntersville today Vance McCullough went surfing, courtesy of an uncourteous spectatir boat who really really REALLY wanted to keep up with Lane as he moved all of 100 yards. While it's comical now, such behavior is dangerous and y'all need to place nice out there! Also, it should be noted that the vast majority of onlookers were great citizens today.


Rich Howes Shares Thoughts on First Classic Experience

Florida's Rich Howes qualified for the classic via his win 13 months ago in the Bassmaster Southern Open on Lake Toho. He tells us about his experience this past year and this past week as he makes final tackle adjustments in his boat durind Classic Media Day.


2014 Bassmaster Classic Preivew From Sportsman's Warehouse In Columbia, Sc!

Sportsman's Warehouse Fishing Manager Craig Baird joins us for a good preview on not only the Classic this weekend, but all the baits that you have to have coming out of this COLD winter!


Warm February Could Make For 'interesting' Oakley Big Bass Tournament On Harris Chain

Fishing in the Oakley Big Bass Tournament Trail season opener March 1-2 on the Harris Chain of Lakes could be “kind of interesting,” according to bass guide Steven Boyd of Clermont, Fla.

“This has been one of the warmest Februaries we have had. There was winter north of Florida, but south of Georgia we've been having a big high pressure system over the state of Florida, blowing warm air across the region and keeping the cold front from coming down,” said Boyd, who operates Florida Bass Adventures.

“February is normally our coldest month, but it has been very, very warm. Water temperatures have been running 63 to 71 degrees, which is 10 to 15 degrees higher than normal for this time of year. The fish are still spawning, but they are not spawning where they typically would be.”

Boyd said the bass tried to spawn in the grass several weeks ago, but they have moved out.

“There is a chance of people catching fish in one part of the chain sight fishing and somebody in the other part catching fish on a spinnerbait, a Rat-l-Trap or flipping the grass,” Boyd said. “If the weather cooperates where you can fish some open water you can catch a big fish out there, but it gets pretty windy and treacherous out there,” he said.

The Oakley Big Bass series is open to amateur anglers only. Professional anglers and guides on the tournament waters who have guided professionally for a fee in the last 12 months are not eligible.

Entry fees are $100 for a one-day entry, $150 for both days. The winner with the overall big bass of the tournament will take home a 2014 Nitro Z7 with Mercury 150HP Pro XS, valued at $30,000.

Hourly payouts have been increased this year with a total two-day hourly purse of $35,000. Hourly payouts will go to seven places each hour: 1st $1000, 2nd $500, 3rd $300, 4th $250, 5th $200, 6th $150, 7th $100 (based on 400 total entries). Weigh in Times: 8-9 a.m., 9-10am, 10-11 a.m., 11-12 a.m., 12-1 p.m., 1-2 p.m., and 2-3 p.m.

The schedule for the Oakley Big Bass Tournament series this year includes: March 1-2, Harris Chain of Lakes, Fla.; March 8-9, Lake Conroe, Texas; March 29-20, Clarks Hill, Ga.; April 26-27, Smith Mountain Lake, Va.; May 3-4, Lake Norman, N.C.; May 17-18, Table Rock Lake, Mo.; June 14-15, Grand Lake, Okla.; Sept. 27-28, Lake Murray, S.C.; Oct. 4-5, Lake Douglas, Tenn.; Oct. 18-19, Lake Guntersville, Ala.; and Oct. 25-26, St. John's River, Fla.

Check out Steven Boyd's Florida Bass Adventures at: www.floridabassadventures.com. To book a bass fishing trip, call him at 352-603-5467.

 

Oakley Big Bass Tournament Trail

Mar 1-2, 2014

Harris Chain of Lakes

Hickory Point Rec Facility

Call Mark Jones 214-605-4600

www.oaklybigbass.com