AnglersChannel

Mckendree University Maintains Lead At College Wild Card

DOVER, Tenn. — The names atop the scoreboard remain the same while the strategies shifted for the two teams from McKendree University leading the Carhartt College Wild Card presented by Bass Pro Shops. The tournament is underway through tomorrow on Lake Barkley.

Remaining in first place after two days are Trent Robinson and Jordan Ledbetter with an overall weight of 28 pounds, 11 ounces. Within striking distance are classmates Phillip Germagliotti and Shane Campbell with 28-1.

“We have an early bite, and the late start hurt us,” Campbell said of the team’s effort producing a limit weighing 13-10 after a morning fog delay. “Hopefully it won’t happen again tomorrow.”

The late start affected everyone, especially teams making long runs from the launch site at Lick Creek Recreation Area. Fishing time was cut short for everyone due to a nearly 2-hour fog delay that postponed the official start time of 5:30 a.m.

Robinson and Ledbetter faired better because they are fishing near the launch site. Today’s catch weighing 12-13 keeps them in the lead by the slim margin of 10 ounces.

“Probably what hurt us more was the current generation,” Robinson said. “The moving water seemed to pull the bigger fish out into deeper water.”

That’s not uncommon when bass fishing along shoreline cover during summertime. Moving water created by hydroelectric power generation stimulates baitfish activity. In turn, the bass move deeper to feed.

Robinson and Ledbetter returned to the same area today. They chose not to gamble in search of a more productive pattern for a reason.

“Fishing deep water isn’t our specialty,” Ledbetter said. “We just don’t have the confidence to go there, so it makes more sense for us to stick to our strengths.”

The persistence paid off with the Livingston Lures Leader Award for Day 2 worth $500 in Livingston product.

“We are fishing shallow, but there is nothing special about the stretch of water where we are staying,” Ledbetter said.

He added, “there is so much water here that it makes more sense to us to find a confidence area, stay there and fish hard.”

Tomorrow’s matchup of the Top 20 teams concludes with a new challenge. The collegiate anglers will be joined on Lake Barkley by 74 pros competing in the Second Chance Tournament, a spinoff of the Zippo Bassmaster BASSfest presented by A.R.E. Truck Caps.

The Top 13 collegiate teams in the final standings Friday are invited to the 2015 Carhartt Bassmaster College Series National Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops. The championship is July 9-11 at Lake DuBay on the Wisconsin River.

Following the college action on Bassmaster.com with the live weigh-in, blog, photo galleries and more.
Carhartt Bassmaster College Series Presented by Bass Pro Shops - Wild Card
6/3/2015 - 6/5/2015
Lake Barkley - Lick Creek Recreational Area - Paris, TN
STANDINGS BOATER DAY 2
Today's Activity
# Fish Lbs - Oz
Accumulative
Name # Live # Fish # Live Lbs - Oz
1 Jordan Ledbetter - Trent Robinson McKendree University 5 5 12-13 10 10 28-11
2 Phillip Germagliotti - Shane Campbell McKendree University 5 5 13-10 10 10 28- 1
3 Joshua Butts - Justin Rivers Wallace State CC Hanceville 5 5 13- 7 10 10 27- 5
4 Alec Castonguay - Garret Whitley Stephen F Austin State University 5 5 12-10 10 10 26- 8
5 Dawson Lenz - Evan Horne University of North Alabama 5 5 12- 8 10 10 24- 8
6 Darrell Henson Jr. - Brent Rome LSU 5 5 13- 2 10 10 23- 1
7 Lance Freeman - Seth Brock Murray State University 5 5 15- 1 8 8 21- 7
8 Shelby Hutchens - Brian Blades Stephen F Austin State University 4 4 8- 3 9 9 21- 1
9 Ty Dyer - Joseph Huggins Bethel University 3 3 5-15 8 8 20- 2
10 JP Kimbrough - Jared Rascoe LSU Shreveport 3 3 5-15 8 8 20- 0
11 Brian Eaton - Slade Daniel U. of Louisiana Monroe 5 5 8- 4 10 10 20- 0
12 Ethan Snyder - Shaw Owens Eastern Kentucky University 3 2 8- 9 7 6 20- 0
13 Bentley Manning - John Berry Tennessee Tech University 5 5 10- 8 10 10 19-12
14 John Davis - Payton McGinnis University of Alabama 3 3 6- 6 8 8 19- 5
15 Justin Singleton - Zac Bennett Georgia College & State University 5 5 14- 1 7 7 19- 0
16 Tyler Rivet - Allyson Marcel Nicholls State University 5 5 10-12 9 9 18-13
17 Dakota Cantrell - Mason Sapp Campbellsville University 2 1 5- 7 7 6 18- 5
18 Adam Neill - Mitch Naler University of Alabama 3 3 6- 7 7 7 17-12
19 Shawn Combs - Bronson Jones Georgetown College 5 4 13-12 7 6 16-14
20 Taylor Thompson - Hunter Coppolino Abraham Baldwin Ag College 3 3 6- 3 7 7 16-14
21 Isaac Payne - Connor Mannina Savannah College of Art & Design 3 3 6- 0 7 7 16-13
22 Dustin Nash - Gregory Green Northwestern State University 3 3 6- 2 8 8 16-10
23 Ethan Wages - Luis McMurphy U. of South Alabama 3 3 7- 5 7 7 16- 8
24 John Maner - Colt Kelso U. of North Alabama 5 5 12- 5 8 8 16- 4
25 Zachary Pickle - Drew Porto U. of Arkansas 3 3 8-11 6 6 15- 2
26 Logan Thomas - Ryan Kirkpatrick Murray State University 2 2 4-12 6 6 15- 1
27 Reed Foster - Zackery Hines Dallas Baptist University 1 1 2- 8 6 6 14-15
28 Trent Newman - Jacob Sepeda Dallas Baptist University 2 2 2-15 6 6 14-15
29 Trent Palmer - Layton Jones Georgia Southern 1 1 1-15 6 6 14- 0
30 Cody Metzger - Micheal King Northeastern State University 2 2 3- 0 7 7 13-10
31 Ethan Ingle - Will Miller University of South Carolina 0 0 0- 0 5 5 13- 7
32 Caleb Baker - Mack Hicks Alice Lloyd College 1 1 2- 9 6 6 13- 7
33 Ryan Suhy - Skye Riggleman Liberty University 4 4 11-12 5 5 13- 5
34 Hunter McKamey - Kyle Oliver U. of Central Florida 1 1 3-13 6 6 13- 3
35 Blake Welch - Ricky Harris Bethel University 1 1 3-11 5 5 13- 2
36 Cody Hahner - Mark Hugus University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point 0 0 0- 0 5 5 12- 8
37 Jordan Wise - Chris Phinney East Carolina University 1 1 1-13 5 5 12- 7
38 Brad Vice - Austin Mize U. of North Alabama 2 2 4- 7 7 7 10-14
39 Andrew Tate - Nathan Martin U. of North Alabama 2 2 6- 1 4 4 10-11
40 Zachary Edmunds - Nelson Madruga U. of Central Florida 0 0 0- 0 4 4 10-10
41 Alex Schieman - Ryan Stewart Georgia College & State University 1 1 2- 9 3 3 9- 7
42 Jeremiah Duvall - Jeffry Endly University of Louisville 1 1 4- 2 2 2 9- 4
43 Sam Stone - Evan Coleman Texas State University 2 2 4- 2 4 4 9- 0
44 Brent Werts - Spencer Waldrop Clemson University 2 2 5-14 3 3 8- 8
45 Nick Uebelhor - University of Evansville 3 3 6- 0 4 4 7-13
46 Ronnie Moore - East Carolina University 1 1 3- 9 3 3 7-12
47 Brett Webster - Makenzie Henson University of North Alabama 0 0 0- 0 4 4 7-11
48 Wesley Griner - Dalton Dedge Darton State College 2 2 4- 3 4 4 7- 7
49 Cale Mathis - Jonathan McLendon Abraham Baldwin Ag College 1 1 2- 7 3 3 7- 6
50 Dalton Wilson - Randall Morris Bethel University 2 2 4- 8 4 4 7- 4
51 Ryan Williams - Ryan Hayse U. of North Alabama 1 1 1-14 4 4 7- 2
52 Patrick Williford - Briggs Kennington Clemson University 0 0 0- 0 3 3 6- 8
53 Cameron Brooks - Austin Moore Campbellsville University 1 1 2- 4 3 3 6- 8
54 Ryan Darracott - Zachary Darracott U. of North Alabama 1 1 2- 9 4 4 6- 8
55 Landon Tucker - Grant Colson Valdosta State University 1 1 3- 7 2 2 5-15
56 Blake Schroeder - Easton Heigley Stephen F Austin State University 0 0 0- 0 2 2 5-14
57 Brock Wilke - Austin Chapman McKendree University 1 1 2-11 2 2 5-14
58 Kenneth Parks - Brian Cox UT Martin 2 2 5- 8 2 2 5- 8
59 Alexander Murray - Alex Felder Southeastern Louisiana University 2 2 5- 2 2 2 5- 2
60 Jay Robertson - Oaklin Spier Southeastern Louisiana University 1 1 2- 2 2 2 4-14
61 Jackson Blackett - Austin Joiner La Monroe 0 0 0- 0 2 2 3-11
62 Justin Lynch - Michael Gullette U. of North Alabama 1 1 1- 4 2 2 3- 4
63 Nathan Woodruff - Kyle Alford Mississippi State University 0 0 0- 0 1 1 2- 8
64 Brett Graves - Tri-County Community College 1 1 2- 6 1 1 2- 6
64 Hunter Louden - Mekiah Jack Bethel University 0 0 0- 0 1 1 2- 6
66 Aaron Creech - Dakota Adams Alice Lloyd College 0 0 0- 0 1 1 2- 5
66 Elliot Lee - Trevor Bates Tennessee Tech University 1 1 2- 5 1 1 2- 5
68 Kolby Bowers - Alex Oliver Abraham Baldwin Ag College 0 0 0- 0 1 1 2- 4
69 Bradley Fleming - Luke Domas Texas A&M University 0 0 0- 0 1 1 1-15
70 Ryan Collins - Hunter Fulcher U. of Kentucky 1 1 1-14 1 1 1-14
71 Sam Carris - Brandon Bryant Tennessee Tech University 0 0 0- 0 1 1 1-11
72 John-Michael Brattlof - Zac Thames Stephen F Austin State University 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 0
72 Ethan Flack - University of Alabama 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 0
72 Adam Hall - Gadsden State Community College 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 0
72 Colby Harville - Hunter Haney U. of North Alabama 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 0
72 Ben Kroeger - Zach Kroeger University of Nebraska - Omaha 0 0 0- 0 0 0 0- 0
Name City,State Lbs-Oz
BIG BASS
Day
1 Jeremiah Duvall - Jeffry EndlLyouisville, KY 5- 2
2 Lance Freeman - Seth BrockEddyville, KY 5-14
2 Justin Singleton - Zac BenneRttutledge, GA 5-14
Day # Live Lbs-Oz # Limits
TOTALS
# Fish
1 214 214 508-13 22
2 150 147 364- 0 13

by AnglersChannel

Anglers Choice Double-Header On Kerr Could Decide Who Moves On To Toyota Team Championship

“We are eligible to send a lot more teams to the championship this year,” said tournament director Chris Lucas. Lucas said the increase was a result of Anglers Choice requiring all the anglers in the series to become a member of B.A.S.S.

The possibility of having an Anglers Choice team compete for the chance to fish the Bassmaster Classic also led to a format change to a new single division schedule with two end-of-year classics, Lucas noted.

“When we joined the B.A.S.S. Toyota Team Championship Series we were only recognized as one trail by them,” Lucas explained. “Basically, we had to have one points system, so we don't call it the North Carolina Division and Virginia Division anymore. The guys who fish on Saturday and the guys who fish on Sunday, all the points go to the same standings. We use the points standings to see who goes to the B.A.S.S Team Championship.”

Mike McDonald and Jeff Poplin are at the top of the standings going into the Kerr double-header, followed closely by Brandon Gray, who fished all the way to the 2015 Bassmaster Classic on Lake Hartwell in the Team Championship this past year, and his partner Robert Perkins. Following on their heels is the team of Daniel and Douglas Eubank.

But the season is not over and teams are allowed to cull two tournaments if they fished all eight in the series, Lucas noted, so it will be interesting to see how it all shakes out.

“If a team fished four of the eight tournaments they can fish either of the classics, depending on what kind of boat they want to fish for and if they fished in six of the tournaments they can fish in both classics.” he said.

The two classics will be held in October, with the Ranger Classic on Kerr Oct. 3-4 and the Triton Classic on High Rock Lake Oct. 17-18.

With one Anglers Choice Marine dealership in Martinsville, Va., the schedule was set up with two tournaments in Virginia, which are held on Smith Mountain Lake, and two tournaments in the Carolinas where the dealerships are located (in Lexington and Spindale) one on High Rock and one on Lake Hickory. The other tournaments are held on the border, with two double-tournament weekends on Kerr Reservoir, Lucas said, so that an angler could make one trip, fish Saturday and Sunday and get two qualifiers in while saving money.

The season has gone very well, Lucas said, drawing more than 200 boats in the Kerr/Buggs Island tournaments and pre-registration for the two tournaments this weekend are up, with more than 90 already registered for Saturday and more than 80 for Sunday by early this week. The numbers at Smith Mountain Lake were down slightly because no classic was scheduled on the lake this year, but still very good, averaging 170 to 190 boats per tournament.

Lucas urged anglers planning to fish either or both tournaments at Kerr this weekend to pre-register because it makes it easier to plan for food and other factors, he said. However, late entries will still be taken at the ramp, he added.

As for the fishing on Kerr this weekend, Lucas said heavy rains early in the week could bring the water levels up and change the fishing some.

“I've talked to a couple of guys and what I am hearing most is a topwater early and then a drop-shot, but with that many guys fishing they will probably catch them all different ways. I am hearing it will take 16 to 18 pounds to win each day.”

Anglers Choice Invitational Team Trail

Sat, Jun 6, 2015

Kerr / Buggs Island Lake

Occoneechee State Park Ramp #1

Call Chris Lucas 276-358-0844

www.anglerschoicemarine.com

by AnglersChannel

Defoe Leads Bassfest Day 1 On Kentucky Lake With 26-7

PARIS, Tenn. — Ott DeFoe admits he entered Wednesday’s opening round of the Zippo Bassmaster BASSfest at Kentucky Lake presented by A.R.E. Truck Caps feeling confident bordering on cocky.

But as excited as he was, he wasn’t expecting this.

DeFoe brought five bass to the scales that weighed 26 pounds, 7 ounces and claimed the Day 1 lead by more than a pound over South Carolina angler Andy Montgomery, who was second with 25-4.

Oklahoma pro Edwin Evers was third with 24-0, and Michigan superstar Kevin VanDam was fourth with 23-9 on a day when it took 20-4 just to make the Top 25.

“I had expectations, but I didn’t really think 26 pounds was where it was going to end up,” said DeFoe, who lives 4 1/2 hours away in Knoxville, Tenn. “I don’t want to say I was cocky, but I felt like I was going to have a pretty good day if I got on the place I wanted to fish – and if the fish stayed, which apparently they did.”

Like many in the 124-angler field, DeFoe caught most of his best fish before 10 a.m. and then went into “fish-management” mode. Instead of pounding his best areas and potentially wasting fish that could help him later in the week, he backed away and went looking for new hot spots.

He was surprised when one of the new places he found actually produced his best fish — a 7-5 largemouth that ranked as the second-largest fish caught during the opening round.

“I’m not going to say I was killing time, because I was still fishing,” DeFoe said. “But I was kind of waiting on time to go by until it was time to come in. I got one bite there, and it was a 7 1/4-pounder.”

The big fish allowed DeFoe to cull a 3 1/2-pound bass and pushed his weight from the 23-pound range above 26. That was just enough to help him edge Montgomery, who actually got help from DeFoe to catch his final keeper.

Montgomery, who struggled in practice, said the changing weather conditions caused the lake’s famed ledge bite to improve drastically Wednesday. Bright sunshine and mostly calm conditions replaced the gloomy weather that has hung over the Mid-South region the past week, and several anglers said it made a big difference.

“I’ve had some good practices this year and couldn’t carry it over when the tournament started,” Montgomery said. “This time I had a tough practice, but I knew where a good place was from past experience. Since I had a good boat draw, I was able to get there pretty early, and it worked out.

“I’m not a ledge expert by any means, but I know the sunshine makes a big difference on the Tennessee River.”

Dead batteries made it hard for Montgomery to do exactly what he wanted later in the day, but a favor from DeFoe helped him cull his last small fish.

“I was running down the lake, and I stopped and talked to Ott,” Montgomery said. “I told him I had four big ones and one 2-pounder. He had all 4-pounders, so he told me where a place was where I could go and catch one more good one.”

Evers had his limit set by 10 a.m., and VanDam was done putting his together by 9:30 a.m. Most of VanDam’s fish came during the kind of furious, 30-minute ledge flurry that Kentucky Lake is known for.

“It’s good when it’s like that,” VanDam said. “I got out there quick. I just didn’t want to draw too much attention to it, hoping I can get a few more tomorrow.”

Many ledges were crowded with a mixture of tournament anglers and local anglers. It wasn’t unusual to see more than a dozen boats fishing a small portion of the sprawling 160,000-acre lake.

VanDam, who has recorded two of his 20 career B.A.S.S. victories on Kentucky Lake, said boat traffic and competition could play a big role in the outcome of the tournament.

“I know I’ve got to have a mega-school for every day, and I just don’t have it,” VanDam said. “I’ve got some stuff, for sure. But … we’ll see.”

The tournament will resume Thursday with a full field of 111 Elite Series pros and 13 invited anglers from the three Bass Pro Shops Open circuits presented by Allstate.

After Thursday’s round, anglers who don’t make the Top 50 will be allowed to fish a special Second Chance tournament Friday on nearby Lake Barkley. The Top 10 finishers from the Second Chance event will rejoin the original Top 50 on Saturday back at Kentucky Lake with only the Top 12 advancing to Sunday’s final round.

Thursday’s takeoff will be at 6:15 a.m. from Paris Landing State Park with the weigh-in scheduled back at the park for 3:15 p.m.

Also, on Friday, the Top 50 anglers will be onsite at the state park for Bassmaster University — fishing seminars given by the pros. Fishing fans and their families can join in all the fun. All B.A.S.S. events are free.
2015 Zippo BASSfest at Kentucky Lake presented by A.R.E. Truck Caps 6/3-6/7
Kentucky Lake, Paris  TN.
(PROFESSIONAL) Standings Day 1

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

1.  Ott DeFoe              Knoxville, TN            5  26-07  100
Day 1: 5   26-07
2.  Andy Montgomery        Blacksburg, SC           5  25-04   99
Day 1: 5   25-04
3.  Edwin Evers            Talala, OK               5  24-00   98
Day 1: 5   24-00
4.  Kevin VanDam           Kalamazoo, MI            5  23-09   97
Day 1: 5   23-09
5.  Brett Hite             Phoenix, AZ              5  23-05   96
Day 1: 5   23-05
6.  Brandon Lester         Fayetteville, TN         5  22-14   95
Day 1: 5   22-14
7.  Shin Fukae             Palestine, TX            5  22-14    0
Day 1: 5   22-14
8.  Ken Iyobe              Tokoname  Aichi JAPAN    5  22-08   94
Day 1: 5   22-08
9.  Jason Christie         Park Hill, OK            5  22-07   93
Day 1: 5   22-07
10. Kotaro Kiriyama        Moody, AL                5  21-15   92
Day 1: 5   21-15
11. Brent Ehrler           Newport Beach, CA        5  21-12   91
Day 1: 5   21-12
12. Billy McCaghren        Mayflower, AR            5  21-12   90
Day 1: 5   21-12
13. Fred Roumbanis         Bixby, OK                5  21-09   89
Day 1: 5   21-09
13. Fletcher Shryock       New Philadelphia, OH     5  21-09   89
Day 1: 5   21-09
15. Stetson Blaylock       Benton, AR               5  21-05    0
Day 1: 5   21-05
16. Chris Johnston         Otonabee CANADA          5  21-03    0
Day 1: 5   21-03
17. Marty Robinson         Lyman, SC                5  21-02   87
Day 1: 5   21-02
18. Brandon Coulter        Knoxville, TN            5  21-00   86
Day 1: 5   21-00
19. Darold Gleason         Leesville, LA            5  20-15    0
Day 1: 5   20-15
20. Keith Combs            Huntington, TX           5  20-12   85
Day 1: 5   20-12
21. Randall Tharp          Port St. Joe, FL         5  20-09   84
Day 1: 5   20-09
22. Gerald Swindle         Warrior, AL              5  20-07   83
Day 1: 5   20-07
23. Justin Lucas           Guntersville, AL         5  20-05   82
Day 1: 5   20-05
24. JT Kenney              Palm Bay, FL             5  20-05    0
Day 1: 5   20-05
25. Brent Chapman          Lake Quivira, KS         5  20-04   81
Day 1: 5   20-04
26. Tim Horton             Muscle Shoals, AL        5  20-03   80
Day 1: 5   20-03
27. Brandon Card           Caryville, TN            5  20-02   79
Day 1: 5   20-02
28. Britt Myers            Lake Wylie, SC           5  20-02   78
Day 1: 5   20-02
29. Jonathon VanDam        Kalamazoo, MI            5  20-01   77
Day 1: 5   20-01
30. Jason Williamson       Wagener, SC              5  19-11   76
Day 1: 5   19-11
31. Seth Feider            Bloomington, MN          5  19-06   75
Day 1: 5   19-06
32. Bobby Lane Jr.         Lakeland, FL             5  19-05   74
Day 1: 5   19-05
32. Morizo Shimizu         Suita, Osaka JAPAN       5  19-05   74
Day 1: 5   19-05
34. Derek Remitz           Grant, AL                5  19-03   72
Day 1: 5   19-03
35. Micah Frazier          Newnan, GA               5  19-01   71
Day 1: 5   19-01
36. Aaron Martens          Leeds, AL                5  19-00   70
Day 1: 5   19-00
37. Stephen Browning       Hot Springs, AR          5  18-15   69
Day 1: 5   18-15
37. Russ Lane              Prattville, AL           5  18-15   69
Day 1: 5   18-15
39. Matt Lee               Auburn , AL              5  18-12   67
Day 1: 5   18-12
40. Josh Bertrand          Gilbert, AZ              5  18-10   66
Day 1: 5   18-10
41. Davy Hite              Ninety Six, SC           5  18-06   65
Day 1: 5   18-06
42. Kenyon Hill            Norman, OK               4  18-01   64
Day 1: 4   18-01
43. John Crews Jr          Salem, VA                5  18-00   63
Day 1: 5   18-00
44. Michael Iaconelli      Pitts Grove, NJ          5  17-15   62
Day 1: 5   17-15
45. David Mullins          Mt Carmel, TN            5  17-09   61
Day 1: 5   17-09
46. Jordan Lee             Vinemont, AL             5  17-07   60
Day 1: 5   17-07
47. Kelley Jaye            Dadeville, AL            5  17-06   59
Day 1: 5   17-06
48. Boyd Duckett           Guntersville, AL         5  17-03   58
Day 1: 5   17-03
48. Greg Hackney           Gonzales, LA             5  17-03   58
Day 1: 5   17-03
48. Skeet Reese            Auburn, CA               5  17-03   58
Day 1: 5   17-03
51. Scott Rook             Little Rock, AR          5  17-02   55
Day 1: 5   17-02
52. James Elam             Tulsa, OK                5  17-01   54
Day 1: 5   17-01
53. Dean Rojas             Lake Havasu City, AZ     5  16-15   53
Day 1: 5   16-15
54. Jeff Kriet             Ardmore, OK              5  16-13   52
Day 1: 5   16-13
54. Clifford Pirch         Payson, AZ               5  16-13   52
Day 1: 5   16-13
56. Jacob Powroznik        Port Haywood, VA         5  16-11   50
Day 1: 5   16-11
57. Matt Reed              Madisonville, TX         5  16-07   49
Day 1: 5   16-07
58. Matt Herren            Ashville, AL             5  16-04   48
Day 1: 5   16-04
59. Randy Howell           Springville, AL          5  16-01   47
Day 1: 5   16-01
60. Todd Faircloth         Jasper, TX               5  15-14   46
Day 1: 5   15-14
61. Chris Lane             Guntersville, AL         5  14-15   45
Day 1: 5   14-15
62. Shaw Grigsby Jr.       Gainesville, FL          5  14-14   44
Day 1: 5   14-14
63. Mark Davis             Mount Ida, AR            5  14-10   43
Day 1: 5   14-10
64. Greg Vinson            Wetumpka, AL             5  14-09   42
Day 1: 5   14-09
65. Brandon Palaniuk       Rathdrum, ID             5  14-05   41
Day 1: 5   14-05
66. Casey Scanlon          Lanexa, KS               5  14-04   40
Day 1: 5   14-04
67. Paul Elias             Laurel, MS               5  14-03   39
Day 1: 5   14-03
68. Brian Snowden          Reeds Spring, MO         5  14-02   38
Day 1: 5   14-02
69. Steve Kennedy          Auburn, AL               4  14-02   37
Day 1: 4   14-02
70. Keith Poche            Pike Road, AL            5  14-00   36
Day 1: 5   14-00
71. Cliff Prince           Palatka, FL              5  13-15   35
Day 1: 5   13-15
72. Cliff Crochet          Pierre Part, LA          5  13-13   34
Day 1: 5   13-13
72. Koby Kreiger           Bokeelia, FL             5  13-13   34
Day 1: 5   13-13
74. Chad Morgenthaler      Coulterville, IL         5  13-04   32
Day 1: 5   13-04
75. Ish Monroe             Hughson, CA              5  13-03   31
Day 1: 5   13-03
75. Takahiro Omori         Emory, TX                5  13-03   31
Day 1: 5   13-03
77. Gary Klein             Weatherford, TX          5  13-02   29
Day 1: 5   13-02
78. Chris Zaldain          San Jose, CA             5  12-12   28
Day 1: 5   12-12
79. Casey Ashley           Donalds, SC              5  12-11   27
Day 1: 5   12-11
80. Bradley Roy            Lancaster, KY            5  12-09   26
Day 1: 5   12-09
81. Terry Scroggins        San Mateo, FL            5  12-07   25
Day 1: 5   12-07
82. Alton Jones            Lorena, TX               5  12-04   24
Day 1: 5   12-04
83. Hank Cherry Jr         Maiden, NC               5  12-02   23
Day 1: 5   12-02
84. Troy Broussard         Beaumont, TX             5  12-01    0
Day 1: 5   12-01
85. Bill Lowen             Brookville, IN           5  12-00   22
Day 1: 5   12-00
86. John Murray            Phoenix, AZ              4  11-13   21
Day 1: 4   11-13
87. Kurt Dove              Del Rio, TX              5  11-05   20
Day 1: 5   11-05
87. Jared Lintner          Arroyo Grande, CA        5  11-05   20
Day 1: 5   11-05
87. Chad Wiley             Pineville, LA            5  11-05    0
Day 1: 5   11-05
90. Brian Clark            Haltom City, TX          4  11-05    0
Day 1: 4   11-05
91. Mike McClelland        Bella Vista, AR          5  11-00   18
Day 1: 5   11-00
92. Cliff Pace             Petal, MS                5  10-13   17
Day 1: 5   10-13
93. Scott Barnett          Mansfield, TX            3  10-12    0
Day 1: 3   10-12
94. Tommy Biffle           Wagoner, OK              5  10-07   16
Day 1: 5   10-07
94. Rick Clunn             Ava, MO                  5  10-07   16
Day 1: 5   10-07
96. Yusuke Miyazaki        Forney, TX               4  10-07   14
Day 1: 4   10-07
97. Gary Clouse            La Vergne, TN            4  10-06    0
Day 1: 4   10-06
98. Randy Allen            Shreveport, LA           3  10-05   13
Day 1: 3   10-05
99. Zell Rowland           Montgomery, TX           5  10-03   12
Day 1: 5   10-03
100. James Niggemeyer       Van, TX                  5  10-02   11
Day 1: 5   10-02
101. Dennis Tietje          Roanoke, LA              5  10-01   10
Day 1: 5   10-01
102. Kevin Hawk             Guntersville, AL         5  09-07    9
Day 1: 5   09-07
103. Nate Wellman           Newaygo, MI              4  09-00    8
Day 1: 4   09-00
104. J Todd Tucker          Moultrie, GA             4  08-15    7
Day 1: 4   08-15
105. Paul Mueller           Naugatuck, CT            4  08-13    6
Day 1: 4   08-13
106. Mike Kernan            Wylie, TX                4  08-05    5
Day 1: 4   08-05
107. Kevin Ledoux           Choctaw, OK              4  08-01    4
Day 1: 4   08-01
108. Jared Miller           Norman, OK               4  07-15    3
Day 1: 4   07-15
109. Jesse Tacoronte        Orlando, FL              2  06-08    0
Day 1: 2   06-08
110. Kelly Jordon           Flint, TX                2  06-07    2
Day 1: 2   06-07
111. Bernie Schultz         Gainesville, FL          2  06-01    1
Day 1: 2   06-01
112. Chad Pipkens           Holt, MI                 2  05-15    0
Day 1: 2   05-15
113. Carl Jocumsen          Queensland TX AUSTRALIA  2  04-15    0
Day 1: 2   04-15
114. Mark Menendez          Paducah, KY              3  04-12    0
Day 1: 3   04-12
115. Joseph Sancho          New Windsor, NY          2  04-03    0
Day 1: 2   04-03
116. Scott Ashmore          Broken Arrow, OK         1  03-07    0
Day 1: 1   03-07
117. David Walker           Sevierville, TN          1  02-12    0
Day 1: 1   02-12
118. Stephen Longobardi     Northford, CT            1  02-08    0
Day 1: 1   02-08
119. David Smith            Del City, OK             1  01-10    0
Day 1: 1   01-10
120. Charlie Hartley        Grove City, OH           0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00
120. Logan Sherrer          Karnack, TX              0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00
120. Kevin Short            Mayflower, AR            0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00
120. David Williams         Maiden, NC               0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00
120. Craig Workman          Fort Worth, TX           0  00-00    0
Day 1: 0   00-00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day   #Limits    #Fish      Weight
1        94       543      1801-14
----------------------------------
94       543      1801-14

by AnglersChannel

Not Everybody Will Have A Ledge To Fish In Alabama Bass Trail North Division Tournament On Pickwick

The fish are biting on Pickwick Lake which means some anglers in the last tournament of the season on the Alabama Bass Trail North Division there this Saturday are going to weigh in some great sacks of bass.

But there is one major problem, said Mark McCaig, who with teammate Tim Hurst, both of Oxford, Ala., is ranked 7th in the North Division standings going into the final tournament.

“The fish are on the ledges and they are biting,” McCaig said. “When it comes to the ledges there are a lot of fish thee, but there are not a lot of good places. A lot of people are going to get ganged up on certain places.”

Because of the ledges, he said, Pickwick and Guntersville are a lot alike, with one major difference. And that difference could be a game changer if getting a top spot on a ledge doesn't work out.

“The biggest difference is that at Pickwick there is a really good population of big smallmouth bass,” McCaig said. “Those smallmouths are usually caught in the tailrace below the dam.”

The tailrace could be the main option if McCaig and Hurst do not draw a low boat number Friday night. An early boat number – say the first 40 or maybe 50 boats drawn – would provide opportunity to sit on a ledge all day and capitalize on the schools of bass located there, but a higher number would mean finding something different, he said.

“The lake is incredible when it comes to fishing, but it is so narrow that there will be a boat on every place in the river – and there are no secrets there.”

So, when they get in a final practice Friday, McCaig said, he and Hurst will practice in separate boats – one in the tailrace, hunting the big smallmouth, and the other in the river.

“The key to winning is finding the 4-pound-plus fish, whether they are smallmouth or largemouth – and it won't be just finding them, but figuring out how to catch them. You could have a large school of 3-pounders, with some bigger fish mixed in. You are going to have to figure out how to catch those bigger fish. It's going to take 25 to 30 pounds to win.

Alabama Bass Trail - North Division 

Sat, Jun 6, 2015

Pickwick Lake

McFarland Park

Call Kay Donaldson 855-934-7425

www.alabamabasstrail.org

by AnglersChannel

Clemson Anglers Going To 'just Go Fishing' In Carhartt Wild Card On Lake Barkley

Briggs Kennington and Patrick Williford, teammates representing Clemson University in the Carhartt Bassmaster College Series Wild Card tournament on Lake Barkley this week, plan to just go fishing when competition begins Wednesday and see what happens.

“We've been here two and a half days practicing and we have found a lot of water, but not a lot of fish,” Kennington said after the final practice Tuesday afternoon. “We've fished our butts off, but we are struggling,” he added.

The problem, which may not be confined to the Clemson anglers, is that the fish apparently are scattered somewhere on their way to the ledges.

“The water is up, some locals say, by a foot of so from what it was last week from all the rain here. It poured here Monday, and the water is a little on the colder side from what we expected. It's running 74-75 degrees, while back home the water temperature is up to around 81 degrees.”

All that rain, Kennington believes, pushed the bass out of their normal transition pattern.

“Some of the locals are saying they were catching a lot of fish in the brush last week. Now some of that brush is so flooded the fish have left.”

Kennington and Williford, both from Greensboro, N.C., tried to find fish on the ledges the last couple of days – to no avail. 

The weigh-ins this week will determine which teams will head on to the Carhartt Bassmaster College Series National Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops July 9-11 on Lake DuBay on the Wisconsin River. 

“I think this tournament is going to be one, either by somebody who finds a really good school of fish on the ledges or someone who finds some fish in transition areas going out to the ledges,” he said. “Tomorrow we are just going to go fishing and do what feels right,” he said. 

Bassmaster Carhartt College Wild Card

Jun 3-6, 2015

Lake Barkley

www.bassmaster.com

by AnglersChannel

Unfamiliar Waters No Problem For Elite Series Rookie Of The Year Challenger David Williams

“It's my first trip to Kentucky Lake so it's going to be an experience like all the rest of them have been,” said the Maiden, N.C., pro who, while a rookie on the Elite circuit, has a lot of experience in FLW Outdoors tournaments. “Most of the BFL All Americans that I made were on lake where it was my first time there.”

In those All American championships Williams finished in the top 20 all four times, with two top 5s – 5th in 2013 and 3rd in 2012. He has fared nearly as well on the bigger stage this year in the Elite Series and at midway of the season finds himself ranked 3rd in the Rookie of the Year standings.

He won the Bassmaster Southern Open Series standings in 2014 to qualify to fish the Elite Series this year. And, although a rookie on the Elite circuit, he won the Bassmaster Weekend Series Championship in 2008 to qualify for the 2009 Bassmaster Classic.

Although April was not a very good month with finishes well down in the standings at Guntersville and on the Sacramento River in California, Williams finished 16th at Lake Tohopekaliga in March to start the Elite season and then surprised everyone – including himself – with a 5th place finish at Lake Havasu in Arizona in early May.

“The season has gone pretty well,” Williams said. “I have had two good events where I have been in contention. If not for one bad day in Texas with a mechanical issue on my boat, I probably would have had a shot to win there. And I was just one or two bites away at Havasu.”

Ironically, he said, his best practices were at the two sites where he did not do well in the tournaments.

“On the California Delta I was on so many big fish it was unbelievable. I could not wait for the tournament, but when it started my fish went South. I could not figure out how to catch them.”

Havasu was where everyone sat up and took notice, however.

“Havasu scared me to death. It has no history at all, nobody knows anything about it. You could literally see fish swimming 15 to 20 feet deep. Initially I thought the tournament would probably be won by a drop shot or finesse fishing.”

But in practice, he discovered the fish were just like bass back home. They would hide under any cover they could find.

“They would bite, too. They were not shy at all, like you would expect in clear water,” said Williams, who weighed four daily limits for a total of 62.14 pounds to take 5th place and move into 3rd in the ROY standings.

So, while he has never been on Kentucky Lake, the mystery of the fish there does not faze him, he said.

“Anytime I go somewhere that I don't have any history I do my best,” he said.

That could play into his favor for the Kentucky Lake Elite, but the familiarity he gains in practicing for and fishing the Elite tournament next week could set him up with just enough experience to do well in the 2015 All American which is scheduled just two weeks after the Elite tournament.

“Hopefully I can find them pretty good next week during the Elite tournament and have some fish to go back to in the All American,” he said.

Bassmaster Elite Series

Jun 3-7, 2015

Kentucky-Barkley Lakes

www.bassmaster.com

by AnglersChannel

Herring Bite Key To Winning Carolinas Bass Challenge Sc Division Tournament On Hartwell

“Fishing has been great at Hartwell lately, with winning weights coming in well over 20 pounds,” Collins said. “The teams that capitalize on the early morning bite will come out on top this time of year at Hartwell. Big spots and largemouth bass will make up the creel.”

Going into the tournament Wayne Frierson and Ronnie Mueller are leading the SC Division points, just ahead of Chris Marshall and Josh Gardner. Although Marshall and Gardner won the season opener on Lake Murray, Frierson and Mueller have turned in steady performances in all three tournaments to secure the lead, with two top 20 finishes.

“This deep into the schedule a lot of the teams have qualified, but we still expect a good crowd Saturday,” Collins said.

The Carolinas Bass Challenge is experiencing a banner year, he said, with numbers up over previous years and a lot of new teams joining. A big reason is the money involved, with the opportunity for a major payday at every tournament, he added.

“Multiple teams have won over $10,000 and the Skeeter Bonus Dollars the CBC offers on top of the Skeeter Real Money has been a huge addition,” Collins said. “This year we have been paying back the $5,000 at each event in three places – $2,500, $1,500 and $1,000.”

Collins also thanked the fishermen for their support, noting their participation in the tournaments is the key to the success of the CBC.

“We will also send another big number of teams to the Bassmaster Team Championship on Lake Guntersville later this year. Last year we sent 22 teams and it looks to be about the same this year,” he said.

Collins also said he will try to have the 2016 schedule out late this summer so anglers can start making their plans for next year.

Carolinas Bass Challenge - South Carolina Division

Sat, May 30, 2015

Lake Hartwell

Portman Shoals Marina

Call Brett Collins 803-413-7521

www.carolinasbasschallenge.com

by AnglersChannel

How The Usc Anglers Won The College National Championship On Lake Murray

When the FLW College Fishing National Championship began on Lake Murray April 16, Anthony Gagliardi, who won the Forrest Wood Cup on the lake last August, texted a message to Roger Metz, host of the Woods and Water S.C. radio show in Greenville who was on a spectator boat:

“Tell those guys don't cut it as close as I did.”

The University of South Carolina team of Gettys Brannon of Gaffney, S.C., and Patrick Walters of Summerville, S.C., did not disappoint Gagliardi, who ironically is a graduate of Clemson University, the Gamecocks' bitter rival in most sports competitions.

In the August FLW championship Gagliardi, who lives a few miles from Lake Murray in Prosperity, S.C., beat Scott Canterbury of Springville, Ala., by just 1 ounce. Brannon and Walters won the college national championship over the Liberty University of Lynchburg, Va., team of Travis Rulle and Caleb Eppler, who led the tournament the first two days, by a solid 1 pound, 5 ounces.

The FLW Tour pro's win in August mirrored the USC Anglers' drive to the championship in April. Gagliardi started in 7^th place on the first and second days, improved to 3^rd on the third day and won it on the fourth and final day. Brannon and Walters started in 6^th place the first day, improved to 2^nd place on the second day and then won it on the third day. Their win completed the trifecta of bass fishing championships in the past year – Gagliardi's win in the Forrest Wood Cup on Murray in August; Casey Ashley, who hails from Donalds, S.C., won the Bassmaster Classic on Lake Hartwell in February; and the USC team claimed the college fishing championship on Lake Murray in April.

Patrick Walters fights a largemouth to the boat. Photo by Pat RobertsonBrannon and Walters formed a team two years ago when Walters was a freshman and Brannon a sophomore. They are alike in many respects, but often very different in their approach to fishing – a combination that seems to be ideal for team fishing.

“Patrick is a big shallow water fisherman and I like to fish out deep,” Brannon said. “So, instead of having just one option on the boat during a tournament we always have something to fall back on. What we have discovered is that we just click when it's tournament time because we make good decisions together.”

For Walters it is the common drive to succeed that makes them click as a team.

“We want to achieve the same goal. We want to win and we are going to do whatever it takes to win. We know somebody on the boat is up to the job and we talk about everything.”

While both have spent countless hours and days on Lake Murray and felt they knew the lake pretty well, they sought out the advice of local bass fishing guru Doug Lown of Newberry who has chronicled the species and fishing for bass on the lake for many years. The best advice Lown offered, Brannon said, was to keep their minds right.

“He gave us a lot of intel about the fish, but just being mentally prepared and talking with someone who has that much knowledge about the lake definitely gave us an edge,” Brannon said. “But we had a lot of good help around the lake. Getting close to the locals and making good friends of all of them was a good move on our part,”

Following Lown's advice, the Gamecock team concentrated on bass chasing blueback herring, which were beginning to spawn.

“His best advice was on decision making, not where to go,” Brannon said. “We knew the bite was going to turn off each day around 9 o'clock and we had better have a limit by then. We did that and then we went after roaming fish. We knew if we could cull four or five times by the end of the day we would have close to 18 pounds.”

The main lure for Brannon and Walters was a Zoom Fluke to imitate the herring. They also threw a square-billed Lucky Craft and a square-billed Rick Clunn crankbait, plus a Smasher, a Sebille-type bait. When the wind died they drug a Zoom Trick worm on a Carolina rig with a half-ounce bullet weight and the also used a Shakey Head with a Greenfish Crawbait at times. Some of their bigger bass came on a Megabass 110 jerkbait, Brannon said.

“Our game plan was to hit as many points as we could since the herring spawn was starting,” Walters said. “We knew if we could get 17 to 20 pounds a day we'd be right where we wanted to be.”

The USC anglers beamed with confidence throughout the tournament, apparently unconcerned by not being in the lead the first two days. Their main concern was maintaining consistency, Walters said.

“I did not want to be sitting in first place during the tournament. Going into the second day I did not want to be in the top 5 and we were in 6^th place,” Walters said. “On the final day we had jumped up to 2nd place so we went out to catch as many fish as we could and try to cull up.”

But the day did not go exactly as planned. The pattern the first two days was to work the fluke early and then go with the Carolina rig once the wind laid. On the final day the wind was not blowing early and they only caught one little 12-inch bass on the first three points they hit with the fluke.

“We were a little worried that we had hit three of our best spots and did not have a fish yet,” Walters said. “We caught a 4-pounder on the Carolina rig and then the wind came up and the fish started coming up schooling. Once they started hitting the fluke we ran as many points as we could.”

They weighed a limit at 17 pounds, 1 ounce, to take the lead and the championship to the cheers of a bipartisan crowd of Gamecock fans, many of whom came out of Carolina Stadium at the conclusion of the USC-Vanderbilt baseball game to watch the weigh-in.

“Everybody who knows me knows I always have something to say,” said Brannon, “but when Forrest Wood gave us the jacket and our bids to the Forrest Wood Cup I could not find the right words to describe it.”

“Being there with all your family and your friends on your home lake is what you dream about,” Walters said. “You could not have written a script any better.”

by AnglersChannel

Thinking Big Is Key To Winning Toyota Texas Bass Classic On Lake Fork

“The water is about 4 feet higher than it was last year when I was here,” Arey said. “The fish are a lot more scattered and I feel like there are a few more up shallow, but I think the tournament will be won out deep.”

Arey said it took almost 50 pounds total the first two days to make the cut for the final day in 2014, but, with the field reduced from 50 anglers in 2014 to just 35 in 2015, it might take another 10 pounds to make the cut.

“I hate to say it, but I think it will take 30 pounds a day. That's what I am fishing for,” he said.

And to get that sized bag each day, he added, anglers will have to wade through the tons of white bass mixed in with the largemouths.

“You have to figure out a bait that you are not going to catch 10,000 white bass on,” he said, “so that means big baits – big spoons, big swim baits, big crankbaits.”

Winner of the Forrest Wood Cup as a co-angler in 2006, the Shelby, N.C. angler made the switch to the front of the boat the following year and has steadily improved his game every year. He is currently ranked 24th on the FLW Tour with two top 15s, including a win on Beaver Lake in April.

Arey owns and operates a guide business (http://www.rackandreeloutfitters.com) on Lakes Wylie and Norman with Bassmaster Elite Pro Andy Montgomery. In the off-season he enjoys bowhunting for whitetails and spending time with his wife Emily and daughter Reese.

The 2015 final field is made up of the top 15 anglers in 2014 Angler of the Year points from both the FLW and Bassmaster Elite Series. Other notable anglers include 2014 Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year, Greg Hackney, 2013 recipient and 2014 runner-up Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year Aaron Martens, and Andy Morgan, 2014 and 2013 FLW Tour Angler of the Year.

Along with the coveted title of TTBC Champion, the anglers will be battling it out for two additional awards: the Toyota Tundra Big Bass Award and the LEER Heavy Weight Award. The Toyota Tundra Big Bass Award is new to the 2015 event. The angler who catches the single heaviest fish from any of the three days of the competition will win a 2015 Toyota Tundra. The LEER Heavy Weight Award is awarded to the angler with the heaviest total weight of fish from any of the three days of the tournament will win a LEER truck cap.

Toyota Texas Bass Classic

May 23-25, 2015

Lake Fork

Sabine River Authority

www.toyotatexasbassclassic.com

by AnglersChannel

Southeast Rayovac Points Leader Living His Dream Of Being A Pro Angler

Mark Daniels Jr

Mark Daniels Jr. is sitting on top of the points in the Rayovac Series Southeast Division heading into the tournament on Lake Seminole, which starts Thursday, and he was spending Wednesday trying to figure out how to hold onto his slim 2-point lead over Trevor Fitzgerald of Belleview, Fla.

“I've had a really tough practice so far,” Daniels said late Tuesday evening. “I am not familiar with the lake; it's my first time here, so I am trying to figure it all out.”

Daniels, a transplanted Californian now living in Tuskegee, Ala., said the shallow water bite – fishing grass lines, throwing topwater and flipping shallow cover – was not panning out for him “like I would like it to. So, he planned to move deep Wednesday in search of some offshore fish.

Daniels, who won the TBF National Championship in 2013, is now “Living the Dream” of professional bass fishing. That win included the use of a wrapped Chevy Silverado and Ranger Boat, as well as entry fees into the 2014 FLW Tour season. 

He finished well down in the standings in 2014, but this year he already has a top 10 finish on the tour and he has two top 10s in Rayovac competition, finishing 4^th at Lake Okeechobee in January and 8^th at Lake Guntersville in March.

Once he had the opportunity become a pro angler, he jumped at it, leaving his job as a full-time Agriculture Biologist for Soloano County in California and moving to Tuskegee to try to earn a living fishing.

“I am now full-time fishing, living in Tuskegee, Ala., and getting adjusted to doing it full time,” Daniels said. “I was born and raised in the Bay Area and spent my entire life there except for five years going to school in Tuskegee.”

Daniels explained that his older sister, who now lives in Birmingham, graduated from Tuskegee University and convinced him to come there for college – a good choice, he said.

“I was not thinking about going to college at first, but she talked me into coming to Tuskegee. I was interested in environmental science and she just helped me along the way.”

Besides a college degree, which led to a good job, Daniels said he found something else very valuable in Tuskegee – his fiance.

“She lives in Tuskegee and knowing I would be on the road so much, it was just easier for her to have some family support while I was fishing,” he said. “Pro fishing is different, tough at times, being away from family. But it is an absolute dream for me, something I have been striving for as a child.”

Pros will fish for a top award of $40,000 plus a Ranger Z518C with a 200-horsepower Evinrude or Mercury outboard if Ranger Cup guidelines are met. Co-anglers will cast for a top award consisting of a Ranger Z117 with 90-horsepower Evinrude or Mercury outboard and $5,000 if Ranger Cup guidelines are met.

The Rayovac FLW Series consists of five divisions – Central, Northern, Southeast, Texas and Western. Each division consists of three tournaments and competitors will be vying for valuable points in each division that could earn them the opportunity to fish in the Rayovac FLW Series Championship. The 2015 Rayovac FLW Series Championship will be held Oct. 29-31 on the Ohio River in Paducah, Ky.

FLW Rayovac Series – Southeast #3

May 21-23, 2015

Lake Seminole

Bainbridge Boat Basin

www.flwoutdoors.com

by AnglersChannel

'ride The Tide' Key For Wolfson Hospital Tournament On St. John's River

“Just follow the moving water,” McCullough said. “The direction of the tide matters less than the fact that it is moving.”

And, he noted, “They are catching them a variety of ways right now.”

A good game plan, he said, would be to fish the eel grass with soft plastics like a Senko, a toad or a trick worm on points on the outgoing tide, adding that there should also be a good topwater bite over the eel grass. McCullough said the Strike Cane Rage Toad, the Gambler Cane Toad and the Storm Horny Toad are producing good limits of bass right now.

“We've got a new moon on Sunday so the water is going to move a lot. Once it starts going out on a nearly new moon it is really going to move,” he said. That, he added means numbers of fish will be caught on Saturday.

“Fishing is going to be good and a lot of fish are going to be caught,” McCullough said. “We've had a long, cold spring, but all of a sudden the last three or four days have been in the high 90s here. I think the fish will kick into a post spawn mode, if they have not already.”

Anglers can head north or south out of the Palatka City Docks and expect to catch good numbers of quality bass, he said.

“Both ends are on fire. You just need to stay with the moving tide.”

McCullough said the tournament annually draws more than 450 boats and the goal this year is to top 500 boats.

Billed as the second largest bass tournament in the nation, Wolfson Children's Hospital Bass Tournament has raised more than $2 million for the children's hospital. The Wolfson Children's Hospital Bass Tournament Endowment provides for the educational needs of patients and staff and supports equipment purchases for the hospital.

Wolfson Children’s Hospital Charity Bass Tournament

Sat, May 16, 2015

St Johns River

Palatka City Docks

(904) 360-4531

http://foundation.baptistjax.com/basstournament

by AnglersChannel

Find The Bluegills, Find The Bass In The Chattanooga Bass Association Tournament On Chickamauga Lake

“The post-spawn pattern for the bluegill is where the bass are right now,” Ferguson said. “They are just making a meal out of bluegills.”

Ferguson said several anglers in a tournament on the lake last weekend had bluegills in their live wells that had been regurgitated by bass they brought to the weigh-in.

“The Chickamauga is in several different phases right now. There is still a little bit of pre-spawn activity, we've got the spawn and post-spawn and we have some fish that have already migrated to the deep water areas. The deep water pattern is not necessarily the greatest right now, but there are still fish to be caught there.”

With all the patterns available and the bluegill pattern red hot right now, fishing should be really good for the tournament Saturday, Ferguson said. The only possible fly in the ointment is the weather, which may not cooperate, he noted.

“We are looking at some strong thunderstorms that are supposed to move through on Saturday, but we will just have to see how that comes out.”

No matter, the weather, he added, there will be some heavy bags of bass brought to the scales Saturday.

“There will be some people who will have fish and there will be some who struggle, but it will take 30 pounds to win the tournament,” Ferguson predicted.

Under the new CBA rules for 2015, the Alabama/Tennessee Rig is banned. No umbrella-type rigging, harness of other device designed to hold more than one lure at a time – with or without hooks – is allowed.

The CBA's 2015 schedule includes: May 16, June 6 (Night), June 27 (Day). July 11 (Day), July 25 (Night), Aug. 15 (Day), Aug. 29 (Night), Sept. 19 and Oct. 10, with the Classic Nov. 7-8.

Chattanooga Bass Association

Sat, May 16, 2015

Chickamauga Lake

Chester Frost Park

Call 423-593-3343

www.cbatournament.com

by AnglersChannel