Grass Fishing 101 Will Be The Key For Bassmaster Wild Card Anglers At Okeechobee
Marty Robinson will leave his home in Lyman, S.C., Saturday afternoon on his way to Lake Okeechobee to fish the Bassmaster Classic Wild Card Tournament next week, but he plans a very important stop Saturday evening in Columbia, S.C., before heading south to Florida.
“We are going to the Carolina-Clemson game in Columbia and when the game is over I'll probably head on down to Florida,” said Robinson, who is a big Gamecock fan. The University of South Carolina Gamecocks will be hosting the Clemson Tigers in Williams-Brice Stadium in the annual game that determines annual bragging rights for football fans in the Palmetto State.
The game, which will be telecast on ESPN2, with kickoff set for 7 p.m., has more at stake this year than just deciding the state championship. It has national implications, with Clemson ranked 6th and South Carolina 10th in the BCS standings. Bowl destinations and national rankings for both teams will be decided in Columbia Saturday night.
But, as soon as the final whistle blows Robinson will have much more than football on his mind. The Wild Card at Okeechobee is his last chance to qualify for the 2014 Bassmaster Classic.
The 2013 Bassmaster Classic Wild Card presented by Star Tron offers top Bassmaster Elite Series and Bassmaster Opens Series competitors one final shot at earning a berth in the 44th annual Bassmaster Classic, Feb. 21-23, 2014, in Birmingham, Ala., on Lake Guntersville.
“I made the Classic two years in a row before this year, so I am anxious about getting back to the Classic,” Robinson said. “I am ready to rebound.”
Robinson finished 29th in the Bassmaster Classic on the Red River in 2012, then finished 20th in the Classic on Grand Lake O' the Cherokees earlier this year, but his luck following the 2013 Classic did not hold up during the year. He finished far down in the standings in the Elite Series Angler of the year race.
But he believes he can rebound next week on Lake Okeechobee.
“I've had a good bit of experience on Lake Okeechobee and I've had some success there. I think I've cut a check about every time I've fished there,” he said. “My highest finish was probably 10th place in the Open a few years ago and I got a check when the Elite Series fished there last year.”
Fishing Okeechobee, he said, is “Grass Fishing 101.”
“You can do anything from swimming a jig or a swim bait around the grass and lily pads to punching a big 2-ounce weight through the mats. That's what you have to figure out when you get there.”
He plans to spend the three days or so of practice covering a lot of water in different areas of the lake.
“I'll be trying to figure out which area is producing the better fish. That always seems to be the key on Okeechobee. It seems like all the bigger bites come from one area or location. Once you figure out which area to fish, then you have to dissect it, slow down, pick it apart and see what the fish are keying on.”
Although he has never fished Okeechobee this late in the year, the Florida lakes, he noted, are not as susceptible to winter phases as the lakes back home in the Carolinas.
“I've never fished it this time of year, but I am sure that it does not fish a whole lot different than in January, February and March,” he said. “The good thing about it is that it will be warmer than it is up here in South Carolina. Hopefully, I can get down there and enjoy a little warmer weather and catch some good fish.”
Bassmaster Classic Wild Card Tournament
Dec 5-7, 2013
Lake Okeechobee
Chuck Chapel Tournament On Clarks Hill Benefits The Angel Tree Kids Christmas Program
With the 4th Annual Chuck Chapel Memorial Team Tournament coming up Saturday, Dec. 14, on Clarks Hill, the tournament could well top the $10,000 mark for money raised to support the Angel Tree Program of Journey Community Church in Evans, Ga.
“Last year we gave them $2,600 and it's been somewhere around that every year,” said organizer John Hair who operates The Tackle Shop on Columbia Road. “So far, we've raised between $7,000 and $8,000 for the Angel Tree Program.”
Hair explained that the tournament, which draws about 90 boats each year, was started to honor a local marine dealership owner who died suddenly a few years ago of a heart attack.
“Chuck Chapel owned Lakeside Marine and we decided to honor him by holding a tournament that gives to the Angel tree program through Journey Community Church here in Evans,” Hair said.
In The Angel Tree Program, tags featuring the first name of a child from a needy family, the child’s age, gender and gift wishes, are placed on Christmas trees at area Walmart stores, the Augusta Mall, CSRA Credit Union, the Kroc Center and Salvation Army Family Thrift Stores. Donors can pick a child and buy a gift for Christmas.
Hair said prizes provided by Zoom Bait Company, along with a big-screen television, will be raffled at the tournament, with all the money raised by the raffle going to The Angel Tree.
Originally scheduled for Dec. 7, the tournament was moved to Dec. 14, Hair said. Entry fee for the tournament, which will be held out of Wildwood Park, is $100 with a $10 optional Big Fish Pot. First place is guaranteed $5,000 and the payout will be divided to one every 10 boats, he said.
“We will have pre-registration here at The Tackle Shop (4009 Columbia Road, Martinez, Ga.) from 5 to 7 p.m., Dec. 10,” he noted.
“Fishing at Clarks Hill has been pretty good and we expect it to be that way for the tournament,” Hair said. “It too 22 pounds to win a tournament on the lake this past Saturday and right at 12 pounds just to get a check. The fish are starting to get in the ditches and there is a pretty good jig bite going on with a Green Fish Big Rubber Jig.
4th Annual Chuck Chapel Memorial Team Tournament
Sat, Dec 14, 2013
Clarks Hill Lake
Wildwood Park
Call John Hair at The Tackle Shop, (706) 432-8225
Points Race Tight As It Can Get For The Final Yadkin Fall Catt On High Rock
Marty and JT Stone won the last CATT Yadkin qualifier on High Rock!
The Carolina Anglers Team Trail final Yadkin fall qualifier will be held Saturday on High Rock Lake, with two teams separated by just one point in the standings.
“Toddy Haynes and Jeremy Talbert have moved into the points lead by one point ahead of Ronnie White and Randy Weddington,” said tournament director/owner Brett Collins. “Haynes and Talbert finished second Nov. 16 while White and Weddington finished third.”
But, Collins noted, the final qualifier Saturday is a double-points event so the tournament could turn into a shootout for the points title, with either of the top two teams claiming the championship or a team from down in the standings getting hot and shooting to the top.
“A team must enter two Yadkin Fall Qualifiers to be eligible to enter the Final,” Collins said. “So far we have 31 teams eligible, plus another 12 teams who have entered one tournament, so there is a good chance we will have over 40 teams qualified for the Final Dec 14th at High Rock.”
That would tie a big, bright bow on what has been a banner year for the CATT Trail on the Yadkin Chain, Collins said.
“In 2012 CATT paid back just over $27,000 on the Yadkin Trail but this year we will pay over $44,000 when we wrap up the Fall Trail.”
Based on the fishing so far this fall, anglers anticipate super fishing on High Rock for the final qualifier, Collins said.
“Fishing has just been fantastic on High Rock this fall. The average winning weight has been just a shade over 20 pounds,” he said. “Word is a small crankbait and jig will do the job Saturday. Fish are being caught anywhere from 1 foot to 5 feet on the main lake. The weather is going to be a lot warmer for this time of the year so look for more good bags to be weighed Saturday at Tamarac Marina on High Rock.”
Carolina Anglers Team Trail Yadkin Series
Sat, Dec 7, 2013
High Rock Lake
Tamarac Marina
Bassmaster Elite Series Field Set For 2014
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — The sport of professional bass fishing is very alive and well, judging from entries in the 2014 Bassmaster Elite Series, the world’s premier fishing tour.
When registration closed Tuesday, 112 anglers had signed up to compete in the nine-event, $6.3 million circuit. It’s the largest field since the inception of the Elite Series in 2006. Participation has hovered around 100 each year since 2008, when 109 anglers competed.
“The demand for the Elite Series has been incredible,” said Bassmaster Tournament Director Trip Weldon. “Not only is this the largest field we’ve ever had, but it may be the strongest. It’s loaded with talented, world-class anglers.”
B.A.S.S. CEO Bruce Akin noted that attrition in the Elite field was exceptionally low this year, and commitment rates from the qualifying circuit, the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Opens Series, were the highest ever.
“It speaks volumes about the importance and impact of the Elite Series that 96 out of 100 Elite anglers wanted to return this year, and that 14 of the 15 Opens qualifiers have accepted invitations,” Akin said.
In addition to the 110 anglers either remaining in the Elites or joining for the first time, two veteran Elite anglers are returning from hardship exemptions, raising the total to 112, Weldon said.
Although the 14 Opens qualifiers are technically considered “rookies” on the Elite tour, Weldon said that’s not an accurate description.
“Several of the newcomers have been standouts on other circuits,” he pointed out. “Randall Tharp, for example, won the FLW championship this year, and he has won three Bassmaster Opens in his career, including back-to-back victories in 2008.”
In addition to the new qualifiers, the 2014 field is studded with champions of the sport, including 11 former Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year winners and 11 Bassmaster Classic champions. Two-thirds of the competitors have won Bassmaster tournaments at some level. Led by Kevin VanDam with 20 wins, they have amassed a total of 248 victories.
Akin said the popularity of the Elites Series among professional anglers mirrors its popularity among fans. “We set new attendance records in 2013, when more than 125,000 fans attended Elite events,” he said. “We expect to build on that momentum in 2014 with great anglers, great locations and great fisheries.”
Forty-three of the Elite anglers will kick off the 2014 season by competing in the Bassmaster Classic Feb. 21-23 at Birmingham and Lake Guntersville, Ala. The entire field will compete in eight Bassmaster Elite Series events beginning with the opener March 13-16 on Lake Seminole, Ga., and including stops on the St. Johns River, Fla.; Table Rock Lake, Mo.; Toledo Bend Reservoir, La.; Lake Dardanelle, Ark.; Lake Chickamauga, Tenn.; the Delaware River, Pa.; and Cayuga Lake, N.Y. The Chickamauga event June 12-15 features a million dollar payout, and it’s part of a fan festival in Dayton, Tenn., billed as “BASSfest.”
The Elite season culminates with the Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year Championship tournament in which the Top 50 anglers in the points rankings will compete for a share of the $900,000 AOY purse.
Following are the 2014 Bassmaster Elite Series anglers. An asterisk after the listing denotes a newcomer to the Elite Series.
Tracy Adams, Wilkesboro, N.C.*
Casey Ashley, Donalds, S.C.
Scott Ashmore, Broken Arrow, Okla.
Joel Baker, Talala, Okla.*
Josh Bertrand, Gilbert, Ariz.
Tommy Biffle, Wagoner, Okla.
Glenn Browne, Ocala, Fla.*
Stephen Browning, Hot Springs, Ark.
Brandon Card, Caryville, Tenn.
Brent Chapman, Lake Quivira, Kan.
Hank Cherry, Maiden, N.C.
Jason Christie, Park Hill, Okla.
Rick Clunn, Ava, Mo.
Keith Combs, Huntington, Texas
John Crews, Salem, Va.
Cliff Crochet, Pierre Part, La.
Mark Davis, Mount Ida, Ark.
Ott DeFoe, Knoxville, Tenn.
Kurt Dove, Del Rio, Texas
Boyd Duckett, Guntersville, Ala.
James Elam, Tulsa, Okla.
Paul Elias, Laurel, Miss.
Edwin Evers, Talala, Okla.
Todd Faircloth, Jasper, Texas
Grant Goldbeck, Boerne, Texas
Shaw Grigsby Jr., Gainesville, Fla.
Greg Hackney, Gonzales, La.
Charlie Hartley, Grove City, Ohio
BJ Haseotes, Centerville, Mass.
Kevin Hawk, Guntersville, Ala.
Matt Herren, Trussville, Ala.
Kenyon Hill, Norman, Okla.
Brett Hite, Phoenix, Ariz.*
Davy Hite, Ninety Six, S.C.
Jamie Horton, Centreville, Ala.
Tim Horton, Muscle Shoals, Ala.
Randy Howell, Springville, Ala.
Michael Iaconelli, Pittsgrove, N.J.
Kelley Jaye, Dadeville, Ala.
Alton Jones, Lorena, Texas
Kelly Jordon, Palestine, Texas
Steve Kennedy, Auburn, Ala.
Mike Kernan, Wylie, Texas*
Kotaro Kiriyama, Moody, Ala.
Gary Klein, Weatherford, Texas
Jeff Kriet, Ardmore, Okla.
Bobby Lane, Lakeland, Fla.
Chris Lane, Guntersville, Ala.
Russ Lane, Prattville, Ala.
Kevin Ledoux, Choctaw, Okla.
Brandon Lester, Fayetteville, Tenn.*
Jared Lintner, Arroyo Grande, Calif.
Bill Lowen, Brookville, Ind.
Justin Lucas, Guntersville, Ala.*
Aaron Martens, Leeds, Ala.
Billy McCaghren, Mayflower, Ark.
Mike McClelland, Bella Vista, Ark.
Mark Menendez, Paducah, Ky.
Jared Miller, Norman, Okla.
Yusuke Miyazaki, Forney, Texas
Ish Monroe, Hughson, Calif.
Andy Montgomery, Blacksburg, S.C.
Chad Morgenthaler, Coulterville, Ill.*
Rick Morris, Virginia Beach, Va.
David Mullins, Mount Carmel, Tenn.*
John Murray, Phoenix, Ariz.
Britt Myers, Lake Wylie, S.C.
James Niggemeyer, Van, Texas
Takahiro Omori, Emory, Texas
Cliff Pace, Petal, Miss.
Brandon Palaniuk, Rathdrum, Idaho
Chad Pipkens, Holt, Mich.
Clifford Pirch, Payson, Ariz.
Keith Poche, Pike Road, Ala.
Pete Ponds, Madison, Miss.
Chip Porche, Bixby, Okla.
Jacob Powroznik, Prince Grove, Va.*
Cliff Prince, Palatka, Fla.
Matt Reed, Madisonville, Texas
Skeet Reese, Auburn, Calif.
Derek Remitz, Grant, Ala.
Marty Robinson, Lyman, S.C.
Dean Rojas, Lake Havasu City, Ariz.
Trevor Romans, Plano, Texas*
Scott Rook, Little Rock, Ark.
Fred Roumbanis, Bixby, Okla.
Zell Rowland, Montgomery, Texas
Bradley Roy, Lancaster, Ky.
Joseph Sancho, New Windsor, N.Y.*
Casey Scanlon, Shawnee Mission, Kan.
Bernie Schultz , Gainesville, Fla.
Terry Scroggins, San Mateo, Fla.
Morizo Shimizu, Osaka, Japan
Kevin Short, Mayflower, Ark.
Fletcher Shryock, New Philadelphia, Ohio
Michael Simonton, Fremont, Ohio
David Smith, Del City, Okla.
Brian Snowden, Reeds Spring, Mo.
Jeremy Starks, Scott Depot, W.Va.
Gerald Swindle, Warrior, Ala.
Randall Tharp, Port Saint Joe, Fla. *
Dennis Tietje, Roanoke, La.
J Todd Tucker, Moultrie, Ga.
Jonathon VanDam, Kalamazoo, Mich.
Kevin VanDam, Kalamazoo, Mich.
Byron Velvick, Boerne, Texas
Greg Vinson, Wetumpka, Ala.
David Walker, Sevierville, Tenn.
Nate Wellman, Newaygo, Mich.
Jason Williamson, Aiken, S.C.
Kenneth (Boo) Woods, Oneida, Ky. *
Chris Zaldain, San Jose, Calif.
2013 Bassmaster Elite Series Official Sponsors: Toyota, Bass Pro Shops, Berkley, Evan Williams Bourbon, Humminbird, Mercury, Minn Kota, Nitro Boats, Skeeter Boats, Triton Boats, Yamaha
2013 Bassmaster Elite Series Supporting Sponsors: Carhartt, Diet Mountain Dew, Livingston Lures, Lowrance, Luck-E-Strike, Power-Pole, Ramada, Shimano
2013 Bassmaster Elite Series Proud Partner: Mustang Survival
Wildcard Tourney Turns Out To Be Good Gamble For Pros Seeking Entry To Bassmaster Classic
While at Gary’s Tackle Box in Gainesville, FL the other day I visited with Patrick Pierce, Bernie Schultz, and Shaw Grigsby – 3 of the 49 pros competing in this week’s Bassmaster Classic Wildcard presented by Star Tron on Lake Okeechobee. Make that ‘3 of the Floridians in a field of 49 competitors’ who are fishing for the last spot in the 2014 Classic field.
There are more than a few Floridians in the field and most have extensive experience on the “Big O”.
One of the gripes circulating through Internet communities is that the tournament’s location at Okeechobee provides a heavy advantage for Sunshine-Staters.
Another complaint was a total payout of (only) $80,000 with an entry fee of $2,000.
With a maximum field size of 175, the payout doesn’t look very good on paper. Just getting there is expensive as Okeechobee isn’t on anybody’s way to anywhere. Heck, I live in Florida and the lake is over halfway to Cuba from my front door. I can get to Atlanta as quickly as Okeechobee.
And, among the field of 49, 13 are from Florida. Including Roland Martin. Might it be tough for out-of-staters to compete? Yes. But it will be tough for even the natives. And please, show me a lake where there would not be a home field advantage for somebody. At least this advantage is split between 13 different guys so nobody emerges as an outright favorite.
Now for the good news: Chris Lane, Bobby Lane and Terry Scroggins won’t be there. They already qualified for the Classic. That helps the guys who are fishing.
Also good news: only 49 pros took Bassmaster up on this offer to grab a spot in the Classic. The $80,000 prize structure still stands. The top 30 will still be paid. That’s over 60% of the field.
That prize structure makes the financial risk much more palatable, especially in the face of the potential reward. Most of the field will break even or make money as they fish for the much larger prize of Classic entry.
“Chris Bowes told me it was a fixed payout,” said Schultz. “I said ‘ok’ and hung up the phone. Then I sat there and said ‘what does that mean? What is a fixed payout?’ So I called Chris back and asked ‘what’s a fixed payout?”
Schultz learned that by ‘fixed payout’ Bowes meant the top 30 would share the $80,000 purse regardless of how many - or in this case, fortunately for the contestants – how few signed up to fish.
Some Floridians I like in this event would include :
Shaw Grigsby if the bass are bedding in any numbers and the weather cooperates in his favor.
Patrick Pierce is one of the best flippers you may not yet know of. But remember that name. Try not to get stuck fishing behind him. Pat doesn’t miss much. Ask me how I know.
Bernie Schultz is versatile and draws upon decades of experience with Florida bass. If the topwater bite is strong, so too will be his chances to win. I have watched him work magic with a Rapala X-Rap Prop.
We all know Roland Martin is practically fishing in his back yard. He won Bassmaster events on the big lake in 1980 and 1991.
Drew Benton of Panama City, FL won on the FLW Tour event in February of this year Okeechobee. I watched from the back deck of his Phoenix boat as Benton intercepted numerous 5-pounders from a wave of prespawn females. Many of the lake’s bass are heading towards bedding grounds as you read this.
Then there’s Cliff Prince from Palatka, FL. The Elite Series pro can flat out fish.
Oh, and while Bobby and Chris will sit this one out, there’s still a Lane fishing the Wildcard: their brother, Arnie Lane. Enough said?
Gary's Tackle Box - a Snap Shot of Main Street America
I was also proud to introduce my boy to Gary Simpson, the well known and well respected Central Florida tournament veteran who has forgotten more about catching bass than most of us will ever learn.
It's his name on the building and his expertise behind the counter. Want to know where they're biting, what they're biting? Gary can tell you. Need a rod or reel repaired or respooled with quality line? Gary's Tackle Box is a full service pro shop.
And today Gary's Tackle Box had Blue Water Bay cater a heck of a BBQ feast for all of us who would rather swap fishing stories with legendary anglers and film makers than fight shopping crowds at big stores.
We ate well. Kevin from Jethro Baits handed me a couple of interesting product samples that I'll tell y'all about later. And my boy won a door prize - a gallon bag stuffed with Zoom product.
So what has the cut rate online lure retailer done for you lately?
We had better keep Main Street America in business.
Garmin Rolls Out Tons of New Tech for Anglers
OLATHE, Kan./November 18, 2013/Business Wire – Garmin International Inc., a unit of Garmin Ltd. (NASDAQ: GRMN), the global leader in satellite navigation, today announced an exciting software update for the GPSMAP xs and echoMAP series of combination chartplotter and fishfinder units. With this update, new features are made available to all users, providing essential boating data and sharing capabilities.
“We’re happy to offer so many new capabilities to new and existing GPSMAP xs and echoMAP owners,” said Dan Bartel, vice president of worldwide sales. “This software update benefits boaters, anglers and sailors of all types and provides features that allow for a better, more integrated experience on the water. Anglers can utilize great new networking and sharing capabilities while the sailor can determine more pivotal sailing data when they need it the most.”
Garmin has added an array of features to the new GPSMAP xs combination product line. Most notably, the new series will now be able to share supplemental maps and user data such as waypoints, routes, and tracks. This update will also provide selected networking capabilities to select devices allowing the boater to share features with other GPSMAP xs combo units such as radar and DownVü and SideVü sonar via GCV™ 10. In addition to networking, these units also will support a newly designed, high-resolution sea surface temperature feature.
For sailing customers, the full series of new GPSMAP xs products will come with a brand new suite of sailing features. On initial setup, the unit can be configured specifically to meet the sailor’s needs. This unlocks easy-to-use features such as laylines, which guide the user when to tack and gybe. The sailing package also includes simultaneous heading and course lines, a new wind rose that shows true/apparent wind simultaneously, and new sailing data fields. In conjunction with the new gWind™ transducers, sailors will have the most pivotal sailing information at their fingertips.
Via software update, the echoMAP 50 and 70 series will now support 50kHz transducers, further expanding the functionality of these units to saltwater anglers. Support for BlueChart® g2 Vision® mapping is also now available for the echoMAP series, allowing for anglers and boaters to utilize auto guidance and many more features.
These free software updates will be available for the new GPSMAP 500 and 700 xs series and the echoMAP series in Q4 of 2013. The GPSMAP 800 and 1000 will receive these updates in Q1 of 2014. For more details, compatibility, and a full list of features, go tohttp://bit.ly/1hA989L.
Sportsman's Warehouse Holiday Shopping Showcase #2
Randy Hodge from Sportsman's Warehouse joins us with Black Friday SPECIALS to share some of the hottest HOME EMERGENCY PRODUCTS available online or at any Sportsman's Warehouse!!
Sportsman's Warehouse Holiday Shopping Showcase #1
Randy Hodge from Sportsman's Warehouse joins us with Black Friday around the corner to share some of the hottest HUNTING DEALS and PRODUCTS available online or at any Sportsman's Warehouse!!
Cantley & McEachern Win CATT Wateree Fall Final
Mark your calendars! April 26, 2014 Lake Wateree, SC CATT and Vengeance Tackle are teaming up and bringing you the 2014 CATAWBA CLASH! Raffles, Gift Packs, BONUS $, Calcutta plus a cook out at the Vengeance Tackle store. Top 10 places will be GUARANTEED! More detail coming in the next few weeks!
Lake Wateree has been of fire this year and Saturday was another example of some fine fishing on the Catawba River impoundment. We’ve seen several bass over 8 lbs this year plus the first 10 pounder we’ve seen weighed at a tournament held on Lake Wateree. Top 5 bass limit this past year was over 27 lbs. The shoreline grass has spread all over the lake and that may be a big reason for larger bass showing up at the weigh ins this year.
DJ McEachern and Shane Cantley brought in another one of those limits we’re talking about Saturday at Lake Wateree. Their best 5 weighed in at 21.02 lbs with a kicker 5.87 lb bass good enough for 2nd BF as well. All total they collected $1,851.00.
2nd went to Alan Fletcher and Danny Johnson with 5 bass weighing 20.05 lbs. They also took the BONUS $ pushing their total winning to $1,240.00.
3rd place weight was 19.32 lbs and that belonged to Donald Hinson and Jeff Hatfield. They received $465.00.
1st BF went to Tim and Craig Haven with a fat 5.87 lb bass worth $119.00.
Last CATT event on Lake Wateree for the 2013 season is the December 14th TOM CATT launching from Clearwater Cove Marina.
Brett Collins
Bass Anglers Will Need 'retro' Tactics During Lake Murray Winter Drawdown
A rare winter drawdown by the utility that manages Lake Murray means bass fishermen will have to resort to “retro” tactics this December, according to a veteran tournament angler.
S.C. Electric & Gas. Co., which generates power through the hydro operation at Lake Murray Dam, is drawing the lake down 8 feet . The drawdown began about a month ago and is scheduled to be at the desired level of 350 feet by December 1.
The lake will be maintained at that level until Jan. 1, 2014, after which it will be allowed to rise back to the normal high pool level of 358 feet.
In years past, periodic draw-downs to similar levels were conducted that allowed rain to “scour” shallow coves which greatly benefits water quality. The last draw-down such as this was conducted in 2006 when the lake level was lowered so improvements could be made to Lake Murray Dam.
“Our objective is to benefit the long term water quality of Lake Murray,” said Jim Landreth, vice president of South Carolina Electric & Gas’ Fossil and Hydro Plant Operations. “This method has proven effective in the past, but Mother Nature has not allowed us this type of drawdown for a while. The time has come for us to do it again.”
“An added benefit to the drawdown is that this will give lake residents and businesses roughly a month at the lower level to make dock repairs and shoreline improvements that are permitted by SCE&G’s Lake Murray Shoreline Management Plan,” Landreth said. “We encourage them to start planning now.”
The draw-down may also benefit certain fish species, according to SCDNR Fisheries Biologist Hal Beard.
“From a fisheries management standpoint, there is evidence that a winter drawdown of a reservoir may benefit certain shoreline spawning species, such as crappie, once the reservoir returns to full pool in the spring,” he said.
The drawdown will be especially beneficial to striped bass, said Richy Brensinger, president of the Midlands Striper Club, which participated in the recent federal re-licensing process for the 83-year-old hydro-power dam. Brensinger said one of the end effects of the lake level drop will be to improve oxygen levels in the lake, critical for striped bass which get crowded into small layers of oxygenated water in the lake during the hot summer months. Sometimes, when the fish get too crowded they exhaust the oxygen in the water, which can cause a die-off of stripers.
“We've been advocates of trying to reduce nutrient levels in the lake. The drawdown will help kill off weeds and other growth along the shore and when the lake is brought back up in January there will be less nutrients and oxygen levels should be higher,” he said. “From what I have been reading they plan on doing this every two years and that would be a definite help with the oxygen levels.”
The drawdown will also be beneficial to largemouth bass, said local tournament angler Doug Lown of Newberry, who said anglers this December will need to resort to winter fishing tactics used before the utility began keeping the lake level at higher winter levels several years ago.
“I don't think we will see the fish staying shallow in (November and) December like we have in the past few years when the water level was kept high,” Lown said.
“I used to never fish docks in the fall, but with the water staying higher in recent years the fish stayed shallow in the winter months and you could catch them around docks,” Lown said. “But if they are pulling the water down I don't think we will see the fish staying shallow this November, December and January like they have the last few years. They will probably relate more to the deeper drops, and secondary points close to deep water. That is typically what happened in the past with lower levels.”
Tactics will largely depend on the weather and how cold it gets, Lown said.
“Crankbaits, jigs and Shakey Head worms will come into play. If the water temprature stays in the 60s you might be able to catch some on buzzbaits, but usually we start getting some cold fronts in December,” he said. “The colder it gets the more the fish will get on vertical structure like steep drop-offs and the structure pretty much has to be rock this time of year,” Lown said.
The drawdown will also provide long-term benefits to bass, Lown said.
“For years the lake was drawn down regularly to 348 or 350 feet which kept the shallow areas clean. Silt was not allowed to accumulate, which is what is happening now,” Lown said.
Some shallow coves, he said, are silted in and have undesirable plant growth on the bottom, which makes it unusable for bass and unfishable for the anglers. Drawing the lake down, he said, will pull the silt out of those coves and expose the unwanted plants to sunlight, providing a cleaner environment for the fish when the lake fills up early next year.
“What they are doing is a good thing. I think it will help the fishery in terms of letting those shallow areas get cleaned out and provide better places for fish to spawn,” Lown said. “If we don't have periodic drawdowns there is an accumulation of silt and undesirable weed growth in the shallow areas. That makes the habitat undesirable for fish in those areas.”
“I think this will be better overall for the health of the lake,” he added.
Fishers Of Men Sc Upstate Holding Black Friday Open Team Tournament On Lake Keowee
The South Carolina Upstate Fishers of Men Open Team Tournament on Lake Keowee on Black Friday – Nov. 29, the day after Thanksgiving – serves two purposes, said tournament director Randy Morrison.
One, the tournament is used by the Upstate Division as a fundraiser to help pay expenses during the course of the tournament year, Morrison said.
“It also provides the opportunity for anglers who have never fished a larger trail to come and check us out before they fish an entire season and pay a membership,” Morrison said. “It's an open event with no membership fee and we invite those who fish to join Fishers of Men next year.”
There is also a third and larger purpose, not just for the Black Friday tournament, but for the Fishers of Men Tournament Trail, Morrison said.
“Fishers of Men is a Christian bass tournament trail. We are looking to bring the Gospel of Jesus Christ to anglers through fishing. We encourage families to participate and we invite everyone to come out and enjoy the day with us on Friday, Nov. 29.”
Morrison said the entry fee for the Black Friday tournament is $100 per team, with a 90 percent payback, and the big fish entry is $20 with 100 percent payback. One in five teams will be paid while the Big Fish will pay $12.50 a boat for first place and $7.50 a boat for second place.
“It's an open tournament so anybody can come and fish,” said Morrison who predicted good fishing for the tournament
“The colder it gets, the better the fishing gets on Keowee. I imagine the topwater bite will still be there. Some people I've talked to have also reported catching some pretty good largemouths back in the creeks.”
The 2014 Fishers of Men South Carolina Upstate will get underway Jan. 25 with a tournament on Lake Keowee, hosted by Marathon Pickens Church. The schedule also includes Feb. 22, Lake Greenwood; March 29, Lake Russell; April 19, Lake Hartwell, hosted by the Palmetto Boat Center; and May 31, Clarks Hill.
Fishers of Men South Carolina Upstate Black Friday Open Team Tournament
Friday, Nov. 29, 2013
Lake Keowee
Gap Hill Landing
Call Randy Morrison 864-630-6724
B.a.s.s. Giving Away Boat - Merry Christmas!
It might be difficult for Santa to squeeze a bass boat down the chimney, but with the Bassmaster Holiday Boat Giveaway, it won’t be necessary for St. Nick to face that obstacle. From now through Dec. 19, a Bassmaster.com sweepstakes is underway with a grand prize of a Triton X-17 boat with trailer, standard equipment and 60-horsepower Mercury motor.
“This is a great contest to celebrate the holiday season,” said Jim Sexton, vice president of digital for B.A.S.S. “And this boat is perfect for any angler, from the weekend warrior to the aspiring pro. Triton’s X-17 is aluminum, which makes it lightweight and manageable for small bodies of water. It’s also tough enough to take on the big fisheries.”
The allure of winning a versatile boat isn’t the only incentive the sweepstakes offers. Submitting an entry also makes bass fans eligible to score one of 185 instant-win prizes, including such items as a Minn Kota Talon shallow-water anchor, a Hummingbird 698ci HD SI, a Lowrance Elite 7 HDI, a GoPro camera, Costa sunglasses, a Duo Realis Lures prize pack and a Power-Pole prize pack.
“Since the Sweepstakes started on Nov. 11, we’ve already had 18 instant-win prize recipients, including a Power-Pole prize pack, a Yo-Zuri prize pack, an Evan Williams Bourbon prize pack, Berkley Trilene braid and a LiveTarget Frog Popper,” Sexton said. “A new and interesting element of the holiday giveaway is that it’s a ‘gift that keeps on giving.’ When you share the sweeps with friends on Facebook, for every friend who enters, the person who entered and shared receives another entry in the contest for the boat. The social media element increases the odds for those whose friends decide to participate.”
In 2013, B.A.S.S. has given away outstanding prizes, such as a 2014 Toyota Truck in the Toyota Fan Favorite All-Star Angler Sweepstakes and all-expenses paid fishing trips with Bassmaster Elite Series pros Skeet Reese, Mike Iaconelli and Gerald Swindle.
Participants can enter the Holiday Boat Giveaway daily by visiting Bassmaster.com.
AND if you don't win the Triton from B.A.S.S. just click over to the AnglersChannel.com Boats Page and pick out your own: https://anglerschannel.com/bass-boats
Recovering From Serious Injury, Dearal Rodgers Has Sights Set On 2014 Flw Tour
Dearal Rodgers suffered serious injuries in a fall through a roof in September
Dearal Rodgers had spent so much time walking on the roofs of buildings he never even thought about falling. But all it takes is one miss-step and the world can change in split second.
Rodgers, who owns an environmental business in Camden, S.C., with his wife, when he is not fishing bass tournaments, was doing an asbestos inspection in an old shop building in Spartanburg, S.C., on Friday, Sept. 13, when the roof caved in.
“I was on the roof of this building which was about 20 feet high when I fell through a skylight. The skylight, which was made of fiberglass, appeared to be stable, but it was not.”
The deteriorated fiberglass shattered and Rodgers tumbled 20 feet to the concrete. His pelvis was fractured in four places and his right wrist was broken. Luckily, his hard hat saved him from serious head injury.
Although he has endured two months of pain, Rodgers has maintained an upbeat outlook and he plans to rejoin the FLW Tour next year, although not at the level he had hoped.
“To fall 20 feet to concrete and to be able to walk and not be paralyzed is a miracle. The biggest thing is to get my stamina back. I am a long way now from having the energy to practice daylight to dark,” he said. “I would not even feel comfortable competing in a tournament at Lake Wateree right now. It takes a lot of energy to do that and I am not there yet.”
Rodgers, who won the FLW Tour Co-Angler of the Year Award in 2009 and the FLW Tour's Championship, the Forrest Wood Cup, as a Co-Angler in 2010, had planned to fish the 2014 FLW Tour Pro Division to try to qualify for the Forrest Wood Cup, which will be held on South Carolina's Lake Murray Aug. 14-17. He qualified for the Co-angler side in the Forrest Wood Cup the last time it was held on lake Murray in 2008.
Rodgers said his lack of stamina was the determining factor in the decision he made with his wife to fish the Co-Angler Division in 2014 instead of the Pro Division.
“I hated to do that, but the fact is I am just not going to be 100 percent physically. I didn't want to go out there if I could not compete at full health,” he said. “This way if I want to practice for a tournament I can and if I want to take a day to rest I can.”
Rodgers said he gets his drive to fish in spite of his physical problems from the time he spent rooming and practice fishing with Clay Dyer on the FLW Tour. Although Dyer was born without any lower limbs, no arm on the left side and a partial arm on the right, he never let those limitations dampen his determination or limit his competitive spirit in bass tournaments.
“I was in a wheelchair and unable to walk, but I had traveled with Clay for a year and seeing him do the things he did made me realize I could do anything I wanted to,” Rodgers said. “I feel like I can recover fully.”
While he continues to recover, Rodgers plans to keep on fishing as much as he is able and he even plans to take on some guide parties on Lake Wateree.
“I enjoy taking people fishing, but I will probably fish less myself than I used to when I was guiding before,” he said.
Meantime he gets on Lake Wateree as often as he can, hoping to set the hook in a keeper bass. And, Rodgers said, this is one of the best times in the entire year to catch a big Wateree bass.
“I am excited about how the fish have grown up in Lake Wateree the last few years and now through December is one of the best months to catch a really big bass,” said Rodgers, who attributed the growth spurt for bass to the proliferation of shoreline grass in the lake.
“The fish will be shallow and hopefully they will stay shallow. Sometimes, if a major cold front moves through, they stop biting, but they stay shallow. If it gets too cold they might slide off the ends of the docks to the deeper brush out in front of the docks.”
This time of year, he said, look for Wateree bass around rocks, in shoreline grass and under and around the myriad docks on the lake.
“The other thing to remember is that the fish will start grouping up this time of year, so whether I am fishing rocks or grass, if I catch a fish in that area I expect more to be there,” he said.
There is lingering pain and the body is not as agile as it was before the fall, but Rodgers says he will fish through the pain to reach his goal, but also because fishing is such a big part of his life..
“I plan to keep on fishing. I want to be out there every chance I get,” he said. “I know now that I will enjoy it even more and appreciate it more.”
For information on the tournament fishing career of Dearal Rodgers or to inquire about a guided bass fishing trip on Lake Wateree or other South Carolina lakes, check out his website: www.dearalrodgers.com.
Powers Swain Chevy Fishing Team Open Invitational Bass Tournament Results - Jordan Lake, Nc - Nov 10, 2013
On November 10, 2013 the Powers Swain Chevy Fishing Team Open Invitational Bass tournament was held. Teams participating in this tournament were the Powers Swain Chevy Fishing Team along with the Carolina Bassers of Harnett County, NC State Bass Pack and the Sandhills Bass Masters. The event was held on Jordan Lake, NC.
The Top Five Teams were:
1. Jeffrey Thomas from Broadway, NC who won with 19.80 lbs.
2. Tony Monaco from West End & Troy Short from Seven Lakes, NC with 16.64 lbs.
3. Hal Abshire from Cameron & Ethan Cox from West End, NC with 14.98 lbs.
4. Dave Murdock from Sanford & Tony Fofi from Spring Lake, NC with 14.29 lbs.
5. James Williams from Fayetteville & Bud Fowler from Aberdeen, NC with 13.88 lbs.
Big Fish honors went to the Team of Abshire & Cox with a 7.15 lb. Bass.
Second big fish went to the Team of Monaco & Short with a 6.75 lb. Bass.
In the picture with the Top Five, from left to right are: Jeffrey Thomas, Tony Monaco, Troy Short, Hal Abshire, Ethan Cox, Dave Murdock, Tony Fofi, James Williams & Bud Fowler.
Mid November Sportsman's Warehouse Report with Fishing Mgr Craig Baird
Sportsman's Warehouse Fishing Manager Craig Baird hooks up with us to talk a late fall/early winter pattern, plus a BONUS HUNTING UPDATE for those of you not on the water!
Wagner Wins Weekend Series National Championship
ATHENS, Ala. – Adam M. Wagner of Cookeville, Tenn., faced serious competition, but finished strong with a wire-to-wire victory in the 2013 Toyota Bassmaster Weekend Series National Championship tournament, presented by American Bass Anglers and held Nov. 6-9 on Old Hickory Lake.
Running out of Sanders Ferry Park, Wagner finished with a four-day total of 19 bass weighing 48.59 pounds. He beat his nearest competitor by a little more than half a pound with one fewer fish. He fished two creeks about 25 miles up the river from the landing, working a crankbait near shallow cover rocky or woody cover.
“I’ve fished this lake for more than 15 years, so I know it very well,” Wagner remarked. “I knew the fish would be in Martins and Bledsoe creeks up the river. If I had to do it all over again, I would have caught more on the first day. I want to thank my wife and my daughter for supporting me.”
Wagner opened the tournament strong by catching 17.34 pounds including a 5.81-pound kicker, the largest single-day bag of the event. He followed that with 15.09 pounds on Day 2, the third largest single-day bag of the tournament for 32.43 pounds. Delayed by three hours for fog on Day 3, Wagner brought in 7.06 pounds for a total of 39.49 pounds. He finished with a 9.10-pound effort on Day 4 to clinch the victory.
Thanks to American Bass Anglers for this report - Read more at http://www.americanbassanglers.com/BWS/newsdetails.php?news_id=1059
Pure Fishing Recognizes The Top 12 Cabela's School Of The Year Teams
Pure Fishing, one of the world's largest tackle manufacturers of industry leading brands, is a division of the Jarden Corporation® (JAH) and has been a partner of the Association of Collegiate Anglers since 2008. This partnership has resulted in hundreds of thousands of dollars in direct support of collegiate anglers and clubs and 2013/2014 will be a continuation of such strong programs.
"We are proud of the partnership that has been forged between ACA and Pure Fishing over the past 6 years", stated Andrew Marks, Pure Fishing Marketing Director. "The opportunity to connect with the anglers and school clubs has helped us find great candidates for positions in our company along with working with them on product development and other exciting programs. It is exciting to witness the incredible growth of college bass fishing and offer programs that truly support not only the anglers, but also the programs that allow them to fish competitively".
As part of the sponsorship, each team in the top twelve of the 2013 Cabela's ACA School of the Year standings will have an opportunity to be rewarded with up to four positions on the 2013 Pure Fishing Collegiate Pro Staff program, valued at $1,000 each.
The Top 12 from 2013 includes:
- University of Louisiana Monroe
- University of North Alabama
- Bethel University
- Murray State University
- Georgetown College
- Arkansas Tech University
- North Carolina State
- Dallas Baptist University
- University of Arkansas
- University of Tennessee Martin\
- Clemson University
- Eastern Kentucky University
The Association of Collegiate Anglers, in conjunction with Pure Fishing, will be facilitating the selection and approval process for eligible teams. Students and/or advisors of each of these programs will be notified in the coming days of the full program details and requirements for the 2013 Pure Fishing Collegiate Pro Staff program. Those with questions in advance of the roll-out may email [email protected].
"Thanks to Pure Fishing's continued support, several dozen anglers will be hitting the water in 2014 backed by an industry leader and using some of the best equipment available, "said ACA Co-founder, Wade Middleton. The fact that someone will also earn a paid internship courtesy of the Fenwick Earn Your Wings program illustrates how committed Pure Fishing is to collegiate anglers. We are proud to call them a partner of the ACA and look forward to helping with these programs again this year."
"Earn Your Wings", a Fenwick-exclusive program, rewards twenty collegiate anglers selected by Fenwick staff as part of a national callout. Collegiate anglers had to submit an online application highlighting their academic performance, extracurricular activities, leadership skills, and overall fishing tournament participation. Each of the chosen Fenwick collegiate anglers will receive a healthy product stipend while displaying Fenwick logos on clothing and boats. All Fenwick anglers will be providing photo and video content throughout the year that will later be used on the Fenwick website and Facebook page, and digital and print advertising.
In May 2014, the top three anglers of the group will participate in a phone interview process for the internship position. The paid internship will consist of marketing duties as well as product development for the Fenwick brand. This one lucky angler, turned intern, will also have a heavy presence developing material for digital outlets for Fenwick.
Full Earn Your Wings program details can be found here, and winners will be announced via the Association of Collegiate Anglers andwww.CollegiateBassChampionship.com on November 10, 2013.
In addition to these ACA programs, Pure Fishing will also continue their collegiate discount purchase program, which is available to collegiate anglers everywhere. Student anglers fishing at least one major event in 2014 with College B.A.S.S., FLW College Fishing, or the ACA are eligible for product purchase discounts across all Pure Fishing Brands. To obtain the Pure Fishing discount, student anglers must email Roxanne Coleman at [email protected] from their school email address.
Sc Tbf Championship On Lake Greenwood To Fill State Team Slots For Southern Divisional
Calvin Hewitt won the last Greenwood tournament with 16.87 lbs.
Anglers in The Bass Federation of South Carolina Championship on Lake Greenwood Saturday, Nov. 16, will not only be fishing to win, some will be fishing for a spot on the Twelve-Man Team that will represent South Carolina in the TBF Southern Divisional on Alabama's Lake Neeley Henry next June.
Four of the six slots on both the Boater and Co-Angler Teams have already been settled through the points standings, said SC TBF President Rich Gerken. The highest placing boater at the S.C. Championship and the highest placing non-boater will join the State Team, along with the next placing angler in both divisions.
The points champions in both divisions have already been decided in six qualifying tournaments held on various lakes in South Carolina this year. Davey Thomas of the Palmetto One Bass Club is the Boater Champion and Jeff Rikard, also representing Palmetto One Bass Club, is the Co-Angler Champion.
Heading into the State Championship, Thomas is joined by Robert Rikard, David Kneece and Nelson Walker, all of the Lexington County Bass Club, on the Boater Team while Rikard is joined by Nathan Nienhius, Jasper Hodge and Preston Rikard, also all of the Lexington County Bass Club, on the Co-Angler Team.
“The points champions win money all along during the regular season,” said Gerken, “and then when they go on to the Southern Divisional that's where the money really starts to kick in.”
The South Carolina TBF Team will be fishing against six other state teams in the Southern Divisional, including Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, Kentucky and North Carolina.
Fishing in the S.C. Championship on Lake Greenwood could be a little tough, unless the fish move towards a winter pattern a little faster. Gerken practiced on the lake this week and found fishing a little slow.
“They have not transitioned yet. The water temperature is 65 degrees and the fish are starting to stack up in the mouths of the creeks. But they are not all the way back yet. They have not moved in real shallow, but they are not out deep like they were.”
The 2014 SC TBF Season will kick off Feb. 1 with a tournament on Lake Murray, out of Dreher Island State Park, followed by tournaments March 15, Santee Cooper, out of John C. Land Landing; April 5, Lake Greenwood, out of the Dam Ramp; May 3, Clarks Hill, out of Dorn Ramp; June 21, Lake Wateree, out of Wateree State Park; Sept. 13, Lake Murray, out of Dreher Island; and Oct. 18-19, Santee Cooper, out of John C. Land Landing. The 2014 SC TBF Championship will be held at a date and on a lake to be determined.
The BASS FEDERATION of SC Championship
Sat, Nov 16, 2013
Lake Greenwood
Dam Ramp
Call Rich Gerken - President - (201) 772-6401 (cell)
Yadkin Catt Series On A High Roll At High Rock This Fall
Jackie Reilly and Randy Weddington won the last CATT Yadkin tourney
Heading into the 4th of 6 qualifying tournaments in the Carolina Anglers Team Trail Yadkin Series this Saturday on High Rock Lake, the Yadkin Trail is running far ahead of 2012, said tournament director Brett Collins.
“In 2012 the CATT Yadkin Series paid back, just over $27,000 for the entire year,” Collins said. “The 2013 Yadkin Spring Trail paid back over $25,000, so we have already surpassed the 2012 total. So far this fall 1st place alone has averaged taking home just over $1,000 and we still have several qualifiers left before the Dec. 14 Final on High Rock.”
Collins said the trail has added several new teams this year and he expects to add even more in the coming weeks, which also boosts the payback at tournaments. Trail membership costs $30 per person and the entry fee for every qualifying tournament is $80 per team, with a $25 side pot at each event. The entry for the final will be $120 per team, he said.
“Randy Weddington and Jackie Reilly lead the points so far after three High Rock Qualifiers,” Collins said. Fishing with another partner, Weddington had finished of 6th place Oct. 6 and 8th place Oct. 19.
Wedddington and Reilly took first place this past Saturday at High Rock with a nice sack. Their 5 bass weighed 18.45 pounds, giving them the win and the BONUS $. Add in the First Big Fish at 5.65 pounds and all total they took home $1,158, Collins said.
“Fishing has been very good on High Rock this fall,” Collins said. “Several teams are catching limits each tournament and the first place weight has been in the 18-pounds area every tournament.”
Collins said most of the fish reportedly are being caught flipping and on crankbaits.
“Fishing should continue to be very good as long as the water temperatures stay in the low 60s,” he said.
“The 2014 Yadkin Trail schedule is being completed and will be posted on the CAATT website soon,” Collins added.
CATT operates tournaments on the following lakes in North and South Carolina: Wateree, Wylie, Murray, Santee Cooper, Waccamaw River, Savannah River, Robinson, Hartwell, Monticello, Norman, High Rock, Badin, Tillery, Jordan, Harris, Falls, Lake Sutton, and Kerr Lake. Next year CATT will add Russell, Keowee, Gaston and the Cape Fear River.
Carolina Anglers Team Trail Yadkin Series
Sat, Nov 9, 2013
High Rock Lake
Tamarac Marina
Call Brett Collins 803-413-7521
Lake Keowee Spotted Bass In A Feeding Frenzy To Bulk Up For Winter
This time of year on Keowee you can fish just about anyway and anywhere you want to on Keowee Lake and catch fish, according to veteran bass guide Brad Fowler of Pendleton.
“I've been fishing mostly on Keowee lately and the bass are pretty much in a feeding frenzy this time of year. They are feeding up for the winter and you can find them from 15 feet out to 80 feet deep, and on top. Pretty much everything is going on this time of year,” he said.
“Last year at this time and this year, too, I am catching fish in the creeks and also out on the main lake. It is almost like you can go anywhere you want and catch fish. I don't know that any one place is better than the other. It's kind of equal,” he said.
That is not to say that it is still fishing, not just catching, Fowler noted.
“They are moving a lot and that is one issue this time of year. They are feeding, but they are still on the move. Where the bait goes the bass go. They are mostly chasing shad.”
While there are some blueback herring in Keowee, most of them are concentrated in the warmer water around the nuclear plant and up near Jocassee Dam at the head of the lake, he said.
And, while there is a largemouth bass population in the lake, the dominate species is spotted bass, he added,.
“I sometimes catch a rare largemouth. Even this fall, I don't think I've seen but one largemouth in the last four trips to Keowee. Oddly enough, it was out deep. It was in about 50 feet of water when I caught it.”
The best way to find the feeding spotted bass, he said, is to just get into an area, throw a topwater bait, and see what is going on there.
“If you can find the bait the fish will be right there with them this time of year,” he said. “You can be catching fish on a drop-shot rig and all of a sudden there will be fish schooling out beside you. Most of the schooling is out over the deep water. Most of the fish, when they are up on the surface chasing bait this time of year, are over 30, 40 maybe 50 feet of water.”
The key is to remember the fish are feeding on threadfin shad and this time of year the shad are small, so bait selection should be for smaller lures, Fowler noted.
“When you are throwing a topwater lure it needs to be real small stuff. This time of year when they are feeding on the small baitfish they are usually pretty finicky. If you get into schooling fish and throw a big Zara Spook you are probably not going to get bit,” he said. “Throw really small stuff, like a very small Sammie. I catch a lot of fish on a little Spook and a Fluke Junior. You can use a Scrounger head when fishing down or a Blade Runner, just running it under the surface.”
While the bass school on Keowee all winter long, when the temperatures drop into the low 50s the schooling slows and becomes more sporadic. Thanksgiving usually is the turning point when the spotted bass in Lake Keowee go into their winter pattern and seek refuge in deeper water in the creek channels and depressions, Fowler said.
“Once the water temperature starts dropping into the low 50s the baitfish go deeper and the bass are more likely to run them down to the bottom rather than run them up so there is only occasional schooling on top,” he said.
“When they are deep, you kind of figure that the colder it gets the closer to the bottom the fish will be. That is when the drop-shot, Shakey Head, doodling a little finesse worm and jigging a spoon come into play.”
But, even when the temperature dips down below 40 degrees the fish don't ever completely shut down, Fowler said.
Fowler operates the Fowler Fishing Guide Service on Lakes Hartwell and Keowee. You can check out his guide service at: www.fowlerfishing.com. To book a fishing trip, call him at (864) 934-5813 or email: [email protected]
RANGER BOATS LAUNCHES REDESIGNED MYDREAMRIG.COM
Ranger Boats, in a joint effort with BRP’s Evinrude outboard engines, announces the launch of the completely redesigned MyDreamRig.com, a website built to showcase the very best of the “dream rig” concept.
Highlighting three models making their debut in 2014 as well as a selection from Ranger’s critically acclaimed Aluminum Series, MyDreamRig.com gives boat buyers the most detailed look available online at what makes a “dream rig.” On the interactive and intuitively designed site visitors can review the performance, features and quality construction that make the new Ranger Z521C Comanche, Z119C, 1880 Angler and RT188 Aluminum models the best models in their class.
Through detailed photography and information overlays, prospective boat buyers can peek into rod lockers and inspect trailer frames to see what makes these perfectly designed, feature-rich fishing machines the choice of the world’s most discriminating anglers. Visitors can see available color packages, look at standard equipment and check popular accessories to truly customize their own dream rig.
MyDreamRig.com also offers visitors an exciting opportunity to experience the new Evinrude outboards, with horsepower selections paired specifically with each featured Ranger boat model. Featuring redesigned graphics on the cowling and a host of performance- and ownership-enhancing features, the Evinrude E-TEC is highlighted to give the most in-depth look at Evinrude’s ultimate outboard.
MyDreamRig.com also offers insight from the industry’s most respected fishing pros, boating writers and customers with product reviews, videos, performance bulletins and other pertinent information that will equip boat buyers with the information they want as they prepare to purchase their next dream rig. With a wealth of information, MyDreamRig.com turns dreams into reality for anglers and boaters across the country.
For more information, visit www.MyDreamRig.com.
Piedmont Bass Classics 'End Of Year' Bass Trail Championship Results - Jordan Lake - Nov 2, 2013
Jay Garrard & Mark Herndon, veteran PBC anglers, took 1st place honors with 5 bass weighing 19.81 lbs., 1st place TWT, 1st place big fish and won the Points Championship, bringing their total winnings to $2,806.
Tony Woodard & Scott Smith won 2nd place (14.33 lbs.) & 2nd TWT taking home $720!!
50 fish were weighed in for a total weight of 134 pounds. Big fish for the day was 7.79 lbs. with a 5.21 coming in at 2nd. The quality fish were caught from 8 to 10 feet of water on a variety of baits including crankbaits, spinnerbaits, finesse worms, and c-rigs for the most part. Crankbaits seemed to be the ticket for the winning team. Water temps were around 69 degrees.
This was our final tournament for 2013 and what a year it was! We have the best anglers in the area and I want to thank all of them and all our great sponsors for supporting this great trail. The 2014 schedule is now posted on our website and entry information will be available soon. All the information on our tournaments can be found at: www.piedmontbassclassics.com
Now here are the full results:
1st Place: Jay Garrard & Mark Herndon of Durham & Bahama...5 bass...19.81 lbs...$2,050
2nd Place: Tony Woodard & Scott Smith of Four Oaks & Apex...5 bass...14.33 lbs...$600
3rd Place: Lonnie Whitfield & Phillip Smith of Burlington & Mebane...5 bass...14.30 lbs...$360
4th Place: Dennis Reedy & Tommy Marrow of Siler City & Oxford...5 bass...13.78 lbs...$240
1st Place Big Fish..1st Place Team above...7.79 lbs...$196
2nd Place Big Fish..Phillip Johnson & Gene McCree of Durham...5.21 lbs...$84
1st Place TWT..1st Place Team above...19.81 lbs...$280
2nd Place TWT..2nd Place Team above: 14.33 lbs...$120
Points Winners..1st Place Team Above...$280
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
Special Olympics North Shelby School Tournament Results - Lake Norman - Nov 2, 2013
Jason Wilson and Kelly Logan came away with the win in the Special Olympics North Shelby School Bass Tournament on Lake Norman November 2, 2013. They caught 5 bass that weighed 12.66 lbs, including a Big Fish of 6.37 lbs...the biggest of the day by far! Preston and Stanton Harris came in a very close 2nd Place with 12.49 lbs. Their big fish was 3.96 lbs.
Chris Marshall and Timmy Osteen, fishing out of a Ranger, finished in 3rd Place with 12.02 lbs and a 4.70 lb Big Fish. Pete Bejte and Doug Easton took 4th Place with 11.96 lbs and a 4.51 lb Big Fish. Rounding out the Top 5 were Kenneth Stamey and Jerry Lineberger who caught 11.78 lbs, including a 3.82 lb Big Fish.
CLICK THE LINK FOR COMPLETE RESULTS!!
Jimmy Johnson Memorial Tournament Set for Nov. 16 on Rayburn
Jimmy Johnson of Gando, Texas was shot and killed by 17 year old Shaun Brown outside a Mississippi hotel room prior to the start of the Bassmaster Central Open on Ross Barnett Reservoir last month. Brown is charged with capital murder.
Meanwhile, in East Texas anglers have organized a tournament to support Johnson's family.
They will take to the waters of Sam Rayburn Reservoir on Saturday, November 16th out of Jackson Hill Marina in Broaddus, Texas.
Entry fees: $50 per team or $25 per individual. Registration begins at 5 a.m. Weigh in at 3 p.m.
For more details or to register early contact Scott Burns (936) 215-0652 or Terry at Jackson Hill Marina (936) 872-9266 or email [email protected].
Chambers and McClain win Tom's Marine Team Trail Championship on Douglas-Full Resutls Here!
Bobby Chambers and Justin McClain Rally to win Classic
November 2nd and 3rd brought the Toms Marine Team Trail Classic take place. Saturdays day 1 took place on Cherokee Lake where Robby Cardwell and Kelley Millsaps caught 17.89-pounds to take the day one lead over Billy Nash and Butch Goddard with 16.78-pounds. In all 7 of the 85 teams fishing the classic had over 15-pounds and all felt they had a chance. Day two on Douglas saw some big changes on the leader board as four different teams caught over 19-pounds and none of them were in the top 15 on day 1. In the end the biggest bag of the tournament of 21.95-pounds was brought to the scales by the team of Bobby Chambers and Justin McClain who had finished day one in 23rd place with 12.97-pounds.Their two day weight of 34.92-pounds gave them the victory! Bobby and Justin won a new 2014 Ranger Z119C with a 200hp Mercury Engine. Danny Garber and Rick Diamond brought 19.71-pounds to the scales for a 2-day total of 33.61-pounds to move from 16th to 2nd and win $3000. Another nice jump was made by Steve and Benny Neal who moved from 18th to 3rd and won $2000 with a total 2-day weight of 32.83-pounds. Bryant and Mark Ailor fnished 4th and won $900 with a total weight of 32.81-pounds. Rounding out the top 5 and winning $800 was the team of Bill Nash and Butch Goddard with 30.81-pounds. Complete results, photos and points are posted on the Toms Marine web site at http://www.tomsmarinetn.com .
Toms Marine Team Trail Champs Celebrate their big win!
Toms Marine would like to thank everyone who participated this year and helped make this trail the great success it is and we look forward to seeing you back in 2014!
Top 20 (complete results on web site)
| Total | Total | Day 1 | Day 2 | ||||
| Finish | Team Members | Fish | Weight | Weight | Weight | Winnings | Comments |
| 1 | Bobby Chambers / Justin McClain | 10 | 34.92 | 12.97 | 21.95 | Boat + $300 | lunker |
| 2 | Danny Garber / Rick Diamond | 10 | 33.61 | 13.9 | 19.71 | $3,000 | |
| 3 | Steve Neal / Benny Neal | 10 | 32.83 | 13.43 | 19.4 | $2,000 | |
| 4 | Bryant Ailor / Mark Ailor | 10 | 32.81 | 16.64 | 16.17 | $900 | |
| 5 | Billy Nash / Butch Goddard | 10 | 32.67 | 16.78 | 15.89 | $800 | |
| 6 | Robby Cardwell / Kelley Millsaps | 10 | 30.81 | 17.89 | 12.92 | $1,000 | lunker |
| 7 | George Brock / JJ Collins | 10 | 30.57 | 14.08 | 16.49 | $600 | |
| 8 | Matt Coughlin / Bob Coughlin | 10 | 29.91 | 12.44 | 17.47 | $500 | |
| 9 | Chad Waddell / Rodney Craddock | 9 | 28.77 | 12.83 | 15.94 | $700 | lunker |
| 10 | Ron Hyatt / James Frady | 10 | 28.7 | 14.28 | 14.42 | $300 | |
| 11 | Steve Gibson / Tim Smiley | 10 | 28.43 | 15.52 | 12.91 | $280 | |
| 12 | Daniel Aldridge / Jimmy Clark | 10 | 28.25 | 11.72 | 16.53 | $240 | |
| 13 | Mark Shipe / Keith Walker | 10 | 28.02 | 16.58 | 11.44 | $200 | |
| 14 | Kenneth Helton / Lance Helton | 10 | 28.01 | 12.57 | 15.44 | $200 | |
| 15 | Randy Brown / Greg Burrell | 10 | 27.33 | 13.32 | 14.01 | ||
| 16 | Gary Ownby / Cory Ownby | 7 | 26.3 | 5.72 | 20.58 | ||
| 17 | Marlin McComas / Charles Singleton | 10 | 26.06 | 14.51 | 11.55 | ||
| 18 | Jamie Goodin / Scott Huddleston | 10 | 25.92 | 10.94 | 14.98 | ||
| 19 | Gary Pilkenton / Denny Turner | 10 | 25.69 | 9.58 | 16.11 | ||
| 20 | Dustin Hyatt / Dalton Hyatt | 10 | 25.53 | 12.44 | 13.09 | ||
2014 Classic Field Is Nearly Filled
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — It’s an often heard refrain among bass anglers: “I’ve dreamed of going to the Bassmaster Classic since I was a kid.” Only a select group achieve the objective of seeing their names on the roster for the 2014 Bassmaster Classic, but with the field for the world championship of bass fishing close to completion, many of those anglers rest easy knowing they’ve made it.
Already 54 of the eventual 56 competitors — from Classic rookies to former Classic champs — have been determined and will compete for a share of a purse worth $1 million in Birmingham, Ala., B.A.S.S.’s headquarters. Fishing will take place on Lake Guntersville, Feb. 21-23, and weigh-ins will be held at the Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center.
Remaining to be determined are qualifiers from the Toyota Bassmaster Weekend Series and the inaugural Bassmaster Classic Wild Card tournament on Lake Okeechobee.
The Top 50 Weekend Series anglers will compete on Old Hickory Lake in Hendersonville, Tenn., Nov. 6-9. The anglers will be vying for prize money and the Classic berth that goes to the champion. At the Wild Card, Dec. 5-7, Elite Series and Opens anglers have one final shot at earning their way into the Classic.
Alabama has been home to the Bassmaster Classic 11 times since 1974, and Birmingham has been the site of the Classic weigh-in six times.
Of the 54 anglers already qualified for the Super Bowl of bass fishing, six earned their spots through the B.A.S.S. Nation Championship. Eight competitors qualified through the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Opens, and eight took their slots by winning Bassmaster Elite Series tournaments.
Others in the field earned their spots by consistently performing throughout the Bassmaster Elite Series season and accruing Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year points. Aaron Martens of Leeds, Ala., ended the season at the top in points and won the coveted Angler of the Year trophy. Cliff Pace, last year’s Classic champion, automatically qualified to defend his title but also earned his way through points.
As for the anglers who are “in,” here are a few interesting facts:
• Alabama leads the way with nine qualifiers. Texas has six, and Oklahoma has five. It’s the seventh year in a row that Alabama has sent the most anglers to the Classic or tied for that distinction. Since the championship’s inaugural event in 1971, Texas has qualified the most anglers with 295.
• Arkansas is the only state to qualify at least one angler for the Classic every year. This time, 1995 Classic champ Mark Davis, Stephen Browning and Doug Thompson will represent the Natural State.
• Gary Klein has the most experience of anyone in the field. He'll be competing in his 30th championship. Only four-time Classic champ Rick Clunn has fished more (32).
• There are eight former Classic champions in the 2014 field, including Mark Davis (1995), Alton Jones (2008), Michael Iaconelli (2003), Chris Lane (2012), Cliff Pace (2013), Takahiro Omori (2004), Skeet Reese (2009) and Kevin VanDam (2001, 2005, 2010 and 2011). Between them, they’ve won 11 world championships.
• There are eight former Toyota Bassmaster Anglers of the Year in the 2014 Classic field, including Brent Chapman (2012), Mark Davis (1995, 1998 and 2001), Michael Iaconelli (2006), Gary Klein (1989 and 1993), Aaron Martens (2005 and 2013), Skeet Reese (2007), Gerald Swindle (2004) and Kevin VanDam (1992, 1996, 1999, 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011). Between them, they’ve won 18 AOY titles.
• With 56 anglers, the 2014 Classic will feature the second largest field in championship history. In 2003, there were 61 anglers in the Classic.
Classic qualifiers will vie for a first-place payday of $300,000, the most coveted trophy in sportfishing and a piece of bass fishing immortality. For more details on the Classic field, visitBassmaster.com.
2014 Classic qualifiers and their qualification routes are:
Defending Bassmaster Classic Champion
Cliff Pace of Petal, Miss.
Bassmaster Elite Series Champions
Todd Faircloth of Jasper, Texas
Keith Combs of Huntington, Texas
Jason Christie of Park Hill, Okla.
Skeet Reese of Auburn, Calif.
Edwin Evers of Talala, Okla.
Tommy Biffle of Wagoner, Okla.
Brandon Palaniuk of Rathdrum, Idaho
Chris Lane of Guntersville, Ala.
Bassmaster Opens Series Champions
Richard Howes of Oviedo, Fla.
Patrick Bone of Cleveland, Ga.
David Kilgore of Jasper, Ala.
Stephen Browning of Hot Springs, Ark.
Chris Jones of Bokoshe, Okla.
Randall Tharp of Port St. Joe, Fla.
Randy Howell of Springville, Ala.
Michael Iaconelli of Pittsgrove, N.J.
B.A.S.S. Nation Champions
Jeff Lugar of McGaheysville, Va.
Coby Carden of Shelby, Ala.
Mark Dove of North Vernon, Ind.
Paul Mueller of Southbury, Ct.
Doug Thompson of Mabelvale, Ark.
Tim Johnston of Kalispell, Mont.
Bassmaster College Champion
Jordan Lee of Auburn, Ala.
Bassmaster Angler of the Year Points Rank
Aaron Martens of Leeds, Ala., Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year
Kevin VanDam of Kalamazoo, Mich.
Bobby Lane of Lakeland, Fla.
Alton Jones of Lorena, Texas
John Crews of Salem, Va.
Chris Zaldain of San Jose, Calif.
Cliff Crochet of Pierre Part, La.
Ish Monroe of Hughson, Calif.
Ott DeFoe of Knoxville, Tenn.
Hank Cherry of Maiden, N.C.
Greg Vinson of Wetumpka, Ala.
John Murray of Phoenix, Ariz.
Brent Chapman of Lake Quivira, Kan.
Terry Scroggins of San Mateo, Fla.
Steve Kennedy of Auburn, Ala.
Yusuke Miyazaki of Forney, Texas
Jonathon VanDam of Kalamazoo, Mich.
Gerald Swindle of Warrior, Ala.
Dean Rojas of Lake Havasu City, Ariz.
Takahiro Omori of Emory, Texas
Rick Morris of Virginia Beach, Va.
David Walker of Sevierville, Tenn.
Cliff Pirch of Payson, Ariz.
Morizo Shimizu of Osaka, Japan
Mark Davis of Mount Ida, Ark.
Casey Ashley of Donalds, S.C.
Gary Klein of Weatherford, Texas
Josh Bertrand of Gilbert, Ariz.
Bill Lowen of Brookville, Ind.
Fred Roumbanis of Bixby, Okla.
Opens Pro Trevor Fitzgerald Boat-Flips a 5-pounder . . . with a spinning rod
Would you boat flip a 5-pounder with a spinning rod? Bassmaster Open Pro Trevor Fitzgerald did. On camera. Check out the video link above. Then check out Fitzgerald Rods at http://www.fitzgeraldrods.com/ - Senko fishing just got a little cooler!
Fitzgerald incorporates the new Microwave guides, said to add distance and accuracy, in his spinning rods.
Not trying to plug the rod or the guides, but this is a fun video to watch - a good angler in action on Lake Okeechobee.
Mobley wins MLF-Style tourney on Florida's St Johns River
Mobley caugth 13 bass, for a total weight of 30 pounds, 3 ounces. He easily outpaced his nearest competitor, David Burch who piled up 18 pounds, 5 ounces of St Johns River bass.
Will this format, modeled after the made-for-TV Major League Fishing format, catch on for recreational tournaments?
The guys who participated seemed to enjoy it. Among the benefits noted by participants was the scoreboard effect of having the software constantly keep eveyone up to date on what their competitors had.
Also, no need for exemptions to allow an angler to keep more than one bass over 22 inches in length (Florida law) as all were released immediately.
Crosnoe, Thompson Take Xtreme Title; Ranger Z119 powered by Evinrude E-tec
Congrats to all the teams who participated in the 2013 Xtreme Bass series.
The top 10 teams in the championship were:
| 1 | ROBERT CROSNOE | DANNY THOMPSON | 0 | 0 | 41.67 |
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| 2 | BILLY BOWEN | DAVID HUNTER | 0 | 0 | 36.16 | 2500.00 | |||
| 3 | JEFF SPARKS | JETT LOACH | 0 | 0 | 36.00 | 1500.00 | |||
| 4 | MICHAEL BOYETTE | BEN BROUGHTON | 0 | 0 | 35.49 | 1000.00 | |||
| 5 | JAMIE SHAY | JOW WILLIAMS | 0 | 0 | 35.09 |
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| 6 | DONNY BASS | TERRY METZGER | 0 | 0 | 34.60 | 600.00 | |||
| 7 | CHRIS KEITH | SHAWN KEITH | 0 | 0 | 34.57 | 550.00 | |||
| 8 | WAYNE CREEL | SEAN CREEL | 0 | 0 | 33.99 |
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| 9 | JEREMY DOHRN | JASON MUSGROVE | 0 | 0 | 33.43 | 450.00 | |||
| 10 | RICHARD ANTHONY | SCOTT PERRY | 0 | 0 | 30.38 | 400.00 |
PADGETT WINS WALMART BASS FISHING LEAGUE CHEVY WILD CARD ON WEST POINT LAKE
Mike Stephens and Hunter Hicks win the 2013 CBC CHampionship on Murray
What a tremendous ending to a tremendous season for all the participating anglers in the 2013 Carolina's Bass Challenge down on Lake Murray. 178 teams showed up to fish for a 30 place payout, including a $45,000 Boat-Motor-Trailer pkg that was finally won Sunday afternoon by Mike Stephens and Hunter Hicks. These two guys corralled 31.92 LBS over the two day event and won by just over a 1/2 LB. They had one of the most successful years ever on a Team Trail tour with a previous win on Lake Wylie and a 3rd place finish on Lake Norman early in the year. Their total winnings fishing the CBC in 2013 probably came very close to $60,000 when you include the boat they just won Sunday!! Check out the how deep the payouts run in the attachment below..............unbelievable. Also big Kudos to the teams at Foothills Marine in Morganton and Marshalls Marine in Lake City, SC. They, along with Tournament Director Brett Collins, have put in a tremendous amount of work each and every event, and really went out with a bang this past weekend. Here are some pictures from the Championship as well as the FULL RESULTS attached:
Hunter Hicks and Mike Stephens with the Altmans from Marshalls Marine and Matt Farris of Foothills Marine
Mike Stephens and Hunter Hicks holding up their winning Stringer on Sunday
Joshua Queen holds up the Tournament BF of 8.17 LBS
Roger Pope holds up a Quality Fish Sunday at the CBC Championship on Murray
Chris Chavez And Ethan Howard Win The Nc High School Bass Championship On Kerr!
This is a heck of a video put together on these two young guns that won the NC HS BASS Championship on Kerr this weekend.........take a look:
One On One With 2013 Cbc Champions Mike Stephens And Hunter Hicks!!
One on One with 2013 CBC Championship winners Mike Stephens and Hunter Hicks with Tournament Director Brett Collins as we talk about their amazing weekend on Murray and how every fish they caught was paramount to their BIG WIN! This team won almost $60,000in Cash and Prizes this year fishing the CBC-Congrats Guys!!
Carolinas Bass Challenge Championship On Lake Murray Caps Lucrative Year For Anglers In Both States
Two years ago when Brett Collins launched the Carolina’s Bass Challenge for 2012 he said it “without a doubt will be the most lucrative bass tournament series ever in the Carolinas.”
And he was not wrong.
In 2013, the second year of the tournament series between South and North Carolina, anglers will have won a hefty three quarters of a million dollars in cash and prizes for the years! The total purse for the CBC Championship on Lake Murray this weekend will be right at $100,000.
“We expect a 180-boat field,” Collins said. As of right now (Wednesday) with the number of boats registered the top six this weekend will receive: a 2013 Skeeter ZX200/200Yamaha SHO for first place; $10,000 for second place, $5,000 for third, $3,500 for 4th, $2,500 for 5th and $2,000 for 6th. Big Fish will pay $1,000 and the top Skeeter owner will get $5,000.”
Skeeter Boats, Marshall's Marine in Lake City, N.C., Foothills Marine in Morganton, N.C., and Palmetto Boat Center in Greenville, S.C., are the primary sponsors of the CBC tournament series.
Collins said 684 different teams from both Carolinas, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia and Georgia entered at least one tournament this year, a large increase over the entry for 2012.
“Next year we expect another good increase in numbers as we are adding some things that will really make the CBC the trail to fish,” Collins said.
While the rewards will be great, the tournament on Lake Murray Saturday and Sunday will not be an easy one to fish, he said.
“Conditions have been very tough as they always seem to be on Murray this time of the year. Schooling activity has almost died out so teams will have to rely on beating the banks or sitting on deep holes to catch a limit. With cold coming Saturday morning it may actually be good and bunch the bass up. Water temperature should not be a factor and the fish that are shallow should stay there.”
Collins conducted the very first Buckeye Lures Lake Murray Open last Saturday on the lake and the weigh-in bore out his prediction for this weekend.
Les Westberry and Dean Chapman weighed in a more than 3 1/2-pound average to take first place, but only 15 teams weighed a fish. Westberry and Chapman had a total of 18.22 pounds, anchored with a 4.68-pound largemouth.
Collins noted that based on past tournament success on Lake Murray there are some teams entered in the CBC Championship that are very capable of matching or even bettering that weight this weekend.
“Teams to watch at Murray include Tony and Clint Jackson who won the Murray Qualifier in February, plus the teams of Michael Murphy and Kevin Sanders; Doug Lown and Rhett Manus; Ben Lee and Neil Huffstetler; Phillip Anderson and Andy Lake; and Sean Anderson and George Berry,” he said.
Carolinas Bass Challenge Championship
Oct 26-27, 2013
Lake Murray
Dreher Island State Park
Call Brett Collins at 803-413-7521
www.carolinasbasschallenge.com
Oakley Big Bass Tour Wraps 2013 Season This Weekend On Oklahoma's Ft. Gibson Lake
The Oakley Quantum Big Bass Classic on Oklahoma's Ft. Gibson lake was canceled in the spring because of severe flooding, but with lake levels back to near normal and excellent weather in the forecast the re-scheduled tournament will close out the 2013 Oakley Big Bass season this weekend on the lake.
“This is the second annual Quantum Big Bass event on Ft. Gibson Lake,” said tournament director Mark Jones. “We had around 400 anglers in the first one and we expect an increase over that number this weekend.”
Heavy rains in the springs caused severe flooding across much of Oklahoma and Ft. Gibson Lake rose dramatically, Jones noted. The Corps of Engineers estimated then that the lake would crest at more than 571 feet, more than 15 feet above normal levels.
“The lake is back down to normal levels so there is no issue at all with the lake level,” Jones said. The Corps of Engineers reported this week that the lake was at 554.38 feet.
The tournament will be held out of Taylor's Ferry park and ramp area five miles east of Wagoner, Okla. Jones noted that with the federal government shutdown now over, all the park and ramps facilities on the lake are open and accessible to anglers.
The Quantum Big Bass Classic will follow the same format as other Oakley Big Bass events. The format provides hourly payouts for weigh-ins during the 8-9 a.m., 9-10 a.m., 10-11 a.m., 11 a.m.-12 noon, 12-1 p.m., 1-2 p.m., and 2-3 p.m. time periods both days of the tournament.
Jones noted that prizes were increased across the board for 2013, with the top weight each hour worth $1,000, up from $500 last year, followed by $500 for 2nd, $300 for 3rd, $200 for 4th and $150 for 5th.
The top prize, given for the biggest bass weighed over the weekend is a 2013 Nitro Z7 powered by Mercury 150, with Tandem Trailer and Dual Console Upgrades, valued at $30,000.
Randy Edens won the 2012 Quantum Big Bass Classic on Fort Gibson lake with a 6.30-pound big bass to take home the championship and the Nitro Z7 grand prize.
“This is our last Oakley Big Bass event of the year,” Jones said. “Anglers will be able to watch the televised events on the Sportsman Channel starting in January.”
Jones said details are being finalized on the 2014 Oakley Big Bass Tour and the schedule will be announced in mid-November.
The Oakley Big Bass Tour is a premier big bass tournament series open to all amateur anglers. The tour provides anglers of all skill levels with an exciting tournament format and event experience on some of the nation's best bass fisheries. Since it was established in 2007 the tour has focused on the promotion of bass fishing and bass conservation at the grass roots level.
Oakley produces an array of market-leading products including premium sunglasses, goggles, prescription eyewear, apparel, footwear and accessories.
Oakley Quantum Big Bass Classic
Oct 26-27, 2013
Fort Gibson Lake
Call Mark Jones 214-605-4600
Excellent Weather, Good Fishing Forecast For Morristown Marine Year-End Tournament
Fishing on Douglas Lake is expected to be really good this weekend for the final tournament of the 2012 Morristown Marine Team Trail.
“The weather is getting colder,” said tournament director Sam Phillips. “It's supposed to get down into the 20s with the highs into the 50s this weekend. The water temperature is dropping so the crankbait bite should really turn on.”
Phillips said the final on Douglas Lake will cap a tremendous year for the trail, which saw 588 anglers sign up to fish, with boats awarded for first place in four tournaments and $10,000 paid to the winners of the other two tournaments
But he said he will announce plans at the year-end Team Trail Dinner Thursday night for an even more spectacular tournament trail in 2014, with one angler provided the opportunity to fish his way to the 2015 Bassmaster Classic.
“We've got a lot of big things going on for next year, starting with a title sponsor for the trail,” he said. “Fairlane Ford and Quick Lane have partnered with Morristown Marine-Skeeter/Yamaha for 2014.”
Phillips said the 2014 trail will be held on five lakes across East Tennessee, with $10,000 guaranteed for first place in four of the tournaments.
“We are going to have a points system next year. We are also going to have a two-day Super tournament in September on Fort Loudon/Tellico lakes at Knoxville where we will give a $36,000 boat for first place,” he said. “We will have a two-day classic on Douglas Lake and we will give a $45,000 Skeeter with a Yamaha 200 SHO on it to first place.”
Also, he noted, in every tournament there will be contingency money for the highest finishing Skeeter boats – $3,000 for first, $2,000 for second and $1,000 for third.
“We'll have over $36,000 in contingency money available if you have the Skeeter/Yamaha package,” Phillips said.
“As for the Bassmasters, the way it works is with a points system. You will got an fish a BASS championship, then the three top teams will advance to the BASS Team Championship. They will split up and go in individual boats for that. The winner of that Classic will qualify for the Bassmaster Classic.”
At the year-end banquet Thursday night there will be a lot of food, a live band, plus a casting contest for a chance to win at $70,000 Skeeter FX with a Yamaha SHO, Phillips said.
Morristown Marine Team Trail
Oct 26-27, 2013
Douglas Lake
Swann's Marina
CONTACT: Sam Phillips 423-587-5555
2013 Cbc Lake Murray Championship Preivew With Ac Pro Staffer Rob Digh!
AC Pro Staffer Rob Digh gives us some great insight on what shallow patterns you are going to have to use and execute this weekend if you are going to win the 2013 Carolina's Bass Challenge Championship on Lake Murray! Don't forget to get all your gear on the way there at SPORTSMANS WAREHOUSE!!
Win A Trip To The 2014 Bassmaster Classic!
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — In February 2013, fishing fans hailed a new hero as Cliff Pace of Petal, Miss., won the Bassmaster Classic, the “Super Bowl” of bass fishing, after bringing the heaviest bass to the scales during three days of competition in Tulsa, Okla. This year, as those same fans of Bassmaster’s highly skilled anglers look on, a new field of 50-plus fishermen will vie for the top prize in bass fishing, and two lucky fans will be there in person to see a new champion crowned.
Birmingham is headquarters for B.A.S.S. and the site of the 2014 Bassmaster Classic, which will be held on Lake Guntersville, Feb. 21-23, 2014. It’s also the destination for the grand prize winner of the Bassmaster Classic VIP Sweepstakes presented by the Alabama Bass Trail.
Between now and Oct. 31, 2013, bass fishing fans can go online to Bassmaster.com and register to win a trip for two to the 2014 Bassmaster Classic in Birmingham. The trip begins Feb. 20 and ends Feb. 24. The prize package includes hotel accommodations for four nights, local transportation, VIP seating at the weigh-ins and special access to the Bassmaster Classic Expo.
In addition, the grand prize winner will receive $1,000 cash and special promotional items from the Alabama Bass Trail (ABT). The ABT received the state’s Tourism Partnership Award in August and was created to promote recreational and competitive bass fishing on key reservoirs and rivers throughout the state.
There’s no better time to visit Birmingham than during the 2014 Bassmaster Classic and no better way to see bass fishing’s finest than as the grand prize winner of the VIP Sweepstakes presented by the ABT. Click here to enter.
B.a.s.s. Rocking The Boat With New Payout Stucture
They say crime doesn’t pay. Depending on whom you speak with, neither does tournament bass fishing these days.
At least, not like it used to. Just last year.
After 8 years with a top prize of a half -million dollars the Bassmaster Classic will award $300,000 to the 2014 champion. That amount is still life-changing by most standards, and if a guy is good at promoting himself he can cash-in on the win for years to come.
But it’s not $500,000.
During regular season events the top 40 anglers will still make a minimum of $10,000 but places 41-through-50 will now get $8,000 instead of the $10,000 that has been the standard for a while now.
B.A.S.S. had planned to cut the pay to $5,000 for spots 41-50. The $8,000 figure will offer a chance for frugal travelers to still make a slight profit and keep themselves in the game even when they don’t dominate an event.
That extra bit of insurance can be important when you work with unpredictable animals for a living.
So where’s the lost money going?
According to Bruce Akin of B.A.S.S. it is being used to fund a much larger prize for the 2014 Bassmaster Angler of the Year. Due to angler outcry over lost earnings potential in regular season tournaments, B.A.S.S. decided to fund spots 41-50 at each event with an extra $3,000 (to bring the total to the current $8,000) by slashing the Classic Champion’s prize to the tune of $200,000.
So when a guy places 50th and cuts a check for $8,000 instead of $5,000 he can thank the 2014 Classic Champ, maybe even take him to dinner. After all, the as-yet-to-be-determined Champ is already single-handedly funding the deeper payout structure.
Reynolds Wins Walmart Bass Fishing League Regional On Lake Texoma
Fowler Wins Walmart Bass Fishing League Regional On Lake Hartwell
Piedmont Bass Classics 'End Of Year' Bass Trail #8 Results - Falls Lake - Oct 19, 2013
19 teams showed up for the final qualifying tournament of the 2013 Piedmont Bass Classics 'End of Year' Team Tournament Bass Fishing Trail.
The weather was great! 61 degrees in the morning, getting up to about 71 in the pm. Bobby & David Matthews took 1st place honors with 5 bass weighing 22.81 lbs. They won the 1st place money, 1st place Big Fish (7.99 lbs.) and 1st place TWT for a grand total of $1,162! Vernon Fleming & Glen Long won 2nd place (13.39 lbs.) taking home $400 !!
Only 30 fish were weighed in for a total weight of 95 pounds. Big fish for the day was 7.99 lbs. with a 7.01 close behind. The quality fish were caught from 8 to 14 feet of water on a variety of baits including crankbaits, spinnerbaits, jigs and c-rigs for the most part. Spinnerbaits were the 1st place teams choice lures. Water temps were around 65 degrees.
I want to thank all the anglers that participated and that support this trail. I also want to thank everyone that fished, sponsored and helped Piedmont Bass Classics Tournament Trails this year! 2013 has been a great success and I look forward to even better times in 2014! Thank you!
Our next tournament will be the 2013 Piedmont Bass Classics 'End of Year' Team Tournament Bass Fishing Trail
Championship, November 2nd at Jordan Lake out of Farrington Point Wildlife Ramp. This Championship is for
qualified teams only.
All the information on our tournaments can be found at: www.piedmontbassclassics.com
Now here are the full results:
1st Place: Bobby & David Matthews of Durham...5 bass...22.81 lbs...$700
2nd Place: Vernon Fleming & Glen Long of Raleigh & Henderson...5 bass...13.39 lbs...$400
3rd Place: Mark Herndon & Jay Garrard of Bahama & Durham...3 bass...10.61 lbs...$260
4th Place: Tony Woodard & Scott Smith of Four Oaks & Apex...2 bass...7.81 lbs...$160
1st Place Big Fish..1st Place Team above...7.99 lbs...$252
2nd Place Big Fish..Lonnie Whitfield & Phillip Smith of Burlington & Mebane...7.01 lbs...$108
1st Place TWT..1st Place Team above...22.81 lbs...$210
2nd Place TWT..3rd Place Team above: 10.61 lbs...$90
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
Les Westberry and Dean Chapman win the Buckeye Lures Lake Murray Open-Full Results Here!
Here are the full results from this past Saturdays Buckeye Lures Lake Murray Open.........congrats again to the Champs who drove home with $5000 CASH!! Below the results are some pics of the winnners:
| Place | Team | Fish | Weight | Winnings |
| 1 | Les Westberry - Dean Chapman | 4.68 | 18.22 | $5,000.00 |
| 2 | Russell Anderson | 4.35 | 16.23 | $500.00 |
| 3 | Ronnie McCoy | 3.33 | 13.13 | $300.00 |
| 4 | Josh Rennebaum - Ross Burns | 4.31 | 12.70 | $200.00 |
| 5 | Dusty Turner - Chip Grice | 3.73 | 11.73 | |
| 6 | Kevin Rake - Terry Morris BF | 5.29 | 11.63 | $330.00 |
| 7 | Sean Anderson - George Berry | 2.72 | 11.25 | |
| 8 | Hunter Hicks | 3.88 | 10.58 | |
| 9 | Patrick Walters - Todd Walters | 3.65 | 9.89 | |
| 10 | Beau Dixon - Andy Sease | 3.41 | 9.16 | |
| 11 | Matt Bickley - Delaine Woodward | 2.80 | 7.98 | |
| 12 | Roy Altman - Julious Lively | 3.84 | 5.66 | |
| 13 | Brett Colins - Brad Petway | 2.73 | 5.61 | |
| 14 | Eric Mora - Donald Miller | 4.10 | 5.61 | |
| 15 | Harold Hite - Darin Hite | 1.91 | 1.91 | |
| 16 | Howard Stephens - Mark McCormick | 0.00 | 0.00 | |
| 17 | Bart Blackburn - Glen Gentry | 0.00 | 0.00 | |
| 18 | Donald Garner - Brent Sutton | 0.00 | 0.00 | |
| 19 | Chris Heath - Steve Debord | 0.00 | 0.00 | |
| 20 | Johnny Player - Robert Hall | 0.00 | 0.00 | |
| 21 | Jay Adams - Glenn Sparrow | 0.00 | 0.00 | |
| 22 | Ronnie Mueller - Vernie Haltiwanger | 0.00 | 0.00 | |
| 23 | Josh McGregor - Randall Driggers | 0.00 | 0.00 | |
| 24 | Gettys Brannon - Brandon Chandler | 0.00 | 0.00 | |
| 25 | Jason Moyer - Artie Worthington | 0.00 | 0.00 | |
| 26 | Hans Cansler - Shannon Jordan | 0.00 | 0.00 | |
| 27 | Ben Lee - Neil Huffstetler | 0.00 | 0.00 | |
| 28 | Chris Calvert - Andrew Allen | 0.00 | 0.00 | |
| 29 | Jerry Barnes - Dan Barnes | 0.00 | 0.00 | |
| 30 | Joey Sabbagha - Anthony Gagilardi | 0.00 | 0.00 | |
| 31 | Chad Hastings | 0.00 | 0.00 | |
| 32 | Daniel Cook - Charlie Sanbury | 0.00 | 0.00 | |
| 33 | Art Lance - Mike Stewart | 0.00 | 0.00
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Buckeye Lures Lake Murray Open Wrap Up With Director Brett Collins
After seeing a solid 18+ Lb bag come in and win the 1st Annual Buckeye Lures Lake Murray Open, Brett comments on some very key points as to why the Lake is so difficult right now as well as what you will need to do next week at the CBC Championship-this is a MUST VIEW for all participating anglers!!
2013 Buckeye Lures Lake Murray Open Champions
Tournament Director Brett Collins goes one on one with the 2013 Buckeye Lures Lake Murray Champions Dean Champman and Les Wes Bury after they hauled in 18+ Lbs and took home a check for $5000!!! If you watch closely you will find out whats not working on Lake Murray right now...............
Tharp Closes Out Victory In Bassmaster Open On Ross Barnett
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Tharp Still Leads Heading Into Final Day Of Bassmaster Central Open On Ross Barnett
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Tharp Tops Day 1 Field In Bassmaster Open On Ross Barnett
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2014 Schedule For Cabela's Collegiate Bass Fishing Series Presented By Boatus
San Antonio, Texas (October 16, 2013) - Cabela's, The World's Foremost Outfitter, has continued their sponsorship of the Association of Collegiate Anglers, and the Cabela's Collegiate Bass Fishing Series. Once again the title sponsor of the entire series which consists of three major events, including the Cabela's Collegiate Big Bass Bash, the Collegiate Bass Fishing Open and the season-ending BoatUS Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship. The sponsorship also includes numerous school run events nationwide, many which count towards the prestigious 2014 Cabela's School of the Year race.
"Cabela's is one of several companies that have been behind our series and collegiate bass fishing since its inception in 2006. Their involvement and support of this initiative have allowed us to continually enhance our programs and offerings to collegiate anglers," said Wade Middleton, President of CarecoTV and Co-founder of the ACA. "We are honored to have their continued support and this collaboration between Cabela's and the ACA will allow us to continue to raise the bar for collegiate bass fishing events and opportunities."
The 2014 Cabela's Collegiate Bass Fishing Series presented by BoatUS will be nationally televised and hosted on some of the nation's top fisheries. The series will include :
- Collegiate Bass Fishing Open - March 14-16, 2014 - Lake Chickamauga - Dayton, Tenn.
- Cabela's Collegiate Big Bass Bash - April 4-5, 2014 - Kentucky Lake - Paris, Tenn.
- BoatUS Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship - May 28-30, 2014 - Pickwick Lake - Florence, Ala.
"The Collegiate Bass Fishing Series provides an opportunity for young anglers from across the country to showcase their skills and passion," said Scott Williams, Cabela's Chief Marketing Officer. "Cabela's is proud to support this event and its competitors, who represent a strong future for fishing and outdoor industries."
Chris Edmonston, President of the BoatUS Foundation, added, "We're proud to be a founding partner in the Association of Collegiate Anglers along with Cabela's. What started as a little collegiate fishing event in Texas several years ago has grown into a series of premier collegiate fishing events; thanks in large part to the number of partnerships that have developed over the years. Cabela's expanded commitment to collegiate anglers everywhere really solidifies everyone's investment into this important youth program. We look forward to the future and the opportunities that lie ahead for the students."
Official rules and registration dates for the 2014 Cabela's Collegiate Bass Fishing Series will be announced in coming weeks at www.CollegiateBassChampionship.com
About the ACA
The Association of Collegiate Anglers, a division of CarecoTV and The Bass Federation, is a sanctioning body developed to facilitate growth, development, and structure within competitive collegiate bass fishing. The ACA provides support to dozens of regional events nationwide and owns the Cabela's Collegiate Bass Fishing Series, the largest participatory collegiate tournament circuit in the country. With dedicated programming on television networks such as NBC Sports, Pursuit, World Fishing Network, Destination America among others, three nationally televised collegiate bass fishing events, and thousands of members, the ACA is the leader in competitive collegiate bass fishing. For more information on the ACA, or the Cabela's Collegiate Bass Fishing Series, visit www.collegiatebasschampionship.com.
About Cabela's Incorporated
After Finishing 3Rd On Lanier, Cobb Swinging For The Fences In Bfl Regional On Lake Hartwell
Brandon Cobb will be swinging for the fences in the Walmart Bass Fishing League Regional Championship on Lake Hartwell this weekend, but there is one problem. Right now it's pretty hard to determine where the fences are.
“I've not been on the lake in a couple of weeks and the fishing is tough,” said Cobb while practicing for the championship. “I believe the high water has got the largemouth bass scattered in the flooded grass and you can't really get to them. Then when you do it's hard to catch them.”
On top of that, he said, the lake is the middle of fall turnover so the offshore bite “is a little weird, too.”
And, then there is the weather. Lake Hartwell is full of blueback herring and the bass follow the herring.
“A herring lake never fishes very strong when it is cloud and the weather has been cloudy with a light rain this week. That is generally not good on a herring lake and it is showing it,” said Cobb, a former member of the Clemson University Fishing Team who graduated last December.
He has been fishing two BFL Divisions and the Bassmaster Southern Opens this year, finishing 4th in both the Bulldog and Savannah River Division, and therein lies the reason he is swinging for the fences on Lake Hartwell.
He does not need to finish in the top six on Hartwell to advance to the BFL championship, the Walmart BFL All-American, because he took care of that business in the Lake Lanier Regional Oct. 10-12 with a third place finish.
“I was really happy to finish third at Lake Lanier,” Cobb said. “That takes a lot of pressure off this week. It feels like 100 pounds have been lifted off my shoulders.”
Ironically, he noted, he fully expected to do well in the Hartwell Regional and probably not as well in the Lanier Regional since he is so much more familiar with Lake Hartwell. The lake winds up past the Clemson campus so he has had the opportunity to fish it on a regular basis for the past four or five years.
“Now it looks like it will be the other way around,” he said. Unless he locates the fences on Lake Hartwell this week and lands five hefty bass each day to win the tournament Thursday-Saturday.
“I plan to fish slow and try to get five big largemouth bites each day,” he said. “If that fails I could go offshore and try to catch spotted bass on a drop-shot, but I don't know if the tournament can be won with spotted bass, so I don't know if I will even try that.”
The three-day tournament features the top 40 boaters and 40 co-anglers from each of the Bama, Bulldog, Piedmont and Volunteer divisions. Anglers will be competing for a Ranger Z518 with a 200-horsepower Evinrude or Mercury outboard and a Chevy 1500 Silverado in the boater division and a new Ranger Z518 with a 200-horsepower Evinrude or Mercury outboard in the co-angler division.
Anglers in both divisions will also compete to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for the Walmart BFL All-American. Top winners in the BFL can move up to the EverStart Series or even the Walmart FLW Tour.
Walmart BFL Regional – Piedmont, Bama, Volunteer, Bulldog Divisions
Oct 17-19
Lake Hartwell
Tugaloo State Park
