AnglersChannel

Martens Takes Over Lead At Bassmaster Elite Series On West Point Lake

Day 1 leader Keith Combs dropped to 4^th place today when he brought 7 pounds, 4 ounces to the weigh in.

He will try to take the lead back tomorrow but, as was the case last month on Falcon Lake, Rick Clunn is close behind.

Clunn’s 2^nd day heroics are 20 pounds lighter on West Point than they were on Falcon. Still, his14 pound sack is nearly double what he had yesterday and the 8 anglers ahead of him are liable to get caught by the 67-year-old bass fishing icon.

With 21-11, Clunn is 3 pounds, 3 ounces off the lead. It may take 2 days to catch up to that deficit on West Point Lake this week. It’s not that there are no big fish in the lake. The guys have seen plenty of them. But after practice ended the waters rose and fish are hard to find.

Aaron Martens took the top spot for today. With a limit that weighed 11-9 he has a 2-day total of 24-14. Martens said he caught two bedding bass today.

And Martens is about to give the shirt off his back for charity. The Georgia Bulldog-colored jersey (the tourney is in Georgia, after all) goes up for auction on eBay once this tournament concludes. Martens will need it for at least one more day. Randy Howell is doing the same thing with his jersey on eBay and noted that his is colored in a Georgia Tech scheme.

Greg Vinson, one ounce behind Martens, is 2^nd for the 2^nd day in a row. He has cut his deficit from 4 ounces to 1. That’s a positive trend.

Tommy Biffle climbed a couple of notches to 3^rd with only 4 fish today. He only had 4 yesterday. With a total weight of 23-3 for 8 fish, Biffle is on the right size bass. Now if he can bag 5 tomorrow and the next day . . .

Skeet Reese is having a good tourney. He rounds out the top 5 with 22-10.

Ed Evers rode the day’s biggest bag (14-6) to the #7 spot.

Casey Ashley had the 3^rd-heaviest weight today with 13-8. That moved him to 6^th.

A single big fish counts for a lot this week.

Hank Cherry professed his love of jerkbaits on stage, admitting that they are his primary weapon this week and noting that an influx of dirty water has made them less effective as the tourney has continued. His weight was down three-and-a-half pounds from yesterday, at 8-12, but with a total of 21-even, his is 15^th, safely inside the 50 cut and will, therefore, fish tomorrow.

Andy Montgomery got 5 bites today and turned them into his 2^nd straight 10-pound effort. With 20-9 he is in 17^th and will fish tomorrow.

Bass are shallow. Ish Monroe confirmed there is a frog bite going on. He plans to gain ground in the Angler of the Year race with his Snag Proof Ish’s Phat Frog on Saturday.  “It got a little slow today. Tomorrow I’m going to chuck the heck out of it.” He needs a big to keep the pressure on the frontrunners.

Check out entire leaderboard here:  http://www.bassmaster.com/tournaments/2013-elite-series-west-point-lake-battle/leaderboard

by AnglersChannel

Combs Sacks Nearly 16 Pounds On West Point Lake For Day 1 Bassmaster Elite Series Lead

I was watching the weigh in, wondering how 5-bass limits could weigh so little as some of them did today. Then Dave Mercer singled-out Alton Jones’ smallest fish out of curiosity. It weighed 10 ounces.

Bassmaster Elite Series anglers didn’t expect West Point Lake would produce a bunch of big bass this week, but some did see lots of decent fish on beds during practice. Then the waters rose. And the sight bite suffered. Apparently, lots of bass are leaving beds too. Cloud cover today did not help the bed-fishers either. And the forecast calls for dim skies again tomorrow.

Keith Combs staked a claim to the lead today with a sack that weighed 15 pounds, 14 ounces. No word on whether he was looking at fish or casting blind. “If I told you how I caught them you wouldn’t believe me,” said the Strike King pro-staffer. “I had the craziest day.” Combs added that he had not gotten a single bite before 1:30.

Tommy Biffle did get a couple of bites early in the day. They turned out to be his 2 biggest fish, including a 6-12 that took top honors as big bass of the day. All Biffle would say about his pattern is that he “just went fishing”.

‘Just fishing’ seems to be the way to go on West Point Lake where junk fishermen tend to rule. And in such closely contested events, the pros are often as tight-lipped as the fish.

Behind Combs is a versatile field of talented pros, including Greg Vinson (15 pounds, 10 ounces today), Reigning Bassmaster Classic Champ Cliff Pace (14-2) Aaron Martens (13-5) and former Angler of the Year Skeet Reese (13-even).

Check out the entire leaderboard here:  http://www.bassmaster.com/tournaments/2013-elite-series-west-point-lake-battle/leaderboard

by AnglersChannel

Williamson Hoping West Point Not Too Big A Challenge In Quest For Bassmaster Classic Slot

So far, so good.

He has not won a tournament yet, but he is in strong contention for the Elite AOY title, sitting in 6^th place, and, at almost the mid-point of the season he has a real shot at making his second Classic if he can stay in the top 28 to qualify.

“I definitely want to be a part of the Classic again. That is what every angler is hoping going into the season.”

And making the 2014 Classic would be especially sweet, said Williamson whose previous Classic appearance was in 2011 on the Louisiana Delta.

“It's going to be on Lake Guntersville. It could be a cold Classic, but it also could be a record-breaking Classic weight-wise. I think the fishing will be absolutely phenomenal on Guntersville and it's nice that it is not so far from home, only five or six hours.”

The only potential snag in his plans for making the Classic is the challenge presented by West Point Lake, site of the fourth Elite Tournament of 2013, this weekend.

“This place has always been a grind for me,” said Williamson during practice this week. “I have never really figured it out.”

His lack of love for West Point is reflected in the outcomes of at least two major tournaments he has fished on the lake – he finished 73^rd in the last Elite tournament held there in May 2011 and he finished 55^th in a Southeastern Division EverStart tournament there in 2006.

Williamson really likes to throw a jig, whether it's fishing it out deep over structure, fishing up shallow or casting on points.

“That's the way I like to catch them, especially this time of year, but this is one of those deals where it's just not set up for that kind of fishing. You are going to have to run a bunch of different stuff here. It's a junk fisherman's paradise.”

That means, Williamson said, that instead of chunking that jig and doing what he is really comfortable with, to be successful an angler is probably going to have to catch a fish on one bait and if he throws it another 30 minutes without another bite he will have to change baits.

“I've come over here probably a dozen times in my career and it's just one of those lakes where you pretty much have to junk fish. You can catch a few on the shad spawn early, maybe a few back in the pockets and then a few out on the points.”

He said the bass are in transition on West Point this week, with a few spawning, a few that have not spawned yet and a good many that have finished spawning.

“You might catch one or two off a boat dock, one or two in the pockets. There's just a lot of different things going on,” he said.

“There used to be a ton of big fish in this lake and there are still a few big fish left, enough for some of the guys to catch a 7- or 8-pounder. And that's gong to be the real key, catching one of the big ones each day to put you up where you need to be and separate you from the guys who have 8 to 10 pounds.”

Adding to the situation is the fact that with all the recent rains the lake has come up about three feet in the last week and put a lot of color in the water, he said.

“Now the fish are up shallow, but they are more scattered out. You will probably see a few big fish caught, but a lot of guys will struggle to get 9 or 10 pounds.”

The challenge of West Point notwithstanding, Williamson is very happy with his year so far and he feels his goals are well within reach.

“I've been blessed. I've made some really good decisions in the last couple of tournaments to put me in contention for Angler of the year and to make the Classic. That's why is is even more important for me to catch them here. I can't let up. If I want to continue pursuing Angler of the Year I've got to figure them out.”

Bassmaster Elite Series – West Point Lake Battle

May 2-5, 2013

West Point Lake

Pyne Road Park Mega Ramp

www.bassmaster.com

by AnglersChannel

Livingston Lures Joins The Association Of Collegiate Anglers

San Antonio, Texas (May 1, 2013) - The Association of Collegiate Anglers is proud to welcome Livingston Lures to the growing list of sponsors supporting collegiate angling.  As a result of this partnership, Livingston Lures will be involved in the Cabela's Collegiate Bass Fishing Series, associated programs, and events.

According to Wade Middleton, President of CarecoTV and Co-founder of the ACA, "Our anglers are the perfect fit for the new lure technologies offered by Livingston.  College anglers are tech-savvy and always interested in innovative products like the

Livingston line of lures.  I look for the collegiate anglers to really embrace the concept and offerings of our newest partner."

Livingston Lures produces innovative, technologically advanced lures for freshwater and saltwater fish. Featuring unique sound and vibration technologies, Livingston Lures produces a wide variety of hardbaits including crankbaits, top-water baits, wakebaits, lipless crankbaits and jerkbaits.

"Livingston Lures is proud to be part of the Association of Collegiate Anglers and the Cabela's Collegiate Bass Fishing Series," said CEO Fred Battah of Livingston Lures. "Our lures are designed to look real and swim natural with precise action. The added technology includes an internal circuit board that emits the sound of an injured bait fish as well as an LED light to give collegiate anglers an added edge when on the water.  We believe our cutting-edge lures and today's collegiate angler are a great fit for both sides."

The Livingston lineup for 2013 includes the Dive Master series of crankbaits in three depth ranges; a lipless crankbait series, the Pro Ripper; a walk-the-dog topwater series, the Pro Sizzle; an ultra-shallow wake bait, the Pro Wake; and a jerkbait, the Stick Master. All have the sound and rattle chamber exclusive to Livingston, while some of the larger baits also include the feature of strike-triggering visual technology that when activated by water, the flash softly and naturally fades in and out and cycle repeatedly with the electronic baitfish "shad" noise.  Collectively, these features make Livingston a true pioneer in fishing lure technology, which collegiate anglers will appreciate.
The Association of Collegiate Anglers, a division of Careco TV 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.

by AnglersChannel

Jason Christie Rides His Ranger Boat Into The Record Books With Back-To-Back Tour-Level Tournament Wins

Christie’s FLW Tour win on Beaver Lake and his B.A.S.S. Elite Series victory on Bull Shoals also vaulted him to No. 1 in the BassFan World Rankings and gave him a commanding lead in the Bassmaster Rookie of the Year standings, though the 39-year-old Park Hill, Okla., resident is hardly a rookie. Before he became the biggest story in professional fishing this spring, Christie had four Forrest Wood Cup berths in five FLW Tour seasons and was a force to be reckoned with on the regional tournament trails where he logged six BFL wins and 23 Top-10 finishes – all accomplished from a Ranger boat.

“I’ve always run a Ranger and I really can’t imagine running anything else,” Christie said. “I’m on my fourteenth Ranger and I have loved every one of them. They’re the ultimate fishing machines.”

Familiarity with the waters of Beaver Lake and Bull Shoals – “It can fish a lot like my home lake, Lake Tenkiller, with its clear, deep water,” Christie said of the latter – helped him overcome bad practice periods and make the biggest comeback in Elite Series history (no angler had ever jumped from 11th place to 1st on the last day), giving him two tournament wins in as many weeks. But familiarity with Ranger quality and reliability is what allows Christie to focus solely on fishing during competition days.

“It’s a big boat but it floats really shallow and allows me to get into really skinny water and then a week later I can be somewhere like the Detroit River where the waves are five or six feet tall,” said Christie, who entered the history books this season aboard a 2013 Ranger Z520C. “You don’t have to worry about these boats – that’s the thing.”

Another Forrest Wood Cup berth, two different Angler of the Year titles and other goals still remain for Christie in 2013. And while the significance of what he accomplished in April hasn’t entirely set in for the former junior high basketball coach, his long career as an ambassador for the Ranger brand and continued on-the-water success reinforce the legacy of Ranger’s prestigious Pro Staff.

“Jason has been a part of the Ranger Family going back to his days in the Central Pro-Am tournaments,” said Ranger Boats President Randy Hopper. “He’s an accomplished angler who has achieved something truly remarkable this season in addition to his already-successful professional career. We congratulate him on his success and know we’ll be seeing more performances like this from him in the future.”

About Ranger Boats

Headquartered in Flippin, Ark., Ranger Boats is the nation's premier manufacturer of legendary fiberglass and aluminum fishing boats, which include series of bass, multi-species, fish 'n play, waterfowl utility and saltwater boats. Founded in 1968 by Forrest L. Wood, Ranger Boats continues its commitment to building the highest-quality, strongest-performing boats on the water. For more information, go to RangerBoats.com.

by AnglersChannel

Mark Hutson/greg Elsey Win Santee Open

With the largemouth bass bite on fire lately, and 91 teams fishing the Santee Open Team Tournament, director Nelson Walker predicted it would take at least 30 pounds to win the $5000 top prize for the biggest bag of 5 fish. Mark Hutson and Greg Elsey came to the scales early during the weigh-in, and put a total weight of 34.8 lbs on the leaderboard, proving Walker right. Hutson and Elsey were never seriously challenged by any of the remaining teams, and won by almost 8 pounds.

Hutson, who caught a 10.5 lb largemouth on his way to 1st place in the BFL from this same landing two weeks earlier, said he and Elsey fished both the upper and lower lakes, and caught their biggest fish on the bed early in the day. The rest of their fish came on brush piles and around cypress trees. Soft plastic crawdads and Senkos served as their main lure choices. Their biggest fish weighed 8.73 and was good for 2nd place big fish, putting $260 in bonus money in their pocketes, and was just one of two 8+ pounders they brought to the scales.

Marc Deschenes and Ray Walsh took second place with 26.87 lbs, pocketing $2500. Deschenes, who said he grew up fishing the lower lake, said they spent most of the tournament fishing the shallows and cypress trees of the upper lake.

Ronnie McCoy and Kevin Bazen finished third with 26.44 lbs, winning $2000, followed by the 4th place team of Todd Smith and Cid Fowler, who caught 24.77 and won $1500. Kent Ware and Greg Boone won $1000 for their fifth-place catch of 24.39.

Lonnie Marchant and Jeff Hutto won $600 for bringing in the big fish, an 8.99 pounder.

The tournament paid through 20 places, and no team in the top 20 caught less than 20 pounds.

1. Mark Hutson/Greg Elsey                       34.80 lbs                           $5000

2. Marc Deschenes/Ray Walsh                 26.87 lbs                           $2500

3. Ronnie McCoy/Keven Bazen                 26.44 lbs                           $2000

4. Todd Smith/Cid Fowler                          24.77 lbs                           $1500

5. Kent Ware/Greg Boone                         24.39 lbs                           $1000

6. Larry Avins/Joe Avin                               24.12 lbs                           $900

7. Nathan Burgess/Brent Riley                  23.51 lbs                           $800

8. Bryan Cook/Steve Harmon                   22.99 lbs                           $700

9. Lee Morris/Dustin Bryant                      22.97 lbs                           $600

10. (tie)Daniel Howell/Danny Howell      22.48 lbs                           $465

10. (tie)Brett Mitchell/Terry Mountjoy   22.48 lbs                           $465

12. Chuck Howard/Ken Ellis                      22.40 lbs                           $400

13. David Bronson/John Coers                 22.33 lbs                           $375

14. Linwood Thornhill/Brian Thornhill    22.22 lbs                           $350

15. Ryan Bowles/Jason Barrett                21.94 lbs                           $325

16. Terry Barn/Doug Barth                        21.64 lbs                           $300

17. Billy McIntosh/Gene DuBose             21.59 lbs                           $275

18. Xan Costas/Lex Costas                         20.67 lbs                           $250

19. Le Huggins/Justin Boykin                     20.56 lbs                           $225

20. Tripp Poplin/Andy Owens                   20.38 lbs                           $200     

by AnglersChannel

Bass Moving Up Just In Time For Santee Cooper Open Bass Tournament Saturday

The fish are biting like crazy and there really isn't much else going on around the Santee Cooper Lakes this weekend so Nelson Walker is hoping bass fishermen will head on down to compete in the 2013 Santee Cooper Open Bass Tournament Saturday.

“We are hoping to have 100 to 125 boats Saturday,” said Walker, tournament director for the event,who noted that early entries are lagging a little. “I think everybody may be waiting to see what the weather is gong to be like. It's definitely been flip-flopping this year.”

But a little off-seasonal weather is not having any bad effect on the fish and should not deter anyone who wants to put a hefty limit of bass in the live well, he noted, because everything else is falling into place just in time for the tournament.

“We are looking for some really big weights Saturday,” Walker said. “There were a couple of small tournaments last weekend. It took 30 pounds to win one and 27 pounds to win the other one. I'm sure it will take at least 27-28 pounds to win Saturday, but if somebody catches a 10-pounder we might break that 30-pound mark.”

That could easily happen because of several factors, he noted.

“The fish are still moving up on Santee. It's kind of funny, in some of the other lakes around the fish are done spawning, but they are still coming up here. We had a cold front in March and our fish don't like cold water so they just never moved up,” he said. Although the water temperature has not been really warm during the day, it has not been cold at night, he noted, and now the water temperature is just about right.

“They've been lagging, but a big wave moved up in the lower lake last week. The lake is rising now, too. We had a little issue with the water falling when the fish started to move up, but now it is rising and they are moving up. We've also got a full moon coming up as well, so we think the fishing will be wide open this weekend,” he said.

“The rising water level is helping in a lot of places. I think by Saturday you can pick wherever you want to go and catch fish. It will be just a matter of what size they are.”

Entry fee for the tournament is $150, plus an optional $10 for big fish. Teams must be registered by Wednesday or face a late penalty of $25.

“We are trying to cut down on the crush the morning of the tournament, but there probably will be 40 or 50 boats show up and do it on the spot,” he said.

The tournament will pay back 100 percent of entry fees, with the Clarendon County Chamber of Commerce guaranteeing $5,000 for first place. Walker said plans are to pay two big fish prizes, split 70-30 for big fish and second big fish.

“We will also pay a bonus to the top finishing youth team, which is anybody 16 or under fishing with an adult. I know several guys who are going to bring their sons to fish with them, so some of the conventional tournament teams will split up for this tournament,” he said.

“The Open Bass Tournament is being held in conjunction with the Clarendon County Striped Bass Festival so bring the family and come to downtown Manning to spend the day. There will be snacks and rides and the weigh-in will be held at 3 o'clock.”

2013 Santee Cooper Open Bass Tournament

Sat, Apr 27, 2013

Santee Cooper Lakes

John C. Land III Landing

Call 803-435-4405 for details

[email protected]

Sponsored by the Clarendon County Chamber of Commerce

by AnglersChannel

Bethel University Closes Out With Big Win On Kentucky Lake For Aca Championship Series

Bethel University Closes out ACA Collegiate Bass Fishing Open with Wire-to-wire Victory

Paris, Tennessee (April 20, 2013) - The Bethel University team of Cody Ross, Dewey Swims, Zach Parker, and Matthew Roberts set the bar high on Day One of the ACA Collegiate Bass Fishing Open and never looked back.  Anchored by Cody Ross' 10.44 pound brute on the first day of competition, the Bethel Wildcats proved they know a thing or two about Kentucky Lake.  They backed up their day one catch with another six fish limit totaling 21.36 pounds on Saturday, giving them a total of 52.78 lbs. and more than enough for a victory.

Local knowledge and teamwork were the key to their win and their efforts resulted in over $2,000 in cash and prizes, including Cabela's gift cards, cash, and new Temple Fork Outfitters rods for all four winning teammates.

According to Dewey Swims, "We all fish here a lot and we know the lake well, but our communication was important in this event.  We were staying in touch with each other sharing information and truly working as a team and that made the difference."

Teamwork was obvious, as fellow Wildcat teammates, Jacob Hardy, Jake Lawrence, Randall Morris, and Dalton Wilson came within a pound and a half of victory, with a two day total of 51.33 lbs.  Their catch was good for approximately $1,300 in cash and prizes from ACA and their partners, including Cabela's and Temple Fork Outfitters.

All the Bethel anglers used a variety of tactics to stay with the fish throughout the event.  They caught bass, including the Big Bass of the event, flipping shoreline cover on day one, but as that bite faded, they worked together and made the necessary adjustments to stay on the fish.

Jacob Hardy added, "We knew the falling water would pull our shallow fish back to staging areas, so we started keying in on areas next to spawning flats.  Rattle traps around those flats with grass on them ended up being the key in finishing strong."

It is a good thing the Bethel Wildcats finished strong, because the other local team, the Murray State Racers, was working hard to take the title of Open Champs back to Murray, Kentucky. 

Ultimately the Murray State team of Cody Santel, Justin Berger, Justin Graben, and Vincent Campisano fell just short, but finished in a respectable third place with a total of 46.24 lbs.

Teamwork is the whole concept behind the ACA Collegiate Bass Fishing Open, and like Bethel, it was a big part of the Racers' success. 

Justin Graben of Murray State summed it up best, "The key to our success was collaboration.  It took all four to figure out the pattern and once we did we all worked it together to catch these fish.  It has been a great event for us."

The Racers also took home new Temple Fork Outfitters rods, along with $400 cash for their catch.

Fourth place, Tennessee Tech University, put together the best rally of the event, weighing the largest limit of the second day at 24.83 lbs. making for a total combined catch of 45.16 lbs.  The team consisted of two boats and four anglers, Matt Townson, Will Stansell, Bryson Dalton, and Joe Ellis.  

According to Joe, there were some missed opportunity that hurt the Golden Eagles, including some large fish that broke off during the tournament, but their second day rebound helped with the disappointment.

Matt Townson went on to add, "Our team keyed in on an Alabama Rig bite late on day one and we let our partners know about it.  We started the second day on those fish and we camped on them together all day Saturday.  It was exciting to be catching fish and doing it all in sight of each other, it kept both of our boats fired up all day and we had a blast."

The top five was rounded out by the two-time BoatUS Collegiate Bass Fishing Champions, the North Carolina State Bass Pack.  The Bass Pack saw their weights fall nearly 10 pounds between their day one catch of 27.46 lbs and their day two catch of 17.53 lbs., but collectively their 44.99 lbs was enough for a solid finish.  

Despite not taking home another title the Bass Pack was thrilled with their time in Paris, Tennessee.  According to President, Paul Owens, "This has been an unbelievable week on Kentucky Lake.  We've never caught as many fish as we have since we arrived.  This has to be the most awesome fishery we've been on since I've fished with NC State.  I'll be back just to fish, that's for sure."

Full results of the event can be found here.

• Day 1 Recap
• Day 1 Photo Gallery
• Day 2 Photo Gallery

The ACA Collegiate Bass Fishing Open is the final event before the BoatUS Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship, presented by Cabela's.  Complete official rules for the 2013 BoatUS Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship, including registration details, can be found here.

Collegiate anglers can ensure they receive information as it is released by joining the ACA Mailing List, which broadcasts all announcements via email.  All ACA events feature no-entry fees and are open to all university recognized collegiate fishing programs

by AnglersChannel

Mclaurin & Marchant Take 1St Place Old North Catt Falls Lake April 13, 2013

2013 CATT Classic Entry Fee and Qualification

Kerr Lake

New Nutbush Ramp

1401 Nutbush Road

Henderson, NC

Kerr State Park

1^st Place GUARANTEED a MINIMUM of $10,000.00

LAKE OFF LIMIT DAYS – 12 am May 13, May 14, May 15

Practice Days – May 16 & May 17

You must practice with your partner or alone

No soliciting info from anyone who has been on Kerr Lake during the Off Limits Period

Tournament Days – May 18 & May 19

More 2013 CATT Classic info is on the CATT home page.

http://www.catttrail.com/2013-CATT-Classic-Information.html

A team at any CATT Final must consist of the 2 original partners or 1 member can enter a Final solo. 1 team member may enter a Final with a sub that was used by the team during a qualifier.

NO NEW SUBS AT ANY CATT FINAL OR CATT CLASSIC 

**Remember guys, to be eligible to enter the Old North Final a team of 2 (same partners) must fish 3 Old North Qualifiers!

**If you have entered 1 Old North Qualifier this year you have qualified for the 2013 CATT Classic on Kerr Lake May 18-19.

When checking out the cash these teams won keep in mind the entry fee is ONLY $80 plus an optional side pot of $40. You can see CATT pays back as much or more than a trail that charges a $100 or more entry fee. Remember CATT pays back 100% of your entry fee! The 1^st Bass Team Trail in the Carolinas to do so. Other trails are now adopting the CATT format which is flattering and a good thing for bass fisherman as a whole. Just remember CATT is still the original 100% payback trail in the Carolinas!

How good can a CATT Trail pay back? With the participation we’ve had so far this year we think the Old North Trail can grow even larger. So let’s sweeten the pot a little…at the June 15^th Lake Jordan Final how about we push the 1^st Place guarantee from $3,000.00 up to $3,500.00? The guarantee doesn’t depend on how many teams show for the Final….1^st will receive a minimum of $3,500.00 no matter the number of boats at the Old North Final!

Brad McLaurin and Mike Marchant topped the field this past Saturday on Falls Lake launching out of Ledgerock. Brad and Mike brought in 5 fat Falls bass weighing 24.97 lbs taking 1^st Place plus the 1^st BONUS $. They also weighed in a 6.83 lb bass good enough to take 2^nd BF. All total they took home $1,912.00!

Mike Riggs and Doug Stallings claimed 2^nd with 5 bass weighing 23.80 lbs. They also collected the 2^nd BONUS pushing their total winnings up to $841.00.

3^rd went to Larry Godfrey and John McLelland with 5 bass weighing 20.86 lbs. They weighed in a 6.91 lb bass good enough for 1^st BF. They received a total of $777.00.

Coming in 4^th place was Stump Bledsoe and Glen Elliott with another limit weighing 20.68 lbs and they earned $300.00.

Todd Gibson and Todd Durham wrapped up 5^th with another solid bag weighing 20.15 lbs and they collected $200.00.

6^th        Jamie Fejardo – Josh Hooks                19.63 lbs                      $150.00.

7^th        Steve Gardner – Chuck Bolton            19.61 lbs                      $125.00.

8^th        Thomas Sheffler – David Walton        17.97 lbs                      $110.00.

9^th        Bubba Haywood – Steve Godwin        17.31 lbs                      $100.00.

10^th      Mark Beck – Bill Goodrich                  16.84 lbs                      $100.00.

Next up on the Old North Trail is May 5^th at Kerr Lake launching out of Flemingtown.

Next week the Carolinas Bass Challenge will be at Falls going out of Ledgerock….be there early if you plan to fish. We’re bringing BIG TIME bass fishing to Falls next week!

Brett Collins

Carolina Anglers Team Trail LLC

by AnglersChannel

Amateur Angler Mark Zacher Wins Bassmaster Sweeps To Fish With Ike!

Mark Zacher has a morning ritual. Before he goes to work in Rapid City, S.D., he sits down at the computer every day and logs on to Bassmaster.com. That time online paid off with his win of the Bassmaster.com “Fish with Ike” Sweepstakes that ended March 15.

“I think I entered every day,” Zacher said. “If I missed one day, it was just one. I always enter the contests [on Bassmaster.com]. I’m a big supporter of B.A.S.S., and I think they do a wonderful job, but I never expected to win, nor have I ever won anything like this.

“You can imagine how shocked I was when I got the call that I won. I hung up and called back half an hour later. I asked, ‘Is this for real?’ I couldn’t believe it. It’s still a shocker.”

Zacher’s prize is a fishing trip with Bassmaster Elite Series pro Michael Iaconelli, part of a package of prizes, including cash, gear and gifts that adds up to almost $5,000. He will fish with the high-profile New Jersey pro on the Monday after the Bassmaster Elite Series tournament on the Mississippi River in La Crosse, Wis., June 20-23.

“Mike is one of my favorite pros,” Zacher said. “Of the five I really like, he’s one of them. I’ve read up on him and know what his strengths are. I feel like I’m a versatile fisherman, and I hope I can hang with him. I want to show up and get out there and fish and have a great time.”

Always an avid angler, Zacher got serious about bass fishing around 1989 and began fishing at the Bassmaster club level. He won both Rookie of the Year and Angler of the Year his first year, an affirmation that encouraged him to continue the sport.

“I wanted to do more bass fishing when I was younger, but I was raising a family and focused on that,” said Zacher, who competes at the B.A.S.S. Nation and Bassmaster Opens levels, often with his close friend Monty Fralick, Bassmaster Elite Series pro Jami Fralick’s father.

Zacher, who works in the parts department of a freightliner dealership in Rapid City, has a busy June ahead. The first week, he’ll fish a state tournament; the third week, he fishes with Iaconelli; and the last week, he celebrates his 30thwedding anniversary with his wife, Verlene.

Zacher’s father, Francis, has been an important influence in his bass fishing.

“He inspired me when I started doing tournaments,” Zacher said. “He’s a big bass fisherman, and he gave me confidence. Those are special moments when we fish together.”

In addition to a fishing trip with Iaconelli, which includes airfare, a rental car and a two-night hotel stay, Zacher won $500 in spending money, $900 in gear from Berkley and Abu Garcia, $500 in gear from Rapala and a chance to attend The Bass University.

“This has been very exciting for me,” Zacher said. “I’ve never been able to fish at a professional level, but winning this trip is like winning the Bassmaster Classic. It’s something I’ll never forget. It’s a dream come true.”
Beginning April 1, a new Bassmaster.com Sweepstakes began for a chance to win an all-expenses paid trip to “Fish With Skeet!” on a fishery to be chosen by Elite Series pro Skeet Reese of California. The contest, which can be entered via Bassmaster.com or through mail-in entries, runs April 1 through June 12, and the winner will be selected on June 30.

by AnglersChannel