Rojas Retakes Lead As Elite Anglers Head Into Final Day On Sabine River!
| 1 | Dean Rojas | 5 | 15-10 | 5 | 10-14 | 5 | 11-14 | 15 | 38- 6 |
| 2 | Todd Faircloth | 5 | 10- 7 | 5 | 16- 8 | 4 | 7-14 | 14 | 34-13 |
| 3 | Ishama Monroe | 5 | 11- 3 | 5 | 10- 9 | 5 | 9-15 | 15 | 31-11 |
| 4 | Terry Scroggins | 3 | 9-11 | 5 | 14-10 | 3 | 7- 1 | 11 | 31- 6 |
| 5 | Jeff Kriet | 5 | 10-13 | 5 | 10- 9 | 5 | 9- 0 | 15 | 30- 6 |
Rojas retakes lead on the Sabine. photo courtesy B.A.S.S.
Dean Rojas retook the lead in the Bassmaster Elite Series Sabine River Challenge from Todd Faircloth who had assumed control yesterday. Faircloth has a 3-day total weight of 34 pounds, 13 ounces and for the first time this week came in a fish short of a limit. Rojas (38-6 total) is one of only 6 anglers to catch a limit each of the three tournament days.
Ish Monroe is throwing big baits and still, half of his fish are shorts. 30-to-35 bites per day yield about 15 keepers per day. As mpreviously mentioned, 94 of 100 pros have not caught 15 keepers this week.
Ish’s list of lures includes the Missile Baits D Bomb, an upgrade from the Missile Craw he was using earlier this week. He said the D Bomb produces bigger fish. Apparently it has. Ish’s penchant for catching bigger bass has put him in 3rd place heading into the final round of competition with a total weight of 31-11.
‘Big Show’ Terry Scroggins has taken a different path to the top. While the rest of the top several contestants have pretty much brought limits each day, Big Show has brought bigger fish, even though he has left 4 swimming over the course of the tournament. His 11 bass weigh 31-6, nearly a 3-pound average. Had he caught 5 each day he would be leading this thing by a bunch.
Small limits are worth big bucks this week.
Jeff Kriet has quietly brought his 5 fish each day. His total weight of 30-6 puts him in 5th.
That’s the pretty picture. For the rest of the field, how tough has it been?
Rick Morris caught a 5-fish limit. It took him 3 days to do it. He weighed only 3 fish the first two days and made the 50 cut.
That has to be a record.
Today he added 2 more to give him a grand total of 5 keepers on three days. As is Scroggins, Morris was on the right size fish, better than a 3-pound average. His 17-7 aggregate was good for 31st place and $10,000.
Billy McCaghren made the 50 cut with a two-day total weight of only 10 pounds. That is an official Bassmaster Elite Series record for lowest weight ever to cut a paycheck. He caught 5 total keepers the first two days. He matched that with a limit today. That jumped him up 25 spots in the standings.
Takahiro Omori made the top 20 with a zero on his scorecard (from day 1).
Dennis Tietje actually made the 12 cut with a 1-fish showing on the first day.
Small bass aren’t the only ineligible fish eating the pros lures this week. Saltwater species abound. “I caught fish that I don’t even know what they were,” said Elite Series rookie James Elam.
Fish, gators, and snakes aren’t the only wildlife encountered by the pros.
On day 2 Brandon Card compared his 20-acre backwater to the movie ‘Deliverance’. Said he’s passing a bunch of weird houses with weird people walking around. Dave Mercer teased on stage yesterday, “If you start hearing banjos, get out of there!” Today Card an update, “You know that spot I was talking about? I kid you not, banjos were playing this morning. If I’m lying I’m dying.”
Card is running 73 miles one way to his deserted fishing hole. By comparison to many pros this week, he’s fishing close.
Mike McClelland said that if he makes the cut and fishes tomorrow he will have logged over 1,000 miles in his boat this week. He made the cut.
Patrick Pierce Shows The G Force Trolling Motor Cable!
Star Tron Pro Patrick Pierce shows us the NEW G Force trolling motor cable from T&H Marine. There's a good reason you're starting to see this on all of the pros' rigs. Pat explains.
Sabine River Challenge Continues To Challenge Elite Anglers
| PLACE | NAME | DAY 1 | DAY 2 | TOTAL FISH | TOTAL WEIGHT | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FISH | WEIGHT | FISH | WEIGHT | ||||
| 1 | Todd Faircloth | 5 | 10- 7 | 5 | 16- 8 | 10 | 26-15 |
| 2 | Dean Rojas | 5 | 15-10 | 5 | 10-14 | 10 | 26- 8 |
| 3 | Cliff Crochet | 5 | 13- 0 | 5 | 12- 0 | 10 | 25- 0 |
| 4 | Terry Scroggins | 3 | 9-11 | 5 | 14-10 | 8 | 24- 5 |
| 5 | Mark Davis | 5 | 13-13 | 4 | 8- 6 | 9 | 22- 3 |
Ike ended up high and dry. photo by B.A.S.S.
Todd Faircloth took the lead at the Bassmaster Elite Series event on the Sabine River which straddles the Texas/Louisiana border. He brought 16-8, the day’s biggest bag, and ran his total to 26-15.
Day 1 leader, Dean Rojas is less than a half-pound behind with 26-8.
Cliff Crochet, Terry Scroggins and Mark Davis are 3rd, 4th, 5th.
Alton Jones is catching bass. He’s even catching keepers. He’s solved two pieces of the puzzle but he’s still dealing with one problem that concerned most anglers – crowding. “There have been 6 limits out of that spot,” said Jones of prime area.
The Sabine River was stingy again but a win is a win and the winner will still make $100,000 and gain a lead in the angler of the Year Race.
Half the field will, at least, take home ten-grand. “When you catch one that’s a pound and 10 ounces and you know it’s a $10,000 fish, you get pretty jacked,” said Garry Klein.
Klein missed the cut but Kelly Jordon bounded into the cut with a 13-15 limit that made up for a 3-pound day 1. “It’s all about decisions, where you go, being in the right place at the right time. I got fortunate,” concluded Jordon.
Talk about being in the right place at the right time (and knowing it). Chris Lane called his shot. “I told the camera boat ‘y’all are gonna leave and I’m gonna catch a 2-pounder out of that mat and y’all are going to miss it’.” The camera crew stayed to watch Lane make one more flip. He caught a 2-pounder. On cue. Some guys couldn’t catch a 2-pounder all week.
Long runs are part of the story this week. “I’m averaging 1 fish for every 41 gallons of gas,” quipped Gerald Swindle.
Jeremy Starks – “I ran 175 miles one-way to Morgan City, Louisiana to catch one fish that weighs 1 pound, 1 ounce.”
Considering that Starks blanked yesterday, that one fish was worth valuable points. Without it he would have gone the way of Jami Fralick, Matt Greenblatt and Kelley Jaye, who all leave Orange TX with no points as they did not weigh a single keeper.
Brandon Card said of his 73 mile run – “It’s like Deliverance. I’m Passing all these weird houses; weird people walking around.” Apparently he passed the right houses. Card is squarely inside the cut at 13th.
Mike Iaconelli wishes he had passed more weird houses. Instead, he lost control of his boat and parked it high and dry on a thicket of shoreline trees. No one was hurt in the accident.
Brian Morgan And Dale Surrett Bag Almost 16 Lbs In The Carolina Coach And Marine Monday Nighter-Full Results And Points Here!
Here are your updated points and results from this past Monday Night Carolina Coach and Marine Tournament out at Lake Norman.
Brian Morgan and Dale Surrett hold up their winning Stringer Mon Night
Long Runs, Little Fish And Dean Rojas Dominate Day 1 Of Elite Series Tourney On Sabine River
Your Top 5:
1 Dean Rojas 15-10
2 Mark Davis 13-13
3 Cliff Crochet 3- 0
4 Hank Cherry 12-11
5 Greg Hackney 11-13
Rojas leads - photo courtesy B.A.S.S./Seigo Saito
“I’ve fished a lot of tough places in my day,” said Mike Iaconelli. “This one takes the cake.”
On the other hand, James Niggemeyer had fish jumping into his boat. Literally. He thinks it had something to do with the Strike King Sexy Shad wrap on his boat. The fish was only 10 inches long, but under B.A.S.S. rules Niggemeyer would have to throw the fish back even if it had been a keeper.
Anglers expected the Sabine River would be tough on them from a fishing standpoint, but the long runs required to find quality fish took heavy tolls on outboard motors as well.
Local favorite Dennis Tietje had problems 20 miles from the takeoff point. The service crew got him back on track. But he lost more than 3 hours of precious fishing time. He had one fish that weighed 2 pounds, 14 ounces.
Chad Pipkens “got to go swimming today” when he had mechanical issues.
John Murray lost his lower unit . . . 100 miles away.
Hank Cherry continues to ride the momentum that pushed him to a high finish at the recent Classic. “I’m picking up a big jig and throwing it at everything I can throw it at. No rhyme or reason, sometimes you set the hook and the fish goes flying over the boat. Sometimes it’s a good fish.”
Kenyon Hill only caught 1 keeper but it was the right one – 4 pounds, 1 ounce. He actually caught more fish today than he has in practice, but only the biggest one would measure.
One lonely keeper is a very valuable commodity this week. “If these guys don’t weigh a fish, they don’t get any points at all,” noted tournament director Tripp Weldon. “We’ll have some guys come in with no fish and they’ll be in a deep hole when it comes to qualifying for the Classic.”
A bunch of guys simply accumulated valuable points today. Thirteen did not. That’s 13% of the most competitive anglers in the world that failed to catch a 14-inch bass today on the Sabine River.
“I’ve about lost my voice from screaming after I caught my first 14-incher today,” said Jason Williamson.
“When that 5th one came over and into the boat I never made another cast,” said Alton Jones. “I didn’t know if I had enough gas to get back.” Like most of the field, Jones is making a long run and catching a lot of “weekers”- “that means in another week they would be keepers,” explained Jones.
Dean Rojas was all smiles – “What a feeling. I really didn’t think I was going to catch them that well. I just went running 75 miles down the Intracoastal, burning some gas, catching some bass.”
Rojas caught enough of the right bass to take the lead with 15-10, including the big bass on the day, a 5pound, 15 ounce specimen that qualifies as an absolute monster on the Sabine.
Keith Combs made an 83 mile run to fish for an hour without catching anything; he caught all of his fish (3 that weighed 6-15) 10 miles away on the return trip.
Paul Elias did the math and figured that his single 3 pound, 11 ounce fish cost him “50-miles-to-the-pound.”
Brandon Palaniuk (3-1 today) also did some division. “I think that is the most expensive 2 bass I have ever caught in my life. I spent $150 in gas to catch those two fish. Tomorrow I may drop the trolling motor and stay close and see what happens.”
Fish management is critical – Brandon Card caught 6 and left his spot – “I think 5 fish a day will go a long way here this week.”
Then again, saving fish may not help as much as it otherwise would in this here-today-gone-tomorrow fishery. “It’s a day-to-day deal here,” said Greg Hackney. He had an 11-13 limit. “I’m really proud to have that today.”
Some guys, for instance, Kelly Jordon made a long run to find their water “blown out” by wind which can stir shallow, muck-bottomed bayous.
Kevin VanDam and Terry Scroggins both mentioned muddy water due to recent south winds and tidal influx. Scroggins had a slightly better time in the muddy water, 3 fish for 9-11 vs. VanDam’s 3 for 8-2.
Even without 5-fish limits, Scroggins is 12th, VanDam 19th. Additionally, Fred Roumbanis is 14th without a limit (3 fish, 9-5) and Bernie Schultz is 20th with 4 bass that weigh 8-1. Otherwise, a small limit was golden today as everyone who caught 5 fish (16 anglers) is in the top 20.
Cliff Crochet (currently 3rd) excited the locals when he put 13 pounds on the scale. Heck, Crochet was just happy to speak in front of a crowd that could understand his Cajun accent.
More Great Boat-Rigging Tips From Star Tron Pro Pat Pierce!
In this, Part 2, of our look at a tournament-ready rig Patrick Pierce show us around the battery compartment of the Star Tron Triton. You will be surprised at the technology that powers his rig!
Challenge, Commit, Survive All Key Words For Elite Series Pros At Sabine River This Week
But that will have to wait another week. Right now the Elite Series pros have resigned themselves to the grind that will greet them as the 2013 season gets underway on the Sabine River which straddles the Texas/Louisiana border below Toledo Bend Lake.
How tough is it? “Abnormally tough,” said James Niggemeyer. “I’m going into my 7th year of doing this and this week has been the toughest practice I’ve ever had.
“You can catch quite a few but catching 14-inchers (the minimum length limit this week) is a challenge. That’s the best word I can use to sum it up – ‘challenge’. Practice was challenging. I looked at a lot of different water and it looked the same everywhere I went.”
In addition to ‘challenge’ a key word this week will be ‘commitment’. Given the spread out nature of the waterway, anglers will not have time to change locations frequently. As is usually the case on delta fisheries, pre-tournament decisions will play a huge roll.
“I’m making a decent run, putting my head down and putting all my eggs in one basket,” affirmed Niggemeyer.
As for lure selection, it is simple this week. Pitching plastics and slinging a spinnerbait are the best tactics on this tidewater playing field. Niggemeyer will flip a Strike King Rodent and toss a ¼-oz. Strike King spinnerbait.
After the practice rounds Greg Vinson is “Certainly not comfortable. It’s tough to get a keeper. I talked to a lot of guys and if most of them are being honest 1-to-3 per day is all they’re catching. There are a lot of 12-inch fish.”
In faraway places most anglers hang their proverbial hats on something that reminds them of home. Vinson has found that, but it’s little consolation. “This place is a lot like the Mobile/Tensaw Delta. It’s similar in size and fishes similarly, but down there in Mobile we can keep 12-inch fish in a tournament.”
Vinson will make a big decision in the morning. “I’m split between 2 areas; still not sure where to go. It’s hard to put a lot of stock in either one.” One area offers quality but it would be hard to scratch out a limit. The other offers a solid chance to catch a small limit but nothing more. Vinson realistically hopes to get 3 or 4 bites per day. He adds another key word to our lexicon this week: ‘survive’. “I’m really trying to - what’s the word - survive this one. It would be very easy to zero 2 days in a row here. You don’t want to mess around and put yourself out of contention for the Classic.”
Saltwater intrusion from hurricanes killed many of the Sabine’s bass and those fish grow slowly as it is so recovery slow in coming. “You can see the results of the state’s stocking efforts but we need a couple more years. Those fish are all 12-inches or less,” noted Vinson. “The winner is going to have a little area that has a few quality fish. And right now, to me, a quality fish is anything over 2 pounds.”
Catt Old North Results & Catt Classic Kerr Info
Jeremy Sabo and Dale Campo took 1st Place Saturday at Shearon Harris with 5 bass weighing up at 25.14 lbs. They also took home the 1st Place BONUS $. All total they collected $1,265.00!
Billy West and Tracy Sykes claimed 2nd Place with another limit weighing 22.78 lbs and they took the 2nd Place BONUS $. They took home $640.00.
3rd went to Jamie Fajardo and Josh Hooks with 5 bass weighing 21 lbs even. They weighed in a 9 pounder which took 2nd BF. They earned a total of $402.00.
Chad Craven and Ben Cannon weighed in 19.69 lbs and took 4th Place. They claimed $175.00.
Dennis Reedy and Jeffery Thomas brought in a limit weighing 17.39 lbs and they collected $120.00.
Steve Bishop and Robin Bowen took the last money spot with 5 bass weighing 15.25 lbs. They received $100.00.
Tony Woodard and Scott Smith brought in a 9.04 lb bass and took home $238.00 for 1st BF.
Next Old North Qualifier is this Sunday March 17th at Shearon Harris.
Brett Collins
Carolina Anglers Team Trail LLC
Swindle Speaks About Using Non-Sponsor Products
You knew they did it. And you were right! Pros sometimes use products made by companies that don't sponsor them. Sometimes they even use lures manufactured by a direct competitor. Gerald Swindle explains:
Hite Hoping His 'delta Magic' Continues In Elite Series Opener On Sabine River
On the first day of the 1999 Bassmaster Classic on the Louisiana Delta, Davy Hite discovered the fish had changed in the spot he had located during practice, but he did not panic.
“I had to figure those fish out and it all worked out,” said Hite who won that Classic, weighing in a total of more than 55 pounds of bass, just a fraction of an ounce under 10 pounds ahead of his nearest competitor.
The long-time pro from Ninety Six, S.C., is hoping that experience will serve him well in the Bassmaster Elite Series season opener, the Sabine River Challenge, along the Texas-Louisiana border this week.
“We've never been here. I don't know of any of the Elite anglers who ever fished a tournament here, so we don't know what to expect,” he said. “But I like my chances on a delta like this because I have had some success on bodies of water like this.”
The water around Orange, Texas, he noted, is a delta, with a lot of shallow water, cuts, rivers and canals running through it.
“I've been successful in canals and shallow water, flipping and cranking, so this area kind of plays to my strengths. I am excited about getting the new year started on a new place and excited about going to try to pattern these fish,” he said.
He's also excited about a new lure that he plans to use extensively this week, the Rapala Scatter Rap,which features a balsa body with a curved or 'Scatter Lip' that, according to Rapala, “creates the most evasive, erratic, aggressive sweeping action ever seen.”
“It's got a different action than any other crankbait I've ever seen,” Hite said. “Instead of coming straight back to you on a retrieve, it darts to the left and right like a baitfish being chased. I think it is going to change shallow water cranking.”
Several factors could weigh heavily in the tournament this week, Elite anglers say. Most expect the spawn to be on, so a lot of fish could be caught. But the size limit is 14 inches minimum,, so that could make it tough to get a quality limit.
“From the research I've done it doesn't appear that a lot of big largemouths are caught here, so I don't think the weights will be very high,” Hite said.
Whatever the outcome, however, Hite said he had already enjoyed being down on the delta this week.
“We've met some very hospitable people here who have been very good to us,” he said. “A couple of guys went and caught some redfish and flounder and Kevin VanDam is filleting them, and we are boiling up some crawfish so we are going to have a good time.”
Bassmaster Elite Series Sabine River Challenge
Mar 14-17, 2013
Sabine River - near Orange, TX
City of Orange Boat Ramp
Carver Hoping For A Bass Fishing Feast In Bulldog Bfl On Seminole Saturday
Kim Carver of Milledgeville, GA. Photo courtesy FLW Outdoors
For veteran bass angler Kim Carver of Milledgeville, Ga., fishing on Lake Seminole is either feast or famine.
“There is not an in between for me on Lake Seminole,” he said. “It's either good or bad.”
His history on the lake bears him out. He has finished as high as 2nd in the 2010 BFL Regional and 7th in the 2005 Bassmaster Series on the lake – and he has finished well out of the money on many other occasions.
Carver is hoping Saturday will be one of the good ones for him on Lake Seminole in the Walmart Bass Fishing League Bulldog Division's second tournament of the season. He finished 5th in the season opener on Lake Lanier last month, winning $996 plus a $300 Evinrude bonus with a five-fish limit that weighed 15 pounds, 6 ounces.
“We will be on a new moon this weekend, so I think there will be a lot of spawning fish. The advantage for me will be that the lake is muddy and nobody can see them.”
Carver said recent heavy rains have muddied the lake, but the bass will still move up on the sandbars in the mouths of major creeks like Spring Creek to begin spawning.
“You should be able to catch a lot of fish on spinnerbaits,” he said. “Two years ago they were blind fishing in the Bassmaster Classic on the Louisiana Delta. When one would hit it they would have to make multiple casts before he would hit it again. That is probably what will be going on this week on Seminole.”
Carver said he did not practice on Seminole over the weekend because the weather is changing and the fish will change with the weather.
“When the water warms the fish can change drastically. I felt like going down there over the weekend would have been a waste of time because the fish are going to be moving so much with this warm weather.”
Carver, who has been fishing tournaments on a regular basis for more than three decades, predicted it will probably take over 25 pounds to win the BFL on Lake Seminole Saturday.
“It will probably take 15 pounds just to make a check. Fishing is going to be that good.”
Carver burst onto the B.A.S.S. scene with top 10 finishes on Lake Okeechobee and Lake Eufaula in 1980 and 1982, won the 1984 St. John's Invitational on the St. John's River and qualified for the 1985 Bassmaster Classic on the Arkansas River where he earned a very respectable 11th place finish for a Classic rookie.
Since then he has fished B.A.S.S. and FLW tournaments and spent a lot of time locally in BFL tournaments.
“I got to where I had to go to work for a living,” said Carver who owns multiple businesses.”When you get children you kind of change your attitude about what you can go. I've taken the money I won over the years and invested it, trying to make something for my children.
He claims a granddaughter and nephew as his own and said his own two sons will be with him at Lake Seminole this weekend, one fishing as a boater and one as a no-boater.
“Fishing kept me out of trouble growing up , so I had to keep them out of trouble too,” he said with a chuckle. “My daddy always kept us in the woods no matter what. If we were not running dogs we were at the lake fishing.”
Walmart Bass Fishing League - Bulldog Division
Sat, Mar 16, 2013
Lake Seminole
Bainbridge Boat Basin
Denver Marine Cancels Spring Trail, Promotes Monster Bass Thursday Night Trail
The Denver Marine Monster Bass Invitational Spring Trail was canceled as of Tuesday morning when the tournament director left to pursue other interests.
“It's just one of those things,” said Danny McCall at Denver Marine. “We don't have time to get a new director for the spring trail. I hate it – I had a lot of time and money tied up in it, but I have to do what I have to do at this point.”
The spring trail cancellation will also cause a change in the prize package for Denver Marine's 2013 Monster Bass Thursday Night Trail on Lake Norman, McCall said, because both trails were going to fish for a new Ranger Boat.
“Now it's just cash prizes. Most guys would rather have the money than fish for a boat, anyway,” he said.
“We will continue the Lake Norman Thursday Night Trail with the second tournament this Thursday, March 14. We hold these tournaments the first three Thursday's of each month and we are off the last Thursday of the month. Then we have double points for the first Thursday tournament each month.”
The Thursday night tournaments will be held out of Midway Marine from 6:30 to 11 p.m. from March through September. The two lowest scores during the season will be dropped. The championship will be held Oct. 12-13.
For questions about the Thursday night trail, call Harley at 704-483-2628.
Denver Marine Monster Bass Thursday Night Trail
Thurs., Mar 14, 2013
Lake Norman
Midway Marina
www.denverrecreationalmarine.com
Call 704-483-2628 for more information
New Bassmaster Elite Series Season Begins This Week In Orange, Texas
When asked if he had ever competed on the Sabine River, site of the March 14-17 Bassmaster Elite Series season opener, Elite Series pro Dennis Tietje chuckled.
“Only for about 30 years,” he replied.
He’s in the minority because the Elite Series has never had an event on the Sabine. Most of the 100 competitors don’t know what to expect in this week’s Sabine River Challenge presented by STARK Cultural Venues out of Orange, Texas.
That means Tietje has been getting a lot of phone calls from his fellow Elite Series pros angling for his secrets.
“Sure, they call — but I don’t tell them anything,” he said, the smile still in his voice.
Tietje would be wise not to surrender any advantage. An Elite Series first prize is $100,000, an instant qualification for the 2014 Bassmaster Classic and the early lead in the Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year season-long points race.
Tietje already seems to have Lady Luck working for him. He just returned to the Elite Series after a medical leave in 2012 for spinal surgery, and where is the first event of the season? Where he cut his competitive teeth.
“I was totally shocked when I first heard the Elite Series was coming here. I never dreamed I would compete at the Elite level where I learned to fish,” Tietje said.
He lives in Roanoke, La., about 60 miles east of Orange. That’s given him many opportunities over the years to enter a number of small, local tournaments on the Sabine, which forms the southeasterly Texas-Louisiana border. No big tournaments, he’s quick to point out. To his knowledge, the Elite event is the largest organized tournament to come to Orange.
That fact has a lot to do with why Todd Faircloth has never competed on the Sabine River, even though he lives just 90 miles away in Jasper, Texas. He’s usually at work on the water far from home.
Ditto for Alabama’s Keith Poche, although some might assume he knows the Sabine because he is a native of central Louisiana. Growing up, he spent a lot of time on small waters near where he lived in Natchitoches, but he never fished the Sabine, he said.
To help close up the holes in their knowledge of the Sabine, Faircloth and Poche scouted the river system before the Feb. 11, 2013, cutoff. (After that date, all Elite competitors were barred from tournament waters until the official March 11-13 practice period.)
On his scouting trip, Poche said he was reminded of Louisiana’s Atchafalaya Basin fishery.
“It’s a lot like Atchafalaya, but I think it’s going to fish differently,” said Poche, who now lives in Alabama. “The largemouth size limit for the Sabine event is 14 inches, and that’s going to make it tough on a lot of guys to get a limit. And I don’t think we’re going to be catching a lot of 4s and 5s.”
He, Faircloth and Tietje described an area south of Orange, off the main Sabine River, where huge spreads of backwaters, bayous and feeder rivers and creeks in both Texas and Louisiana hold black bass. The Neches, Calcasieu and other rivers are fertile fishing grounds. The Intracoastal Waterway connects some of the waters. North of Orange, anglers will find more of a traditional river, but some of the same types of backwaters.
The size of the tournament waters means an angler’s morning choice about where to find fish will likely be the only choice of the day.
“In the backwaters, it’s like a maze, so many canals and cuts. You really have to pick an area and go with it,” Poche said. “There’s so much water, you can’t run from area to area.”
Especially in the river system’s lower reaches, the tides will play a big role, Poche said.
“You have to catch that water moving,” he said. “The tides will position those fish. It’ll be all timing — and getting the right bites [by larger bass] because there are a lot of smaller fish there.”
Faircloth made time to scout the Sabine River, even though he was prepping for the Feb. 22-24 Bassmaster Classic on Oklahoma’s Grand Lake, where he finished ninth, a heroic recovery from Day 2 in 21st place and a jumpstart mentally for his Elite season.
“I’ve been there for trout and redfish, but I’ve never bass fished down there, so I spent four or five days there just riding around,” he said of the Sabine fishery. “There’s so much water that’s accessible, so much to look at, I wanted to get at least a feel for it.”
He predicts that the majority of the tournament’s catches will come from the backwaters, and the spawn will play somewhat of a role.
“I think there definitely will be fish in all stages of the spawn. I don’t think they’ll be too far from where they live in summertime — around moving water. But moving water won’t play as big a role as it would in summertime,” Faircloth said.
Tietje also scouted the river before cutoff, just to brush up. His main challenge is to fight off “fishing the past,” a syndrome that can trip up any local favorite who can’t resist returning to once-lucrative spots, even though conditions are nagging at the angler to try something else.
Predicting a winning Elite Series weight is difficult, Tietje said.
“There’s not as many big fish as there was before the hurricanes, but we’re going to catch fish,” Tietje said. “Mother Nature has a way of bringing a fishery back real fast, and with the restocking programs, there’s a lot of fish, and anglers are going to catch a lot of fish.”
That said, the Elite field needs to get used to seeing the number 13 on measuring sticks.
“There are tons of bass, but many haven’t made it to 14 inches yet,” Tietje said. “You might have an angler catch 50 or 60 fish — and one keeper. But if the weather’s right, we’ll have a lot of limits. That’s the main thing: Mother Nature will dictate the tournament’s outcome, depending on rainfall, wind and temperatures the week of the tournament. None of us will know until the tournament starts.”
Because one of his sponsors, Gopher Industrial, is located in Orange, Tietje has driven through the town often lately.
“It’s unbelievable what the community is doing to make sure this tournament is memorable for anglers, their families and fans. They really want people to know what Orange is about. They even had boats out picking up trash on the river and people cleaning up along the shorelines. That was neat for me to see that. The whole community is excited about the Elite event coming to Orange.”
Bassmaster.com will provide extensive coverage of the tournament each day. On site, fans are invited to watch the Thursday-Sunday 7 a.m. launches and 3:15 p.m. weigh-ins at the City of Orange Boat Ramp, 1000 Simmons Drive and Harry Reed Road, Orange, TX 77630. A full schedule is posted on Bassmaster.com.
There’s no admission charge for any Bassmaster event, and access to Bassmaster.com is free.
The event’s title sponsor is STARK Cultural Venues, www.starkculutralvenues.org. Other local sponsors include Greater Orange Area Chamber of Commerce, www.orangetexaschamber.org; and the City of Orange, www.orangetexas.net.
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, Livingston Lures, Lowrance, Luck “E” Strike, Power-Pole, Ramada, Shimano
2013 Bassmaster Elite Series Proud Partner: Mustang Survival
About B.A.S.S.
For more than 45 years, B.A.S.S. has served as the authority on bass fishing. The organization advances the sport through advocacy, outreach and an expansive tournament structure while connecting directly with the passionate community of bass anglers through its Bassmaster media vehicles.
The Bassmaster brand and its multimedia platforms are guided by a mission to serve all fishing fans. Through its industry-leading publications — Bassmaster Magazine and B.A.S.S. Times — comprehensive website Bassmaster.com and ESPN2 and Outdoor Channel television programming, Bassmaster provides rich, leading-edge content true to the lifestyle.
The Bassmaster Tournament Trail includes the Bassmaster Elite Series, Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Open Series, Carhartt Bassmaster College Series, B.A.S.S. Nation events and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the Bassmaster Classic.
B.A.S.S. offers an array of services to its more than 500,000 members and remains focused on issues related to conservation and water access. The organization is headquartered in Birmingham, Ala.
Cbs Quality Cars Hyco Lake Open Tournament Results - Mar 9, 2013
What a great day for the inaugural CBS Quality Cars Hyco Lake Open! It was a little chilly in the morning but as the day went on the wind died down and it got up to about 60 degrees and was nice and sunny!
We had 42 teams fishing in the tournament. The winning team of Tony Fox and Wayne Sheppard had 5 bass that weighed 21.03 lbs. That was worth $1,000. Then they had the big bass of the tournament which weighed 6.64 lbs., worth $294. They also won the Tournament Within a Tournament worth $473. Then they collected the $1,000 1st place bonus provided by Steve Smith, owner of CBS Quality Cars. All in all, they took home $2,767 !!!
All the participants were treated to hot dogs, chips and drinks, along with many gifts from CBS Quality Cars. Below are the list of the top winners:
1st: Tony Fox & Wayne Sheppard of Timberlake & Prospect Hill...5 bass...21.03 lbs...$1,000
2nd: Jimmy & James Wall of Greensboro...5 bass...19.59 lbs...$550
3rd: Alan Haigh & Doug Washburn of Prospect Hill & Chapel Hill...4 bass...16.56 lbs...$440
4th: Dale Martin & Brian Owens of Stokesdale...5 bass...10.91 lbs...$347
5th: Nathan Talley & Brent Davis of Prospect Hill & Burlington...4 bass...10.39 lbs...$283
6th: George Crabtree & Thomas Glosson of Bahama & Rougemont...5 bass...10.28 lbs...$220
7th: David Gentry & Clint Dixon of Timberlake...4 bass...9.92 lbs...$190
8th: Doug Johnson & Tim Hubler of Raleigh...4 bass...9.58 lbs...$160
1st Big Fish: 1st Place Team above: 6.64 lbs...$294
2nd Big Fish: Tommy Bugg & Ahargh Faircloth of Trinity & Thomasville: 5.76 lbs...$126
1st TWT: 1st Place Team above: 21.03 lbs...$473
2nd TWT: 2nd Place Team above: 19.59 lbs...$203
Our next Piedmont Bass Classics event is the CBS Quality Cars Mini Trail Qualifier #2 at Jordan Lake, this coming Saturday, March 16th.
http://www.piedmontbassclassics.com/2013CBSMiniTrailMainPage.html
All the information on this and all of our great tournaments can be found at: www.piedmontbassclassics.com
Phil McCarson ... Tournament Director 919-471-1571 or 919-971-5042 email: [email protected] web: www.piedmontbassclassics.com
What Does A Tournament-Ready Rig Look Like These Days?
So you think YOUR rig is tourney ready? Patrick Pierce shows us what makes his Star Tron Triton capable of handling the rigors of Bassmaster Opens competition and PAA Tour tourneys across the country. And this is just Part 1- the battery compartment required an entire video segment of its own, coming soon!
Good Start On The Bassmaster Weekend Series
I finally made the move to the bank and started fishing the coves with floating docks. It didn’t take long for the bites to start coming once I figured out the right coves to target. So much in fact that I could start calling my shots. That’s when fishing can be really fun. I was consistently catching between 16-18lbs every time out.
To start things out I was the last boat out on Saturday. So I took my time getting the boat in the water because of the drizzling cold conditions. I didn’t start backing the boat down the ramp until boat one was called for launch.
With the rain starting to come down, my co-angler and I both prayed for the rain to hold off for the remainder of day because we were both unprepared wearing tennis shoes instead of boots.
My weapons of choice were a Berkley Flicker Shad and a Rapala Shad Rap. I was throwing both crankbaits on spinning gear with Berkley Vanish 8 lb fluorocarbon. I was targeting southern facing pockets with floating docks. The southern facing pockets protect the water from the brutally coldnorthern winds and the black floats on the docks radiate heat from the sun. During practice, I was having to make super tight casts to those floating docks in order to get a bite.
My partner was throwing a Berkley Schooling rig. He had won the BFL the year before on Murray as a co-angler throwing shad raps behind his partner who was throwing an A-rig. So my partner felt completely comfortable fishing behind me throwing a schooling rig.
With the rain and overcast conditions, the fish didn’t have a reason to relate to the black dock floats. We caught most of our fish in between the docks. I caught a few off the dock floats but they were small. My two biggest fish came in less then three feet of water off the Flicker Shad.
My co-angler on the other hand only had two bites but they were the right ones. His first fish came off a dock in the back of a cove and it crushed his schooling rig. The other came out of the same pocket in between the docks. It hit the rig the so hard it about ripped the rod out of his hands. That one weighed in right at 7 lbs even.
So with his two fish he ended up weighing just under 12 lbs and winning the event as well as taking big fish. I was pretty excited for him even though I ended up with just over 12 lbs and missing a check.
With Julianne and I living together now, it was pretty awesome having her come to weigh in and just be a part of the whole afternoon. Even though I was pretty disappointed with my finish it was really great having her there to root me on.
My next event is going to be my first BFL fishing as a boater. I am excited because the BFLs are a little more competitive then the Bassmaster Weekend Series. It too will be on Lake Murray. So hopefully I can get some better weather conditions and bring in a big sack.
You can also see my blog on my website, www.kgfishing.com.
Until next time, never stop chasing your dreams!
Walser Whacks 'em At Santee
Robert Walser of Lexington, NC walloped the bass, as well as his competitors at the March 9th Bassmaster ABA tournament on Santee Cooper. Fishing out of John C. Land III landing, Walser said he expected it would take 30 pounds to win the tournament. With only 5 anglers bringing a 5-bass limit to the scale, Walser was wrong on that count, but he was right about everything else on the day. Throwing a Weapon jig and a Chatterbait around the base of cypress trees on the upper lake, Walser culled his share of fish and brought 5 fish weighing 25.28 to the weigh-in. 37 anglers joined 37 co-anglers to fish the tournament
Brad Fowler caught the big fish of the day, an 8.77 pounder that helped him to a top-ten finish despite only catching 4 keepers on the day.
Top Ten
1. Robert Walser 5-fish 25.28 lbs
2. Ronnie McCoy 5 fish 20.83
3. Tim Jones 4 fish 20.63
4. Sean Anderson 5 fish 18.99
5. Andy Wicker 4 fish 18.08
6. Brad Fowler 4 fish 16.41 (Big Fish-8.77)
7. Nelson Walker 5 fish 12.71
8. Ron Brown 5 fish 11.29
9. Alexander James 3 fish 9.94
10. Randall Langston 2 fish 8.86
Justin Goodyear And Tony Waterhouse Win The Anglers Choice Marine Tt On High Rock-Full Results Here!
43 Teams turned out to fish for the 1st NC Div event of the Anglers Choice Marine TT. Conditions were as difficult as we've ever seen at any tournament with many teams only bringing 1 fish to the scales. Somehow, Justin and Tony managed to get 3 in the boat and come away with a very hard earned victory. Their efforts netted them $1650 on only a $100 entry fee. Pictures below and full results are attached:
AC Marine TT High Rock Champs Justin Goodyear and Tony Waterhouse
AC Marine TT High Rock 2nd Place Team of Terry James and Kevin Chandler
AC Marine TT High Rock Solid 5 Lb Fish worth keeping!
Shockin' With Doc - Electro-Fishing Reveals Big Bass Secrets!
Ever wonder where big bass really spend their time, what they eat? Jump in the 'shock boat' with Doc Glawson as we electro-fish a lake that has tremendous potential to turn out big bass along the Florida/Georgia border. Are they eating shad, shiners? Would you believe - lake chub suckers? With water temps in the 50's and with 20-foot depths nearby, we found these bass in less than 6 feet of water. Come learn along with us at Bienville Plantation!
Justin Goodyear And Tony Waterhouse Hold On And Win The Anglerschoice Marine Tt On High Rock Lake!
To say High Rock Lake has been tough lately is the understatement of the season so far...........Justin Goodyear and Tony Waterhouse stuck to their plan and somehow managed to pull out 10.16 Lbs and take home $1650 for their 1st win of the year in the NC Div of the Anglerschoice Marine TT. If you are heading to the Rock anytime soon, here is what you will have to do-
Carl And Stephanie Meyers Win The 2013 Jim Ledbetter With 16.88 Sponsored By Denver Marine!
When Carl and Stephanie Meyers launched Saturday morning on Lake Norman among 204 other boaters, they were looking to just find some fish and enjoy some time together on the water. Well, with their 1st place 16.88 Lb bag, they did just that and more as they took home a $35,000 Ranger Z118/Evinrude E-TEC package sponsored by Denver Marine!
Carl And Stephanie Meyers Win The 2013 Jim Ledbetter With 16.88 Sponsored By Denver Marine-Full Results Here!!
|
Huge win for Carl and Stephanie Meyers as they out dual 203 other teams to win the 2013 Jim Ledbetter Memorial Cancer Tournament sponsored by Denver Marine and Ranger Boats! 204 Boats came out to fish this 27th Annual event. Many folks struggled to get more than 10 Lbs, but for the ones that did, the payday was worth the effort! Full results below:
2013 CANCER TOURNAMENT |
|||||||||||
| MARCH 9, 2013 LAKE NORMAN | |||||||||||
| 28 | 9 | 17 | 314 | 6.52 | 16.88 | 632.43 | |||||
| Boat # | Team | HW | PC | # of Fish Caught | Biggest Fish | Total Weight | Net Weight | Place Finished | |||
| 3 | Carl Meyers, Jr & Stephanie Meyers | 1 | 5 | 4.18 | 16.88 | 16.88 | 1 | ||||
| 43 | Vince Parker & Mark Parker | 5 | 4.05 | 14.42 | 14.42 | 2 | |||||
| 5 | Aric Dwyer & Zack Bolick | 5 | 3.26 | 14.19 | 14.19 | 3 | |||||
| 164 | Shane Lehew & Adam Waters | 5 | 6.52 | 14.13 | 14.13 | 4 | |||||
| 7 | Alfred Kiesling, Sr & Robert Stiltner | 5 | 3.26 | 14.07 | 14.07 | 5 | |||||
| 113 | Mark Brown | 4 | 5.09 | 13.02 | 13.02 | 6 | |||||
| 170 | Larry Lehew & Troy Lehew | 5 | 3.15 | 12.29 | 12.29 | 7 | |||||
| 4 | Carl Meyers, Sr & Larry Carpenter | 5 | 4.33 | 11.95 | 11.95 | 8 | |||||
| 61 | Jeff Queen & K J Queen | 1 | 5 | 3.39 | 11.85 | 11.85 | 9 | ||||
| 179 | Craig Chambers & Mark Zoltanski | 5 | 4.19 | 11.47 | 11.47 | 10 | |||||
| 26 | Keith Berry & Jarrad Poarch | 5 | 4.37 | 11.27 | 11.27 | 11 | |||||
| 126 | Gerald W. Carr & Jerry Bragg | 4 | 4.31 | 11.27 | 11.27 | 12 | |||||
| 65 | Kevin Toler & Rodney Lambert | 5 | 2.68 | 11.12 | 11.12 | 13 | |||||
| 30 | Louie Hull & Ryan Hull | 5 | 2.86 | 11.11 | 11.11 | 14 | |||||
| 134 | George Hirapetian & Aram Hirapetyan | 5 | 2.57 | 11.08 | 11.08 | 15 | |||||
| 69 | Tracy Schiff & Eric Griggs | 5 | 3.42 | 10.83 | 10.83 | 16 | |||||
| 178 | Scott Hamrick & Roger Pope | 5 | 4.03 | 10.81 | 10.81 | 17 | |||||
| 34 | Bobby Wade & Jim Yates | 5 | 3.67 | 10.74 | 10.74 | 18 | |||||
| 18 | David Hilderbran & Gary Little | 5 | 2.17 | 10.51 | 10.51 | 19 | |||||
| 11 | Bob Bolick & Rick Hedrick | 5 | 2.50 | 10.50 | 10.50 | 20 | |||||
| 71 | Klaus Hadschin & Michael Winn | 5 | 2.71 | 10.41 | 10.41 | ||||||
| 186 | Darrin Sigmon & Brian Huffman | 5 | 3.62 | 10.38 | 10.38 | ||||||
| 103 | Zack Bodford & Paul Bodford | 5 | 2.82 | 9.95 | 9.95 | ||||||
| 168 | Jason Lowman & Paul Brittain | 4 | 3.91 | 9.83 | 9.83 | ||||||
| 66 | Craig Rycroft & Richard Cates | 5 | 2.91 | 9.81 | 9.81 | ||||||
| 201 | Michael Fox & Tony Shook | 4 | 3.03 | 9.77 | 9.77 | ||||||
| 19 | Dwight Dellinger & Doug Dellinger | 5 | 2.01 | 9.74 | 9.74 | ||||||
| 23 | Rob Digh & Aaron Digh | 1 | 5 | 2.22 | 9.72 | 9.72 | |||||
| 58 | Eddie Smith & Kaleb Hartly | 5 | 3.01 | 9.60 | 9.60 | ||||||
| 91 | Nick Miller & Brandon Brickweg | 5 | 2.78 | 9.55 | 9.55 | ||||||
| 202 | Chris Ellis & Nathan White | 3 | 3.25 | 9.51 | 9.51 | ||||||
| Kevin Young & Jeremy Hamby | 5 | 2.55 | 9.42 | 9.42 | |||||||
| 173 | Tommy Chapman & Reggie Guffy, Jr | 5 | 2.08 | 9.25 | 9.25 | ||||||
| 35 | Jason Wilson & Kelly Logan | 5 | 2.01 | 9.21 | 9.21 | ||||||
| 28 | Tommy Ireland & Dennis Caudle | 5 | 2.72 | 8.99 | 8.99 | ||||||
| 205 | Dave Stevens & Mark Henderson | 5 | 2.64 | 8.95 | 8.95 | ||||||
| 45 | Brayden Rakes & Michael Rakes | 3 | 4.10 | 8.89 | 8.89 | ||||||
| 8 | Kenneth Hoyle & Gerry Goble | 5 | 2.36 | 8.84 | 8.84 | ||||||
| 76 | Kelly Ruff & Tyler Rose | 1 | 5 | 2.30 | 8.54 | 8.54 | |||||
| 115 | Alan Whitaker & Kevin Lansill | 5 | 2.50 | 8.35 | 8.35 | ||||||
| 198 | Brian Key & Hunter Key | 1 | 5 | 0.00 | 8.16 | 8.16 | |||||
| 72 | Rob Wright & Ralph Faw | 3 | 3.60 | 8.05 | 8.05 | ||||||
| 107 | David Cooke & Dakota Lineburger | 1 | 4 | 3.23 | 8.05 | 8.05 | |||||
| 123 | Danne Harie & Thurman Lowry | 5 | 2.13 | 8.02 | 8.02 | ||||||
| 33 | Ben Parker & jimmy Drum | 5 | 0.00 | 8.01 | 8.01 | ||||||
| 110 | Wes Carr & Wayen Carr | 5 | 0.00 | 7.91 | 7.91 | ||||||
| 14 | David Busque & Jerry Ball | 5 | 1.94 | 7.78 | 7.78 | ||||||
| 105 | Jerry Craig & Corrie Craig | 1 | 5 | 2.29 | 7.69 | 7.69 | |||||
| 158 | Terry Royston & Graham Rushing | 5 | 0.00 | 7.58 | 7.58 | ||||||
| 183 | Thomas A Sipes & Kenneth R Sipes, Jr | 5 | 0.00 | 7.50 | 7.50 | ||||||
| 137 | Drew Adkins & C. Allen Wellman | 5 | 0.00 | 7.27 | 7.27 | ||||||
| 87 | Alvin Shaw & Stanton Harris | 5 | 0.00 | 7.17 | 7.17 | ||||||
| 64 | Chuck Knight & Brandon Branch | 5 | 0.00 | 7.08 | 7.08 | ||||||
| 73 | Gordon Smith | 5 | 0.00 | 6.98 | 6.98 | ||||||
| 132 | Gabe Cooper & Nathan Randolph | 5 | 0.00 | 6.97 | 6.97 | ||||||
| 70 | Jerry Roper & Larry Connell | 5 | 0.00 | 6.84 | 6.84 | ||||||
| 149 | Danny Mason & Lionel Mason | 4 | 0.00 | 6.82 | 6.82 | ||||||
| 20 | Darin Fabiano & Kurt Barltey | 4 | 0.00 | 6.74 | 6.74 | ||||||
| 124 | Boots Beasley & Dave Johnson | 3 | 3.92 | 6.48 | 6.48 | ||||||
| 56 | Carlos Smith & Israel Mills | 5 | 0.00 | 6.39 | 6.39 | ||||||
| 80 | Anthony Leech & Garrett Hoyle | 1 | 4 | 2.53 | 6.38 | 6.38 | |||||
| 47 | Dennis Kennedy & Tracy Brown | 2 | 3.02 | 6.05 | 6.05 | ||||||
| 135 | Bobby Young & Lori Young | 1 | 2 | 0.00 | 5.16 | 5.16 | |||||
| 92 | Rob Roakes & Mark Silverthorne | 3 | 0.00 | 5.13 | 5.13 | ||||||
| 119 | Richard Williams & Mike Boger | 3 | 0.00 | 5.12 | 5.12 | ||||||
| 52 | Paul Travis & Stewart Travis | 2 | 0.00 | 4.44 | 4.44 | ||||||
| 196 | David Williams & Gerald Williams | 2 | 0.00 | 4.08 | 4.08 | ||||||
| 94 | Randall Chewning & Jacob Moore | 1 | 3 | 0.00 | 4.04 | 4.04 | |||||
| 166 | Darin Bumgarner & Jeremey Hollifield | 3 | 0.00 | 3.55 | 3.55 | ||||||
| 130 | Trace Cochran & Carson Cochran | 1 | 2 | 0.00 | 3.02 | 3.02 | |||||
| 36 | Ronnie Huffman & Carl Stafford | 2 | 0.00 | 3.00 | 3.00 | ||||||
| 85 | Nicholas Maney & Jacob Tomblin | 1 | 0.00 | 2.75 | 2.75 | ||||||
| 1 | Paul Bradshaw & Dean Swaim | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 2 | Blaine Holbrook & Chris Corriher | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 6 | Bruce Rahrer & Mike Parlier | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 9 | Scott Beattie & Dwight Beattie | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 12 | Max Long & Jason Long | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 13 | Ronnie Willis & Mike Armstrong | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 15 | William Richards & Stacey Richards | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 16 | Charles Sipe & Charlie Sipe | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 17 | Charles Federico & Greg Federico | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 21 | Patrick Tierney & Maurice Freeze | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 22 | Jefferson Eudy & Daniel Cranford | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 24 | Curtis Carpenter & Tracy Kale | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 25 | Chad Midkiff & Rob Middleton | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 27 | CW Baker & C Dwayne Baker | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 29 | Tyler Hensley & Trent Killian | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 31 | Shaun Lawrence & Andy Shundich | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 32 | M Collen Brittain & Devan Brittain | 1 | 0.00 | ||||||||
| 37 | Wayne Bost & Richard Bost | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 38 | David Lynch & Richard Outlaw | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 39 | John Lutz & Larry Haney | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 40 | Joshua Perry & Blake Mays | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 41 | Dan Morgan & Joyce Morgan | 1 | 0.00 | ||||||||
| 42 | Pete Bejte & Ashley Brotherton | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 44 | Michael Boeke & William Hardy | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 46 | Mark Foy & Alex Foy | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 48 | Mark McCaslin & Mark Taylor | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 49 | Gary Sims & Michael Huffman | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 50 | Clint Benbow & Brandon Abernathy | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 51 | Tim Hollar & Bob Killian | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 53 | Gary Cline & Terry Wien | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 54 | Eric Singleton & Mike Hensley (Not Fishing) | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 55 | Burt Lane & Paul Alford | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 57 | Scott Heavener & Randy Moss | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 59 | Michael Smith & Gerald Smith | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 60 | Danny Lawson & Tim Wiles | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 62 | Steve Addington & Michael Steele | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 63 | Bobby Gill & Wayne Ingram | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 67 | Rodney Adams & Steve Gagnier (Out of Tournament) | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 68 | Randall Sessoms & Larry Fleeman | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 74 | Brian Nappier & Brad Nappier | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 75 | Travis Lovell & Josh Lyalls | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 77 | Randy Embry & Chris Embry | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 78 | Doug Punch & Tim Bumgarner | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 79 | Barry Barber & Andrew Barber | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 81 | Darrel Haber & Ben Haber | 1 | 0.00 | ||||||||
| 82 | Kenneth Stamey & Jerry Lineberger | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 83 | David Edge & Mike Hemmingway | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 84 | Brian Tidwell & Mike Tidwell | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 86 | Michael Shelor | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 88 | Steve Dyer & Bobby Bauer | 1 | 0.00 | ||||||||
| 89 | Bill Greer & Robbie Byrum | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 90 | Donald Stanley & Kevin Stanley | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 93 | Kevin Lynch & Michael Smith | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 95 | Robin Kincaid & Donnie Linn | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 96 | Patrick Duffy & Jim Gurley | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 97 | Jason Amato & David Spivey | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 98 | Roger Milam & Todd Barbee | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 99 | Shane Moose & Mike Ramsey | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 100 | David Bowers & TJ Delcourt | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 101 | Scott Stanbery & David Stanbery | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 102 | Void | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 104 | Chris O'Neal & James Redman | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 106 | Billy Willoughby & Laura Willoughby | 1 | 0.00 | ||||||||
| 108 | Bill Grier & Robbie Bynum | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 109 | Bob Furstenberg & Sheldon Hipps | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 111 | Jason Young | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 112 | Keith Travis & Jeffrey Travis | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 114 | James Akers & Rob Mills | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 116 | Andy Fox & Joel Frye | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 117 | Shawn Foster & Justin Foster | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 118 | Woodrow Holder, Jr & Joshua Holder | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 120 | Tommy Estep & Robert Cooper | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 121 | Charles Jason Price & April H Price | 1 | 0.00 | ||||||||
| 122 | Mark Carpenter & Hunter Carpenter | 1 | 0.00 | ||||||||
| 125 | Chris Graham & Ricky Byrd | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 127 | Harvey Clodfelter | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 128 | John Elliot & Jason Padgett | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 129 | Randy Hedrick & Brian Snapp | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 131 | Dean Hampton & Mitchell Hampton | 1 | 0.00 | ||||||||
| 133 | Michael T Fenniger & Bobby Lineberger | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 136 | Ricky Dennie & Bill Hamilton | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 138 | Eddie Wilson & Lewis Johnson | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 139 | James Osborne & Michael Osborne | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 140 | Danny Roseman & Josh Roseman | 1 | 0.00 | ||||||||
| 141 | John B Parker, Jr & Wesley Shane Bell | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 142 | Chris Hoopaugh & Tyler Hoopaugh | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 143 | Michael D Thomas & Robby Robinson | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 144 | Doug Easton | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 145 | Darrell Fisher & William R Gregory | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 146 | Matt Haywood & Chris Haywood | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 147 | Gene Keiger & Phil Summerville | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 148 | Chris Vallance & Wade Smith | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 150 | Dalton Edwards & Tom Edwards | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 151 | Grady Cheek & Darrel Barbee | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 152 | Anthony Rife & Steven Brady | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 153 | Terry Throneburg & Ray McGinnis | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 154 | Donald Poteat & Jerry Pruitt | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 155 | Paul D Foley & Tim Watwood | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 156 | Chris Guest & Christpher J Guest | 1 | 0.00 | ||||||||
| 157 | Russell Stafford & Randy L Pitts | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 159 | Brian Travis & Kristin Travis | 1 | 0.00 | ||||||||
| 160 | Paul Kiser & David Cheek | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 161 | Thomas Vickers & Zachary Vickers | 1 | 0.00 | ||||||||
| 162 | Matt Walters & Mike Kirkley | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 163 | Dennis Hensley & Steve Yoder | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 165 | John Drew & Howard Bean | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 167 | Mitch Drew & Butch Drew | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 169 | Todd Burchett | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 171 | Ben McKinney & Mike Nishimoto | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 172 | Greg Deal & Matt Stanley | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 174 | Tim Hawley & Brian Hatley | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 175 | Shane Lineberger & Kyle Whisnant | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 176 | Michael Daugherty & Marc Grigg | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 177 | Roger Adams & Susan Adams | 1 | 0.00 | ||||||||
| 180 | Wayne Yarborough & Nicholas Yarborough | 1 | 0.00 | ||||||||
| 181 | Bernie Davis & Ken Wood | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 182 | Doug Fowler & Chad McKinney | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 184 | Mike Clark & Chris Anderson | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 185 | Chris Richey & George Bost | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 187 | Jason Barnes & Keith Barnes | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 188 | John Franklin & Bobby Latuch | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 189 | Ramon Stockham & Brian Morgan | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 190 | Johnny Fish & Sarah Barb | 1 | 0.00 | ||||||||
| 191 | Fred Settlemyer & Mark Helms | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 192 | Ed Douthit & Bill Caudill | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 193 | Jeremi Beathy & Chris Wood | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 194 | Hunter Shvyock | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 195 | Tim Keith & Rob Keith | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 197 | Matthen McBee | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 199 | Doug Sawyer & Chad Sawyer | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 200 | Ryan Paroue & Brad Myels | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 203 | Donnie Woody & Grant McPeters | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 204 | Jeff Johnson & Chuch Poovey | 0.00 | |||||||||
| 206 | Shawn Crosby & Linda Patterson | 0.00 | |||||||||
Greenlee And Burchfield Top 20-Pound Mark On Cherokee To Take The Tom's Marine Tt Win-Full Results Here!
Greenlee and Burchfield Top 20-Pound mark on Cherokee
On March 9 Toms Marine Team Trial kicked off the 2013 season. The crisp cool Spring morning saw 123 boats show up to compete for the guaranteed $2500 first prize. In the end the team of Howard Greenlee and James Burchfield came out on top with a nice 20.33-pound limit to give them the win. Second place went to last years classic champions Randy Brown and Greg Burrell with an 18.48-pound limit. Rodney Ray and Adrian Rasnake came in third with 17.82-pounds. Third place went to Jeremy and Phillip Gordon with 17.33-pounds. Rounding out the top 5 was Bobby Ferguson and Charles McConnell with 16.75-pounds.Full results are attached:
Complete results and points are now posted on the Toms Marine web site at http://www.tomsmarinetn.com. Toms Marine would like to invite everyone out for our next event March 30 on Cherokee at the dam.
Walser Wins Santee Aba
Robert Walser of Lexington, NC walloped the bass, as well as his competitors at the March 9th Bassmaster ABA tournament on Santee Cooper. Fishing out of John C. Land III landing, Walser said he expected it would take 30 pounds to win the tournament. With only 5 anglers bringing a 5-bass limit to the scale, Walser was wrong on that count, but he was right about everything else on the day. Throwing a Weapon jig and a Chatterbait around the base of cypress trees on the upper lake, Walser culled his share of fish and brought 5 fish weighing 25.28 to the weigh-in.
Ronnie McCoy of Lamar, SC took second place, weighing in a limit that tipped the scales at 20.83, including a 7.73 pounder. Tim Jones was one fish shy of a limit and finished just behind McCoy with 20.63. Sean Anderson finished fourth with 5 fish at 18.99, and Andy Wicker rounded out the top 5 with a 4-fish bag that weighed 18.08. Brad Fowler caught the tournament's biggest fish, an 8.77 pounder that boosted him into a 6th place finish with 4 fish.
Nelson Walker finished 7th with 5 fish weighing 12.71, and was followed by Ron Brown in 8th place at 11.29. Alexander James took 9th place with 3 fish weighing 9.94, and showing how tough the fishing was, it only took 2 largemouth to take 10th place for Randall Langston, who had a 5.34 pounder to help his cause.
Clyde Whiteside of Forest City, NC won the co-angler division with 3 fish weighing 8.69. Whiteside was the only co-angler to bring 3 fish to the scales. Calvin Sharp took second with 2 fish weighing 6.66, and Robert Gambrell squeaked into 3rd place with 1 fish that weighed 6.48, the biggest on the co-angler side. Jon Smoak finshed 4th with 2 fish weighing 6.46, and Vernie Haltiwanger took 5th place with 2 fish weighing 5.42.
Star Tron Pro Patrick Pierce Comes Clean About Ethanol
There's a lot of misinformation out there regarding fuel, fuel treatments, and ethanol. Star Tron Pro Patrick Pierce helps us sort out the truth and protect the HUGE investment many of us have made in outboard motors. If you own a boat you need to see this!
Ehrler Leads Flw Tour On Smith Lake
Brent Ehrler made a strong statement last month when he nearly won the season-opener on Okeechobee, a place where he has never done well.
Today, as FLW Tour stop #2 got underway, Ehrler continued to fish well and took the early lead. He has 17-08 which puts him a half-pound ahead of Dave Lefebre and exactly a pound in front of Wayne Houser whose 5-fish limit weighed 16-08.
Randy Haynes is 4th with 16-02.
Brandon McMillan and Koby Kreiger began the season in disappointing fashion on their home lake, Okeechobee. They bounced back today by checking in at 5th and 6th, respectively.
And that rookie who pulled off the win over Ehrler on Okeechobee, Drew Benton, is currently just outside the top 10 in 11th place with a weight of 14-04.
Could Benton and Ehrler be in for another head-to-head shootout? Both are making good decisions and executing well at this point in the young season.
All of the fish Ehrler weighed-in were spotted bass. He said he was running about 20 minutes from the launch site and visiting some locations multiple times throughout the day. A late stop on a previously unproductive area produced some key fish for him today.
Smith has a reputation for getting stingy when pressured so we'll see how the bite holds up on Friday.
The Evinrude E-Tec 150 Hp Head-To-Head Challenge With The Mercury 150 4-Stroke!!!
The 2013 Evinrude E-Tec is as refined and powerful as ever........check out this TUG OF WAR between an Evinrude E-TEC 150 vs a Mercury 150 4-Stroke. Anyone that see's this will be amazed at the raw torque of the E-TEC. Its one of the better video's you will ever see on engines going head to head!
Tom's Marine Opens Season On Cherokee With Eye Towards New Elite Series In 2014
Randy Brown & Greg Burrell won the Championship in 2012
The Tom's Marine Team Trail kicks off the 2013 season on Cherokee Lake Saturday with a new wrinkle that is expected to provide additional incentive to the anglers.
“I truly believe if it ain't broke don't fix it,” said Richard McMaster, tournament director for the highly successful tournament series, “but next year will be the 10th anniversary for the trail and we are going to launch a new series in 2014 called the Tom's Marine Elite Series. And the only way you will be able to qualify for the Elite Series will be through the points standings in the 2013 Tom's Marine Team Trail.”
The new series, a step above the established Tom's Marine Team Trail, is based somewhat on the format for the Bassmaster Opens, where top anglers in the Opens can qualify to move up to the BASS Elite Series.
“Hopefully, the Elite Series will complement the Tom's Marine Team Trail,” McMaster said. “It's still in the process of being worked out, but we will have a maximum field of 50 boats in the Elite Series, based on the top 30 percent in the points for 2013.”
McMaster said the new wrinkle was developed to get more anglers to fish the trail and weigh in their fish.
“People have always said, 'Let's make the points mean something more than first place or the championship.' Second place on back had nothing to fish for. Now they are going to.”
The new series will have fewer places paid back, but the payouts will be larger to reward the anglers who do well, he said.
As for the 2013 season opener Saturday on Cherokee, McMaster said he is expecting 130 to 150 boats.
“Fishing on Cherokee has been really good. There have been several tournaments in the last few weeks and it has taken 18 to 20 pounds to win about every weekend.”
McMaster said most of the fish being caught on Cherokee are coming on small crankbaits, jigs and jerkbaits.
“There are a few fish being picked up on Rat-L-Traps, but the water temperatures are still in the mid to low 40s. What is making the crankbait bite so good is the floods at the end of January and in February The water is still pretty dingy. It has a lot of color and the fish are still shallow, especially largemouths.”
Entry fee for the Tom's Marine tournaments is $100, plus a $10 lunker fee. Payout is at least 90 percent of entry fees, paid one for every six entries at the ramp.
The trail offers most major boat bonus programs, including the Ranger Cup, Triton Gold, Stratos 2X, Skeeter Real Money, Phoenix First Flight, plus other incentives including the Bass Pro Shops Tournament Rewards, Motor Mate and the PAA Pay Day Program.
In addition, anglers who own a 2010 or newer truck bought new from Ramey Ford will get a $500 bonus for winning a regular season tournament.
“We are looking forward to another great season of tournament fishing this year,” he said. We've been doing this for nine years and we are looking forward to our 10th anniversary next year. I can't say enough about Tom's Marine and Ranger Boats. Without them this trail would not exist. Tom's Marine is a home town dealership that does a lot for the local fishermen.”
Tom's Marine Team Trail 2013
Sat, Mar 9, 2013
Cherokee Lake
25 E Bridge Access
Call Richard McMaster 423-748-3240
Lake And Weather Tough On Baumgardner For Second Flw Tour Major Of Year
Chris Baumgardner of Gastonia, NC says he's narrowed down where he's going to fish in the FLW Tour Major on Lewis Smith Lake this weekend. Photo courtesy FLW Outdoors.
Chris Baumgardner readily admits that Lewis Smith Lake in Alabama just does not fit his style of fishing. The FLW pro from Gastonia, N.C., prefers to fish shallow water and Lewis Smith is a clear, deep lake created in 1961 by impounding the Black Warrior River.
“I've fished it several times, but have not really done well here,” said Baumgardner after three days of hard practice for the second FLW Tour Major tournament of the 2013 season. “I fished a couple of Jerry Rhyne tournaments and did pretty well and I fished a Bassmaster Top 100 and did decent, but I've never done really good out here. The lake just doesn't suit me – it's too deep and too clear.”
On top of that, Baumgardner said, the weather has been pretty nasty, too, this week.
“It's been tough. The weather has changed and it's been pretty cold. It rained and the wind blew today (Tuesday). It's just been changing, nothing is stable.”
After three days, he has not settled on a strategy, but he has decided where he will fish.
“I haven't figured much out, but I do have it narrowed down to an area – and that's about it,” he said. “I'm just covering water. I get a bite here and there, but it's really slow and I am not catching any big fish.”
Baumgardner said he believes the majority of the bass are still in a winter pattern.
“I'm fishing shallow but there is not a whole lot up there. I think the majority of the fish are out deep somewhere and I have not really tried for them. I imagine the guys finding big spots will probably do all right,” he said. “But I am fishing for largemouths and they are few and far between.”
His plan of action the first day of the tournament Thursday will be to continue fishing for largemouths with a jig and a crankbait, he said.
“I'll just go shallow and try to beat me out five largemouths”
Although the FLW Tour schedule did not do him any favors this year, Baumgardner is optimistic for another good season on the circuit.
“Last year I finished 17th in the points, but this year is going to be a little different. We are going to some places I've never been on, so I am looking forward to it,” he said, “if I can get past this one and Beaver Lake. Those are the two I worry about. Beaver always gets me.”
But he began the year on a high note, finishing 11th on Okeechobee in February.
“I got off to a good start,” said Baumgardner, who has won more than $850,000 in FLW events over the past 18 years, including almost $80,000 in 2012, “better than I did last year. And I do win one every once in a while.”
FLW Tour Major
Mar 7-10, 2013
Lewis Smith Lake
Smith Lake Dam Access
27Th Ledbetter Tournament On Lake Norman To Raise Big Bucks For Cancer Research
Shane Lineberger (left) and Hank Cherry are past champs of this tournament
In the past 26 years the Jim Ledbetter Memorial Team Bass Tournament has become one of the largest charity bass tournaments on the East Coast and has raised more than $770,000 for cancer research in the process.
“If cancer doesn't get you it's going to get someone you know and love,” said Curtis Barlowe, tournament director. Hosted by the Balls Creek Bassmasters, the 27th Ledbetter Tournament will be held on Lake Norman Saturday with a $38,000 Ranger Bass Boat package as first prize.
“This is the first year we have partnered with Ranger Boats,” Barlowe said. “Denver Marine and Ranger boats are providing a 45th Year Anniversary boat as the grand prize.”
Second prize is $2,000, third is $1,600 and the payout goes down to 20th place which will get $200. Entry fee for the tournament is $140, which includes the Big Bass Pot. First big bass gets 70 percent of the pot, second gets 30 percent and the third big bass will get $200, donated by Dr. Ray Reaves.
Other special awards include :
Top Adult and Child (under 16) Team, $500, donated by Pepsi; Top Senior Citizen Team (55 and older) $500, donated by Corning Cable Systems; and Top Husband and Wife Team, $500, donated by Big Daddy's.
Registration will be held at Queen's Landing on Highway 150 from 3 to 7 p.m. Friday. Late registration will be held at the landing from 5 to 7 a.m. Saturday.
Proceeds from the tournament go to the V Foundation, named after the late Jim Valvano, the basketball coach who led the N. C. State Wolfpack to a basketball national championship in 1983. The tournament is named for Jim Ledbetter, legendary television fishing show host and professional angler from the Catawba County area. Both men died of cancer.
“We partnered with the V Foundation about 10 years ago and every penny we raise goes to fight cancer,” Barlowe said.
“I think we are going to have a great tournament,” he said. “We've got three days of warm weather before Saturday. I think that will move the fish up and turn them on.”
Good fishing, plus a return to Queen's Landing should increase entries considerably, he noted.
“We normally have 200 to 250 boats. Our largest tournament was 267 boats and the most money we've raised over the 26 years in a one-day event was over $40,000 for cancer research, which is really important to us.”
Odds are good for an excellent turnout Saturday, Barlowe said.
“We've got people from as far away as West Virginia who come to this tournament every year. We already have anglers from South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia pre-registered.”
Jim Ledbetter Memorial Team Bass Tournament
Sat, Mar 9, 2013
Lake Norman
Queen's Landing
Call 828-308-2022
2013 Airport Marine Kicks Off On Jordan Lake With A Tie!!
Airport Marine hands out two 1st place checks to start the 2013 campaign! The teams of Walker Kent-Nick Harris and Chris Rutland-Coby Carden both won the February 23 Lake Jordan Tournament with 21.98Lbs. Click here for some excellent weigh-in footage and an interview with both winning teams!
Lbaa Set To Kick Off 2013 Season On Neely Henry
BIRMINGHAM, Ala., March 6th, 2013—Lady Bass Anglers Association, (LBAA), a nation-wide women’s pro bass fishing tour, is hitting the waters of Neely Henry in Gadsden, Alabama this week with their first tour stop of the 2013 season.
Some of the top names associated with the LBAA will be fishing this event such as 2012 Angler of the Year, Kim Bain-Moore, 2012 LBAA Classic Winner Cheryl Bowden, as well as always top contender, Pam Martin-Wells. Pros are expected to be arriving from as far away at Washington State and as close as Birmingham, Alabama. The LBAA Pro Tour is the only professional level women’s tour operating in the United States.
“We are excited to kick off our season on Lake Neely Henry, a well known lake that has appeared on our tour schedule several times in the past. We always have good results with big bags here and everyone is excited about being out on the waters of such a great fishery,“ said LBAA co-founder Secret York.
“Tournament Details”
The women will blast off from Coosa Landing Marina at safe light on Friday and Saturday, March 8th and 9th with weigh-ins scheduled for a 3pm start each day. There will be plenty of on-site seating to view the big stage as well as the ability for people across the nation and beyond to watch the weigh-in via live streaming.
Along with adding live streaming, the 2013 LBAA Women’s Pro Bass Tour will have larger venues, a bigger footprint and greater media coverage to make this year’s tour bigger and better than ever. “The NEW LBAA Pro Tour is vastly different than what any of our anglers have seen in the past,” explained co-founder Cheryl Bowden. “We have partnered with Southern Sports Group, who is responsible for all the new marketing elements that you will see this year. We are very excited about elevating the tour to a higher exposure level so that more people can see the skill these women bring to the sport of bass fishing.”
We are always excited to bring events to the City of Gadsden and work with Kerry Payne and his staff at the Gadsden Parks and Recreation Department. They have a great marina to host a tournament and if the weather cooperates, we will have some great numbers at weigh-in” said Sandy Thompson, Southern Sports Group representative.
About Lady Bass Anglers Association (LBAA)
The Lady Bass Anglers Association was formed by professional bass anglers Cheryl Bowden and Secret York. In three short seasons, the LBAA has developed a popular series of women’s professional bass fishing tournaments and gained fans across the country. The LBAA offers valuable sponsorship opportunities for corporate sponsors and marketing partners. For more information about the LBAA, contact LBAA Headquarters at 270-243-0025 or visit www.ladybassanglers.com.
Cba Results From Chickamauga Are Amazing-Click Here For More!!
| CHATTANOOGA BASS ASSOCIATION | |||||
| 2013 OFFICIAL TOURNAMENT RESULTS | |||||
| Nichol's Marine Open | |||||
| February 23rd 2013 | |||||
| Stealth Charger Big Fish of the Tournament | |||||
| LARGEMOUTH - 9.88 | |||||
| John Green and John Gudel | |||||
| SMALLMOUTH - 4.46 | |||||
| Greg Lamb and Mark Heatherly | |||||
| SPOTTED BASS- 4.30 | |||||
| Wes Hardin and Jason Cook | |||||
| Soddy Custom Tackle BIG FISH of the Season Leaders | |||||
| John Green and John Gudel - 9.88 | |||||
| NAME | PROC. | WEIGHT | PLACE | BONUS | POINTS |
| Michael Neal | 425 | 37.96 | 1 | 100 | |
| Rogne Brown | 428 | 37.96 | 1 | 100 | |
| Brent Butler | wc | 36.44 | NA | ||
| Matt Shrank | wc | 36.44 | NA | ||
| Roy Dye | 332 | 32.74 | 2 | 99 | |
| Drew Tompkins | 333 | 32.74 | 2 | 99 | |
| Greg Lamb | 316 | 32.28 | 3 | 3 | 101 |
| Mark Heatherly | 317 | 32.28 | 3 | 3 | 101 |
| James Milling | 118 | 30.33 | 4 | 97 | |
| Buddy Gross | 119 | 30.33 | 4 | 97 | |
| Rick Camp | 408 | 29.77 | 5 | 96 | |
| Jamie Hatcher | 409 | 29.77 | 5 | 96 | |
| Barry Wingo | 415 | 28.64 | 6 | 95 | |
| Jeff Hineman | 414 | 28.64 | 6 | 95 | |
| William McDaniel | wc | 28.22 | NA | ||
| Brian Wells | wc | 28.22 | NA | ||
| Adam Dysart | 312 | 27.81 | 7 | 94 | |
| Jamie Copenhaver | 313 | 27.81 | 7 | 94 | |
| Andy Parkinson | 322 | 27.59 | 8 | 93 | |
| Jonathan Faith | 323 | 27.59 | 8 | 93 | |
| Chris Coleman | 112 | 26.79 | 9 | 92 | |
| Jim Cross | 113 | 26.79 | 9 | 92 | |
| Thomas Henshaw | ??? | 26.68 | 10 | 91 | |
| Dusty Elrod | ??? | 26.68 | 10 | 91 | |
| Steve Barnes | 344 | 26.55 | 11 | 90 | |
| Spencer Smith | 345 | 26.55 | 11 | 90 | |
| Jeremy York | 122 | 26.24 | 12 | 89 | |
| Justin Durham | 123 | 26.24 | 12 | 89 | |
| Wayne Tubbs | wc | 25.78 | NA | ||
| Corey Detten | wc | 25.78 | NA | ||
| Tony Townsend | 206 | 23.80 | 13 | 88 | |
| Galen James | 207 | 23.80 | 13 | 88 | |
| Greg M. Henry | wc | 23.07 | NA | ||
| Terry Evans | wc | 23.07 | NA | ||
| Ron Willerson | 338 | 23.03 | 14 | 87 | |
| Carter Day | 339 | 23.03 | 14 | 87 | |
| Cody Frazier | wc | 22.72 | 15 | 86 | |
| Taylor Bolten | wc | 22.72 | 15 | 86 | |
| Mike Looney | 346 | 22.09 | 16 | 85 | |
| Chris Grant | 347 | 22.09 | 16 | 85 | |
| Allen Lewis | 100 | 21.58 | 17 | 84 | |
| Brad Ferguson | 101 | 21.58 | 17 | 84 | |
| Teddy Owensby | 104 | 21.45 | 18 | 83 | |
| Chris Gilmore | 105 | 21.45 | 18 | 83 | |
| Steve Norris | 334 | 21.24 | 19 | 82 | |
| Gary Hutton | 335 | 21.24 | 19 | 82 | |
| Robert Simpson | 314 | 21.20 | 20 | 81 | |
| Danny Daniels | 315 | 21.20 | 20 | 81 | |
| Gary Davenport | wc | 21.15 | NA | ||
| Harold Coffman | wc | 21.15 | NA | ||
| Daniel Morgan | 217 | 20.96 | 21 | 80 | |
| Andy Morgan | 215 | 20.96 | 21 | 80 | |
| Shawn Lusk | 204 | 20.78 | 22 | 79 | |
| Andy Lusk | 205 | 20.78 | 22 | 79 | |
| Billy Campbell | 440 | 20.47 | 23 | 78 | |
| Ed Jackson | 441 | 20.47 | 23 | 78 | |
| Paul Johnson | wc | 19.35 | NA | ||
| Joey Potter | wc | 19.35 | NA | ||
| Keith Ellis | 350 | 19.31 | 24 | 77 | |
| Roger Kendrick | 351 | 19.31 | 24 | 77 | |
| Matt Jenkins | 304 | 18.81 | 25 | 76 | |
| Jon Mantooth | 305 | 18.81 | 25 | 76 | |
| Jim McClanahan | 108 | 18.36 | 26 | 75 | |
| Derreck McCullough | 109 | 18.36 | 26 | 75 | |
| John Gudel | 432 | 18.29 | 27 | 5 | 79 |
| John Green | 433 | 18.29 | 27 | 5 | 79 |
| Brian Wilson | 225 | 18.19 | 28 | 73 | |
| Tom Brindle | 226 | 18.19 | 28 | 73 | |
| Josh Wofford | 352 | 18.07 | 29 | 72 | |
| Bruce Wofford | 353 | 18.07 | 29 | 72 | |
| Richard Graham | 360 | 17.87 | 30 | 71 | |
| Jerry Webb | 361 | 17.87 | 30 | 71 | |
| Jeff Knight | 307 | 17.44 | 31 | 70 | |
| Vernon Whaley | 306 | 17.44 | 31 | 70 | |
| Anthony Correll | 300 | 16.89 | 32 | 69 | |
| Hayley Correll | 301 | 16.89 | 32 | 69 | |
| Ron Bohlman | 227 | 16.61 | 33 | 68 | |
| Ray Bohlman | 228 | 16.61 | 33 | 68 | |
| Martin Smith | 442 | 16.45 | 34 | 67 | |
| Kevin Reden | 443 | 16.45 | 34 | 67 | |
| Jim Cofer | 422 | 16.42 | 35 | 66 | |
| Matt Windorf | 423 | 16.42 | 35 | 66 | |
| David Hix | 404 | 16.06 | 36 | 65 | |
| Joe Hix | 405 | 16.06 | 36 | 65 | |
| Larry Erwin | 209 | 16.02 | 37 | 64 | |
| Tyler Bain | 208 | 16.02 | 37 | 64 | |
| Victor Rowe | ??? | 15.70 | 38 | 63 | |
| Bryan Thacker | ??? | 15.70 | 38 | 63 | |
| Clark Adkins | 336 | 15.06 | 39 | 62 | |
| Jim Kestner | 337 | 15.06 | 39 | 62 | |
| Matt Goins | 342 | 14.23 | 40 | 61 | |
| Kenny Marsh Jr. | 343 | 14.23 | 40 | 61 | |
| Logan Kokoszka | 303 | 14.09 | 41 | 60 | |
| Kaylob Holland | 302 | 14.09 | 41 | 60 | |
| Bob Anthony | 410 | 14.05 | 42 | 59 | |
| Richard McClabe | 411 | 14.05 | 42 | 59 | |
| Don Lamb | 202 | 14.00 | 43 | 58 | |
| Eddie Wilson | 203 | 14.00 | 43 | 58 | |
| Scott Schauwecker | 420 | 13.58 | 44 | 57 | |
| Mark Kinsey | 421 | 13.58 | 44 | 57 | |
| Chris Gallman | 322 | 12.20 | 45 | 56 | |
| Charles Poore | 321 | 12.20 | 45 | 56 | |
| Tray Morgan | 402 | 11.83 | 46 | 55 | |
| Doryl Miller | 403 | 11.83 | 46 | 55 | |
| Marvin Day | 328 | 11.45 | 47 | 54 | |
| Lee Gearaldson | 329 | 11.45 | 47 | 54 | |
| Shane Frazier | 308 | 10.07 | 48 | 53 | |
| Randy Frazier | 309 | 10.07 | 48 | 53 | |
| Mike Hyde | 117 | 9.35 | 49 | 52 | |
| Aron Schoolfield | 118 | 9.35 | 49 | 52 | |
| Tracy Penny | 312 | 8.96 | 50 | 51 | |
| Ed Moore | 413 | 8.96 | 50 | 51 | |
| Mark Varady | 426 | 8.28 | 51 | 50 | |
| Mark Keith | 427 | 8.28 | 51 | 50 | |
| Wade Batson | 218 | 8.23 | 52 | 49 | |
| Scott Powell | 219 | 8.23 | 52 | 49 | |
| Wes Hardin | 340 | 8.01 | 53 | 3 | 51 |
| Jason Cook | 341 | 8.01 | 53 | 3 | 51 |
| Haden Lamb | 310 | 7.86 | 54 | 47 | |
| Jeff Richamond | 311 | 7.86 | 54 | 47 | |
| Taylor Massingale | 400 | 7.29 | 55 | 46 | |
| Trent Huie | 401 | 7.29 | 55 | 46 | |
| Jeff Reed | 121 | 5.02 | 56 | 45 | |
| Josh Reed | 120 | 5.02 | 56 | 45 | |
| Ted Pulliam | 318 | 3.91 | 57 | 44 | |
| John Delashmitt | 319 | 3.91 | 57 | 44 | |
| Rocky Sutherland | 223 | 2.73 | 58 | 43 | |
| Harley Sutherland | 224 | 2.73 | 58 | 43 | |
| Steve Kite | 110 | 1.09 | 59 | 42 | |
| Daniel Lewis | 111 | 1.09 | 59 | 42 | |
| Justin Medley | 114 | DNW | 10 | ||
| Glenn Gamble | 115 | DNW | 10 | ||
| Randy Pippin | 106 | DNW | 10 | ||
| Rick DeYoung | 107 | DNW | 10 | ||
| Tom Kizzah Jr | 102 | DNW | 10 | ||
| Tom Kizzah Sr | 103 | DNW | 10 | ||
| Justin Whaley | 200 | DNW | 10 | ||
| Chris Batson | 201 | DNW | 10 | ||
| Thomas Wilson | 434 | DNW | 10 | ||
| Lance Nunley | 435 | DNW | 10 | ||
| D.L. Tanner | 220 | DNW | 10 | ||
| Andrew Taylor | 212 | DNW | 10 | ||
| John Taylor | 213 | DNW | 10 | ||
| Ivan Haag | 430 | DNW | 10 | ||
| Jessie Bledsoe | 431 | DNW | 10 | ||
| Scott Gross | 216 | DNW | 10 | ||
| Scott McMillon | 217 | DNW | 10 | ||
| Lance Hood | 356 | DNW | 10 | ||
| Ddavid Stokes | 357 | DNW | 10 | ||
| James Burkhart | 359 | DNW | 10 | ||
| Chris Burkhart | 358 | DNW | 10 | ||
| Ryan Butler | 348 | DNW | 10 | ||
| Jason Garret | 349 | DNW | 10 | ||
| Mike Varner | 210 | DNW | 10 | ||
| Jared McMillon | 211 | DNW | 10 | ||
| Baron Adams | 424 | DNW | 10 | ||
| Brian Pierce | 425 | DNW | 10 | ||
| Brian Dietz | 406 | DNW | 10 | ||
| Ronnie Green | 407 | DNW | 10 | ||
| Chad Black | 436 | DNW | 10 | ||
| Chris Patterson | 437 | DNW | 10 | ||
Poovey And Hamrick Take The 1St Carolina Coach And Marine Monday Nighter-Full Results Here!
Here are some pics and results from this weeks Carolina Coach and Marine Monday Nighter on Norman:
Chuck Poovey and Scott Hamrick win Carolina Coach and Marine Monday Nighter
Matthew Benge holds up 2nd place and BF for the Tournament
Thank you to all the fishermen who came out to our first Monday Night Spring Trail event.
We had 23 teams fish this week, and here’s how things shook out:
| PLACE | TEAM # | NAMES | TOTAL WT | POINTS | WINNINGS | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PLACE | TEAM # | NAMES | TOTAL WT | POINTS | WINNINGS | |
| 1st | 18 | Scott Hamrick & Chuck Poovey | 13.15 | 100 | $550 | 1st Place + TPB Decal |
| 2nd | 6 | Matthew Benge & Joshua Benge | 13.05 | 97 | $300 | 2nd Place + Big Fish (wt. 5.15) |
| 3rd | 21 | Brian Morgan & Josea Goble | 10.25 | 94 | $140 | |
| 4th | 3 | Cliff Kirby & Eddie Black | 10.10 | 91 | ||
| 5th | 2 | Scott Beattie & Dwight Beattie | 9.60 | 88 | ||
| 6th | 12 | Charles Hobbs & Mack Lowe | 8.90 | 86 | ||
| 7th | 1 | Dave Snyder & Bobby Derrick | 8.25 | 85 | ||
| 8th | 5 | Alred Kiesling Sr. & Roger Griffin | 8.20 | 84 | ||
| 9th | 19 | Darin Bumgarner & Jeremy Hollifield | 5.15 | 83 | ||
| 10th | 10 | Mat McBee | 5.10 | 82 | ||
| 11th | 22 | Craig Chambers & Keith Ogden | 4.05 | 80 | ||
| 12th | 14 | Michael Cloninger & Jerry Scruggs | 1.20 | 79 | ||
| 13th | 4 | Larry Neill & Mark Beaver | 0.00 | 74 | ||
| 14th | 7 | Alred Kiesling Jr. & Roger Griffin | 0.00 | 74 | ||
| 15th | 8 | Steve Addington & Pete Bejte | 0.00 | 74 | ||
| 16th | 9 | Shawn Lawrence & Andrew Shundich | 0.00 | 74 | ||
| 17th | 11 | Nick Miller & Brandon Brickweg | 0.00 | 74 | ||
| 18th | 13 | Tim Medlin & Chris Bahner | 0.00 | 74 | ||
| 19th | 15 | Dennis Kennedy & Tracy Brown | 0.00 | 74 | ||
| 20th | 16 | Carl Levington & Scott Collins | 0.00 | 74 | ||
| 21st | 17 | Jason Shore & Brittany Hardy | 0.00 | 74 | ||
| 22nd | 20 | Ronnie Pittman & Terry Pittman | 0.00 | 74 | ||
| 23rd | 23 | Andy Burch & Brent Albright | 0.00 | 74 |
Snag Proof Video Of Ish And His New Poppin Phattie---This Is Good Stuff!
This is a really good video of Ish and his new Poppin Phattie..............great description of how to throw it and why it is so successful. Snag Proof isn't the market leader in Frog's by accident. Click on the link below to watch!
29 Plus Lbs Takes The Ttt Event On Sam Rayburn-Full Results Here!!
TEXAS TEAM TRAIL PRESENTED BY CABELA’S WRAPS UP FIRST EVENT OF 2013 AT SAM RAYBURN LAKE
Huge catch propels Team Mansfield/Flowers to victory
NORMAN, Okla. (March 5, 2013) – Grover Mansfield, of Devers, Texas, and Brandon Flowers, of Mont Belvieu, Texas, brought 29.99 pounds of largemouth bass to the scales to win the first event of the 2013 season of the Texas Team Trail presented by Cabela’s on March 2. The duo took home a new Triton 18XS powered by an Evinrude 150 HO package for their efforts.
The team added $2,010 to their winnings by taking part in the Angler Advantage Program and another $1,125 for the Big Bass award, which weighed 11.46 pounds.
Even though the anglers were surprised by the high winds, it didn’t affect their day of tournament fishing.
“Luckily, the area we chose to fish was protected out of the wind,” said Mansfield. “It really didn’t change the way we fished. We had fished the same conditions the week before.”
Fishing around the Deer Stand Cove area, the team threw jigs in the first grass line against the bank in 3-4 feet of water to catch their limit. The anglers used their experience gained from fishing the TXTT last year to get their first TXTT tournament win.
“The event was awesome,” said Mansfield. “It was one of those days where you couldn’t do anything wrong. It seemed like there was nothing that could happen that would keep us from winning.”
Second-place finishers Jake Wedel, of Rosharon, Texas, and Jeremy Wedel, of Houston, Texas, weighed a five-fish limit of 25.98 pounds. The team won $5,625 for their performance.
Jared Dean, of Huntington, Texas, and Jason Burton, of Lufkin, Texas, took the $3,375 third-place prize for their 25.37 pounds of bass. The team added an extra $1,474 in Angler Advantage cash.
“The howling winds forced us to stay in pockets and drains,” said Dean. “It actually helped us by forcing us to stay in two primary areas all day.”
The duo threw lipless crank baits early without success. After a mid-morning switch to a Carolina-rigged soft plastic and creature bait, the team started seeing results.
“We transitioned to a deep grass bite,” said Dean. “A little before quitting time we hit a few brush piles and culled a two-pounder with a six-pounder.”
The Sam Rayburn Lake event was the first of four 2013 qualifying events that guarantee a fully-rigged, 18-foot tournament-equipped bass boat package as first place prize – in this case a Triton 18XS powered by an Evinrude 150 HO package.
The next stop for the Texas Team Trail is Lake Ray Roberts on April 6. Competitors who register for the Lake Ray Roberts event by midnight of Thursday, April 4, will be allowed to pre-fish on Friday, April 5, and entered into a drawing for a free Minn Kota Talon.
For additional information, anglers are encouraged to call 210-788-4143 or check out the TXTT website at www.texasteamtrail.com. Site visitors can register for events, review the television schedule, get official Texas Team Trail gear, view results and learn more about what’s in store for 2013.
Along with title-sponsor Cabela’s, Texas Team Trail has also welcomed Lucas Oil®, Ranger Boats, Stratos Boats, Triton Boats, Evinrude®, Minn Kota®, Talon, RAM Trucks, Lowrance, Power-Pole, Boater’s Insurance®, Amphibia and Arctic Ice as official partners.
For full results, please go to www.texasteamtrail.com/tournaments/events-results.
2013 Scheduled Events
April 6 – Lake Ray Roberts
May 4 – Belton Lake
June 1 – Cedar Creek Lake
Championship –
October 12-13 – Falcon Lake
Boats Unlimited Nc Bass Trail Results - Shearon Harris - Mar 2, 2013
62 teams showed up for the 2nd qualifying tournament of the 2013 Boats Unlimited NC Team Tournament Bass Trail.
The weather finally stabilized a little and we had a right decent day. 33 degrees in the morning and about 43 for the rest of the day with no wind in the am and 5 to 10 mph in the pm. It was still a cold day but the anglers held strong! Erik Ross & Les Walters of Fayetteville took 1st place honors with 5 bass weighing 25.41 lbs. They won the
1st place money, 1st place big fish and the BOATS UNLIMITED NC 1st place $1,000 bonus for a grand total of $3,030. Jesse & Josh Wise of Erwin won 2nd place (13.60 lbs.) for a total of $645. 3rd Place took home some good money too! Steve Bishop & Robin Bowen of Goldsboro & Snow Hill landed only 12.95 lbs taking 3rd, won the 1st place TWT worth $1,330 and had the 2nd place big fish for a grand total of $2,235!
73 fish were weighed in for a total weight of 242 pounds. Most fish were caught from 3 to 20 feet of water on a variety of baits including jerk baits, Senkos, big plastic worms, jigs, spoons & crankbaits for the most part. The hot baits for the day reported to be spoons & jigs! Water temps were around 43 degrees. I want to thank all the anglers that participated and that support this trail.
Jesse and Josh Wise finished 2nd with 2 bass at 13.60 lbsOur next tournament will be the CBS Quality Cars Hyco Lake Open, Saturday March 9th, out of the Hyco Lake Park Ramp. All the information on our tournaments can be found at: www.piedmontbassclassics.com
Now here are the full results:
1st Place: Erik Ross & Les Walters of Fayetteville...5 bass...25.41 lbs...$1,190
2nd Place: Jesse & Josh Wise of Erwin...2 bass...13.60 lbs...$645
3rd Place: Steve Bishop & Robin Bowen of Goldsboro & Snow Hill...3 bass...12.95 lbs...$545
4th Place: Mike Hodge & Tim Wall of Clayton...3 bass...12.13 lbs...$496
5th Place: Todd Massey & Brandon Gray of Chapel Hill & Bullock...3 bass...11.28 lbs...$397
6th Place: Scott Smith & Tony Woodard of Apex & Four Oaks...3 bass...11.00 lbs...$347
7th Place: Johnny Ellis & Joe Edwards of Wendell & Knightdale...3 bass...10.05 lbs...$298
8th Place: Geno McCree & Phillip Johnson of Durham...2 bass...9.91 lbs...$248
9th Place: Jerek Fowler & James Williams of Aberdeen & Raeford...3 bass...9.17 lbs...$248
10th Place: Chip Baty & Alan Parker of Linden...3 bass...9.12 lbs...$198
11th Place: Ricky Petty & Jason Michael of Gibsonville & Reidsville...5 bass...8.98 lbs...$198
12th Place: Randy Fisher & Donnie Lowe of Hillsborough & Mebane...5 bass...8.66 lbs...$150
1st Place Big Fish..1st Place Place Team above: 8.45 lbs...$840
2nd Place Big Fish..3rd Place Team above: 8.08 lbs...$360
1st Place TWT..3rd Place Team above: 12.95 lbs...$1,330
2nd Place TWT..4th Place Team above: 12.13 lbs...$570
For information on all our tournaments:
Phil McCarson ... Tournament Director
919-471-1571 or 919-971-5042
email: [email protected]
web: www.piedmontbassclassics.com
Collins Bass For Cash Series Flight Order For Jordan Lake This Sat
Collins Bass For Cash Series Event #1 – First Flight Starting Order
The random drawing for the first flight of the Jordan Lake event has been conducted and the starting positions are listed below. Note that boat numbers 1 through 200 are reserved for Open Division entries, while boat numbers 201 and up are reserved for 115 HP Division entries. This numbering system is needed to keep the scoring separate for each division.
This is an all new tournament series and with anything new there will be the need for growth. Our pre-entries for this first event are a little lower than anticipated, but nevertheless we will continue with our event as planned. All prizes and contingencies will be awarded as planned. Door prizes from Solar Bat, Boat U.S., and Power Pole will continue as planned. Lunker bonus rewards, in addition to the cash payout for event lunker, will continue as planned also.
We will continue receiving entries this week leading up to the event and will also accept entries the morning of the event. With the weather forecasted to give us a great weekend for fishing we anticipate the overall entry numbers to grow.
Please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions. I can respond to e-mails relatively easy throughout the day, but may not be able to answer any phone calls right away, but I will call you back as soon as I can.
We thank you for your support and look forward to seeing you at our first event.
Jeff Narron – Tournament Director
Collins Inc. – Bass For Cash Series
Starting Time: Safe Light (Approximately 6:30 am) – Please be checked in, have your livewells checked, and your boat in the water well in advance of the start of the event.
Return / Weigh-In Time: To be announced before the event’s start time and will also be provided on a tournament information sheet that you will receive during morning check-in.
3/9/13 - Jordan Lake Boat Numbers
1. Ronnie Thompson/Jeff Hall
2. Al Nelson/Kenneth Rowe
3. John Yager/Daniel Jackson
4. Robert Barrett/Jim Lewis
5. James Jenkins/David Lanaville
6. Larry Hipps/Jesse Spell
7. Trey Nanney
8. Foye Best/Glenn Cannon
9. Jeff Staton/David Glenn
10. Nathaniel Drayton/Randy Smith Jr.
11. Manley Jones
12. Donald Byrd/Ken Bollinger
13. Mike Brinchek/Mikey Brinchek
14. Brandon Hendricks/Brett Hartis
15. John Guins/Perry Doan
16. Joshua Lanaville/Timothy Davis
17. Skeet Bennett/Buster Seabolt
18. Andrew Staple/Ralph Ray
19. Billy Vierra/Harry Smith
20. William Preast/Bill Preast
21. Scott Williford/J.R. Bowens
201. Randy Parker
202. James Barnhill Jr.
Cbc Wylie 3Rd Place Team Of Paul Guthrie And Jason Eaker Leave With $9000!!!
How often have you seen a 3rd place team from a Team Trail go home with $9000? How about NEVER! Watch as Paul Guthrie and Jason Eaker talk about their big day (BF of 7 plus) plus the $5000 contingency $$ kick in to cap off their fantastic day!!
Hunter Hicks And Mike Stephens Ride Away From Lake Wylie With $10,500 At The Cbc!
When snow began to fall again after blastoff Sat am for the CBC on Lake Wylie, the same question kept coming up: What in the world is going in with the weather early in this 2013 season? We don't have an answer, but one answer did stay the same, and that was the 1st place $10,500 payday for Hunter Hicks and Mike Stephens-click here for their recap!!
Chad Green And Dean Wood Win The 1St Anglers Choice Marine Tt Event By Almost 4 Lbs On Smith Mtn--Full Results Of All 202 Teams
Click on the attachment for full results...........congrats to all and a great start to this 2013 Season for the Anglers Choice Marine TT!
Hunter Hicks And Mike Stephens Sieze The Cbc Lake Wylie Event With 22.53 And Drive Home With $10,500!! Full Results Here-
Great Tourament today as always w186 teams showing up to compete for the $10,500 1st place prize. Congrats to Hunter Hicks and Mike Stephens as they weighed in their monster sack early in the process. Interesting story of the day is 3rd place team of Paul Guthrie and Jason Eaker, who won $3000 for their finish, but with BF and highest finishing Skeeter/Yamaha team, they walk home with...............$9000!!! Lots of solid bags brought in on a cold, overcast, and windy afternoon. Results are below all the pictures-
1st place Team of Hunter Hicks and Mike Stephens: All Smiles with their $10,500 Check!
CBC Lake Wylie 2nd Place Team of Larry Lehew and Brian Travis : They walk hoome with $5000 for 2nd
Paul Guthrie and Jason Eaker with the BF of the day!
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
'rude Dudes Weren't Afraid To Run All Over Grand
Evinrude Pros David Walker and Pete Gluzek had a lot on their minds as they prepared for the coldest Bassmaster Classic in history. Engine reliability wasn't a concern. Their pattern-fishing plans meant they would be moving - A LOT. Hear why these two veteran pros didn't think twice about firing up the E-tec and running all over massive Grand Lake O' the Cherokees. From the Bassmaster Classic Media Day!
Sportsman's Warehouse Report with Fishing Manager Craig Baird on the upcoming BFL this Sat!
Sportsman's Warehouse Fishing Manager Craig Baird joins us this Thursday to talk BFL, and specifically the BFL coming to Lake Murray this Sat. Wx looks good, turnouts should be strong, and according to Craig, you better plan on bringing some Strike King Baits and 22 Plus Lbs to the scales if you're looking for the win!
Sc Division Tournament On Lake Wylie Expected To Have Biggest Cbc Entry Ever!
Tony Jackson and Clint Jackson brought in 24.78lbs to win the first SC Division tourney on Murray
The 2013 Carolinas Bass Challenge – SC Division – started out with a bang on Lake Murray Feb. 9 and the roar is only expected to get louder as the division moves to Lake Wylie Saturday for the second tournament of the season.
CBC owner/director Brett Collins reported the total purse paid out at Lake Murray was $42,600, with checks going to anglers through 33rd place. The winners, Tony Jackson and Clint Jackson, weighed in 24.78 pounds for a first place check of $12,000.
“Last year we had the largest field at Lake Wylie in March that we had at any CBC event with 159 boats and we've already eclipsed that mark twice in as many tournaments this year,” Collins said. “After the first two CBC tournaments so far this year, first place is averaging taking home over $13,000 and second is receiving $5,000. We paid back well over 20 places at both events so far this year.”
He also noted that the first winning team in a CBC tournament fishing in a Skeeter/Yamaha package at Lake Norman Feb. 16 won a total of more than $15,000 – $10,000 for first place, plus the $5,000 Skeeter Bonus.
With March prime time on Wylie and the bass expected to be moving up on the banks, Collins said he looks for close to 200 boats for the tournament Saturday.
With rain moving across the area over the weekend likely to provide some stain to the water, Collins said he expects a heavy bag to weigh in for first place on Saturday.
“We will most likely top the 16 1/2 pounds it took to win the tournament in March last year,” he said.
“Alabama Rigs and jerk-baits work well off the points this time of year on Wylie, but don't forget about the jig on docks. Crank baits and spinnerbaits should play a big part also. Of course the South Fork will see its share of boats but I look for the winning weight to be caught in the cooler waters.”
Collins said teams are encouraged to use the other ramps located near Ebeneezer Park and they can get their boat checked in on the water.
“You may come to the ramp by water from any other ramp on Lake Wylie. Nivens and Big Allison are close by and would be your best bet if you choose not to put in at Ebenezer,” he said.
The Carolinas Bass Challenge is sponsored by Skeeter Boats, Yamaha Outboards, Foothills Marine Center in Morganton, N.C., Palmetto Marine Center in Greenville, S.C., and Marshall's Marine Center in Lake City, S.C. Entry fee is $200 per team at each tournament and each angler must pay a one-time $35 membership.
Each CBC tournament has an off limit period starting the Sunday night before the event at 12 a.m. and extends the entire week up to Saturday morning. Winners at each tournament are polygraphed.
The highest placing Skeeter/Yamaha owner will take home a $5,000 bonus, no matter the year of the boat. The Skeeter Real Money Program sanctions all the CBC events.
“This year we added Lakes Hartwell and Clarks Hill to the South Carolina CBC schedule and we added Lakes Jordan and Falls to the North Carolina schedule,” Collins said.
“Two Skeeter TZX190/150 Yamaha HPDI boat rigs will be awarded with one going to the winning team at the South Carolina Championship at Lake Hartwell in September. Another will be awarded at the September North Carolina Championship on Lake Wylie. The winners of the Oct 26-27 Lake Murray CBC Classic will take home a ZX200/200Yamaha SHO rig worth $48,000.”
Collins said he is now accepting entries for the South Carolina and North Carolina Division Championships and the CBC Classic to be held on Lake Murray in October.
Carolinas Bass Challenge - South Carolina Division
Sat, Mar 2, 2013
Lake Wylie
Call Brett Collins 803-413-7521
www.carolinasbasschallenge.com
Facing Local Competition Helps Propel Cherry To 3Rd Place Finish In Bassmaster Classic
Hank Cherry at the 2013 Bassmaster Classic. Photo courtesy Bassmaster.com
A year ago Hank Cherry of Maiden, N.C., had his eyes set on finishing high enough in the Southern Opens to qualify for the Bassmaster Elite Series and, hopefully, earning a shot eventually at making the Bassmaster Classic.
He had finished 17th in the first Southern Open of the Year on the Harris Chain of Lakes in Florida and the next Open was to be on Lake Norman where he is one of the top anglers year in and year out in local tournaments.
Sometimes being the home lake favorite is more a curse than a help. As luck would have it Cherry managed to catch just a little over 18 pounds and finished 41st at Lake Norman.
Although his winning ways continued in BFL and other tournament series in the Carolinas, he knew he had to score in the last Open of the year or his dream of being an Elite angler would be dashed.
“I told my wife when I left for Smith Lake I would either make something happen there or I would pretty much just hang it up and fish around the house,” he said.
Well, he found a way to make something happen, winning the final 2012 Southern Open on Smith Lake at Jasper, Ala., by one ounce and earning a ticket to the 2013 Bassmaster Classic this past week on Grand Lake of the Cherokees at Tulsa, Okla.
And he made the most of his rookie appearance in the Classic, finishing third and earning a check for $40,000. Combined with the $50,000 he won at Smith Lake and a little over $3,000 he earned at the Harris Chain, Cherry has picked up $94,112 in B.A.S.S. tournaments in the past year.
In the first day of the Classic Cherry put the field on notice that he was there to make some noise, weighing in 21 pounds, 8 ounces, just 9 ounces back of the leaders.
“I thought about the first 10 minutes of fishing I really had a chance when I caught a bass that weighed a little over 6 pounds,” Cherry said.
After averaging almost 4 1/2 pounds a fish the first day his bag dropped off to about 2 1/2 pounds a fish the next day when he brought in five bass that weighed 10 pounds, 13 ounces.
“Every fish I weighed in the Classic came on a jerkbait and the second day I had absolutely no wind,” he said. “I actually got one good bite the second day on a jig, but I lost it. That was the only jig bite I had the whole tournament.
The third day he was right back in the ball game – his first fish was a 4 pounder.
“But then I went about four hours without a bite,” he said. “I switched areas and began running some corners than had wind on them and started catching them again.”
He brought in five bass that weighed 17 pounds, 4 ounces, to take third place in the Classic behind the winner, Cliff Pace of Petal, Miss., and runner-up Brandon Palaniuk of Rathdrum, Idaho, with a three-day total of 49 pounds even.
Cherry said fishing tournaments in Lake Norman and Lake Wylie near his home prepared him for fishing against some of the biggest names in bass fishing.
“Our area is full of some of the best fishermen around, in my belief,” he said. Some of them have just not had the opportunity to travel and fish, but week in and week out they are tough competition.”
“I love fishing around the house, just for bragging rights,” said Cherry who planned to take a day off when he gets home from Tulsa, “just to sleep,” before gearing up to head to the Sabine River at Orange, Texas, for his very first Elite Series tournament March 13-17.
Winter Weather No Problem For The Fish As Anglers Choice Launches 2013 Season At Smith Mountain
The winter weather – snow, freezing rain, freezing temperatures – doesn't matter; the fish are still eating in Smith Mountain Lake as the Anglers Choice Marine Team Trail prepares to launch the 2013 season with and expanded schedule to include both a Virginia and North Carolina Division.
“The fish are still biting, no matter how cold it gets,” said Chris Lucas, Anglers Choice Marine Tournament Trail Tournament Director. “We've had our winter series since December and it has been taking 16 to 18 pounds ever week to win it.”
The Anglers Choice Marine Team Trail was so popular with Virginia and North Carolina anglers that the decision was made to split it into two separate Divisions this year.
“We are excited about the two divisions,” Lucas said. “We're hoping having a North Carolina Division will help the Carolina guys. The Carolina side is kind of experimental this year just to see if we can get it up and running. But most of the guys I've talked to say the Virginia Division will be huge and the North Carolina Division will be bigger than expected.”
Lucas said the new schedule will include a five-qualifier format to make the classic. Anglers can do this by fishing five tournaments in either division. Also new for 2013 is that the top 5 teams in the points race for both divisions will receive a free entry to the Classic.
“I have had a really good response to this since fishermen can get two qualifiers in one weekend at some of our tournaments and cut down on some of their expenses,” he said. “I think things will go pretty good this year, if the price of gas doesn't get over $4.25 a gallon.”
The Virginia Division, which begins Saturday at Smith Mountain Lake out of Parkway Marina, will include : March 23, Lake Gaston, Americamp; April 6, Smith Mountain Lake, Parkway Marina; April 27 Kerr Lake, Occoneechee State Park; May 25, Smith Mountain Lake, Parkway Marina; and June 29, Kerr Lake, Occoneechee State Park.
The North Carolina Division, which kicks off March 10 at High Rock Lake out of Tamarac Marina, also includes: March 24, Lake Gaston, Americamp; April 7, Smith Mountain Lake, Parkway Marina; April 28 Kerr Lake, Occoneechee State Park; June 22, High Rock Lake, Tamarac Marina; June 30, Kerr Lake, Occoneechee State Park.
The two-day Classic for both divisions will be held Oct. 12-13 on Kerr Lake out of Occoneechee State Park.
Lucas noted that anglers have been catching bass deep at Smith Mountain.
“We have not had enough consecutive days to get them up there, but if we get a blue sky, sunny day they will be up in the water column,” he said. “Some anglers will be throwing a spoon and that will be the top tactic on deep structure, along with a deep crankbait, and in the cold, clear water a jerkbait works good. But some will be throwing soft plastics and I think there will be some colored water so there will be some good fish caught on a jig.”
It probably will boil down to where an angler is fishing and what he likes to do, Lucas said.
“I think guys will be catching them on all those baits.”
The only problem on the horizon for a possible large entry, he noted, will be the weather.
“I think they will come if the weather is all right. We've got some more winter weather coming this week and the forecast calls for another winter storm sometime between March 1 and March 3, so I am keeping a close eye on the weather.”
Anglers Choice Marine Team Trail - Virginia Division
Sat Mar 2, 2013
Smith Mountain Lake
Parkway Marina
Call Chris Lucas 276-358-0844
Fishing Tough, Weather Even Tougher As Ellis Prepares For Everstart On Guntersville
Ken Ellis of Bowman, SC will be fishing the Everstart on Guntersville. Photo courtesy FLW Outdoors.
After three days of practicing for the EverStart Series tournament on Lake Guntersville, Ken Ellis had caught four keeper bass. His practice buddy, Chuck Howard had caught three.
On top of that, the Weather Channel was predicting some pretty nasty winter weather for the area this week.
“It looks like it's going to be a tougth tournament for us,” said Ellis who has won almost $300,000 in FLW Outdoors tournament series. “It looks like it's going to be pretty dismal weather with rain and wind for the next few days and bitter cold for the tournament.”
With heavy rain and 30 mph winds predicted, Ellis, of Bowman, S.C, and Howard, from Elloree, S.C., said they probably would not even get to practice Monday.
“When you get as old as I am, you usually stay out of that kind of weather,” he said with a chuckle.
“I've never fished here this time of year,but they are probably going to catch some huge fish in this tournament. They had a BFL here two weeks ago and had four fish over 10 pounds. A co-angler weighed in a 13-pound, 1-ounce bass” Ellis said. “I expect it will take some pretty good weights to do well. There is a 15-inch minimum limit, so a lot of guys will struggle with that.”
The local anglers who fish Guntersville regularly and are familiar with locating the deeper fish should do well, he said.
“But the fish have not moved up to where I normally catch them,” he said. “I probably will target docks because that is what I usually do when I am here.”
Ellis has fished four EverStart tournaments and a BFL regional on Guntersville, earning a check in one EverStart and the regional, finishing 18th in both. However, his previous experience has been in tournaments held in May, June and October, never this early in the year – and never in the grip of a winter storm.
“Last year this time we had spring weather and the fish would have been right where I want them to be, but that is part of the game. You have to do the best you can when things are not in your favor,” he said.
“When I saw the schedule I knew it could go either way this time of year. But, I could still stumble onto something. I won't quit trying, that's for sure.
FLW EverStart Series
Feb 28-Mar 2, 2013
Lake Guntersville
Lake Guntersville State Park
Big Bite Re-Ups with Cabella's Collegiate Bass Fishing Series
San Antonio, Texas (February 28, 2013) - The Association of Collegiate Anglers has announced that Big Bite Baits will continue support of the 2013 Cabela's Collegiate Bass Fishing Series.
Collegiate anglers have come to know Big Bite Baits as a long-term supporter through their collegiate purchase program and prize support of ACA sanctioned events across the nation.
Big Bite Baits produces tournament winning soft plastic lures, designed by an elite group of professional anglers. From finesse baits, like the Squirrel Tail Worm, to unique flipping baits like the Fighting Frog, Big Bite Baits has something for every situation. Anglers such as Jeff Kriet, Dean Rojas, and Russ Lane have all helped develop products that are "Designed to bring the Big Bite to your line".
According to Wade Middleton, Co-founder of the ACA and President of CarecoTV, "It is great to have such a committed partner as Big Bite Baits. Their support over the years has allowed us to reward students, not only at our own events, but many of the student run events we assist as well. Our Discounts and Incentives Program is successful because of partnerships such as these and I know the students all appreciate the opportunity to save some money and try out new products."
Les Bratcher, of Big Bite Baits added, "We feel the Cabela's Collegiate Bass Fishing Series offers student anglers unprecedented opportunities. It is an exciting program for the industry to get younger anglers involved in the sport of bass fishing. We are going to continue to find new ways in 2013 to connect with and help collegiate anglers in this program."
Students may take advantage of special collegiate pricing, courtesy of Big Bite Baits and the Association of Collegiate Anglers, by emailing[email protected] from their school email addresses.
Complete details of the collegiate contingency and bonus programs can be found at: www.collegiatebasschampionship.com/discounts-incentives.html
More information regarding Big Bite Baits, including a complete line up of their products, can be found at: www.BigBiteBaits.com. You can also find them on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/BigBiteBaits
- Cabela's Collegiate Big Bass Bash - March 21-23, 2013
- Table Rock Lake - Branson, Missouri
- Collegiate Bass Fishing Open - April 18-20, 2013
- Kentucky Lake - Paris, Tennessee
- BoatUS Collegiate Bass Championship - May 23-25, 2013
- Pickwick Lake - Florence, Alabama
For more information on the ACA, or the Cabela's Collegiate Bass Fishing Series, visit www.CollegiateBassChampionship.com. From here, site visitors can register for events, review rules and detailed Angler Packets, as well as keep up with all things collegiate bass fishing.
Texas Team Trail heads to Sam Rayburn Lake this Sat to Kick off 2013!
Registration for the event is already underway – anglers can secure an opportunity to pre-fish Friday, March 1, by completing their registration online or via phone prior to midnight on Thursday, February 28. All anglers that pre-register will also be entered into a drawing for a Power-Pole Shallow Water Anchor.
Designed exclusively for team competition, the event offers anglers an unprecedented opportunity in terms of payout, sponsor bonuses and television coverage.
The Sam Rayburn event is the first of four 2013 qualifying events that guarantee a fully-rigged, Triton 18XS powered by an Evinrude 150 HO package as first-place prize. This plus a budget-friendly, $250 entry fee, plus multiple contingency bonus programs and over 100% payback leads to a buzz among TexasÂ’ anglers. Sights are set on the new Texas Team Trail event on Sam Rayburn Lake, as well as the championship tournament in October on Falcon Lake.
On-site registration is set for Friday, March 1, from 5-7 p.m. at Umphrey Pavilion (5438 RR 255 West, Sam Rayburn, TX 75951). We ask that one team member attend. The tournament will launch Saturday, March 2, at safe light from Umphrey Pavilion and weigh-in will begin at the same location at 3 p.m. Anglers with questions or anyone interested in more details on the event are encouraged to visit www.texasteamtrail.com or call 210-788-4143.
Along with title-sponsor Cabela’s, Texas Team Trail has also welcomed Lucas Oil®, Ranger Boats, Stratos Boats, Triton Boats, Evinrude®, Minn Kota®, Talon, RAM Trucks, Lowrance, Power-Pole, Boater’s Insurance®, Amphibia and Artic Ice as official partners.
2013 Scheduled Events
March 2 – Sam Rayburn Lake
April 6 – Lake Ray Roberts
May 4 – Belton Lake
June 1 – Cedar Creek Lake
Championship –
October 12-13 – Falcon Lake
Daiwa Pro Andy Montgomery Previews the hot new line of DAIWA Lexa Baitcasters for 2013!!
Daiwa and Elite Series Pro Andy Montgomery previews the newest and hottest line of Baitcasters from Daiwa--the Lexa Reel Series. Affordable, durable, and effective for almost any tournament angler out there-Click here for more!!
