Bobby Uhrig of Mega Strike demonstrates the POWER of a technique normally associated with finesse fishing!
Shakey heads deliver limits when nothing else will. NOW you can use the deadly tactic to target BIG bass with Mega Strike's e2 Shakey Head. Bobby Uhrig shows and tells how!
Elite Series Pro Bernie Schultz Gives a Peak at Rapala's Newest Hardbait Designs from ICAST 2011
Take a look at these EXCITING NEW lures from Rapala, courtesy of Bassmaster Elite Series pro Bernie Schultz, including one that he has caught fish on all season long while testing it on the Elite Series tournament trail!
Jake Gipson, Matthew Wercinzki, Back-toBack FLW COllegiate National Champs from UF Speak!
Gipson and Wercinzki recently won their 2nd FLW Collegiate Bass Fishing National Championship on Kentucky Lake. They speak about the teamwork that has made them the most dynamic duo in the colloegiate ranks and also take a minute to show us the NEW college team colors from Stick Jacket!
Elite Series Pro Bernie Schultz Shares the VMC Spinshot and Shows why it won Best of Show in terminal tackle category!
Bernie Schultz introduces the VMC Spinshot - WINNER - 2011 ICAST Best of Show in the terminal tackle category!!!
Elite Series Pro Chris Lane Shows off the NEW Guntersville Frog!!!
Chris Lane tells about the modification that has turned an already-great SnagProof Frog into the NEW Guntersville Frog - available soon from SnagProof, still made in the USA for 50 years now!!!
Elite Series Pro Ish Monroe shows us the NEW Phat Frog Colors at ICAST 2011
Ish Monroe steps into the SnagProof both to share the new colors available in his Phat Frog!
"Big Show" Terry Scroggins Shows Us the NEW Lew's Reels at ICAST 2011
Bassmaster Elite Series veteran, Terry, 'Big Show' Scroggins shows us the great NEW reels from the recently revived Lew's brand, one of the legendary companies in our sport.
Saturday's Night Tournament Could Be Game Changer In Tom's Marine Points Race
With only three qualifying tournaments left, including Saturday's night tournament on Cherokee Lake, it's getting down to crunch time for anglers trying to qualify for the Tom's Marine Team Trail Championship Oct. 29-30. It's also crunch time for teams vying for the points championship.
“The points race is really close and these night tournaments are usually game changers in the standings,” said tournament director Richard McMaster. “Gary Pilkenton and Denny Turner are leading the points, but Brian Holt and Guy Siler are close behind. And David Mullins and Brent Hoskins are right behind them.”
In fact, just over 100 points separates the top five teams, but with a tournament win worth 300 points, nobody will be safe until the final tournament weigh-in, McMaster said.
“Making up 30-40 points is easily done. One bad tournament can cost a leading team, especially if they only caught two or three fish and one of the other teams weighs in a good catch. They would be right on top of each other.”
The wild card in the points race at this point is the weather. It's summer and it is hot.
“It's been hot and I feel like it's going to be hot again this weekend,” McMaster said. “But the fishing has not been as hot as the weather.”
Fishing has been kind of slow on Cherokee Lake this hot summer, he noted.
“The fish are hiding in their deepest holes, making it hard to get to them.”
Because fishing has been so slow, McMaster predicated 15 pounds would be a good bet to win the tournament.
“But, really, the way I look at it, that suits everybody. Everybody has a chance. If they get lucky and catch one of two good fish, somebody who has never won could win Saturday.”
Even though the weather has been blistering hot, it does cool down some at night, so fishing should be fairly comfortable, McMaster said.
“We've also got a full moon this weekend. The winning bag will probably come on nighttime spinnerbaits, I imagine.”
The series is loaded with incentives, he noted, making it very attractive for anglers. Among new angler incentives this year are:
- Tom's Customer Cash. Anglers who win one of the trail tournaments this year while fishing in a 2006 or newer model Ranger purchased from Tom's Marine will win an additional $500.
- Porter's Tires and Yokohama. Any team with Yokohama tires on their tow vehicle that wins a Tom's Marine tournament this year will get a $100 bonus.
- Lunker Sauce Catch Program. The angler who catches the tournament lunker and has Lunker Sauce in his boat wins $100 extra.
- Ranger Cup and Tom's Marine. A registered Ranger Cup winner in a tournament will earn an additional $1,000 or the highest finishing non-winner will get $250.
- Lowrance Electronics. If they are already running Lowrance Electronics on their boats, the top two finishers in each tournament will be eligible to buy new Lowrance Electronics for their boat at special VIP pricing.
In addition to the Ranger Cup, the trail also offers these manufacturers' programs: Stratos 2X, Triton Gold, Skeeter Real Money and Bass Pro Shops Tournament Rewards.
Entry Fee is $110 per regular tournament with $10 of that going to lunker pot. At least 90 percent of entry fees and 100 percent of the lunker pot is paid back at ramp at each event. Both a lunker largemouth and lunker smallmouth prize will be given at each tournament. If no smallmouth are caught 1st and 2nd largemouth will be paid equally.
Even with all the incentives and the hefty payback, entries are down slightly this year, McMaster noted.
“We've been averaging 150 boats a tournament, which is down a little from last year, but we expected that with the economy like it is.”
The remaining schedule includes: July 16, Cherokee Lake (night tournament); Sept. 10, Cherokee Lake; Oct. 1, Douglas Lake; and the Classic Oct. 29-30, one day on Cherokee Lake and one day on Douglas Lake.
Tom's Marine Team Trail 2011
Sat, Jul 16, 2011
Cherokee Lake
25 E Bridge Access
Call Richard McMaster 423-748-3240
www.tomstrail.50webs.com/2011schedule.html
Bite Should Be Good For Watson's Marine Tournament On South Holston Lake
Despite the sweltering weather, fishing has actually been pretty good on South Holston Lake as anglers prepare for the second of three Watson's Marine Tournaments for the summer.
“It has not been outstanding, but the fish have been biting pretty good at night,” said Rex Pendergrass with Watson's Marine, a leading bass boat and tackle dealer in Bluff City, Tenn., serving East Tennessee and Southwest Virginia. “There was a tournament there this past weekend and it took 18 pounds for five fish to win it.”
Pendergrass said some anglers have been catching fish on root beer colored jigs worked 15 to 25 feet deep. Some have been catching fish on deep crankbaits, like the Norman DD22, and some have also been catching some bass out of deep brush on 10-inch worms.”
Watson's Marine holds three summer night tournaments on three different lakes. The Watson's Marine Triton Boats Open Tournament July 23, second of the series, will be held out of Observation Knob Park on South Holston Lake from 8 p.m. to 3 a.m., and the third tournament, the Watson's Open Tournament, will be held Sept. 3 on Watauga Lake out of Fish Springs Dock from 7 p.m. to 2 a.m.
The entry fee and payout schedule is the same for all three tournaments, Pendergrass said. Entry forms and rules are available at the dealership.
“These tournaments are kind of a customer appreciation thing,” Pendergrass said, “but they are open to anybody. You don't have to pay anything to join, just show up and fish and have a good time. The entry fee is $60 and they can pay at the ramp.”
Watson's Marine, a full-service marine dealer offering Ranger and Triton boats, and Mercury, Evinrude, and Yamaha Outboard engines, plus the area's best selection of fishing tackle and marine accessories, has been providing a summer night fishing series for local anglers for almost two decades.
Watson's Marine Triton Boats Open Tournament
Sat, Jul 23, 2011
South Holston Lake
Observation Knob Park
Call Aaron Greene 423-538-5332
2011 ICAST New Product Showcase Spotlights with AC Insider Vance McCullough
AC Insider and Pro Staffer Vance McCullough takes us up close on the new DAIWA T-Wing Baitcaster as well as a major refinement to the Snagproof FROG!!
2011 ICAST New Product Showcase Preview with AC Insider Vance McCullough
AC Insider and Pro Staffer Vance McCullough helps us re-cap one impressive NEW PRODUCT SHOWCASE to kick off this 2011 ICAST Show from Las Vegas!!
Countdown to Blastoff 2011 Week 24 with Rob Digh-Part 2
AC Pro Staffer and Insider Rob Digh continues his preview of fishing some HOT tournaments this weekend....it better be shallow and early if you want some fish to compete-Part Two
Countdown to Blastoff 2011 Week 24 with Rob Digh-Part 1
AC Pro Staffer and Insider Rob Digh joins us to preview what promises to be a very HOT week of action on the water and how many of the anglers heading out will have to fish in order to stay in the hunt-Part One
FLW Tour Stop # 5
I stopped at Kentucky Lake on my way home from the Red River for pre practice. I found a good number of fish had already moved out to the ledges for their summer time pattern. I spent all my time out deep with crankbaits and 3/4 oz football jigs with good success. Already having a game plan, I narrowed down my areas in the three official practice days. The tournament went well. I caught plenty of fish with a total of 29 lbs 8 oz which was good enough for 31st place. I received a good check and some good points. Thanks to Anglers Channel, Ranger boats, Yamaha, Denver Marine, Visit Lake Norman, The Great Outdoors, G-Loomis and Earnest Langley.
Thanks
Brent Long
Wolak Taking A Business Approach To Practice For Northern Open On James River
Having worked in business before becoming a professional angler, Dave Wolak takes a business approach to fishing tournaments.
And he has a business plan to follow in preparing for the inaugural 2001Bassmaster Northern Open tournament on the James River out of Richmond the weekend after July 4. Surprisingly, a major part of the plan has very little to do with actual fishing.
“The James is a big area and there is a lot of water to cover,” said Wolak who has little experience on the famous Virginia bass fishery. “I am heading there Sunday and when I get there I will ride around a lot, burn both tanks of gas in my Ranger Boat. I want to get a good look at everything instead of just going fishing.”
The eagerness to get fishing in relatively new waters without thoroughly checking things out often creates problems for some anglers, Wolak said.
“I think that is a big problem for some people who get caught up in the groove of fishing something when it could be a lot easier elsewhere if they knew it was available,” he said. “I plan to just hone in on an area and dissect it when I decide where I am going to fish.”
Although he only caught a couple of fish in his only previous experience on the James, Wolak said he really likes fishing river systems and has done well on them in the past.
“I have done quite well on the Hudson River, for instance. I had a top five finish (4th) in a Bass Open and a second there in another tournament. I like fishing current and I like fishing shallow and that's what rivers tend to be – shallow with current.”
Wolak is hoping to do as well in the opens this year as he did last year and he admits there is a sense of urgency this time. He qualified for his fifth Bassmaster Classic this year by winning the Northern Open on Lake Champlain last July, then sat out the final two Northern Opens to give some other anglers a better chance at making the classic.
“I just missed making the 2012 Classic through the Elite Series this year,” he said, “so I need to win one of the opens to get into the Classic.”
Wolak finished just outside the cutoff in the Elite Series points standings due to a few small problems that arose throughout the season, he said.
“The points are so tight, so the littlest bit of poor execution or poor judgment, or if you don't make the right move at the right time can really hurt you. So, if you have a couple of little mishaps that proves itself in the points and that is what happened this year. I missed a fish here and there and I missed a couple of cuts buy just a little bit, just little things like that.”
The opens are a welcome relief after the grind of the Elites, he said, because they allow him to get back into his comfort zone.
“If I am up north I am having a lot of fun and enjoying being around my friends,” said the Pennsylvania native who now lives in Wake Forest, N.C. “After the Elite season I still have a lot of fishing to do.”
Bassmaster Northern Open
Jul 7-9, 2011
James River
Bass Fishing Booming Because Of Growing Grass As Chattanooga Bass Association Readies For Night Tournament
This may be a record hot summer, but as hot as the weather is the bass fishing in Lake Chickamauga may be even hotter. And it's all because of the growth of hydrilla in the lake, said Justin Medley, tournament director for the Chattanooga Bass Association.
“We had a night tournament in early June and there were two bags weighed in over 30 pounds out of 52 boats,” Medley said, adding that seven fish over 8 pounds were weighed in that tournament.
“What was pretty cool was that one of our youth division teams, Jim McClanahan and Colby Truelove, weighed in a bag over 28 pounds. That was the heaviest weight ever to come from one of our youth division teams and it earned them a free entry into this coming weekend's tournament,” Medley said. McClanahan and Truelove also had the heaviest largemouth of the tournament at 8.23 pounds.
“The grass is starting to grow and do really well and the guys are catching fish around the grass, especially during the night tournaments. Steve Kite and Daniel Lewis won that tournament with 31.10 pounds and they caught their fish around the grass in 6 to 10 feet of water.”
Then there was the night tournament out of a state park on the lake Thursday evening, he noted.
“It was a three-fish tournament and it was won with 19 ½ pounds, with a big fish of 9.48 pounds. We are expecting a really good bite in our tournament next weekend.”
That will be the sixth of 10 tournaments on the Chattanooga Bass Association schedule this year, Medley noted, and he expects the winning weight to be between 25 and 30 pounds.
“We expect a really good bite next weekend. Most of the guys will be targeting shallow grass with spinnerbaits and soft plastics,” Medley said.
The tournament will run from 8 p.m. Saturday to 8 a.m. Sunday, he noted, which gives anglers plenty of time to cover all their spots.
“Night fishing has been really good, especially for fish over 5-6 pounds,” Medley said. “The winners will take home $2,000 for first place.”
The tournament will give points leaders a chance to solidify their positions and also give some anglers the opportunity to move up, Medley said.
“There are four months left so the points title is still anybody's game. All these guys are fighting for the Sportsman's Warehouse Points Championship and the $1,000 bonus and free entry fees for the 2012 season.”
Medley noted that anglers can drop two of their lowest finish tournaments so there is still a lot of fishing and jockeying for position to do before the title can be claimed.
The father-son duo of Rogie and Alan Brown are leading the points but Kite and Lewis are just 9 points back and there are a good many teams withing striking distance behind them.
The CBA operates from February through November with Lakes Chickamauga, Nickajack and Watts Barr open for each tournament. All teams launch out of Chester Frost Park on Lake Chickamauga and they can lock through to Nickajack and Watts Bar.
First place in each tournament is guaranteed $2,000 and the remainder of the payout goes to one in every five entries. Anglers who do not win cash money will receive prizes.
Entry fees for the tournaments are $120 per boat which includes Big Fish. To accumulate points throughout the season and be eligible for season prizes such as Big Fish and New Team anglers must pay a one-time process fee of $50.
Medley noted there are several manufacturer's bonus programs which also pay prize money to winning anglers who use their boats or tackle, including Ranger Cup, Triton Gold, Bullet Boats Rewards, Bass Pro Shops Tournament Rewards, Nuclear Rods Big Fish Rewards, and the Nichols Outboard Engineering Big Bass Bonus.
“Another membership incentive is Tow Boat USA which will pay $100 to the highest finishing Tow Boat member in each tournament and $500 to the highest finishing member in the year-end Classic. Tow Boat is also sponsoring the Classic,” Medley said.
The CBA's remaining 2011 tournament schedule includes: July 9 Night, July 23 Day, August 6 Night, August 20 Day, September 17, and October 1, with the 2011 Classic on October 29-30.
Chattanooga Bass Association
Sat, Jul 9, 2011
Chickamauga Lake
Chester Frost Park
Call Justin Medley 423-667-5054
Sportsman's Warehouse 4th of July Report
Sportsman's Warehouse fishing manager Justin Kijak joins us to preview one of the busiest weekends of the year and that means if you left something back at the house, there's one easy solution-come by Sportsman's Warehouse!!
AC Pro Staffer and Motormate Pro Dearal Rodgers Demo's this hot product on his E-TEC 250 HO!
Anglerschannel.com and Motormate Pro Staffer Dearal Rodgers demo's how easy this product is to use on his Evinrude E-TEC 250 HO-it really is amazing!! Find a dealer near you at www.motormateusa.com !!
Buckeye Lures Elite Series Pro Davy Hite demo's the Buckeye Flick-it on the water at Lake Greenwood
Buckeye Lures Prostaffer and Bassmaster Elite Series Pro Davy Hite takes us through some easy techniques on how to effectively use the ultra successful Buckeye Lures Flick-it.........
Countdown to Blastoff 2011 Week 23 with Rob Digh-Part 2
AC Pro Staffer and Insider Rob Digh continues his analysis of some of the bigger tournaments this weekend including the Anglerschoice Marine TT on Kerr, the BFL on THE ROCK, and the Watson's Marine Ranger Open Tournament on Boone Lake in TN-Part Two!
Final Anglers Choice Qualifier Saturday On Kerr/buggs Island Will Determine Points Champs
Gas prices may be high and the economy may be struggling, but bass anglers are going to fish.
The Anglers Choice Marine Team Trail has been going great through the first six of seven tournaments, said tournament director Chris Lucas, and entries are pouring in for the final qualifier Saturday on Kerr/Buggs Island.
“Registration numbers are huge,” Lucas said. “We had 173 at Smith Mountain two weeks ago and we are knocking on the door of 200 entries per tournament. That is great considering the gas prices. If we grow like this next year we will be knocking on the door for 220 entries per tournament.”
Lucas said 130 teams have already qualified for the Classic Sept. 24-25 on Smith Mountain lake and about 40 more could qualify this weekend.
“If we get those qualified we could have 160 to 170 boats in the Classic,” he said.
The tournaments are laced with opportunities for win money, he noted, and the team of Jeff Freeman and Kevin Baldwin took ultimate advantage of them to earn a total of $9,450 in the May 11 tournament on Smith Mountain Lake by qualifying for the Triton Gold Program and having the right setup on their boat for all the contingency money.
“Hopefully, we will have another winner like that,” Lucas said.
The entry fee per tournament is $100, with an optional $20 Big Fish pot. Payback will be to one in every five boats registered, with $2,000 guaranteed for first place with at least 70 boats entered, and more than 70 have already entered for Saturday, he said.
Anglers must fish four of the six scheduled tournaments to qualify for the championship. First place in the classic will win a new Ranger Z118 bass boat with a Mercury Opti Max motor and trailer.
Always a very popular tournament, this year Lucas said more new sponsors have come on board and there is plenty of bonus money to be paid out. The series is Triton Gold registered which means this year that a winner in the right Triton package can take home an extra $7,000. Anglers can also win with the Ranger Cup program and the Stratos 2X program.
There are also two big fish awards. Jiffy Automotive will award $500 to the Big Fish of the Year and there is a $500 Sea Tow Big Fish Bonus that goes to any annual active member of Sea Tow that catches the Big Fish of the tournament at all Smith Mtn. tournaments and at Kerr and Gaston.
One of the top prizes of the year is the $1,250 awarded to the points champions by Jiffy Automotive and even though Saturday is the last qualifying tournament the points championship is still anybody's game, Lucas said.
Ronnie Anderson and Jeremy Terry are sitting atop the points going into Saturday's tournament, but they are trailed closely by Wayne Burchett and Raymond Secrest who are just six points behind. Jim McCullough and Mike Stinette were right at the top before the June 11 tournament on Smith Mountain Lake where they did not weigh a fish and slipped to 20th in the standings.
“They just could not get on anything in the tournament,” Lucas said. “They caught them in practice but could not get them in the tournament itself.”
But Saturday will determine the points champions and there is plenty of hope for a lot of teams in the field to pull it out, Lucas said.
“In a field that big and when you get 200 points for a win anything could happen.”
Saturday's tournament will start an hour earlier than usual, 6 a.m. instead of 7 o'clock, and the weigh-in will start an hour earlier with the first flight coming in at 2 p.m. instead of 3 o'clock.
“It's gong to be a typical summertime tournament on Kerry,” Lucas said. Guys will catch a few fish early on top and then get out on the points and Carolina rig. I think some of the better fish at Buggs in the summer are caught on deep crankbaits, but that is an art into itself. You have to know how to do it and when to do it.”
Anglers Choice Marine Team Trail
Sat, Jun 25, 2011
Kerr / Buggs Island Lake
North Bend State Park
Call Chris Lucas 276-358-0844
www.anglerschoicemarine.com/TournamentTrail
Watson's Marine Tournament Anglers Will Find Peace And Quiet At Night On Boone Lake
There are two things for certain on Southern Lakes between Memorial Day and Labor Day. 1. It's going to be hot, and, 2. There will be plenty of noise and wave action from an armada of pleasure boats during the day.
But bass anglers know they can escape the heat and the crush of water skiers and personal watercraft by fishing at night – and Watson's Marine in Bluff City, Tenn., is happy to oblige.
For almost two decades Watson's Marine, a full-service marine dealer offering Ranger and Triton boats, and Mercury, Evinrude, and Yamaha Outboard engines, plus the area's best selection of fishing tackle and marine accessories, has been providing a summer night fishing series for local anglers.
The first tournament for this summer, the Watson's/Ranger Open Tournament, kicks off at 8 o'clock Saturday night out of Winged Deer Park on Boone Lake with $1,000 guaranteed to the winner. Second place pays $700, third place $500 and there are $200 big fish prizes for both the biggest largemouth and the largest smallmouth weighed in. Payouts are based on at least 50 boats in the field and will be pro-rated if more boats are entered.
“These tournaments are kind of a customer appreciation thing,” said Rex Pendergrass with Watson's Marine, “but they are open to anybody. You don't have to pay anything to join, just show up and fish and have a good time. The entry fee is $60 and they can pay at the ramp.”
Watson's Marine will hold three summer night tournaments on three different lakes. The second tournament, the Watson's/Triton Open Tournament, will be held July 23 on South Holston Lake out of Observation Knob Park from 8 p.m. to 3 a.m., and the third tournament, the Watson's Open tournament, will be held on Watauga Lake out of Fish Springs Dock from 7 p.m. to 2 a.m.
The entry fee and payout schedule is the same for all three tournaments, Pendergrass said. Entry forms and rules are available at the dealership.
The bass in Boone Lake are in their summer pattern right now, Pendergrass said, and fishing has been pretty good recently.
“It has been taking 15 to 17 pounds for five fish to win on Boone Lake. Anglers are mostly fishing bluffs and points at night with jigs, dark-colored spinnerbaits and Norman DD22s,” Pendergrass said. “The weather has been pretty hot, but we had a little bit of rain the laws few days and it has cooled off a little bit. Daytime temperatures are running from the mid-80s to 90 degrees. But the fishermen like fishing at night this time of year because it cuts down on so much pleasure boat traffic.”
Watson’s Marine Ranger Boats Open Tournament
Sat, Jun 25, 2011
Boone Lake
Winged Deer Park
Call Aaron Greene 423-538-5332
Weather – And Bass Bite – Are Hot For Accent Marine Tournament Kissimmee Chain
It is extremely hot on the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes, both the blazing summer sun overhead and the super bass bite in the lakes.
“The temperature is in the 90s. It was up to 99 one day, but it's like the Dog Days of Summer because of the humidity,” said Ted Meyer with Accent Marine which will hold the sixth of nine qualifying tournaments in the dealership's tournament trail Sunday out of Capt. Mack's River Resort on the lakes.
“Adding to that, the water is low. Okeechobee is about dried up. There's some open water back in Kissimmee – a little bit – but they are letting that out also,” Meyer said. “What we need is a hurricane to bring the lakes back up – not the hurricane itself, but the rain that comes with it.”
But, the bass apparently are not letting the heat and the extremely low water bother them at all.
“They have been catching some good weights,” said Meyer who predicted it will take 26 to 28 pounds to win Sunday. “It took 31 pounds a couple of weeks ago, so we will see what happens this weekend.”
Meyer said anglers are catching the bass in the deeper water on brushpiles and other structure.
“They are also catching some off the grasslines, but not that much. They are mostly casting regular plastics worms and some are flipping jigs and crawfish.”
He expects 65 to 70 boats to enter Sunday's tournament, down slightly from the average of 75 to 80 boats that have participated in the series so far.
“When it starts getting hot that is when the true fisherman stays out there and the rest of them go home. The next three months are going to be tough. We go through September and the Classic will be in October. We have three left after Sunday and anglers have to fish seven of the nine tournament to qualify for the Classic.”
The series includes tournaments July 31, August 28 and September 25 with the Classic scheduled Oct. 30. Entry fee for the tournaments is $65 and teams that qualify do not pay an entry fee to fish in the classic.
Entry fees must be received by 5 p.m. On the Friday before a tournament; no entries are accepted after that deadline. The tournament payback is 75 percent, with 20 percent held for the classic purse.
Accent Marine, a Stratos dealership owned by Ted and Maxine Meyer, is located on Highway 92 East at Tampa, Fla. The dealership is also a full-service provider for Evinrude.
“If a team is fishing out of a 2009 or newer Stratos, Stratos will match the win pot up to $10,000 so they will double the purse for first place in out tournaments,” Meyer said.
For details on the Accent Marine tournaments, call (813) 620-1042 or (813) 620-1309, or email: [email protected] or [email protected].
Accent Marine Tournament Trail
Sun, Jun 26, 2011
Kissimmee Chain of Lakes
Camp Mack's River Resort
Call (813) 620-1042
Rodgers Looking For Home Run As Flw Majors Season Enters Next To Last Tournament
FLW Tour Pro and AnglersChannel.com Pro Staffer Dearal Rodgers
As Dearal Rodgers prepares for the fifth FLW Major of the year he is still looking to knock a home run in a tournament in his rookie season as a pro angler.
Rodgers of Camden, S.C., won the Co-angler Division of the 2010 Forrest Wood Cup on Lake Lanier with 14 bass weighing 27 pounds, 3ounces. The win earned Rodgers $65,000 and came on the heels of being crowned the 2009 FLW Tour Co-Angler of the Year.
That win money gave him the financial impetus to fish this year on the pro side of the Majors, but he is still looking for major sponsor money so he can continue to fish as a pro. A top finish in the remaining two Majors could be the lure for a good sponsor, he noted.
“If the season ended right now I would say I had a decent year,” said Rodgers who is currently ranked 26th in the standings. “I've fished four events and got a check in three of them so it's been a good year for a rookie year. But I still want to do something spectacular and make a good bit of money and that has not happened yet.”
So far this year Rodgers has earned $26,500 and his best finish was 14th at Lake Chickamauga in April. If he is able to hold in the top 30 he will qualify for the Forrest Wood Cup on Lake Ouachita in Arkansas August 11.
He definitely will finish in the top 100 and qualify for the FLW Majors Tour in 2012, but he may not be able to fish it as a pro.
“Being eligible is one thing, but being able to finance it is another matter,” Rodgers said. “That's why I try to give it all I have in these tournaments. I practice to the very end each day so I won't cut my time short. If I don't gt to do it next year at least I can say I gave it my best.”
The tournament on Kentucky-Barkley lakes this week could go either way, said Rodgers who has concentrated his practice time on Kentucky lake.
“The fish have to be 15 inches in length to weigh them in and that is going to be an issue. You can catch a lot of fish, but catching one 15 inches or more is difficult.”
Adding to the problem is the fact that the fish are in full summer pattern, holding on deep ledges, and they are being hammered by local fishermen as well as the pros.
“The ledges here get so much pressure from locals and tournament fishermen, I guess because the electronics are so good now. Every ledge is covered up.”
Rodgers plans to make a pretty long run to a spot he found that he really likes, but that spot is noted for a lot of local pressure so he may be sharing the area with fishermen who are not in the FLW tournament.
“I caught one about 7 pounds there, but I don't know if I can catch another one – or if I can even get on the place. All I can do is try,” he said.
If he can find a spot to fish, he plans to employ the tactics he learned fishing ledges on his home Lake Wateree back in South Carolina.
“At Lake Wateree the fish are on the ledges and everybody knows about them, so they get a lot of pressure. What we have to do is try different baits and techniques, either downsize or go bigger, reel in fast or slow, try to do different things to get bites.”
Whatever the outcome his rookie year has been a blast Rodgers said and he is looking forward to the tournament this week on Kentucky Lake.
“It should be fun.”
FLW Tour Major
June 16-19, 2011
Kentucky-Barkley Lakes
Kentucky Dam Marina
Countdown to Blastoff 2011 Week 21 with Robby Byrum-Part 2
AC Insider Robby Byrum continues his review of some of the big tournaments this weekend and talks more in depth about what you need throw in these hot temps!
Countdown to Blastoff 2011 Week 21 with Robby Byrum-Part 1
AC Insider Robby Byrum has some great insight on several of the upcoming tournaments this weekend including Wateree and Falls Lake-
Xtreme Bass Series Results - Lake Guntersville - June 12, 2011
Xtreme bass' 6th event of the year here on Lake Guntersville and man is it hot... The air temps are in the mid 90s and the water temps are pushing 90, but what is really hot is the fishing. 1/3 of the field today brought in north of 20 pounds and out of 32 teams, 27 of them brought in 5 fish limits to the Val Monte resort weigh in site. Stories from some of the guys were the typical things, crankbaits, jigs, and soft plastics. Some guys were fishing deep while others fished grass lines. One thing similar with all the guys was you had to be near deep water, if not in it. One thing I witnessed today from some of our guys was a $3 tool that lets the air out of the bladder from fish that get caught in deep water. Some fish caught deep, although still alive, have a hard time turning over and swimming away because of the air in their bladder. This tool, inserted just behind their side fin, lets the air out and allows them to swim away. I suggest everyone who fishes deep here on gville should have one of these tools in their boat. The best time to use it is when you first catch the fish and realize that it can't swim upright or swim away. Purchase one, learn about it, and use it so we can save some of these bigger deep water gville bass.
Now, on to the results...Scott Keeling and Frelon moore came in with the heaviest sack today with 25.18 lbs anchored by a very nice 7.12 lber earning them a whopping $1350.00. Benny Gregg and David Jones had engine problems and did enough to earn them some money to give to the mechanic, (these guys know, I kid, we've all been there). They came in 2nd place with 24.10 lbs for $650.00. 3rd place with 24.02 lbs was Rick Cotten and Steven Dabbs, netting them $270.00. 4th place went to Don Hubbard and Andy Cole with yet another great weight of 23.24 lbs for $170.00. The fifth and final payout spot went to Hadley Coan and Donnie Mcelvoy with 23.16 lbs for $120.00. They also had the big fish of the day at 7.16 lbs for an additional $320.00.
I'm going to mention the next 5 places as they all came in above 20 pounds and should get some credit for their great efforts. 6th pl with 23.12 lbs, Billy Ledbetter. 7th pl with 22.90 lbs, Byron Franklin and Britt Perry. 8th pl with 20.66 lbs, Alex Davis and Jeff Davis. 9th pl with 20.42 lbs, Jeff and Kristy Sparks. 10th pl with 20.18 lbs, O.B. Wilborn and Cindy Potterfield. All final results, points and pics can be viewed on www.xbseries.com.
I must say, what a great field of anglers we have. I truly enjoy competing against them all as I expect it to raise my game at some point. Thank you anglers and thank God for the beautiful day and everyone's safe return. Our next event is not until August 21st so I wish everyone a good summer off and stay cool.
Jamie Shay
Xtreme Bass
256-599-0132
www.jamieshayfishing.com
Big fish of the day 7.12 lbs, Hadley Coan from Huntsville
Inside The 11Th Annual Lee King Tournament With Big Bite Baits President Scott Montgomery
Big Bite Baits President Scott Montgomery takes a few minutes to talk about his day on the water as well as the importance of what this tournament does for Neiman Pic disease and what a huge part of the community the King family is---
2011 Lee King Weigh-In Highlights
Some quality bags and insight from a few of the 138 teams that weighed-in at Eufaula Sunday...........including a great clip from 2nd place team member Scott Flournoy--
Ed Wilkerson And Jason Smith Win The 2011 Lee King Benifit Bass Tournament On Lake Eufaula
Ed Wilkerson and Jason Smith haul in 15.22 on a 98 degree day down on Lake Eufaula and win the 11th Annual Lee King Benifit Bass Tournament
Sportsman's Warehouse Report with a focus on the HOT Summer Pattern!
Sportsman's Warehouse Fishing Manager Justin Kijak joins us once again to talk about the transition taking place to fish a successful summer pattern-that means higher water temps and some new baits for the tackle box-take a look!
Walser Hoping To Find Some Quality Fish In Time For Piedmont Bfl Tournament Saturday
Robert Walser of Lexington, NC. Photo courtesy FLW Outdoors.
Tournament angler Robert Walser is trying to solve a puzzle in practice for the WalMart BFL Piedmont Division Tournament on High Rock Lake this weekend: How to make up the difference between what it has been taking to win a tournament on the lake recently and what Walser has been able to catch.
It's been taking up to 25 pounds to win a tournament on High Rock, Walser said, and he has been catching about 5 pounds a day less than that.
“I wish it was better for me,” said Walser who lives nearby in Lexington, N.C., and considers High Rock his home lake. “All the tournaments down there are taking 20 pounds to win. There is a gang of fish biting – and a lot of big fish – but I've been catching 12 to 15 pounds a day.”
A major factor, he said, is the heat.
“It's brutally hot, anywhere form 84 to 88 degrees. The water is hot and it's not really clear. There is some stain everywhere. I would not be shocked if the river gets muddy again. We had flash flood warnings Sunday for Wilkes County and all that drains right into the river.”
Even with very high water temperatures, the fish are biting good, he said. It's just that the big fish apparently are not biting where he has been fishing.
“You can catch them any way you want to. The water is only about a foot down, so you can catch them flipping docks, fishing a crankbait, a jig, anything you want to fish. I caught some fish out to about 7 or 8 feet deep and apparently they are catching them deeper than that. I think most of them are catching the bigger fish on a crankbait.”
Actually, Walser said, the weights are coming down. Two weeks ago it took 25 pounds to win a tournament and second place had 21 pounds, plus there were several more that had more than 20 pounds. This past weekend it took about 20 pounds to win, he noted.
“If it is not the best lake in the state right now, it is one of the best,” Walser said. “There are just so many quality fish in this lake. I don't know what prompted it three or four years ago, but since then it has just got better and better.”
While he would love to win, Walser said his primary goal is to qualify Saturday in the Piedmont Division for the regional championship and again two weeks later on High Rock in the North Carolina Division.
“It's gong to take 4- and 5-pound fish because it's a 20-pound deal every time you go to High Rock or you are not going to do any good,” said Walser who had finished in the top five in the Piedmont Division four out of the last five years and was No. 1 in 2007. After top 20 finishes in the first three Piedmont Division tournaments he is currently ranked third in points.
Wal-Mart BFL Piedmont Division
High Rock Lake
Tamarac Marina
Sat, Jun 11, 2011
2011 Mid-Season Recap with FLW Tour and FROGTAPE Pro Brian Travis
FROGTAPE and FLW Tour Pro Brian Travis gets us caught up on his season to date and what lies ahead on the back half of this incredibly busy year for this 2nd year Pro-
Southern Championship Fishing Trail Results - High Rock Lake - June 4, 2011
A total of 18 teams came out to compete this past Saturday at Tamarac Landing, High Rock Lake. It was a mild 66 degrees that morning when Southern Championship Fishing Trail tournament participants launched around 6 a.m. When it came time to weigh in, at 2 p.m., Steve Sink and Robert Mixion took top spot with a bag that tipped the scales at 18.71 lbs. For their 1st Place finish they bagged $760, plus the big fish pot, another $180- for a total of $940. Their big fish weight was 5.92 lbs. Coming in a close 2nd at 18.63 lbs. was Andy Nix and Derrick Loflin. For their efforts they walked away with $360 in prize money. 3rd Place, and $140, went to David Drye and Terry James who snagged a bag that weighed 16.60 lbs.Thanks to all who came out to compete! We're really enjoying all of the new faces. Be sure to tell your fishing friends about the trail... remember, the more people fishing, the bigger the payouts! Hope to see you all next time!
Piedmont Bass Classics Results - Jordan Lake - June 4, 2011
We finally got the best day of the year to fish! Beautiful weather, light winds & high 80 air temps! Perfect day and it showed! Jordan was on fire! This was the best catch I've seen at Jordan in a long, long time! You had to have over 20 pounds in your bag to collect a check! The team turnout was 44 boats! 176 bass were weighed for a whopping total of 590 pounds! Water surface temps averaged 89 and air temps ranged from 65 to 88 with winds ranging from light to 5 mph midday. Big fish for the day was 9.12 pounds and plenty of bass were weighed in over 5 pounds each. The spawn is over and the fishing is hot!!! Best lures for the day were C & T rigs and cranksbaits worked on humps in about 10 feet of water. The bass fishing at area lakes should be extremely good at this time.
Once again, I want to thank our sponsors. Without their support we could not be offering the $5,000 Trail. The final event for the Spring 'Piedmont Bass Classics $5,000 Bass Tournament Trail', will be the Championship at Falls Lake, Saturday June 18th. Only teams that have qualified may fish this event. The Future's Trail Championship will also be on this date. Now here are the June 4th results:
1st Place..Mark Herndon & Jay Garrard of Bahama & Durham..5 bass..30.71 lbs...$1,020
2nd Place..Stewart & John Adams of Benson..5 bass..25.28 lbs..$565
3rd Place..Jerry Marshburn & Williams Burns of Sanford..5 bass..24.51 lbs...$457
4th Place..Ken Wall & Ben Cannon of Asheboro & Apex..5 bass..24.33 lbs...$352
5th Place..Mark Bayse & Todd Gibson of Thomasville & Archdale..5 bass..23.91 lbs...$317
6th Place..Jeff & Doug Hodges of Apex..5 bass..23.02 lbs...$282
7th Place..Roy Blackwood & Butch Williams of Pittsboro..5 bass..22.50 lbs...$246
8th Place..Dan Glosson & Phillip Eakes of Rougemont & Bahama..5 bass..22.16 lbs...$176
9th Place..Johnny Wilder & Mike Harris of Butner & Oxford..5 bass..21.16 lbs...$105
1st Place Big Fish..7th Place Team above: 9.12 lbs...$574
2nd Place Big Fish..1st Place Team above: 8.16 lbs...$246
1st Place TWT.. 1st Place Team above: 30.71 lbs...$630
2nd Place TWT..3rd Place Team above: 24.51 lbs...$270
Next Event !!
Final Spring 'Open' Tournament Jordan Lake~~Saturday June 11th
For more information about the tournaments call Phil McCarson 919-471-1571 or 919-971-5042 or visit www.piedmontbassclassics.com
Countdown to Blastoff 2011 Week 20 with Frog Tape Pro Brian Travis
Frog Tape and FLW Tour Pro Brian Travis joins us for week 20 on Countdown and you'll like his insight on fishing Kerr this weekend at the BFL as well as Eufaula for the 11th Annual Lee King Tournament-
Davy Hite Demo of the Buckeye Lures Mop Jig
Buckeye Lures and Bassmaster Elite Series Pro Davy Hite shows the versatility and value that keeps the MOP JIG in his tackle box at ALL TIMES-
Greene Boat & Motor Lake Hickory Top 5
2011 Greene Boat & Motor Trail Qualifier #6
1- Michael Fox - Tony Shook 18.45 lbs
2- Ted Geddis - Bill Warren 17.71 lbs
3- Stacy Richards - Brian Triplett 17.51 lbs
4- Louie Hull - Chuck Montgomery 15.83 lbs
5 - Jeff Queen - KJ Queen 12.14 lbs
1st Big Fish Ted Geddis - Bill Warren 5.50 lbs
2nd Big Fish Stacy Richards - Brian Triplett 5.39 lbs
More results on the way!
Quality bites may be hard to find in FLW Tour Open on Potomac River
FLW Tour Pro Bryan Thrift is looking for a better result on this trip to the Potomac River
The only other time Bryan Thrift fished the Potomac River he did not fare very well, not even making a check. The 2010 FLW Tour Angler of the Year is hoping to do a lot better in the FLW Tour Open this week on the river that flows by the Nation's Capitol.
It's going to be a matter of finding those quality bites, Thrift said after several days of practice on the Potomac.
“I've caught a good many fish, but I have not caught the size I need to be catching,” he said. “It's not a lot of trouble to get bites – it's just hard to come by the 3- to 4-pound bites.”
The weather is hot, Thrift noted, and the water appears dirtier than the last time he fished the Potomac, probably from all the recent rains in the area. The main feature of the river as far as the bass are concerned, he said, is the grass.
“In the lakes around the house (Shelby, N.C.) we don't have grass. There is not much grass in the North Carolina lakes. It's nice to get out and fish where they don't kill the grass.”
While the Potomac grass does not appear to be as green and healthy as it should be this time of year, Thrift said the bass are still using it.
“You can catch fish on just about anything – flipping, topwater – you can get bit on about anything you throw if you throw it long enough,” he said.
After winning the 2010 AOY title, Thrift started the season off this year with a bang, winning the first FLW Major on Beaver Lake in March and taking 5th at Lake Hartwell later that same month. He finished 38th in the first FLW Open on Lake Okeechobee in February, but earned a check.
However, his stocked dropped in his last two outings, both FLW Majors on Lake Chickamauga in April and the Red River in May, finishing out of the money in both tournaments.
“So far as making a living goes it has been a good year so far,” he said. “I've made enough to pay the bills ($156,000 so far this year), but the last couple of tournaments have not been that great for me. But it's not really a letdown from Angler of the Year. In five tournaments I've made two top fives and cashed checks in three of the tournaments – and that is always good.”
Thrift said he is fishing both the Majors and the Opens on the FLW Tour this year – 11 tournaments in all – to increase his chances at earning win money.
“This is my job and you need to fish as much as you can to make a living doing this. I figure the more chances I take the better off I am,” he said. “It's not really a grind. We usually have a week to two weeks between tournaments so there is time to get back home and have a week or two to get everything ready for the next tournament.”
Winning the AOY title helped boost his earning ability, he said.
“I got on the Chevy Team this year and I am proud to represent them and enjoy fishing for them. My other main sponsors are Damiki – I've been with them for three years – and The Great Outdoors (www.teamgreatoutdoors.com) in Cherryville, N.C., which is one of the best tackle stores in the country as far as bait selection. They specialize in carrying baits that not a lot of people carry, including a lot of hand-made baits and hard to find baits.”
Thrift said he plans to fish hard and cover a lot of water on Thursday, the first day of the Potomac River tournament.
“I hope I can hit a little wad of fish. It seems like you go a while without bites, but when you catch one you can catch a couple of them.”
Then he will be home for a week before leaving for Kentucky Lake for the fifth FLW Tour Major of the year.
FLW Tour
Potomac River
National Harbor Marina
Jun 2-5, 2011
Vicchio Fishing Volunteer Bfl On Chickamauga In Quest For A Ticket To All American
Ken Vicchio is leading the BFL Voluteer Division. Photo courtesy FLW Outdoors.
As a retired law enforcement officer, Ken Vicchio used to nab the bad guys. Now he just wants to nab some big old bass.
Vicchio, who retired from the Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms Bureau after serving as an officer with the Detroit Police Department, has been fishing competitively for the past four or five years and currently is atop the standings in the Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League Volunteer Division.
“I've never led the BFL after three tournaments,” said Vicchio after practicing Wednesday for the Volunteer Division tournament on Tennessee's Lake Chickamauga. “I won Cherokee one year and have come in third a couple of times. I just missed going to the All American a couple of years back when the top six went.”
And that, said Vicchio, is why he and many others fish the BFLs.
“We all fish this so we can go to the regional and hope to qualify at the regional to go to the All American. That is our Classic, our goal Everyone's goal is to go to the All American. I've never made it. I've come close, so maybe this is my year. I'm sure going to try.”
Vicchio finished 4th in the Volunteer BFL on Watts Barr in March, 19th on Douglas Lake in April and 5th on South Holston Reservoir in May to take over the points lead. He tested the tournament waters 10-12 years ago in the old Red Man circuit as a non-boater and he fishes the Tom's Marine Team Trail on Douglas and Cherokee Lakes. He began fishing the BFL when it was the old Mountain Division before it became the Volunteer Division.
But he has little experience on Lake Chickamauga.
“I am not familiar with the lake. The last time I fished it was the BFL last year,” he said.
Wednesday was his first opportunity to practice on Chickamauga – and he made the most of it.
“I caught a couple of good ones today so I am just going to hone in on the little pattern I developed,” he said.
That pattern means fishing deep.
“The water is really warm. The water temperature is in the 80s and the fish are deep, for me anyway. You can always catch some shallow fish, but I could not get on the shallow fish. I caught a few today 20 to 25 feet deep. I think they are already in their summer pattern.”
And, if the fish are deep, Vicchio is going to be fishing a jig.
“It's no big secret. Everybody knows that if I catch them that is the way I am catching them,” he said. “It's just a matter of location, being in the right place when they are there.”
No matter the outcome, Vicchio plans to have a good time this week.
“I am having a ball. There are a lot of people in east Tennessee who have gone really well fishing and we still have some pros fishing the BFLs here. It's kind of fun fishing against them, a good barometer of your fishing skills,” he said. “I heard someone say if you can compete against them, you can compete against anybody – and I believe them.”
Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League Volunteer Division
Chickamauga Lake
Dayton Boat Dock
Sat, Jun 4, 2011
On the Water with Bassmaster Elite Series Champion Davy Hite and his 2011 Evinrude E-Tec
One of the most honest and straight fwd testimonials you'll ever see on the Evinrude E-Tec with Bassmaster Elite Series Champion Davy Hite on the water at Lake Greenwood-
Countdown to Blastoff 2011 Week 19 Part Two
Memorial Day Weekend Edition continues with AC Insider Robby Byrum as he continues his insight into some solid regional tournaments this holiday weekend-Part Two!!
Countdown to Blastoff 2011 Week 19 Part One
Countdown to Blastoff Memorial Day Edition with AC Insider Robby Byrum joins us for Week 19 to discuss the deep diving crankbaits that are in synch right now all over the region as well as some BIG TOURNAMENTS this weekend-Part One!!
Memorial Day Weekend Preview From Sportsman's Warehouse In Columbia-Sc!!
Sportsman's Warehouse Fishing Manager Justin Kijak helps us prep for a big Memorial Day Weekend no matter where you are heading to...........don't forget to check their new online store at www.sportsmanswarehouse.com!!
Bass Fishing Wide Open As Bassmaster Southern Open Anglers Head For Douglas Lake
The way the bass have been biting on Douglas Lake everybody fishing the Bassmaster Southern Open June 2-4 should catch plenty of fish, leaving the only questions to be answered, who will win the third and final Southern Open of the year and who will finish on top in the Angler of the Year race?
“There should be a ton of fish caught,” said local guide and tournament angler Capt. David Berry of Mascot, Tenn. “The fish are in a post-spawn pattern right now and we are catching them from 2 to 3 feet deep out to 30 feet deep, all over the board and on just about anything you want to throw.”
Berry described Douglas Lake as “more of a highland reservoir, with a lot of cover compared to other lakes. The water is fairly clear to stained. The lake is in real good shape right now, so it should be a really good tournament.”
Douglas holds good populations of largemouth bass, smallmouth bass and spotted bass, Berry said.
“There are some really nice-sized largemouths with tons of smaller ones. The smallmouth have to be 20 inches and you can get a good smallmouth anytime up there. But it should take largemouths to win the tournament.”
Berry said it has taken 24-plus pounds to win several tournaments on Douglas Lake the last week or two so a 20-pound average per day would not be out of the question for the winner.
“The rains and cold fronts have kept the water temperatures down a little bit this year so the fish are just now starting to get out on their summer patterns. There should also be a lot of shallow fish caught, but I think the tournament will be won fishing deep water structure.”
Berry said a variety of lures will produce on the deep structure, including deep-running crankbaits and jigging spoons.
“The main thing is getting out there, finding a school of those big fish and getting them triggered to bite. You can put a lot of weight in the boat in a hurry.”
Berry said he expects a lot of the anglers will also fish shallow in the Open.
“I think you will see a lot of fish caught flipping and on topwater. The topwater bite has really been consistent recently.”
Berry, who has fished Douglas Lake since he was five years old, also fishes tournaments and is a member of Team Skeeter. He runs his Smokies Angler Adventures Guide Service for largemouths, smallmouth and crappie on Douglas Lake, Cherokee Lake and Norris Lake and also guides for trout in the rivers. He can be reached at (865) 933-3140 or (865) 661-5107, or by email at: [email protected]. Check out the guide service at: www.smokiesangling.com.
The Open on Douglas Lake will also settle the Southern Open Angler of the Year race which appears to have come down to a battle between Gerald Swindle of Warrior, Ala., and Bobby Lane of Lakeland, Fla. Swindle leads Lane by 38 points.
Swindle has been the most consistent angler in the Open field, having won the first Southern Open tournament on the Kissimmee Chain of Lake in January and placing second in the second tournament on Lake Norman in March. Lane finished second at Kissimmee and seventh at Lake Norman.
Bassmaster Southern Open
Jun 2-4, 2011
Douglas Lake
The Point Marina
Fish For Life Open Tournament Results - May 21, 2011 - Clarks Hill Lake
Congratulations to Dennis Dickens and Craig Sowinski for winning $5,000 in the 2011 Fish For Life tournament on Clarks Hill! They beat the rest of the field by bringing 5 fish weighing 16.90 lbs to the scales! Second place and $1,600 went to the team of Craig Johnson and Kip Ashmore, who caught 5 fish for 14.76 lbs. Close behind in 3rd place was the team of Mike Echols and Mike Smith with 5 fish for 14.74 lbs. Big Fish of the tournament, 5.58 lbs, was caught by the team of Dean Moore and Bill Braswell. Here are the top 10 results:
| Place | Team Member 1 | Team Member 2 | Prize Winnings | # L F | WEIGHT | B F | DEAD FISH PENALTY | TOTAL WEIGHT |
| 1 | Dennis Dickens | Craig Sowinski | $5,000.00 | 5 | 16.90 | 4.30 | 0.00 | 16.90 |
| 2 | Craig Johnson | Kip Ashmore | $1,600.00 | 5 | 14.76 | 0.00 | 14.76 | |
| 3 | Mike Echols | Mike Smith | $1,100.00 | 5 | 14.74 | 4.76 | 0.00 | 14.74 |
| 4 | Chuck Odom | Gary Odom | $650.00 | 4 | 14.80 | 5.30 | 0.13 | 14.68 |
| 5 | Ed Rice | Eddie Yassney | $500.00 | 5 | 14.42 | 5.56 | 0.00 | 14.42 |
| 6 | Bart Blackburn | Dr. Roy Altman | $400.00 | 5 | 13.52 | 0.00 | 13.52 | |
| 7 | Dean Moore | Bill Braswell | $350.00 | 5 | 12.56 | 5.58 | 0.00 | 12.56 |
| 8 | James Redd | Paula Alexander | $275.00 | 5 | 12.06 | 3.90 | 0.00 | 12.06 |
| 9 | Eddie Burgess | Steve Franklin | $250.00 | 5 | 11.84 | 3.52 | 0.00 | 11.84 |
| 10 | Ray Diamond | Donald Miller | $200.00 | 5 | 11.80 | 0.00 | 11.80 |
Xtreme Bass Series Results - Lake Guntersville - May 22, 2011
This Xtreme bass event was a little special because of our latest storms. It sure was nice to see all the guys and hear some of the stories of survival. One such story was, Mike keener jr. and his family riding out a tornado in his hallway while hovering over his girlfriend and grandparents trying to keep them safe, the house was being destroyed all around him. He said if they had been in the bathroom everyone would have died. The grandparents were cut up pretty good and had to be unburied and rushed to the hospital, but survived it. His truck outside was unrecognizable and it had the top layer of its hood peeled off while the bottom layer was still latched, top layer never found. So many stories like this, I was truly glad to see everyone.
It sure makes it hard to write a story about the fishing as it seems so trivial, but here is a go at it...It's May, and here on Guntersville the fish seem to scatter and some fish stay shallow while many head for deeper water. The weather had been crazy with week before temps 20 degrees below normal and the week of our event the sun came back and had temps soaring to 10 degrees above normal. Still a beautiful day starting out around 68 and rising to 90 by weighin, most of the guys were able to get their limit and a few guys really catching them. The stories from the best sacks were "ledges".
Jigs seemed to be the lure of choice although there was also mention of having to use many different lures such as soft plastics and crankbaits. Some of the guys did do pretty well in grass with worms and lizards, but as stated, the best sacks came from the ledges.
The top 5 from today went like this: Stanley Morris and David Gray had the best day with 25.30 lbs, (all 5 pounders). They took home a nice pile of cash, $1410, beating out 35 other teams. 2nd place was Rick Cotten and Steven Dabbs with 23.40 lbs for $690 and they also took home $340 for the big fish of the day, 7.92 lbs. 3rd place and $290 went to Terry Mann and Ryan Anaya with another nice sack of 20.46 lbs. 4th place was Alex Davis and Jeff Davis with 18.92 lbs for $190 and 5th place went to Danny Shell and Buster Land with 18.80 lbs for $150.
Our next Xtreme Bass event here on Guntersville is June 12th and the pattern should be the same, Hot weather, jigs and deeper water. I must thank God everyone in this group survived and that we all get to continue to get together and do what we love to do - GO FISHING.
Check www.xbseries.com for the full results, story and pics. Special thanks to Jim Elsessor who continues to help me in the mornings with boat checks. Also, thank you to my wife for the morning coffee and keeping the paperwork in order at weighin. There are also some sponsors I'd like to mention as they are helping out in many ways...Snag Proof Lures, Anglerschannel.com, Lunkersauce, Big Dawg Baits, Spot satellite gps messenger, Val Monte Resort, Deep South Rods, Sand Mountain Reporter newspaper, AON magazine, GDO magazine, and Humminbird... Thank you all, Jamie.
PS. Keep on the lookout for the Snag Proof Open tournament. I am directing this years event here on Guntersville and we scheduled it for prime time froggin season, October 1st, 2011. Check www.snagproof.com where you can download the rules, registration form and flyer which will give you more info. We are also running the Potomac River Snag Proof Open in their prime froggin season on August 28th for anyone interested in that one. Same deal, rules, forms and flyer for that at the same website. $10,000 for 1st place based on 150 boats at both events. The Guntersville event last year had 267 boats and we expect a good turnout for both of these so get your entries in soon. Boat numbers go according to entry received date.
Jamie Shay
Xtreme Bass
256-599-0132
www.jamieshayfishing.com
 Steven Dabbs, left, and Rick Cotten with 2nd place catch (23.40) |
 Steven Dabbs with big fish of the day (7.92 lbs) |
MotorMate USA Pro Staffer Scott Beattie demos his MotorMate on the new Yamaha SHO!
MotorMate ProStaffer Scott Beattie shows us the simplicity and durability of the new MotorMate while installing and uninstalling this great new product.
MotorMate USA Pro Guy Eaker demos this fantastic new outboard locking system!
Bassmater Elite Series and MotoMate USA Pro Guy Eaker walks us through the ease of installing and uninstalling the new MotorMate Outboard Locking System on his Mercury.
St. Jude Bass Classic On Sardis Lake Helps Fund Treatment For Children With Catastrophic Diseases
Everybody gets them in the mail – letters seeking a donation to the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tenn. The Memphis Bass Club has responded to those pleas to the tune of $2,300,000 over the past 38 years.
They hope to raise the ante considerably Sunday, May 29, in the 39th Annual St. Jude Bass Classic on Sardis Lake near Sardis, Miss.
The Memphis Bass Club, title sponsor for the tournament which is always held the Sunday of Memorial Day Weekend, is the oldest bass club in the Mid-South, said tournament director Russell Thomas. Among its first members were a number of well-known older fishermen such as Bill Dance of Bassmaster and television fame.
“We've been around a long time,” said Thomas who has been personally involved in the annual St. Jude Bass Classic for the past 29 years.
The mission of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is to advance cures and means of prevention for pediatric catastrophic diseases through research and treatment. Consistent with the vision of the hospital's founder, the late entertainer Danny Thomas, no child is denied treatment based on race, religion or a family's ability to pay.
Entry fee for the team tournament is $275 and the field is limited to 300 boats.
“Last year we had 268 boats and we are expecting that many this year, although the price of gasoline and the down economy has hurt a lot of folks,” he said.
The first place team will win two 14-foot War Eagle Boats with two 9.9 Yamaha outboard motors and two trailers, $2,000 in cash and about another thousand dollars worth of fishing tackle, Thomas said. Second place will be worth $1,750 cash and the payback goes down to $125 through 22nd place and $100 for 23rd through 30th place. In addition, the winners also get a bag stuffed with tackle.
For years Ranger donated a boat for a drawing and when they discontinued that, the club paid $26,000 last year for a boat and trailer, but they will not offer that boat this year, Thomas said.
“We can give that $26,000 to St. Jude instead.”
But, there will be a drawing and the lucky winner will drive home in a new Nissan Frontier pickup truck provided by Nissan, he said.
“Whoever fishes, all their names go into a pot and we draw one name out for the grand prize. If you fish you have a shot at that truck.”
Thomas said Roger Stegall of Iuka, Miss., an accomplished tournament angler on the Operation Bass and B.A.S.S. circuits and a guide for 30 years, will emcee the tournament.
And he is hoping to have a special guest appear at the tournament.
“We are dedicating the tournament to Hayden Taylor, five years old of Virginia, who is a patient at St. Jude,” Thomas said. “He is supposed to be here for the tournament. He has to come back to St. Jude for a CAT Scan.
Hayden suffers from medulloblastoma, the most common malignant central nervous system tumor of childhood.
“He has undergone 31 rounds of radiation and he is not in remission, but he is doing pretty good,” Thomas said. “If he can come I plan to give him a Limited Edition St. Jude Fishing Rod and Reel.”
For an application to the St. Jude Classic, contact: Tournament Director Russell Thomas, (901) 634-4190 (cell) or email: [email protected]; Co-Director Tony Lannie, ( 901) 246-4413 (cell), or email: [email protected]; or Lake Director Bill Petrie, (901) 828-1967(cell), or email: [email protected].
39th Annual St. Jude Bass Classic
Sun, May 29, 2011
Sardis Lake
Engineer Point Public Use Area
Airport Marine Charity Bass Tournament Helps Support Boys And Girls Clubs Of Central Alabama
The 5th annual Airport Marine Charity Bass Tournament for the Boys and Girls Clubs of Central Alabama on Lay Lake next Saturday may be the easiest tournament an angler will ever fish – and he could be a winner whether he weighs in a fish or not.
“No backup lines, no boats bumping against each other, no waiting on anybody – you just go where you want to fish and make your first cast at the same time everybody else does. Everybody starts at the same time and everybody quits at the same time. Nobody has an advantage and nobody is at a disadvantage,” said Flynn Gerald, tournament director.
“We've got the biggest and best tournament in the State of Alabama, the biggest and best payback tournament in the state and we make it as easy as we can for the fishermen.”
Gerald explained how the tournament works:
“On Saturday morning all they have to do is go fishing. You can put in anywhere on the lake, upriver, down the lake, wherever. Then, once you are on your spot, you make your first cast right at 5:30 a.m. You have to quit fishing at 3 p.m. and you have one hour to get to Paradise Point Marina with your fish. You can come by land or by water, but you have to be there by 4 o’clock or be disqualified – no exceptions.”
First place pays $5,000 and there is a guaranteed payout of $45,000, including $25,000 in draw prizes, Gerald said. There is also a $5,000 bonus to the highest finisher in a qualifying boat – an originally owned boat brought from Airport Marine two years old or newer from the date of the tournament.
Even those who don't weigh a fish may win some money, he added.
“Everybody who does not catch a fish puts their flight card in a box and we draw five of those cards out for $200 apiece, the same as the cost of the entry fee.”
The $200 per team entry fee covers the boat launch, Big Fish, and donations to the Boys and Girls Club of Central Alabama – and it’s tax deductible! But, the prize money distribution is just getting started by then, he noted.
“After the tournament we are going to give away $25,000 in cash to the fishermen. We're going to draw 50 names for $500 apiece. Every angler has a one in four chance to win that $500. We had a team last year that won $1,000 and never caught a fish,” Gerald said. “I don't know of any tournament that has ever done that and I think if people knew about it they would fish it next Saturday. Nobody can touch it.”
Last year the tournament drew almost 200 boats and Gerald said he needs at least 50 more to enter this year's tournament to break even. Just to keep everything above board, Gerald said a polygraph test will be given randomly to three or four teams.
Registration will be held at Airport Marine, 424 Highway 87, Alabaster, Ala., 8 a.m.-6 p.m., Monday through Friday.
“If they can't make it during the week I will be at Paradise Point to take entries from 3 o’clock on Saturday morning,” her said.
Anglers should find excellent fishing early in the morning, he said, but it probably will drop off some once the sun gets up high.
“It's the time of year for those fish to go deep, but on Lay Lake that's about 10 to 12 feet,” he said.
Over the past 110 years, the Boys and Girls Clubs of Central Alabama, which began with the Boys Club of Birmingham in 1901, has helped shape the lives of thousands of children. The Club conducts outreach programs in cooperation with local schools, breaking geographical barriers and allowing children access to academic help and character development activities through the Bubba Bear Program and Homework Helpline.
Airport Marine Charity Bass Tournament
Sat, May 28, 2011
Lay Lake
Paradise Point Marina
Call Tournament Director Flynn Gerald at 205-678-9666 for information
http://www.airportmarinetrails.com/tourn11C.html
