Bassmaster Elite Series Lake Murray Day One Highlights Part 2
Bass Elite Pro's Gerald Swindle and 2nd place Angler Davy Hite get up and talk about what they saw and did not see on Day One at Murray--------this is Swindle at his absolute best on STAGE!!
Progressive Bass Weekend Wrap Up Week 8 Part Two
AC Pro Staffer Rob Digh continues are look back and look ahead to what he thinks is going to be one heck of an Elite Series Event on Lake Murray with regional Fetha Styx angler Andy Montgomery having a big week-
2011 Progressive Online Weekend Wrap Up Show Week 8
AC Pro Staffer Rob Digh helps us look back at one heck of a weekend on the water-Part One!!
Look For Whopper Bag In Chattanooga Bass Association Tournament On Lake Chickamauga Saturday
Don't be surprised if someone weighs in a 30-pound stringer in the Chattanooga Bass Association tournament on Lake Chickamauga Saturday – the fishing is that good right now.
“It took 27 pounds to win the Sportsman's Warehouse Fisherman’s Dream Tournament last weekend,” said Tom Kizziah, vice president of Chattanooga Bass. “I finished fifth with 20.30 pounds.”
Kizziah said there were seven 20-pound-plus bags of fish weighed in, several 19-pound bags and 15 to 19 pounds was the norm.
“I think everybody pretty much had that,” he said. “The lake is fishing really good right now. Some fish are still on the beds so I think it will be won shallow again.”
Kizziah noted that the shad are also spawning and anglers are catching fish both on topwater and flipping.
“I caught all mine on topwater. The lake is coming up and it is almost full pool right now. A lot of guys are flipping, targeting beds, flooded brush and some are fishing any kind of structure, rocks, stumps, any underwater structure.”
At this point the father-son team of Rogie and Alan Brown are sitting atop the points standings thanks to finishing no lower than 13th in the first three tournaments. The Browns finished 8th in the Feb. 26 tournament, 13th in the March 12 tournament and 4th in the April 9 tournament.
The Browns are leading the second place team of Tony Townsend and Galen James by 8 points and Townsend and James are ahead of the third place team of Haden Lamb and Jeff Richmond by 17 points.
“Rogie is one of the best fishermen on the lake,” Kizziah said. “He has been fishing the Bassmaster Opens and BFLs and has not spent as much time out on the lake as usual, but he is normally dominating on Chickamauga.”
With three tournaments already in the books, Kizziah said participation in the Chattanooga Bass series this year has so far been better than anticipated.
“Especially with the economy and the high gas prices, we have been really pleased with the entry,” he said. “We had 82 boats in the last tournamnet.”
The association's youth program is also coming along, he noted.
“We started the program to get guys to fish with their sons, nephews or what have you, to get more kids involved in fishing. A youth 16 or younger can partner with an adult and pay half the entry fee but still be eligible to win all the prize money.”
Last year, the first year for the program, four or five youth teams participated with two that fished all year long. This year so far there are five teams fishing on a regular basis, Kizziah said.
Signups for Saturday's tournament are being held at Chattanooga Fish-N-Fun, Soddy Custom Tackle, Nichols Marine, Boats and Motors of Dalton, and Hamilton's Sport Shop. Anglers can come to Buffalo Wild Wings in Hixson at 6 p.m. today to try for a free entry and drawings for boats No. 1, 2 and 3 in Saturday's tournament.
Chattanooga Bass Association
Chickamauga Lake
Chester Frost Park
Sat, May 14, 2011
Call Justin Medley, 423-667-5054
or Tom Kizziah, 423-593-3343
Field Chasing Team With Two Wins In Morristown Marine Team Trail Series
Charlie Rasch and Gary Pilkenton have won 2 of the 3 Morristown Marine Team Trail tournaments this season!
Charlie Rasch and Gary Pilkenton will have a big bullseye on their backs in the fourth Morristown Marine Team Trail tournament of the year on Cherokee Lake Saturday, said tournament director Sam Phillips.
Having won two of the three tournaments held so far in the Morristown Marine series, Rasch and Pilkenton are sitting on top of the standings, 50 points ahead of the second place team of Steve and Jim Miracle.
“They are winning and they are hot right now,” Phillips said. “But there are some teams chasing them and we will see how that plays out.”
Rasch and Pilkenton began their winning ways in the first tournament of the year March 12 on Cherokee Lake while the Miracles finished 36th. Then Rasch and Pilkenton finished eighth April 2 on Cherokee Lake, while the Miracles were second. On April 23 Rasch and Pilkenton got back in the winners circle on Douglas Lake and the Miracles dropped to 21st place for the tournament.
“We've got 163 teams fishing the trail and we are averaging 139 teams per tournament,” Phillips said. “We've got a lot of good incentives for the trail, including Skeeter Real Money, Stratos Double Your Winnings, Triton Gold, Phoenix First Flight Program and the Morristown Marine Boat Bucks plan. In the Morristown Marine Boat Bucks program, if you buy a boat or motor here, new or used, any brand, we will pay an additional $500 on top of what you win.”
Phillips noted that first place gets $3,000 and the payback covers one place for every six boats. New for this year, he noted, is the addition of Abu Garcia as a big fish sponsor. Abu Garcia will give several rods to the big fish winners at each tournament.
“And, at the Classic in November, we will give a 2011 Skeeter ZX200 with a new 200 Yamaha SHO 4-stroke engine to the winners,” he added.
Entries are being accepted at Morristown Marine until 12 noon Friday, he said. Entries will then be taken at Hookers & Hunters Bait and Tackle from 1 p.m. until 6 p.m.
“If you pre-signup by 6 p.m. you receive two draws for starting position free at no extra charge and you get to keep the draw of your choice,” he said. Entries will also be accepted at the ramp the morning of the tournament.
The fish are in all three phases of the spawn – pre-spawn, spawn and post-spawn, so fishermen will have multiple choices of fishing tactics, said Phillips who predicted it will take 18 pounds or more to win Saturday..
“We've got some of the highest water levels in recent years and it is up in the bushes so the flipping bite will be on, along with spinnerbaits, any type of plastic and an early morning topwater bite. We've got some people fishing the tournament who are very strong when the water gets up in the bushes, so we are looking for a shootout Saturday.”
The 2011 schedule includes: May 14, Cherokee Lake, Boat Launch Road; Sept. 24, Douglas Lake, TVA Dam; Oct. 22, Cherokee Lake, Boat Launch Road; and Nov. 12. Morristown Marine Classic, Cherokee Lake, Boat Launch Road.
Morristown Marine Team Trail
Cherokee Lake
Hamblin County Marina-Boat Launch Road
Sat, May 14, 2011
Call Sam Phillips 423-587-5555
Piedmont Bass Classics Results - Jordan Lake - May 7, 2011
First Place team Todd & Jeff Sumner won with 5 bass at 15.96 lbs
Beautiful day! Air temps ranged from 50 to 75 degrees, water temps averaged 72 degrees and the wind was light to 5 mph. For our 5th 'Open' of 2011, we had a 9 boats show up to fish Jordan Lake out of Farrington Point Wildlife ramp. Todd & Jeff Sumner, of Southern Pines, won with 5 bass weighing 15.96 lbs. Todd, a member of the Skeeter Boats National Demo Team, said the bass were attacking everything thrown at them. Todd and his Dad landed over 30 bass for the day! Every team brought 5 bass to the scales. 45 bass were weighed in totalling 111 pounds with no dead fish. I want to thank all of our anglers and our sponsors for supporting this trail!
Story of the day: Bass were caught on just about any lure you can imagine in 2 to 5 feet of water by just throwing to anything a bass might use for cover. The spawn is now coming to an end and the bass fishing is about to explode everywhere!
The next tournament will be at Falls Lake May 14th out of Ledge Rock Wildlife ramp. This event will be the 6th in a series of 7 qualifying tournaments for the 'Piedmont Bass Classics $5,000 Bass Tournament Trail'. I hope to see all of you on the 14th at Falls! Now here are the May 7th results:
1st Place..Todd & Jeff Sumner of Southern Pines..5 bass..15.96 lbs...$575
2nd Place..Brandon Sykes & Aaron Johnson of Apex & Raleigh..5 bass..14.77 lbs...$145
1st Place Big Fish..1st Place Team above...5.81 lbs...$112
2nd Place Big Fish..Eric Schell & John McClelland of Fayetteville...5.35 lbs...$48
1st Place TWT..1st Place Team above...15.96 lbs...$70
2nd Place TWT..Todd Massey & Mike Riggs of Chapel Hill & Timberlake...13.94 lbs...$30
For more information call Phil McCarson 919-471-1571 or 919-971-5042 or visit the web at www.piedmontbassclassics.com
Thank you media folks! Phil
Brandon Sykes and Aaron Johnson finished 2nd with 14.77 lbs!
2011 Tim Irwin-Food City Wrap Up With Tim Irwin
Tournament Founder and Director Tim Irwin shares his thoughts on the meaning of the tournament and how much it helps hundred's of Kids all over Tennessee-what a fantatic event for a great cause!!
Chris Whitson And Kurt Hope Win The 23Rd Annual Tim Irwin-Food City Tournament On Fort Loudoun!
Chris Whitson and Kurt Hope take home $10,500 cash for their 18.20 Lb sack on Fort Loudoun-as they barely escaped the 2nd place team that weighed-in 18.15!!
Sportsman's Warehouse Tournament Update with Fishing Mgr Justin Kijak!!
Sportsman's Warehouse Columbia store fishing Mgr Justin Kijak shares some of the baits he feels will be a BIG FACTOR in the upcoming Elite Series Event which starts next Thursday-May 12th!!
Bassmaster Elite Series On West Point - Big Bags Surprise Many!
When you put 99 good anglers on a lake, somebody usually catches them. Four sacks over 20 pounds is a bit stronger than most folks expected, but 50th place - the cut spot tomorrow - is occupied by Kevin Short with only 10 pounds, 10 ounces. In 12th right now is Bernie Schultz with 15-8. The top 12, after Saturday, will compete in Sunday's final round for the top prize and an automatic berth into the 2012 Bassmaster Classic.
So the weights fall off outside the top few spots. Also, nobody seems to have located a single spot that is loaded with big fish. Even the leaders just junked around today and plan to do so tomorrow when they expect weights will settle a little closer to what West Point is known to produce.
Then again, nobody thought we'd see the sacks we saw today. So who knows?
Ed Evers resumed his red hot ways after a couple of sub-par outings in Alabama and Louisiana. He roped 22-4 and leads local favorite Steve Kenedy by an ounce.
Daivd Walker is exactly a pound behind Kenedy with 21-3 and Dustin Wilks is exactly a pound back of Walker with 20-3.
Bobby Lane holds the 5th spot with 18-14.
Anglers Choice Marine Team Trail Points Leaders Not Very Safe At Midway Point
At the midway point of the season for the 2011 Anglers Choice Marine Team Trail the top three teams hold a more than 20-point lead over the rest of the field, but that margin could easily disappear, according to tournament director Chris Lucas.
“Because there are so many boats competing in each tournament the series is set up for 200 points per tournament, so it's still anybody's game with three tournaments left. Anybody could still make a run at it,” Lucas said.
The series continues Saturday with the fourth tournament of the year at Smith Mountain Lake. The final two qualifying tournaments will be June 11 at Smith Mountain lake, followed by the series final June 25 at Kerr Reservoir. The 2011 Classic will be held Sept. 24-25 at Smith Mountain Lake.
After three tournaments, only five points separate the top three teams in the standings. Ronnie Anderson and Jeremy Terry are leading Jim McCullough and Mike Stinette by a single point. Travis Towe and Daniel Towe trail McCullough and Stinette by only four points.
Ironically, none of the three teams has won a tournament this year and only twice has any of the three finished in the top 10 in a tournament.
The highest finish came in the first tournament March 5 on Smith Lake when the Towes finished 7th. The next highest finish was 8th, posted by Anderson and Terry in the second tournament March 26 on Lake Gaston. The best finish in the first three tournaments for McCullough and Stinette was 12th, also in the Gaston tournament March 26.
“It's just been a matter of those guys being very consistent,” Lucas said. “They have just been consistent in bringing in five-fish limits and that has kept them up there in the points.”
Lucas said the series continues to attract big fields despite the growing problem of rising gasoline prices.
“We had 191 at Smith Mountain for the first tournament, 135 at lake Gaston for the second tournament and we had 152 last month at Buggs Island,” Lucas said. “Everybody is telling me we are going over 200 this week, but I will believe that when I see it.”
However, he noted, 130 boats have already pre-registered and 126 pre-registered for the first tournament which eventually drew 191 boats. In reality, Lucas said he is anticipating at least 150 to 175 boats Saturday.
Pre-registration ended at noon Thursday, but Lucas will hold registration from 5 a.m. to 6:45 a.m. Saturday at Parkway Marina.
“Our numbers are so big. We continue to stay big and to grow,” Lucas said. “Good things are happening with this tournament trail. I am just hoping the gas prices don't shy people away – and so far it has not. They do get a free meal out of it, too.”
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.
Anglers must fish four of the six scheduled tournametns 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.
Saturday could be feast or famine as far as the fishing goes, Lucas said.
“The nighttime bite is phenomenal, but the daytime bite has been a little tough. We've had some fish on the beds and you can find some bucks up there, but you are not going to win the tournament on bucks,” he said. “I am hearing there are some fish in the 10- to 12-foot range and they are catching them on a jig and a drop shot.”
Lucas admitted he does not know what to expect for Saturday, so the fishermen will have to show him.
“I'd say it will take between 16 and 20 pounds to win Saturday. It may even take 22 to 25 pounds if somebody finds a couple of spawners up there shallow.”
Anglers Choice Marine Team Trail 2011
Smith Mountain Lake
Parkway Marina
Sat, May 7, 2011
Call Chris Lucas 276-358-0844
www.anglerschoicemarine.com/TournamentTrail
Tim Irwin Food City Bass Tournament Supports Boys & Girls Clubs Of Tennessee Valley
Between 150 and 200 boats are expected for the 23rd annual Tim Irwin Food City Bass Tournament on Tennessee's Fort Loudon-Tellico Lakes Saturday and, while the tournament is expected to raise more than $50,000 for the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Tennessee Valley, every one of those fishermen will get back much more than their $225 per boat entry fee.
“The unique thing about this tournament is that because of our sponsors supporting the charity, the fishermen get back more than 100 percent of their entry fee,” said Irwin, former University of Tennessee football player and NFL veteran, who now serves as Knox County Juvenile Court Judge.
Irwin explained that all of the money donated by sponsors goes straight to the fund for the Boys and Girls Clubs.
“That enables us to raise in excess of $50,000 for the Boys and Girls Clubs and the fishermen still have a quality event,” Irwin said. “First place pays $10,000 cash. A minimum of one out of every seven boats will be a winner and prizes will be paid down through approximately 30 places.”
Irwin who played 13 seasons for the Minnesota Vikings, said it normally takes about 20 pounds to win the tournament.
“We expect a good turnout Saturday. We are running about as usual on pre-registrations,” he said.
Irwin said the Boys and Girls Clubs of Tennessee Valley serve 15 facilities in Knox, Loudon, Blount and North Anderson counties, providing a variety of services from school, tutoring, kindergarten, meals, even swimming lessons.
“It is the largest day care provider in Knox County and it does a tremendous job of caring for kids after school,” Irwin said, adding that “83 percent of those kids are from non-traditional families. A traditional family is a mother, father and child; 83 percent of these kids live with a grandparent, a single parent or are in the care of Social Services.”
The most impressive statistic about the program, he said, is that kids who belong to a Boys and Girls Club are 2 ½ times as likely to graduate from high school.
“The clubs provide tutors, a homework program, a snack after school and even a hot supper if they stay there until that time of day.”
A native of Knoxville, Irwin, who was a Boys and Girls Club member himself growing up, signed a football scholarship with Tennessee in 1977. His senior year, Irwin was named All-SEC tackle and also won an NCAA Post-Scholarship Award for academic work in pre-law. He was named to the SEC Academic Honor Roll in both 1979 and 1980.
Irwin was a third-round draft pick in 1981 and played in the NFL from 1981-94, including a 13-year career with the Minnesota Vikings. Following his retirement from the NFL in 1990, he returned to Knoxville where he earned his law degree and was admitted to the Tennessee Bar. He practiced law in Knoxville until 2005, when he was appointed Judge of the Juvenile Court of Knox County.
Irwin was one of 11 inductees to be enshrined in the Tennessee Sports Hall of Fame Feb. 11 at the Renaissance Hotel in Nashville. He was inducted into the Boys & Girls Clubs of America Alumni Hall of Fame on May 14, 2009, in Atlanta, Ga.
Since 1987, Food City has been the official sponsor of the Tim Irwin/Food City Bass Tournament held in Lenoir City, Tenn. The tournament has raised over $530,000 since 1990 for the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Tennessee Valley.
Tim Irwin Food City Bass Tournament
Sat, May 7, 2011
Fort Loudoun-Tellico Lakes
Tellico Canal Ramp
Call 865-805-4163
Countdown to Blastoff Week 15 with AC Insider Robby Byrum
AC Insider and Pro Staffer Robby Byrum helps us take a look at some of the big events (BASS) this weekend as well as what's coming up in a few weeks-
2011 Santee Cooper Open Team Tournament Champs One On One With Ac Insider Vic Sykes!
AC Insider Vic Sykes grabs the 2011 Santee Cooper Open Team Tournament Champions Brent Riley and Nathan Burgess after their massive 27.90 Lb Sack and $5000 payday!!
Piedmont Bass Classics Results - Falls Lake - April 30, 2011
Beautiful day...Finally! The team turnout was 53 boats! 159 bass were weighed for a total of 388 pounds. All fish were released alive but 4! Water temps averaged 70 to 75 and air temps ranged from 47 to 77 with winds ranging from light to 10 mph midday. Big fish for the day was only 6.07 pounds with most of the fish weighed in being bucks. Just about any lure would work this day, but the c-rigs & t-rigs seemed to tempt the bass which were mostly caught in shallow water. The spawn is mostly over and the bucks are guarding the beds. The females that have laid out are now in a little deeper water taking a rest. Sizes and counts will start to rise after the spawn is over, which should be in a week or so.
Once again, I want to thank our sponsors. Without their support we could not be offering the $5,000 Trail. The next PBC tournament will be at Jordan Lake on May 7th. This event will be an 'Open Fun' tournament. The next 'Piedmont Bass Classics $5,000 Bass Tournament Trail' qualifier #6 will be at Falls Lake, May 14th along with the 4th Adult/Youth Future's qualifying event. I hope to see all of you at Jordan on the 7th! Now here are the April 30th results:
1st Place..Mark Bayse & Todd Gibson of Thomasville & Archdale..5 bass..18.78 lbs...$1,060
2nd Place..Geno McCree & Phillip Johnson of Durham..5 bass..17.91 lbs...$594
3rd Place..Billy Bledsoe & Henry Thomason of Fayetteville..5 bass..14.90 lbs...$510
4th Place..Dan Glosson & Phillip Eakes of Rougemont & Bahama..5 bass..14.77 lbs...$466
5th Place..Mark Herndon & Lee Williams of Durham..5 bass..13.44 lbs...$382
6th Place..Hunter Campbell & Joel Lloyd of Oxford & Chapel Hill..5 bass..13.39 lbs...$297
7th Place..Ted Boyette & Steven Woodlief of Kenly & Wake Forest..3 bass..13.13 lbs...$254
8th Place..William Small & Jule Cameron of Creedmoor & Wendell..5 bass..11.92 lbs...$212
9th Place..Jesse Soles & Ron White of Aberdeen..5 bass..11.63 lbs...$170
10th Place..Bubba Haywood & Steve Goodwin of Roxboro & Durham..5 bass..11.58 lbs...$170
11th Place..Todd & Jeff Sumner of Southern Pines..4 bass..11.56 lbs...$125
1st Place Big Fish..2nd Place Team above...6.07 lbs...$686
2nd Place Big Fish..7th Place Team above...5.74 lbs...$294
1st Place TWT..1st Place Team above...18.78 lbs...$560
2nd Place TWT..2nd Place Team above...17.91 lbs...$240
The Adult/Youth Future's qualifier was won by Keith Johnson & Corey Herndon of Durham. They had 5 bass weighing 11.44 lbs including their big fish that weighed 3.35 lbs. They won a total of $175.
For more tournament information call: Phil McCarson 919-471-1571 or 919-971-5042 or visit the website: www.piedmontbassclassics.com.
 Geno McCree & Phillip Johnson came in second with 17.91 |
 Keith Johnson & Corey Herndon won the Adult/Youth Futures with 11.44 lbs! |
Santee Cooper Open Team Tournament Weigh-In Highlights Part Two!
Part Two of the best Weigh-in we've seen in YEARS from the John C Land facility at SANTEE!!
Santee Cooper Open Team Tournament Weigh-In Highlights Part One!
Part One of some of the greatest Weigh-in Highlights we've seen in YEARS!!
Michael Cummings Holds On To Win The Oakley Big Bass Tournament On Lake Norman With 4.93!!
Michael Cummings holds on to beat Jason Wilson of the GREAT OUTDOORS by a 1/2 LB...4.93 to 4.53!! The win brings him a $33,000 Boat Pkg for just ONE BITE!!
2011 Oakley Big Bass Lake Norman Weigh-In Highlights
Some familiar faces and fish on stage at this years Oakley Big Bass Event on Lake Norman...........the weight's were tight and it was a fight until the very end!!
Bass Weekend Series High Rock
Tony Waterhouse wins on High Rock over 55 other pros with a total weight of 18.43 Lbs. Tony takes home over $2600.
2011 Warriors On The Water Champions Dave Murdock And Jeff Begley!!
We grab Champions Dave Murdock and Jeff Begley after their 5 fish 17.10 sack and 4.90 Lb BF to win the 6th Annual Warriors on the Water Event!!
2011 Warriors On The Water Weigh-In Highlights!
Not tons of limits Friday on Jordan, but some fantastic quality and some well-deserving soldiers who had a GREAT DAY on the water...................we thank you for all you do for us!!
Santee Cooper Open Team Tournament Preview From Everstart Series Pro Ken Ellis!!
Coming off heart valve surgery in January, Ken Ellis is back on the water and talking about how big the bags have been and will have to be this Saturday at SANTEE!!
2011 Everstart Lake Eufaula Day One Weigh-In Highlights
Although the weights were not typical of Lake Eufaula this time of year, you will see there is still no lack of quality even after one of the worst weather days in the history of Alabama-
Everybody Is A Winner In Florida Stratos Owners Tournament On Kissimmee
Robbie McGohen with a nice 6.30 lb bass he caught during the Accent Marine tournament on Kissimmee Apr. 17, 2011
The 18th Annual Florida Stratos Owners Tournament on the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes this weekend will pay back 10 places plus two big bass pots, but everybody who fishes gets something, said Ted Meyer, who owns Accent Marine, a Stratos dealership near Tampa, with his wife, Maxine.
“We give away all kinds of door prizes, depth finders, jackplates, power poles, televisions, bicycles and fishing poles for the kids. Everybody gets something and we have a raffle, with all the money it raises going back to the fishermen, also.”
Fishermen who did not place in the money used to leave early on Sunday after the tournament, Meyer, said, but now they stay.
“They found out that if they stick around they may get a hat or T-shirt and it may have $100 or $200 in it. We have a good time,” he said.
Entry fee is $120 per boat with 100 percent payback, The tournament is for Stratos owners, but Javelin owners can also fish.
“Fishing is fine right now,” Meyer said. “I would say it probably will take 45 to 48 pounds to win for two days, maybe more than that.”
Meyer said the fish are coming off the beds now, while there are a few late spawners still going to the banks.
“They will catch some deep and some on the grass lines,” he said, “as long as we have good weather and we are supposed to have good weather this weekend. If you want to have a good time, come and go fishing.”
Entries will be taken right up to Saturday morning at the ramp, with take-off position determined by the timing of the entry. Take-offs will be reversed on the second day.
Accent Marine also sponsors a 10-tournament series culminating with the Classic Oct. 30, all out of Camp Mack’s River Resort near Lake Wales, Fla. The series includes tournaments May 22, June 26, July 31, August 28 and September 25.
“The regular season is going fine,” Meyer said. “The lowest entry we have had was 76 boats. Last month it took over 29 pounds to win and you had to have 25 pounds to be in the money.”
Entry fee for the tournaments is $65 and teams must fish seven of the nine regular season tournaments to qualify for the classic. 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.
“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.
Accent Marine, a Stratos dealership and a full-service provider for Evinrude, is located on Highway 92 East at Tampa, Fla.
For details on the Accent Marine tournaments, call (813) 620-1042 or (813) 620-1309, or email: [email protected] or [email protected].
Florida Stratos Owners Tournament
Kissimmee Chain of Lakes
Camp Mack's River Resort
Sat, 2011-04-30 - Sun, 2011-05-01
Call (813) 620-1042 or (813) 620-1309 for information
www.accentmarine.com/floridatourn.html
Santee Cooper Open Anglers Will Help Restock Bass During Saturday Tournament
Every angler in the Santee Cooper Open Team Tournament Saturday will get to do his part to improve the bass fishery in the legendary twin lakes.
“We are getting 20,000 bass fingerlings from the SC Department of Natural Resources and we are going to bag them up and give every contestant a bag,” said Nelson Walker of Santee Bass Matters which is conducting the tournament. “We are asking them to let the fingerlings go when they get to their first spot Saturday morning. It is not a huge amount of fish, but they will get spread out in some prime cover so hopefully they will have a better chance of survival.”
The bagged fingerlings will serve two purposes, Walker said.
“Not only will they directly improve the fishery, but they will give the fishermen ownership and ultimately make everybody aware we need to take care of the lakes. These fishermen will say something if they see something wrong.”
Walker said the tournament is sponsored by the Clarendon County Chamber of Commerce which is providing the guaranteed portion of first place and Santee Bass Matters is helping put the tournament on in conjunction with the annual Striped Bass Festival.
The entry fee is $150 for a two-man team, which includes the $25 membership fee for both anglers. Both partners must be 2011 members of Santee Bass Matters. First place is guaranteed $5,000.
“We put in a late registration fee ($25) so we won't have to register so many the morning of the tournament,” Walker said. “We had 105 boats last year and we are already ahead of last year with entries, but I think we will still have a lot of anglers show up that morning and register.”
Walker said fishing should be good on Saturday, but probably not as good as it was for the tournament last year when it took 27 pounds to win and there were a lot of 20-pound bags of bass weighed in.
“I expect it will take 27-28 pounds to win again this year, but we probably won't have as many 20-pound bags weighed in,” he said. “We are kind of hitting the tail end of the spawn this year and a lot of the big females have already pulled out.”
Walker said a lot of the bass spawned a month to six weeks ago so there should be plenty of post-spawn fish that are ready to bite.
“There will still be some shallow and some guys may get on the post spawn fish,” he said. “I always feel that after they move out a lot of times they kind of go dormant. They will pull out to the first little depression in 5 to 10 feet of water, then they will move up and feed before it gets too hot.
“This past weekend we could not catch anything but little bucks, but with so much water somebody will figure them out. I can't say if it will be won on the upper lake or lower lake, but we will have them both covered.”
The good thing, he said, is that the lakes have been very nice this spring, with consistent water levels and temperatures.
“We've seen a lot more consistent bags of fish this year than in a long time. I think we are recuperating from the drought and coming back strong. Three years ago we were hurting bad,” he said. “And, based on this spring, I imagine next year will be even better.”
Santee Cooper Open Team Tournament
Santee Cooper Lakes
John C. Land III Landing
Sat, 2011-04-30
Call Dawn or Erica for information at 803-435-4405
Official Fish for Life Clarks Hill Lake Results
Nick Faulkner & Nolan Faulkner won the tournament with 20.70 lbs total. They took home $1,000.00! Coming in 2nd Place was the team of Dale Gibbs & Thomas Thomas with 19.50 lbs, good for $600.00. The 3rd Place team was Bobby Stanfill & Dusty Turner with 19.30 lbs, including a 6.28 lb kicker. They took home $500.00. Big Fish of the day was won by Danny Williams & Neko Williams at 7.30 lbs for $250.00!
Here are the top 20 results:
1st - Nick Faulkner & Nolan Faulkner - 5 fish - 4.82lbs BF - 20.70 lbs total - $1,000.00
2nd - Dale Gibbs & Thomas Thomas - 5 fish - 5.52 lbs BF - 19.50 lbs - $600.00
3rd - Bobby Stanfill & Dusty Turner - 5 fish - 6.28 lbs BF - 19.30 lbs - $500.00
4th - J. Stone & D. Richey - 5 fish - 6.16 lbs BF - 17.60 lbs - $400.00
5th - Patrick Brown & Jason Wiley - 5 fish - 4.36 lbs BF - 17.36 lbs - $300.00
6th - C. Douglas & T. Greer - 5 fish - 4.64 lbs BF - 17.28 lbs
7th - Mike Guilbeau - 5 fish - 3.78 lbs BF - 17.28 lbs
8th - Shawn Holland & Charlie Doyle - 5 fish - 4.88 lbs BF - 16.88 lbs
9th - Dale Hamby & Jamie Fendley - 5 fish - 4.78 lbs BF - 16.86 lbs
10th - Tom Hall & Johnnie Anglin - 5 fish - 4.40 lbs BF - 16.62 lbs
11th - Ron Brown & Steve Foust - 5 fish - 3.74 lbs BF - 15.68 lbs
12th - Chuck Odom & Gary Odom - 5 fish - 3.88 lbs BF - 14.82 lbs
13th - Steve Debord & Chris Heath - 5 fish - 14.48 lbs
14th - Hunter Ciccio & Lester Ranew - 5 fish - 4.68 lbs BF - 14.14 lbs
15th - Doug Oellerich - 5 fish - 13.82 lbs
16th - Woody Parks & David Dawkins - 5 fish - 13.66 lbs
17th - Lamar Nickles & Cray Evans - 5 fish - 13.54 lbs
18th - Doug Sellers & Zach Sellers - 5 fish - 13.08 lbs
19th - Don Smith & Larry Stewart - 5 fish - 12.56 lbs
20th - Bobby Gaston & Sam Gaston - 5 fish - 12.52 lbs
Big Fish - Danny Williams & Neko Williams - 7.30 lbs - $250.00
Total payout: $3,050.00
Tournament notes:
67 out of 179 teams weighed in 303 bass weighing 721 lbs. Most were released alive.
This was a no-entry fee tournament with a total payout of $3,050.00, made possible through sponsors.
Fishers of Men NC Piedmont Division Results - Lake Wylie - Apr 16, 2011
On April 15th Capt Gary Bullock of Capt. Garys Instashine gave the Piedmont division his and his Sons testimony. The division met at Westmoreland Baptist Church in Charlotte NC. On Saturday morning the division was greeted with 30 mile an hour winds during blast off . It was a nasty windy rainy day for the anglers while they fished Lake Wylie and the Directors and staff huddled inside the trailer to stay dry. During the weighin winds continued to reek havoc finally Tim Chapman and Chris Carrolle came away with $1289 as they weighed in 15.88 pounds including the second big fish of the day of 3.95 pounds. Second place went to Brad Carpenter and Bryny Shytles finished 2nd with 14.16 pounds winnning $598.00. Third place went to Allen snyder and Robert Hunter of Charlotte with 13.28 pounds and winning $468. Fourth place went to Rodney Cozart and Mitch Drew of Rockwell NC winning $400 with their 12.99 pound bag. The next team of Steve and Bradley Singleton of Ashboro NC was able to remain in the lead for the points champions by weighing in a sack at 12.82 pounds and winning $332.00. Sixh place went toMarty and Dusty Nester of Mt Airy and seventh was Eddie Caudill and Frank Denny ($240). Big fish of the day was #4.48 caught by Gary Payne and Jeff Easter.
Our next tournament will be at High Rock Lake on May 14th.Tamarac Marina is Located on Bringle Ferry Road .From I-85 Turn left at the 2nd, 3rd, or 4th stop light and go to Stokes Ferry Road and turn right.You may turn on any of the following roads to the left to get to Bringle ferry road.( Newsome Rd, Dunns Mt Rd,Barger Rd, Union Chapel Rd,Agner Rd,) when you get to Bringle Ferry Rd turn right . High Rock Community Church EAST will be our meeting place on May 13th at 5:30 pm @ 1 mile before you get to the Tamarac. The Marina will be on the left when you get to the High Rock bridge.
We cannot do this without the help of our sponsors…
Our Divisional sponsors are: Nester Hoisery, Snyders Packaging, Tamarac Marina, Ben Franklin; Atty at Law, Cagles General Store and Flow Motors
Our tournament sponsors are: Sports Fisherman’s Center, Bass Pro Shops,Anglers Choice Marine, The Trophy House, Asheboro Alarm and Electric Co.,.Cashion Custom Rods,Pine Ridge Store Bens Salvage, Lead Chunkers and Carolina Marina.
Sponsoring our Adult/Jr. teams is Lyerly Dental and the door prize sponsors are: Advance Auto, Hwy 49 Sporting Goods, Fishing Fever, Get The Net Bait Co., Flemming Candy Co., Happy Farms, Tournament Lure Concepts. Fisherman's Friend , Capt Garys Instant Shine, Ron Moore Landscaping, Rudys Tackle, S&C Garage,Country Christian Book Store and Deep Creek Lures
We would also like to take this opportunity to thank all the fine companies that make Fishers of Men possible: Skeeter Boats, Yamaha,, Strike King Lure Company, Markel Marine Insurance, Abu Garcia, Power-Pole, Nester Hosiery, Marshall’s Marine Lake City SC, Keelshield, Solar Bat, Kistler,,Berkley, Spot Remover, Stanley Jigs,Gary 'Yamamoto Jacobs Glass,and Dual Pro Charger.
Countdown to Blastoff Week 14 with AC Insider Robby Byrum
AC Insider Robby Byrum gets us ready for the BUSIEST WEEKEND of the year coming up!! From Eufaula to High Rock to Toho to Santee to Jordan to Norman, we've got you covered in Week 14 of Countdown to Blastoff!!
Morristown Marine Douglas Lake Results from Sat 4/23
We thought last weekend was the motherload of fish coming out of Douglas! Wrong again-check out these weights from the Morristown Marine TT this past Sat-UNREAL!! Congrats to the winners!
Champs Charlie Rasch and Gary Pilkenton
1 Charlie Rasch / Gary Pilkenton 28.69 300 $ 3,660.00 6.83 LM
2 Brian Holt / Guy Siler 17.92 299 $ 2,000.00
3 Keith Harmon / Wayne Cupp 17.66 298 $ 1,000.00
4 Mark Mellons / Mark Mellons Sr 17.39 297 $ 725.00
5 Benny Neal / Steve Neal 15.90 296 $ 650.00
6 Brad Burkhart / Craig Brewer 15.86 295 $ 625.00
7 Kevin Powers / Page Powers 15.35 294 $ 600.00
8 Burton Bryan / Willie Bryan 14.97 293 $ 575.00
9 Albert French / Chris Cole 14.89 292 $ 525.00
10 Doug Winchell / Chris Covington 14.24 291 $ 1,160.00 7.38 LM
11 Jamie Goodin / Jimmy Clark 13.98 290 $ 450.00
12 Darryl Oliver / Rodney Oliver 13.82 289 $ 425.00
13 Bobby Ferguson / Dean Cutshaw 13.79 288 $ 375.00
14 Billy Holt / James Burchfield 13.78 287 $ 320.00
15 Mike Mellons / Patty Mellons 13.71 286 $ 300.00
16 Ricky Shepherd / Mark Trent 13.65 285 $ 275.00
17 Bobby Cardwell / Pete King 13.53 284 $ 250.00
18 Tony Drinnon / Jay Graham 13.51 283 $ 225.00
19 Steve Cable / Randy Hall 13.14 282 $ 200.00
20 Jimmy Taylor / Donnie Bittle 13.10 281 $ 175.00
21 Steve Miracle / Jim Miracle 13.08 280 $ 150.00
22 Eddie Ball / Junior Harris 12.96 279 $ 125.00
23 Ronnie Denton / Rusty Denton 12.84 278
24 Mark Collins / Bobby Chambers 12.71 277
25 Lee Monday / Mark Mauldin 12.58 276
26 Greg Burrell / Randy Brown 12.53 275
27 Dustin Buckner / (A) Gene Laycock 12.41 274
28 Jeremiah Westberg / Steve Westberg 12.09 273
29 Eddie Baker / Casey Baker 12.08 272
30 Larry Neal / Ben Boggs 12.07 271
31 Paul Napier / Clifford Bunch 12.00 270
32 Dan Geleack / B J Fleenor 12.00 270
33 Bill Burns / Rick Diamond 11.94 269
34 Carl Maxfield / Tracy Parker 11.93 268
35 Daniel Conn / Michael Conn 11.89 267
36 Kevin Hatfield / Bo Goodin 11.79 266
37 Rodney Osborne / Jason Osborne 11.56 265
38 Ulysses Chapman / Dennis Cameron 11.53 264
39 Gordon Monroe / (A) Brian Mays 11.46 263
40 Charlie Ratliff / (A) Marvin Miller 11.42 262
41 Mike Lowe / Tim Smiley 11.38 261
42 Kent Lodari / Mike Wolfenbarger 11.38 261
43 Jimmy Crum / Bill Cordwell 11.36 260
44 Billy Berthiaume / Ron Cox 11.34 259
45 Josh Perrin / Brandon Harris 11.30 258
46 Jackie Nicely / Earl Kitts 11.30 258
47 Wes Cassell / Jonathan Carter 11.24 257
48 James Willis / Sonny Willis 11.23 256
49 Teddy Lloyd / Bobby Combs 11.17 255
50 Chad Waddell / Rodney Craddock 10.97 254
51 Tate Rice / Mike Hensley 10.95 253
52 Ben Conkin / Allen White 10.77 252
53 Alex Carlin / Steve Gibson 10.74 251
54 Travis Anderson / Lee Varner 10.71 250
55 Danny Garber / Roy Dalton 10.70 249
56 David Fields / Matthew Gray 10.61 248
57 Kenny Holt / Keith Gray 10.55 247
58 Wayne Moyher / J O Clay 10.47 246
59 Jim Byington / J J Collins 10.42 245
60 Eddie Mickey / Chris Gulley 10.42 245
61 Mark Surgenor / Wes Crowe 10.38 244
62 Joshua Norris / Brian Hill 10.32 243
63 Troy Crowder / Brandon Hartgrove 10.26 242
64 Lloyd Lambert / Kenneth Helton 10.24 241
65 Tracy Carter / Scott Hickey 10.19 240
66 Shannon Byers / Larry Abel Jr 10.17 239
67 Randy Carroll / Mike Hobby 10.15 238
68 Don McCurdy / Mike Vineyard 10.15 238
69 Gene Smiley / Terry Crigger 10.14 237
70 James Tipton / Lance Grigsby 10.10 236
71 Craig Smith / Andy Ramsey 10.08 235
72 Keith Cardwell / David Shreve 10.04 234
73 Jack Wade / Rick Etherton 10.03 233
74 Brent Hoskins / Chuck Hoskins 9.95 232
75 Archie Wilson Jr / Kevin Edwards 9.88 231
76 Mark Meredith / Chip Ballinger 9.82 230
77 Hershel Brady / Randy Bowen 9.82 230
78 Jake Hux / Jamie Cutshall 9.78 229
79 Bill Humbard / Greg Warren 9.60 228
80 Johnny Dalton (A) Robert Esser 9.39 227
81 Steve Robinson / Jason Light 9.38 226
82 Johnny Brooks / Daniel Aldridge 9.36 225
83 Gregory Buell / Donnie Miracle 9.36 225
84 Steve Bean / Earl Bolin 9.33 224
85 Dustin Wilson / Wes Jones 9.33 224
86 Ron Hyatt / Dustin Hyatt 9.30 223
87 Jim Thompson / Jerry Farmer 9.27 222
88 Jason Spencer / James Long 9.18 221
89 James Epps / Dewayne Gilbert 9.02 220
90 Bart Harris / Chad Johnson 8.87 219
91 Benny Roberts / Todd Nidiffer 8.81 218
92 Mark Stratton / Jim Maples 8.78 217
93 Adam Reece / Chris Setsor 8.77 216
94 Jeff Short / Josh Short 8.76 215
95 Randy Conner / Harold Dye 8.75 214
96 Kevin Martin / (A) Rochelle Martin 8.65 213
97 Jim Settle / Mark Settle 8.62 212
98 Don Carmack 8.56 211
99 Manfield Shoemaker / Jason Short 8.37 210
100 Bob Coughlin / Matt Coughlin 8.11 209
101 Kenny Smith / (A) Robert Fugate 7.95 208
102 Al Caton / Buster Brackins 7.92 207
103 Justin Crisp 7.88 206
104 George Wells / Bruce Clevenger 7.81 205
105 David Hodson / Dennis Englehart 7.69 204
106 Willie Collins / Larry Johnson 7.65 203
107 Hobert Rice / Susan Rice 7.48 202
108 Bear Johnston 7.29 201
109 Greg Morrow / Eric Sexton 7.25 200
110 David Hoskins / Sheila Hoskins 7.13 199
111 Rick Webster / Scott Sexton 6.82 198
112 Patrick Trujillo / Ricky Ramey 6.78 197
113 Dakota Pearcy (A) Jacob Gillespie 6.59 196
114 Bryant Ailor 6.37 195
115 Walter Soriano 6.36 194
116 Jerry Arnwine / Mike Petty 6.31 193
117 Mike Bunch / Glen Harrell 5.87 192
118 John Mathers / Patricia Mathers 3.32 191
119 Ricky Goins 1.13 190
120 Rick Howington 0.00 50
121 Mike Pfeiffer / Richard Pfeiffer 0.00 50
122 Matt Ramsey / (a) Tyler Geisler 0.00 50
123 Larry Darden / (A) Len Sloan 0.00 50
124 Jeremy Osborne 0.00 50
125 Jason Phillips / Rusty Davidson 0.00 50
126 Gary Pleasant / Sam Routh 0.00 50
127 Dwayne Horton / Wayne Stiner 0.00 50
128 Daniel Lyons / Cale Lawson 0.00 50
129 Cody Hall / James McClain 0.00 50
130 Bryan Harvey / Bill Dunn 0.00 50
131 Bobby Hicks / Jim Maness 0.00 50
132 Bill McGuire / Doug Swaggerty 0.00 50
133 Aaron Lucas / Daniel Jarnigan 0.00 50
Green Boat And Motor Tt Director And Ac Pro Staffer Brett Collins Reflects On One Heck Of A Winning Bag!!
Greene Boat and Motor Team Trail Director Brett Collins helps us wrap up a very solid day on Norman including his analysis of the 5.25 BF caught by TEAM QUEEN this Sat afternoon-
Easter Comes Early For Greene Boat And Motor Champs Jeff And Kj Queen And Their 18.71 Lb Sack On Norman!!
Jeff and son KJ Queen add to their impressive 2011 resume' with an awesome 18.71 Lb stringer on Norman that just simply doesn't happen very often, nor does their 5.25 Lb Big Fish and $1750 payday!!
Points Battle Heating Up Going Into 4Th Greene Boat And Motor Tournament On Lake Norman
Jody Wright and James Dyer after winning the Mar. 5 tournament on Wylie
Heading into the fourth Greene Boat and Motor Team Trail tournament of the season on Lake Norman Saturday, a real battle is shaping up in the points race with just two tournaments left after Lake Norman.
Scott Willis and Chris Marshall are leading the points, but James Dyer and Jody Wright are just seven points back.
“Scott and Chris have been consistent, but Jody and James won both tournaments on Lake Wylie,” said Brett Collins, tournament director.
At the last tournament, March 5 on Lake Wylie, Dyer and Wright brought in 5 bass weighing 16.76 pounds to take first, plus they weighed in a 5.67-pound bass to take 2nd Place Big Fish. They won a total of $1,707.00 but since the Greene Trail is sanctioned under the Stratos 2x Program and they were signed up, Dyer and Wright doubled their winnings and took home a grand total of $3,414.
“Scott and Chris are excellent shallow water fisherman and Jody and James can fish a jig with the best of them,” Collins said. “Jody fished with another partner this past fall and won the Ryan Newman tournament.”
Fishing could be tough on Lake Norman this Saturday, Collins said, because the lake has had a lot of tournament pressure the last few weeks.
“But the last two qualifiers are on Lake Wateree and Lake Hickory so they will be competing on two lakes that will be hot in the summer months,” he noted.
“Some fish may still be on the beds, but not many. Last week it took almost 15 pounds to win an open and the top team was close behind,” Collins said. “Topwater action should be good, but the trick will be to find the largemouths. As tough as it is, I think 15 pounds might be the magic mark for Saturday.”
Collins said the series is up to 58 teams and on track to match last year's 83-team membership.
“This year a team only has to enter four of the six qualifiers and can use a sub for one of the four,” Collins said. “We look to have 40 to 50 teams eligible to enter the two-day Championship on Lake Norman Oct 8-9.”
Anglers can also double their chances Saturday if they enter the Carolina Anglers Team Trail tournament out of Pinnacle Landing on Lake Norman, said Collins who directs the CATT trails.
“If you do enter CATT you will be eligible to enter the 2011 CATT Classic on Lake Wylie May 14-15. First place at the CATT Classic will be between $7,000 and $10,000, depending on the number of teams entering.”
Greene Boat and Motor Team Trail
Lake Norman
Pinnacle Access
Sat, Apr. 23, 2011
Contact: Brett Collins 803-413-7521
Fish For Life Foundation Holds Free Tournament For Anglers On Clarks Hill Lake
Saturday will be payback for Clarks Hill anglers who regularly come out to fish for a variety of causes with the first annual Clarks Hill Fish for Life Foundation Anglers Appreciation Day Open Team Bass Tournament out of Wildewood Park with no entry fee.
“This is going to be a day of appreciation for the anglers who have always been there for years supporting all the fund-raising events at Clarks Hill,” said John Boy Long, who founded the Fish For Life Foundation in honor of his mother who died of cancer. “It's just a payback for all they have done in the past.”
Anglers will pay no entry fee and the top five teams will share in the $2,500 guaranteed purse, with the winning team earning $1,000 for first place.
A mandatory pre-registration meeting for all entrants will be held at Academy Sports and Outdoors, 4210 Washington Road, in Evans on April 21, from 5 to 7 p.m. Drawing for boat positions will be held at 7. Entrants residing more than 75 miles away can obtain registration forms by calling (706) 830-6439, or (706) 833-8135.
The event will also raise money through donations and raffles for the Clarks Hill Fish For Life Foundation, which recently received 501c3 status as non profit organization, Long said. The foundation was established in 2010 to raise funds to help find a cure for cancer. The primary beneficiary of Fish for Life is the American Cancer Society and Columbia County, Ga.
Sponsors of the Anglers Appreciation Tournament include Aaron's, E3Sports Apparel, Academy Sports and Outdoors, Power Pole, Milton Ruben Toyota, Weinberger Furniture, Ben Dreamin Outdoors, Columbia County, Lincolnton Marine, Cliatt Crossing, Giffin Plumbing, Pair of Jacks, Southern Anglers Challenge, AnglersChannel.com, Ray Diamond Glass Co., Walmart, Broadway Bait and Tackle and the Coca-Cola Co.
“We have applications out all the way up into South Carolina and North Carolina and I have got a lot of calls on the tournament,” Long said. “We could have a 200-boat field Saturday. And then, as soon as this tournament is over, we will begin a big drive for the annual Fish for Life Open Team Bass Tournament May 21.”
That is the tournament Long began two years ago to honor his mother Jean Thompson Gallagher who was battling cancer at the time. She found the strength to attend the weigh-in at the 2009 tournament, but died a short time later.
“We also hold it in honor of some local guys who are fishing right now with cancer. We had one angler who was given six months to live and he is cancer free now. Also, this year we are working with the Childrens Medical Network at the Medical College of Georgia in Augusta and part of the proceeds will go to them.”
Long said the Fish for Life Tournament in May will be set up basically the same as last year. There will be a $75 entry fee with first place guaranteed $5,000 and a $1,000 prize for big fish.
“It will be a family event with a kids fishing rodeo,” said Long. “Last year we had 98 kids fishing from the bank and we gave a $1,000 prize to the kid who caught the biggest fish. It was the biggest one-day event held out of Wildewood Park since it was established.
When not holding tournaments to fight cancer and other causes, Long competes in bass tournaments himself and he is the new Georgia State Bass Federation Champion. Long won the individual title in the Georgia Bass Federation Top Six challenge on Lake Hartwell April 4-5 and will lead the state team to the TBF Southern Division Tournament May 29-June 3 on Green River Lake at Cambellsville, Ky.
Fish For Life Open Team Tournament
Clarks Hill Lake
Wildewood Park
Sat, Apr. 23, 2011
For more information, call John Boy Long at 706-833-8135
Chickamauga FLW Tour Major #3
Well, I'm finally home from the FLW Tour Major, Lake Chickamauga event. It was a great time, but I've hardly been able to catch my breath. I got home Sunday night, then back to work Monday morning around 7:00 am. Not complaining, just explaining...my late blog that is.
Ok, about the tournament. I finally had a good practice. I, like everyone else found that the fish were spawning heavy during practice. On day 1 of practice, I ran up the river and fished. Boy did I have fun, I found numerous areas full of nice sized fish. The fish would bite pretty easy also, so I figured the river would draw a crowd. On day 2 of practice, I fished down the lake. I also got plenty of bites there throwing a spinnerbait and a jig to shallow cover. After day 2, it was evident that they were drawing down the water really quick. For day 3, I decided that I better go check my river fish because of the drawdown. Good thing I did that because the bushes and grass I had caught fish in were high and dry. I've never seen a lake get pulled down so quickly...amazing. The falling water kind of helped me a little because after practice, I was already planning to fish off the bank. I wanted to target the female bass holding out a little deeper in the spawning areas. On day 3 of practice I found my primary area. It was a big flat with a creek channel running around it. The bass were spawning in laydowns and there was tons of fish. You could go down the bank with a spinnerbait and have 15 lbs pretty quick.
Day 1 of the tournament was no surprise, the water had changed drastically (lower) and I had about 5 boats in my area. One was Brent Ehler. OK, I'll go ahead and admit it, that's a little intimidating to be sharing water with that guy. That's when you realize that you are not co-angling anymore...pretty cool stuff. I went down the bank with a Buckeye Lures 1/2 oz. spinnerbait and had about 12 lbs. Once I got to the end, I new I didn't want to go flipping behind those 5 pros slinging everything known to man at them, so I came up with a different approach. Looking at the bank, the only thing not getting fished was the tips of those trees, where the other guys boats were sitting. I told my co-angler that we were going to fish out deeper. We moved the boat and we each caught a keeper right away. That turned out to be a key decision as we both caught them good for the rest of the day. I weighed in 19-2 on day 1 and then 15-15 on day 2 in the same area fishing the same pattern. I fished a Zoom Ol' Monster worm in Plum. Never dreamed I would catch them that way...never say never in bass fishing.
I made the cut and was able to fish Day 3. I ran to some crankbait fish I found in practice, trying to hit a home run. I hit into a double play and it didn't work out too good, although I did catch a 3lber. When I got back to my primary area, the whole thing was completely muddied up. Also, there was about 40 mph winds crashing in on the laydowns, you couldn't even hold the boat. I adjusted to flipping and only caught 8-9. Looking back, I think I could have done a better job on day 3 with some proper planning, but hey, I'm still learning. Thanks for reading...off to Table Rock!
Thank you, Ranger Boats, Evinrude E-Tec, Buckeye Lures, Anglerschannel.com, Snag Proof, and Costa Del Mar
Dearal Rodgers (www.dearalrodgers.com)
Santee Cooper Open Team Tournament Only 1 Week From This Sat!!
AC Pro Staffer Rob Digh shares with us why he thinks the anglers will have a field day on Santee on Sat, April 30th-and why Santee has a brighter future than ever before!!
2011 Stratos 210 Overview with Pro Staffer James Watson
Stratos Pro Staffer James Watson takes us on a thorough walk-around of the awesome new Stratos 210......take a look and then call your Stratos Dealer!!
Father-Son Tandom Enjoy The 2011 Kyle Page Event
The Key family take some time to talk about their day on Lake Murray and how much they enjoyed competing in the Kyle Page event!!
Piedmont Bass Classics Results - Kerr/Buggs Island - April 16, 2011
Great turnout on a day the weatherman was calling for some dangerous weather!!...43 boats! Luckily at Kerr, we didn't get any bad weather until right at the end of the weigh-in. We had, what I would call, a thunderstorm at that time. We all heard what had happened to other areas in the State on the way home, and our hearts and prayers go out to the ones affected. Michael Hatley, one of our 1st place winners, found out after the event, that his girlfriend had lost her Father to the tornado in Fayetteville. Our prayers are with that family. It was a rough day for the State and we were very lucky not to have been affected that much at Kerr.
135 bass were weighed for a total of 360 pounds. Mortality: 3 bass. Water temps ranged from 57 to 58 and air temps ranged from 55 to 70 with winds ranging from light to 25 mph gusts. Big fish for the day was 4.54 pounds. 3 others over 4 pounds were also weighed.
1st Place team of Michael Hatley & Tanner Phillips, caught most of their fish in a 'secret spot' fishing in 1 to 4' of water, using Senkos. Bass were hitting almost anything that was thrown at them. Evidently, the fronts coming in got the fish in a feeding mood. Everyone caught fish and I'm glad to report that these fish looked a lot healthier than last year. They had some meat on their bones and were very strong looking. I hope the 'bass sickness' is just about over in this great lake!
Once again, I want to thank our sponsors. Without their support we could not be offering the $5,000 Trail. The next PBC tournament will be at Falls Lake on Saturday April 30th. This event will be the 5th Qualifying tournament of the Piedmont Bass Classics $5,000 Bass Tournament Trail. Also on the 30th will be the 3rd qualifying tournament for our new 'Adult/Youth Future's Trail & the 22nd Annual Tobacco Bass Invitational tournament. I hope to see all of you at Falls on the 30th! Now here are the April 16th results:
1st Place..Michael Hatley & Tanner Phillips of Chapel Hill & Pittsboro...5 bass...16.41 lbs...$1,000
2nd Place..Matt Harrison & Alan Thomerson of Creedmoor...5 bass...15.78 lbs...$560
3rd Place..Jesse Soles & Ron White of Aberdeen...5 bass...14.36 lbs...$450
4th Place..Lee Williams & Tim Penhollow of Durham & Greensboro...5 bass...14.28 lbs...$360
5th Place..Glenn Elliott & Stump Bledsoe of Fayetteville & Hope Mills...5 bass...13.42 lbs...$300
6th Place..Paul & Russell Rigsbee of Timberlake...5 bass...13.30 lbs...$275
7th Place..Bobby Houser & Mike Stephenson of Raleigh & Durham...5 bass...13.24 lbs...$225
8th Place..Chadd & Jay Eriksen of Raleigh...5 bass...12.69 lbs...$170
9th Place..Johnny Wilder & Mike Harris of Stem & Oxford...5 bass...12.12 lbs...$100
1st Place Big Fish..1st Place Team above...4.54 lbs...$602
2nd Place Big Fish..2nd Place Team above...4.49 lbs...$258
1st Place TWT..4th Place Team above...14.28 lbs...$525
2nd Place TWT..5th Place Team above...13.42 lbs...$225
The 2nd Qualifier for the Adult/Youth Future's Trail was won by Thomas Clifton & his Father Jeff of Rolesville...2 bass...4.70 lbs. Their big fish weighed 2.84 lbs. They won $80.
For more information and pictures, go to our website:
www.piedmontbassclassics.com
or call Phil McCarson at 919-471-1571 or 919-971-5042
We are taking a break for Easter Weekend. Relax and spend time with your loved ones and remember the One that died on the cross for our sins. I'll see you on the 30th...Phil
The Adult/Youth Future's Trail was won by Thomas & Jeff Clifton
2011 Mskp Kyle Page Champions Chad Hastings And Peyton Frick Win $5000 With Their 20.61 Lb Sack!!
Kyle Page Champions Chad Hastings and Peyton Frick show hold up their winning stringer on stage Sunday afternoon along with many other anglers who had solid days on Lake Murray-
It takes 29.70 to win Accent Marine Tourney on Kissimmee Chain!!
Accent Marine held their fourth tournament of the season, April 17, 2011, at Camp Mack on the Kissimmee chain. The weather heat wise was great, probably the last one that the temperature is nice until Oct. May have been a little breezy for the fishermen. It was a great day on the water. 151 fish weighed in, with a total weigh of 514.90. 20 limits brought to the scales.
Next tournament is May 22, 2011.
The Florida Stratos Tournament is April 30-May 1, 2011 at Camp Mack. All Stratos and Javelin Boats are eligible to fish this tournament.
ACCENT MARINE TOURNAMENT RESULTS
April 17, 2011
1st Place - Wayne Yohn & James Watkins - 29.70 lbs - $912.00
2nd Place - Clay Garrett & Jeff Baker - 27.85 lbs - $759.00
3rd Place - Brian Wical & Matt Hinman - 27.30 lbs - $608.00
4th Place - Larry West & Kenny Trimble - 25.80 lbs - $455.00
5th Place - Larry Meredith & Lance Meredith - 24.80 lbs - $304.00
Big Bass - Brian Wical & Matt Hinman - 9.00 lbs - $760.00
2nd BF caught by Roland Smith
Kenny Trimble hold up his 8.05!!
Angler's Choice Team Tournament
Dennis Reedy and JT Atwell beat 150 other boats with a 5 fish limit of 15.15 Lbs including Big Fish of 5 lbs for a total pay day of $3800.
2011 Tom's Marine Tt Douglas Lake Champions Robby Cardwell And Kelley Millsaps
Extreme determination and concentration were paramount Saturday on Douglas Lake as 156 boaters battled all day long-Robby Caldwell and Kelley Millsaps prevaid with 5 fish for 17.01 and took home $4000!!!
2011 Tom's Marine Tt Douglas Lake Weigh-In Highlights
Considering the winds were blowing 30 mph plus all day, these highlights are even that much more remarkable-there were 120 limits weighed out of 156 total boats!!
2011 Airport Marine Logan Martin Champions
AC Pro Staffer Reed Montgomery grabs the Airport Marine Logan Martin Champs Ricky and Becky Smith after their 16.95 Lb limit this past Saturday!!
Fishing Getting Better And Better In Time For Tom's Marine Team Trail Tournament On Douglas Lake
Gary Pilkenton and Denny Turner won the first Tom's Marine Team Trail Tournament of 2011!
Gary Pilkenton, who with his teammate, Denny Turner, finished fourth in points in 2010 on the Tom's Marine Team Trail, has served notice that this is his year on Douglas and Cherokee Lakes.
Pinkelton and Turner won the first Tom's Marine Team Trail of 2011 March 26 on Cherokee Lake and they won the April 2010 tournament on Douglas Lake. On April 9 Pilkenton finished second in the WalMart BFL Tournament on Douglas Lake by a scant 2 ounces.
“Gary was one of the two anglers who weigh in 20-pound stringers so he is looking to be the one to beat,” said Richard McMaster Tom's Marine tournament director. “They are definitely on the fish.”
Pinkleton and Turner have another team nipping at their heels. Lee Varner and Travis Anderson have been strong last year and so far this year, having finished second in the first tournament March 26 by less than a pound. Varner and Anderson, who won the March 2010 tournament, finished fourth in the points in 2009.
McMaster said fishing is beginning to really pick up on Douglas Lake in time for the Tom's Marine Tournament this Saturday. It took 11 pounds to even get a check in the BFL tournament a week ago.
“I fished a tournament Saturday and won it with 14 pounds. The fish are going into the spawning flats and some fish are already being seen on the beds so there probably will be some sight fishing Saturday.”
Other than sight fishing, McMaster said the main baits probably will be Rat-L-Traps, Carolina rigs and Texas-rigged lizards and there will be some flipping in the bushes and flooded willow trees.
“After the recent rains the water level is up 8 to 10 feet and because of those rains there is a lot of trash in the water so I can't stress enough that fishermen need to be careful on the water Saturday. I am really concerned about people hitting floating logs and other stuff in the water.”
McMaster said the first tournament March 26 was a huge success, with 166 boats entered.
“I was really tickled with that turnout, considering the economy and gas prices. I'd love to see an increase in boats for the second tournament, but usually the second tournament has a few less boats. Anything over 150 boats will be absolutely great with these tough economic times we are going through.”
The Tom's Marine Trail has plenty of incentives to bring the fishermen out, he noted.
“I want to thank Ranger Boats for being involved in the trail. Without Ranger Boats and the Jefferson County and Morristown Chambers of Commerce the tournament trail would not be possible.”
Among new angler incentives for 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.
“Yokohama Tires and Porter's Tire Store are new sponsors this year and they have really helped improve our incentives for 2011,” McMaster said.
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.
Following this Saturday, the schedule includes: May 7, Douglas Lake; May 28, Cherokee Lake; June 18, Douglas Lake (night tournament); 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
Saturday, April 16, 2011
Douglas Lake
Shady Grove Access
Fishing Great, But Water Level Extremely Low For Mcdonald's Big Bass Splash On Sam Rayburn
Catching fish is not going to be a problem in the McDonald's Big Bass splash Friday-Sunday on Sam Rayburn Reservoir in Texas, but getting to a favorite fishing spot might be.
“Fishing is phenomenal so it's not problem to catch fish,” said McDonald's Big Bass Splash organizer Bob Sealy. “But the lake is 7 ½ feet down and I have a concern for people who have never been on this lake before, and even for the ones who are pretty familiar with it. There are certain areas throughout the lake they really need to pay attention to. There are some long points that are really shallow.”
To stress his concern Sealy listed several areas around the lake where anglers should use extreme caution:
“On the South End two of the most popular places to fish are Needmore Point and Farmers Flats. Then going up past Bill Creek into Easley Flats. In those particular areas on the South End at normal pool you are looking at an average depth of 5 to 7 feet. Now you can be talking a foot or less.”
“Then, from the dam up to the main lake, in the mouth of Norris Creek there are some peninsula points that shallow up. At the mouth of Coleman Creek out to the main lake on the north side it shallows up. And then from Caney Creek Flats to McGee Point, those flats have shallowed up and that peninsula at McGee Point goes 300 yards out and gets so shallow they can't run as close to the bank as they normally do.”
“Going up into the Veach Basin area there is heavy timber in the mouth and you need to stay at least 800 yards away from that timber and enter Veach Basin on the north side. Don't try to go through the timber or around that island. There are some big trees under the water and now they are only six inches under the surface.”
“When you get up behind the black forest on the northwest side of the lake, Peckerwood Point shallows up. Also be careful in the mouth of Indian Creek near the Highway 147 Bridge. It shallows up from Indian Creek to the mouth of Harvey Creek and around all the islands there.”
“Basically, we are talking about fishermen putting in early in the morning when it is still dark so they need to pay attention to their depth finders,” Sealy said.
As long as the anglers pay attention to their safety, he said, they should enjoy phenomenal fishing.
“We are probably going to see some of the best weights we have seen in 10 years. The fishing is really on. For the most part the spawn is over, but they can catch them from a foot of water out to 20 feet of water,” Sealy said.
“There is no particular pattern working better than any others. In the last two to three weeks it is nothing to catch 25-30-40-45 fish a day. They just don't have a lot of areas to hide in. There are no bank lines or deep heavy brush for cover.”
Sealy said a lot of fish will probably be caught in 3 to 8 feet of water on a variety of lures.
“Some of the better fishermen have been catching fish on swimbaits around grass in 2 feet of water. If you find some timber a lot of fish are being caught on jigs and Texas rigs close to the trees. The Carolina rig is working in the deeper water and wacky worms are also catching fish. I have been catching most of my fish on a KVD square-billed crankbait in 2 to 5 feet of water – and some good fish at that.”
The tournament will pay out $580,000 in cash and prizes, with $155,400 in hourly payouts. Twelve places will be paid in cash every hour, beginning with the 6-7 a.m. hour and continuing through 1-2 p.m. hour. The payout will include $1,000 for the heaviest bass of the hour, $900 for second heaviest on down to $225 for the 12th heaviest.
First place overall is a Triton-Mercury Sportsman Package towed by a 2011 Dodge truck. Second place will include a Dodge truck and a Legend Bass Boat and Mercury motor.
Registration will be open 2-8 p.m. Wednesday and 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Thursday at Umphrey Family Pavilion and 5-6 a.m. each morning of the tournament at the pavilion.
The McDonald's Big Bass Splash on Lake Sam Rayburn, Texas, benefits the Ronald McDonald House and Select McDonald's Charities. This event is sponsored by Owner/Operator: Jerry Eveland; McDonald's of Jasper & Woodville, Texas, and The Jasper Lake Sam Rayburn Area Chamber of Commerce, Jasper, Texas.
McDonald’s Big Bass Splash
April 15-16-17, 2011
Sam Rayburn Reservoir
Umphrey Family Pavilion
Mskp-Kyle Page Tournament On Lake Murray Targets Aid For Three Local Families At $10,000 Each
The 15th annual Kyle Page-MSKP Open Team Bass Tournament will be held on Lake Murray Sunday, with the goal of aiding three local families with $10,000 each.
In the past 14 years the Kyle Page Tournament has raised more than half a million dollars and provided financial assistance to more than 50 local families who have children with special medical needs.
The first “Kyle Page Open Team Bass Tournament” was held in 1997 to benefit the Page family. The tournament was a huge success raising over $10,000 for Kyle's family after he was born with spina bifida, a birth defect of the spine.
After seeing the success of the tournament and the outpouring of the community, Kyle's dad, Joel Page, a local bass tournament fisherman, asked to continue the tournament to raise money for other families in need of assistance. Joel died last year, but the tournament is going on into the future through the help of The Gist Corporation and friends.
“We've got a bunch of families who need assistance,” said Dee Castine with the Gist Corporation. “For this year we narrowed it down to three families, one in Newberry, one in Irmo and one right there in Chapin. Our goal this year is to raise at least $30,000 so we can give $10,000 to each of those three families”
Entry fee for the tournament Sunday is $150 per boat, which includes big fish, and first place is guaranteed $5,000 by an anonymous donor. The lower paybacks will be determined by the number of boats entered, Castine said.
“This time last year we had 75 boats pre-registered and 154 registered the morning of the tournament. But this year I only have 39 registered at this point (Monday), so I am hoping for at least 150 boats to show up and register Sunday morning.”
Registration will be open at the launch ramp starting at 4:30 that morning, she said. In the meantime, anglers can register by mailing in their registration or stopping by her office at 1839 Chapin Road to register. Registering at the office would be preferable, she said, especially towards the end of the week.
“I'd hate for the registration to get crossed in the mail and us not get it in time for the tournament.”
Castine urged fishermen and others to come out and support the tournament.
“Skeeter Boats has come back on board as a sponsor this year, as has Sportsman’s Warehouse, and Dick's Sporting Goods jumped on board this year. We can always use more support. We have more families out there.”
Castine said a concert will be held in Chapin Saturday, with bands playing all day. All the proceeds will go to the MSKP Foundation. For details call her at (803) 345-0039.
Send contributions to the MSKP Foundation at: PO Box 398, Little Mountain, S.C. 29075.
MSKP-Kyle Page Foundation Tournament
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Lake Murray
Dreher Island State Park
2011 Sportsman's Warehouse April Report and the $5000 Guaranteed 1st Place Kyle Page Tourney!
Sportsman's Warehouse Fishing Mgr Justin Kijak gets us ready for one of the premier Tournaments of the year on Lake Murray-the 2011 MSKP Kyle Page Foundation Bass Tournament this coming Sunday April 17th!!
Fishing For a Prayer Benefit Tournament - High Rock Results - Apr. 9, 2011
This past Saturday's "Fishing for a Prayer" benefit tournament at High Rock Lake had a good turnout with a total of 33 teams coming out to try their luck. Southern Championship Fishing was proud to host the event that benefitted 6-year-old Angel Thompson. Angel, who suffers from complications stemming from a brain tumor, felt well enough to join us at the weigh in! She did a fantastic job helping weigh in some of the fish too! Despite the chilly and windy conditions on the lake, Justin Goodyear and Chad Poteat took 1st Place with a 26.22 lb. bag and took home the $1,000 guaranteed pot. A 23.48 lb. bag brought in by Joey Musgrave Jeff Young took 2nd Place, walking away with $500 in prize money. Michael Coley and Jacob Coley wrangled up 23.04 lbs.. good enough for a 3rd Place finish. They Coley's also won the $330 Big Fish Pot with a massive 7.26 lb. hog. 4th Place went to John Barringer and Jason Hathcock. They came to the scales with 20.66 lbs. Coming in just a few ounces less.. at 20.36 lbs. were the 5th Place finishers Jeremi Beathy and Rob Wright. The pair were also very close to a Big Fish win with a 7.24 lb. bass. Coming in 6th, with 19.40 lbs., was Kyle Whisnant. Thanks so much for everyone who came out to fish and watch the event. We'd also like to thank eveyone who donated a little extra to Angel and her family... Through your generosity we were able to give them more than $2,300 to help with medical expenses. We hope to see you all again soon!
2nd Place Joey Musgrave Jeff Young 23.48lbs
Piedmont Bass Classics Results - Falls Lake - April 9, 2011
Is summer ever gonna get here? Air temps ranged from 48 to 58 degrees, water temps averaged 60 and the wind blew steadily 10 to 15 mph all day. For our 4th open of 2011, we had a 18 boats show up to take on Falls. Dale Bolick & Johnny Ellis of Wendell won with 5 bass weighing 20.83 lbs. The most popular lure for the day seemed to be plastics, c-rigs, t-rigs & trick worms. 58 bass were weighed in totalling 176 pounds with no dead fish. I want to thank all of our anglers and our sponsors for supporting this trail!
Story of the day: Bass were caught on mostly plastics, but spinnerbaits and crankbaits in 2 to 8 feet of water off main creek points with rock & timber cover also did the job.
The next tournament will be at Kerr Lake on April 16th out of Flemingtown Landing Wildlife ramp. This event will be the 4th in a series of 7 qualifying tournaments for the 'Piedmont Bass Classics $5,000 Bass Tournament Trail'. I hope to see all of you on the 16th at Kerr! Now here are the April 9th results:
1st Place..Dale Bolick & Johnny Ellis of Wendell...5 bass...20.83 lbs...$700
2nd Place..William Blanton & Gary Sellers of Fayetteville...5 bass...19.15 lbs...$390
3rd Place..Jay Garrard & Mark Herndon of Durham & Bahama...5 bass...15.77 lbs...$250
4th Place..Matt & Mark Harrison of Creedmoor...5 bass...15.04 lbs...$100
1st Place Big Fish..4th Place Team above...5.27 lbs...$252
2nd Place Big Fish..1st Place Team above...5.22 lbs...$108
1st Place TWT..1st Place Team above...20.83 lbs...$245
2nd Place TWT..2nd Place Team above...19.15 lbs...$105
