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
Preston and Katrina Clark Weigh-In, Win Wolfson Tourney, and Accept the Top Prize on Stage!
Watch Katrina weigh their fish before she and husband, Preston Clark of Bassmaster Elite Series fame, accept top honors and $10,000! On stage, they tell how Preston pounded the St Johns River bass while Katrina kept the net handy. They also share what Wolfson Childrens' Hospital has meant to them and their triplets.
2011 Wolfson Tournament Weigh In Highlights!
Weights were solid again this year as bag after bag of big Florida bass hit the scales at the 22nd Annual Wolfson Childrens' Hospital Bass Tournament on the banks of the St Johns River in scenic Palatka!
2011 Wolfson Tourney Action From On The Water
Bruce Oglesbee took us out on world-famous Rodman Reservior to show us why many in the 395-boat field locked out of the St Johns River and into the lake during the 22nd Annual Wolfson Childrens' Hospital Benefit Bass Tournament. Thanks Bruce!
2011 Wolfson Champion Preston And Katrina Clark Win With 23 Lbs On The St John's River!
AC Insider Vance McCullough gets a few minutes with the 2011 Wolfson Children's Hospital Champion Preston Clark after his 23 LB sack and $10,000 payday!!
Anglers Will Need Strategy In Oakley Blue Ridge Big Bass Classic On Smith Mountain Lake
Strategy will play a major role in winning prize money in the Oakley Blue Ridge Big Bass Classic on Smith Mountain Lake Saturday and Sunday.
That's because the Oakley tournaments are set up a little different from regular bass tournaments.
Here’s how the Oakley tournament concept works. Hourly payouts are based on the overall number of entries, but typically they range around $500 for first place, $400 for second, $300 for third, $200 for fourth and $100 for fifth place.
That means the angler must use a little strategy on when he weighs in his fish. A 2-pounder might be worth $100 one hour, but another hour it might be worth five times that. There will be seven hourly weigh-ins on Saturday and seven on Sunday.
Tournament director Mark Jones and his staff help the anglers with their strategy, providing real time weigh-in reports available on their cell phones.
“So the guys on the water will know what has come on stage in the last 15-20 minutes and can run in and catch a weigh-in,” he said. “It’s a fun format, really exciting. Each hourly weigh-in is non-stop action and guys can make 2, 3, 4 or five weigh-ins a day.”
And, while everyone is fishing for an hourly winner, everybody will also be hoping to land the largest fish of the two-day tournament. The largest overall big bass of the tournament will win a 2011 Nitro Z7 powered by a Mercury 150 motor valued at $25,000!
Entry fee is $100 for a one-day entry, $150 for a two-day entry with the first 100 two-day entrants getting a Quantum Custom Rod. To enter the anglers must be amateurs – no pros or guides.
“We have partnered with Fish Virginia First, an initiative of the State of Virginia created to bring in major events for the Blue Ridge Big Bass Classic,” Jones said. “We've hit Lake Conroe in Texas, then Table Rock in Missouri and Lake Norman in North Carolina and this will be the last stop of the spring tour.”
Jones said registration will be held from 12 noon to 7 p.m. Friday at Bridgewater Plaza on the lake near Moneta, Va. Hourly payouts will be determined by the size of the field, with 250 total entries needed for the top hourly payouts.
“We don't know if we will get 200 entries or 600, but pre-registration has gone very well.”
Jones said most of the fish appear to be in post-spawn.
“So, some of the females that might have been 7-7-8 pounds are probably 4-5-6 pounds now, but the guys are telling me a 5 1/2- 6 1/2-pound fish will take the top prize. But, there have been some 7-8-9-pound fish caught this spring on this like.”
Since no pros or guides are allowed in the tournament, Jones said it is the perfect atmosphere for husbands and wives and fathers and sons – and the weather forecast indicates this will be an excellent time to be on the water fishing. Temperatures are expected to range from 60 to 80 degrees with the average temperature during the tournament both days in the 70-degree range.
Oakley is a worldwide leader in performance optics including premium sunglasses, goggles and prescription eyewear. Headquartered in Southern California, the company’s optics brand portfolio includes Fox Racing, Mosley Tribes, Oliver Peoples and Paul Smith Spectacles. In addition to its worldwide wholesale business, Oakley operates retail locations including Oakley Stores and The Optical Shop of Aspen. The company also offers a wide selection of Oakley-branded technical and active apparel, footwear, watches and accessories. Additional information is available at www.oakley.com.
Oakley Blue Ridge Big Bass Classic
Smith Mountain Lake
Sat & Sun, May 21-22, 2011
Wolfson Children's Hospital Benefit Bass Tournament Features Major Prize Money
One of the huge bass caught at last year's tournament
The fishermen will be fishing for major money Saturday in the largest one-day bass tournament in Florida but the children being cared for at the Wolfson Children's Hospital in Jacksonville will be the big winners. Wolfson Children's Hospital, provides specialty care for sick and injured infants and children.
The 22nd annual Wolfson Children's Hospital Benefit Bass Tournament has a guaranteed purse of $37,000 in cash and prizes, including $10,000 for first place, $4,000 for second, $3,000 for third $2,500 for fourth and $1,750 for fifth. Anglers who finish in the next five places get $125 and 51-55th place will get $100.
There is also a $5,000 prize for the largest bass weighed in and $1,000 each for second and third big bass of the tournament. Bringing in the exact weight listed in a sealed envelope will earn a huge bonus, said assistance tournament director Larry Starling.
“We buy an insurance police and then we put a weight in a sealed envelope,” Starling said. “If an angler's big bass happens to match the exact weigh he receives an additional $15,000. We've had that happen one time. If the second big bass matches the weight in another envelop that angler gets $10,000.”
In addition to all that potential prize money, somebody will go home with a brand new bass boat, Starling said. Up to 4,500 tickets are being sold for $10 each and there will be a drawing following Saturday's weigh-in for a new fully rigged 2011 Bullet 21XD Bass Boat with a 2011 Mercury 225 Pro XS OptiMax Motor.
Entry fee for the tournament Saturday is $90 per boat with an additional $10 per boat for the big bass competition.
The tournament grows every year, drawing 422 boats last year and raising $140,000 for the Wolfson Children's Hospital.
It began two decades ago when the director of Plant Facilities Department of Baptist Medical Center Downtown, along with several outside contractors, wanted to play a major role in funding capital improvements and technological advancements for the Children's Hospital. They created this tournament with the goal of making it the largest in the state raising money for kids.
“We are also holding the Lads and Lasses Tournament Thursday, which is a couples tournament, a fun day for husband-wife and father-daughter teams,” Starling said.
Entry fee for the 13th annual male-female tournament is $70 per boat with a $10 entry for the big bass pot. First place will pay $1,000, second $750, third $600, fourth $500 and fifth $250. First big bass will win $1,000 and second big bass will be worth $500.
The bass are predominately in post spawn by now, Starling said, although anglers are still catching some big females on the beds.
“A tournament last weekend was won on three fish that were caught on the spawn,” he said. “I think it will take 25 to 30 pounds to win Saturday. Somebody is going to find a good wad of fish. Somebody always finds that big stringer.”
Starling said the majority of the bass are coming off the beds, feeding up and getting healed up after the spawn.
“People will probably be catching them on a crankbait or Carolina-rigging the holes in the sandbars. That is one of the ways the bigger stringers are caught.”
Wolfson Children’s Hospital Benefit Bass Tournament
St Johns River
Palatka City Docks
Saturday, May 21, 2011
Call 904-360-4531 for information
www.wolfsonchildrens.org/ways-to-give/bass/Pages/tourney.aspx
Wright And Dyer Hoping To Hold First Place In Greene Boat And Motor Trail Points At Wateree
KJ & Jeff Queen won the April tournament on Lake Norman
With first place points in two of the first four tournaments in the 2011 Greene Boat and Motor Team Trail, Jody Wright and James Dyer have taken a solid lead in the points standings for the series on North Carolina and South Carolina lakes.
Fishing with David Fortenberry, James Dyer earned first place points in the Jan. 29 tournament on Lake Wylie. Dyer, of Connelly Springs, N.C., and Wright, of Forest City, N.C., also won the March 5 tournament on Lake Wylie. They finished seventh in the Lake Norman tournament April 23.
“Chris Marshall and Scott Willis will be more than ready to hit the tournament on Lake Wateree Saturday to see if they can regain the lead,” said Brett Collins, tournament director.
Dyer and Wright, a Greene Boat & Motor pro staff member, have a 13-point lead on Marshall and Willis who are tied for second in the standings with Ryan Hinkle and Dan Mullane.
“Wright and Dyer have been rolling right along the past few months. Whether they are teaming up or fishing with alternates these boys have been cashing in,” said Collins who noted that Wright and Dyer are co-owners of "Katch-Her Lures," makers of jigs, spinnerbaits, and shakey heads. You can check out "Katch-Her Lures" on Facebook.
Fishing has been tough on Lake Wateree recently, but should be getting back to normal by the tournament Saturday, Collins said.
“Fishing was tough on the lake this past weekend with only 13 pounds needed to win the BFL tournament there. But that was probably due to the weather fronts passing through. If we can get some stable weather the rest of this week things should get back to normal by the weekend.”
Collins said the shad spawn is going on, but the bass don't seem to be interested.
“The shallow bite is what I have been hearing. The water level is normal and the post-spawn pattern should be in full swing Saturday,” he said. “Topwater around docks and points will more than likely play into the winning weight. And the grass bite could be good if the carp are finished spawning.”
Collins said the rising gasoline cost has probably meant the loss of some entries so far this year.
“But, looking at other trails, they seem to be feeling it too. Either way, since we pay back all the entry fee at the championship, that will make somebody happy when they see the amount of cash up for grabs.”
Collins said it is too early to say what the purse will be for the final, but it is certain to be better than last year when $6,000 was paid to first place.
“We've been averaging about 40 teams per tournament and more teams are qualified for the championship this year. We've been paying a little over $1,600 for first place in the qualifying tournaments, too.”
Greene Boat and Motor Team Trail - 2011
Lake Wateree
Dutchman's Creek Marina & Campground
Saturday, May 21, 2011
Call Brett Collins at 803-413-7521
Countdown to Blastoff Week 17 with AC Insider and Sportsman's Warehouse Fishing Mgr Justin Kijak!
Sportsman's Warehouse Fishing Mgr Justin Kijak joins us on Week 17 to talk about the $10k on the Line for 1st place at the FISH THE FALL Championship this weekend on Murray as well as the 10k on the Line for 1st at the 22nd Annual Wolfson Children's Hospital Charity Tournament on the St. Johns River in Palatka, FL!!
CATT Classic Winners take Home $6,500.00 at Lake Wylie!
We had a total of 72 teams enter the 2011 CATT Classic held on Lake Wylie May 14-15 launching out of Ebeneezer Park competing for a purse totaling over $17,000.00! Before we get to the results many thanks go out to Mr. Robert Thomas and Mr. Bennish Brown with York County Tourism. Without them this event would not have been possible! If you’re in the Lake Wylie area Ebneezer Park is a great place to spend the day with your family.
Robert Fowler and Steve Whiteside are two of the original anglers who entered the first CATT tournaments we held on Lake Wylie back in 2003. They both have won money over the years but Saturday they hit the jackpot! Steve and Robert brought in 13.17 lb the first day of competition and the 2nd day they weighed in the heaviest bag of the tournament at 17.02 lbs. Their 2-day weight totaled up to 30.19 lbs which put them at the top of the leader board when the weigh in was wrapped Sunday afternoon. Steve and Robert received one of the largest 1st Place checks CATT had handed out at $6,500.00!
Jeff and KJ Queen’s Sunday also ended on a good note with their 2 day weight at 29.50 lbs. Jeff and KJ added in the 1st Place BONUS $ which was another $1,500.00! They received a total of $4,000.00 for their 2nd Place finish!
Jimmy Bumgarner and Boots Wilson cashed in also with a total weight of 29.01 lbs which put them in 3rd Place at the end of the day. They took home the 2nd Place BONUS $ which pushed their total winnings up to $2,150.00!
Stacy Richards and Brian Triplett came in 4th with 28.99 lbs and they took home another $500.00 for the 1st day Big Fish at 5.53 lbs. All total they collected $1,500.00!
Chad Hasting and Peyton Frick finished in 5th Place with a total weight of 27.23 lbs and they took home $500.00!
6th Place – Gene & Peyton Webster 27.10 lbs $400.00
7th Place – Michael Fox – Tony Shook 26.47 lbs $300.00
8th Place – Ron & Roger Farrow 26.36 lbs. $250.00
9th Place – Tim Chapman – Marc Leech 26.34 lbs $225.00
10th Place – Ronnie McCoy – Lin Langston 26.28 lbs $210.00
11th Place – Donnie Mairs – Dean Benfield 26.08 lbs $200.00
12th Place – Louie Hull – Chuck Montgomery 25.92 lbs $200.00
13th Place – Derrick Nicely – Troy Jackson 25.90 lbs $200.00
14th Place – Ronnie Bridges – Steve Postell 25.21 $200.00
We look forward to next years’ Classic and if it runs as smooth as the Lake Wylie event it will be a breeze!
Brett Collins
CATT LLC
Casey Ashley Weigh-In Highlights From This Past Sunday At The Bassmaster Elite Series On Lake Murray!!
Watch Ike almost fall off the stage when he weigh's in and then Casey Ashley step's up and slam down his 2nd Elite Series win of his career on Lake Murray!!
Piedmont Bass Classics Results - Falls Lake - May 14, 2011
Great day for fishing even under the threat of severe thunderstorms, which arrived just after we had everyone weighed in, paid and sent home! The team turnout was 57 boats! 230 bass were weighed for a total of 686 pounds! 226 fish were released alive! Water temps averaged 75 and air temps ranged from 55 to 77 with winds ranging from light to 10 mph midday. Big fish for the day was 7.87 pounds and plenty of bass were weighed in over 6 pounds each. The spawn is 99% over and the fishing is hot!!! 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 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 next & final 'Piedmont Bass Classics $5,000 Bass Tournament Trail' qualifier #7, will be at Jordan Lake, Saturday June 4th. Qualifier #5 for the Future's Trail will also be on this date. I hope to see all of you at Jordan on the 4th! Now here are the May 14th results:
1st Place..Ken Wall & Ben Cannon of Asheboro & Apex..5 bass..27.73 lbs...$1,140
2nd Place..Scott Smith & Tony Woodard of Apex & Four Oaks..5 bass..23.78 lbs...$638
3rd Place..Jerry Marshburn & Williams Burns of Sanford..5 bass..22.17 lbs...$547
4th Place..Lee Williams & Tim Penhollow of Durham & Hillsborough..5 bass..20.35 lbs...$501
5th Place..Dan Glosson & Phillip Eakes of Rougemont & Bahama..5 bass..20.31 lbs...$412
6th Place..Rick Sossaman & Randy Johnson of Oak Ridge & Hillsborough..5 bass..20.21 lbs...$319
7th Place..Brian Fritts & Jeff Beasley of Raleigh..5 bass..20.18 lbs...$274
8th Place..Barry Kleinfelter & Alan Thomerson of Stem & Wilton..5 bass..19.97 lbs...$228
9th Place..Mark Herndon & Jay Garrard of Bahama & Durham..5 bass..19.54 lbs...$182
10th Place..Jule Cameron & William Small of Wendell & Creedmoor..5 bass..18.88 lbs...$182
11th Place..Brandon Sykes & Aaron Johnson of Apex & Raleigh..4 bass..18.71 lbs...$137
1st Place Big Fish..2nd Place Team above: 7.87 lbs...$770
2nd Place Big Fish..Dennis & Travis Allen of Four Oaks: 6.98 lbs...$330
1st Place TWT.. 1st Place Team above: 27.73 lbs...$770
2nd Place TWT..2nd Place Team above: 23.78 lbs...$330
For more information about the tournaments call Phil McCarson 919-471-1571 or 919-971-5042 or visit www.piedmontbassclassics.com!
Scott Smith & Tony Woodard finished in 2nd place with 23.78 lbs!!
Morristown Marine Tt Cherokee Lake Weigh-In Highlights!
Some footage of Saturday's weigh-in plus some one on one with angler Kenny Smith after he weighed-in just over 15 plus Lbs-
Fishers of Men NC Piedmont Division Results - High Rock Lake - May 14, 2011
The Piedmont Division of the Fishers Of Men National Tournament Trail came to High Rock Lake for the 4th stop on the 2011 circuit on May 14th. The pre-tournament meeting was held at the East Campus of High Rock Community Church. Pastor Doug Irving delivered the message. The service was as “Good as it gets” according to Legacy Director Chad Hooker.
On Saturday morning 33 teams lined up at first light to tackle the infamous Lake High Rock, excited because they had just found out the Regional Championship will be help at High Rock come September bringing hundreds of anglers here from as far away as New York. Owner of the Tamarac Marina, Dan Black, said he was excited to be hosting the group of fishermen and invites Rowan County residents to come enjoy the weigh-ins on Friday and Saturday September 23rd and 24th. The Grand Prize for that Tournament will be a Brand New SKEETER boat.
After 10 hours of fishing in scattered showers, the sun greeted the anglers at the weigh-in as James (smiley) Alred and Larry Brickey of Browns Summit weighed in a whopping 19.02 pounds to capture the $1140 first prize. Lexington’s Robert Mixon and Steve Sink took over the points lead with a second place finish with 17.15 pounds receiving $654 for their effort. Third Place went to Salisbury’s CJ Johnston and Matt Stanley with 16.88 pounds winning $444. Byron Odaniel and Dave Snyder of Charlotte NC took fourth place winning $358 with a bag of bass totaling 16.17 pounds. Fifth place went to Bobby Steele and Robert Williams of Siler City who won $296. Sixth was Al Needham and Howie Payne of Seagrove NC with 14.85 pounds rounding out the cash winners with $238. The big fish of #5.96 for the Tournament went to Bradley Houchins and Jonathon Jones. Rae Kiester and Greg Sink had a 5.55 pound lunker. Most of the winning catches were in 0-3 feet of water. The Rookie team leader so far this year is Kenneth and John Shumate. The Adult/Jr leader is Bradley and Steve Singleton (Belews Creek winners) and the top Guy/Gal team is Drew and Amy Montgomery. These teams have automatically qualified for the Regional Championships as well as the tournament winners Brickey/Alred, and Marty/Dusty Nester.(Lake Norman).
The next event for the Piedmont Division will be the regional Qualifier on Badin Lake on June 11th 2011. The Badin Lake tournament will be held at Circle Drive (blast off) The Friday night Pre Tournament service will be held at High Rock Community Church in DENTON.
Directions to the Ramp are as follows: Traveling down Hwy 52 south toward Albemarle, turn left on Hwy 49. Travel down 49 until you cross the Tuckertown Lake Bridge. Continue 2 miles and turn right on Badin Lake Road beside the Cagles Store(our Sponsor).Travel down this road until you cross a small bridge. Take the first or second right you come to which loops around and follows the lake. Stay on this road until you get to the wildlife ramp. To get to The Church travel back to hwy 49 turn RIGHT and go to hwy 109 (about 10 miles) Turn left and go under hwy 49 and travel to 18870 South NC Highway 109, Denton, NC 27239 which is about 4 miles.
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.
Morristown Marine Team Trail Results - Cherokee Lake - May 14, 2011
Doug Winchell won fishing solo Saturday with 17.65 lbs. He took home $3,000 for the win. Doug said when the wind picked up later in the day, that played a big role in helping him win. Paul Napier and Clifford Bunch took 2nd place with 15.95 lbs, winning $2,000. The 3rd place team was Kenny Smith and James Goble with 15.63 lbs. They took home $1,000.The team of Perry DeWees and Shane Strunk won the Big Smallmouth money with 4.34 lb smalley...and $590! Jimmy Taylor and Donnie Bittle took the Big Largemouth prize, also $590, with a 5.23 lb largemouth.
CLICK HERE TO SEE THE INTERVIEW WITH WINNER DOUG WINCHELL!
CLICK HERE TO SEE THE INTERVIEW WITH DIRECTOR SAM PHILLIPS!
CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE RESULTS IN PDF FORMAT!!
 Big Largemouth winners Jimmy Taylor and Donnie Bittle |
 Big Smallmouth winners Perry DeWees and Shane Strunk |
Morristown Marine Tt Director Sam Phillips Helps Us Re-Cap The Day On Cherokee Lake
Morristown Marine TT Director Sam Phillips helps us re-cap Tournament #4 on Cherokee Lake as well as whats coming up this summer and fall on his series of Tournaments-
Stanly County Hospice Benefit Tournament Results - Badin Lake - May 14, 2011
Southern Championship Fishing Trail was proud to host the 7th Annual Stanly County Bass Fishing Hospice Benefit Tournament. It was an impressive turnout with a total of 42 teams coming out to compete. After starting off quite foggy, it ended up being a warm and sunny afternoon at Alcoa landing, Badin Lake, with temperatures in the upper 70's by weigh in time. A little bit of rain moved in around midday, but we managed to dodge scattered thunderstorms in the area. At the end of the day, over 400 lbs. of fish were brought to the scales. Buzz Dunlap and Benny Blake took 1st Place with a 24.65 lb. sack of fish. The pair also wrangled up Big Fish of the day with a 7.10 lb. hog. For all of their hard work, Dunlap and Blake walked away with $1,410. A 17.08 lb. bag of fish brought in by David Drye and Robert Parish earned 2nd Place and a prize of $800. It was a tight competition for 3rd through 8th place... those spots were all separated by less than a pound. Doug Young and Jerry Charleston placed 3rd and took home $500 for a 16.69 lb. sack. Kevin Chandler and Alan Griffin took 4th with 16.64 lbs. 16.56 lbs. was enough for 5th, that sack was brought to the scales by Bennett Pridgen and Lane Hayes. 6th, with 16.30, was John Russell and Roscoe Bowers. With 16.08 lbs., Brandon Shaver and Chad Cook earned 7th place. 8th Place went to Bob Jennett and Derek Crumbley with 16.00 lbs. Thanks to all who came out to participate. Your generosity will greatly benfit Stanly County Hospice. We hope to see you all next year May 12, 2012.
2nd Place David Drye and Robert Parish 17.08 lbs
Doug Winchell wins the Morristown Marine TT on Cherokee Lake!
Morristown Marine TT and Cherokee Lake Champion Doug Winchell talks to us with some good insight as to how the wind really played a big factor in him having a solid last 3 or 4 hours on Cherokee and holding off 119 other teams for the big win-
CATT Lake Wylie Classic Day 1 Report
Here are your Day one top 5 teams for the CATT Classic on Wylie. There are 72 teams competing for over $17,000 in cash and prizes!! Dominant pattern was fishing docks with Senko's and Jig's in about 2-8 feet of water. Here are the top 5:
1.Lin Langston/Ronnie McCoy 5 fish 15.82
2.Stacy Richards/Brian Triplett 5 fish 15.16 BF for the Day 5.53 $500
3.Jimmy Baumgarner/Boots Wilson 5 fish 15.13
4.Louie Hull/Chuck Montgomery 5 fish 14.55
5.Tim Chapman/Mark Leech 5 fish 14.12
Day 2 is tomorrow and if everyone participated in the Bonus pot, 1st place could be worth $8000!! We will keep you posted as we hear from director Brett Collins-
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!!
