Collins Bass For Cash Flight Order For This Sat On Kerr

Collins Bass For Cash Series Event #2 – First Flight Starting Order

The random drawing for the first flight of the 4/6/13 Kerr Lake event has been conducted and the starting positions are listed below. Note that boat numbers 1 through 200 are reserved for Open Division entries, while boat numbers 201 and up are reserved for 115 HP Division entries. This numbering system is needed to keep the scoring separate for each division.

We will continue receiving entries this week leading up to the event and will also accept entries the morning of the event.

  • On-Site Registration Begins At 5:30 AM.
  • First Flight Blast Off At Safe Light – Approximately 7:00 AM.
  • Second Flight Blast Off 15 Minutes Later – Approximately 7:15 AM.
  • Please be checked in, have your livewells checked, and your boat in the water well in advance of the start of the event.
  • First Flight Return / Weigh-In – 3:00 PM (Check In With Tournament Official)
  • Second Flight Return / Weigh-In – 3:15 PM (Check In With Tournament Official)
  • Food items and door prizes available during afternoon weigh-in, so stick around if you can.

Open Division

1. James Jenkins / David Lanaville

2. James Barnhill Jr.

3. John Guins / Perry Doan

4. Daniel Wood / Josh Smith

5. Andrew Staple / Ralph Ray

6. Brent Boyette / Tim Gardner

7. Foye Best / Glenn Cannon

8. Larry Hipps / Jesse Spell

9. Jeff Staton / David Glenn

10. Brian Fritts / Bo Adams

11. John Yager / Daniel Jackson

12. Joshua Lanaville / Timothy Davis

13. Trey Nanney

14. Tommy Rutledge / Wilburn Rutledge

15. Mike Brinchek / Danny Hayes

16. David Price

17. Al Nelson / Kenneth Rowe

18. Donald Byrd / Ken Bollinger

19. Manley Jones / Rose King

20. Joey Worley / Steve Berryman

21. Ronnie Thompson / Jeff Hall

22. Skeet Bennett / Buster Seabolt

23. Scott Williford / J.R. Bowens

115 HP Division

201. Ryan Hardee / James Gilmore

202. Randy Parker / Carol Parker

Logo Trial 4A 940x198

Cbc Santee Wrap Up With Director Brett Collins

CBC Tournament director Brett Collins joins us to re-cap a great day and event here on Santee......they had 169 teams turn out to compete for the record prize money that is on the table each and every tournament. Although the winning stringer was 26+ Lbs, Brett thinks the nice weather could have hurt the weights just a bit-Click here for the full re-cap!!


2013 Cbc Santee Champs Michael Murphy And Kevin Sanders

We grab CBC Santee Champs Michael Murphy and Kevin Sanders after their 26+ LB haul and $10,000 first place prize! They talk about the key to their win and fighting thru a big lull in the middle of the day to hang on and beat 169 other great teams that turned out to compete-


2 Teams Win $10,000 To Highlight The Cbc On Santee!! Full Results Here!

Although the weights were strong, they were not crazy like some afternoons we've seen at Santee when you have 169 teams. But one thing was a little crazy--two teams went home with $10,000 each and folks, that just doesn't happen in many team trails around the country today. Michael Murphy and Kevin Sanders won the $10,000 1st place prize with 5 fish for 26.040 while 2nd was just slightly behind with Kenny Brice and Kenny Fenters with 25.68. Brice and Fenters took home $5000 for 2nd, but as the highest finishing Skeeter/Yamaha team they earned an additional $5000 to bring their eye-popping total to $10,000 as well. Great day on Santee with full results and pic's below:

CBC Santee Champs Kevin Sanders and Michael Murphy hold up their $10,000 Stringer! 

CBC Santee Champs Kevin Sanders and Michael Murphy hold up their $10,000 Stringer!

 

CBC 2nd Place Team of Kenny Brice and Kenny Fenters and their $10,000 Stringer! 

CBC 2nd Place Team of Kenny Brice and Kenny Fenters and their $10,000 Stringer!

Place Team Name Team # Fish       Weighed Net             Weight Big Fish Points Winnings
1 Kevin Sanders – Michael Murphy 9 5 26.040 7.730 310 $10,000
2 Kenny Brice – Kenny Fenters 7 5 25.680 7.810 309 $5,000
3 Tripp Poplin - Kyle Janney 102 5 24.240 0.000 308 $3,500
4 Jay Keith - Johnny Barfield 140 5 22.100 0.000 307 $2,400
5 Jeremiah Jensen - Scott Frye 129 5 20.940 0.000 306 $1,900
6 Patrick Cook - Matt Cook 144 5 20.630 7.250 305 $1,200
7 Thomas King - Clayton King 107 5 20.370 6.370 304 $1,000
8 Jerry Montjoy - Brett Mitchell 98 5 20.350 0.000 303 $900
9 Ron Brown - Bobby Brown 82 5 19.940 0.000 302 $800
10 Brad Schindledecker – Victor Williams 51 5 18.860 0.000 301 $750
11 Freddie Gibbs - Trey Gibbs 91 5 18.670 7.200 300 $625
12 Chris Epting - Johnny Mayer 138 5 18.620 0.000 299 $550
13 Clay Lowder -  Clayton Lowder 17 5 18.160 0.000 298 $525
14 Ray Walsh – Marc Deschenes 29 5 18.020 6.180 297 $500
15 Randall Soles - Jason Dew 96 5 17.880 6.960 296 $475
16 Mitch Drew - Kenny Drew 123 5 17.860 0.000 295 $450
17 Jason Barrett – Ryan Bowles 70 5 17.620 0.000 294 $380
18 Chris Hawkins – Craig McFadden 67 5 16.990 0.000 293 $330
19 Bryan Cook - Steve Harmon 86 3 16.910 8.130 292 $320
20 Stan Gunter – Will Smith 41 5 16.670 0.000 291 $300
21 George Murdock – Spencer McNeil 74 5 16.650 0.000 290 $280
22 Thad Driggers - Greg Hendrick 24 5 16.580 5.000 289 $265
23 Bradford Beavers - Dwight Beavers 85 5 16.550 6.740 288 $250
24 Keith Ashley  - Kevin Ashley 95 5 16.350 6.250 287 $240
25 Cecil Wolfe – Micah Bennett 64 5 16.080 0.000 286 $230
26 Jimmy Counts - Butch McGary 147 5 16.080 0.000 285 $220
27 Jason Reinke - Allan Williams 92 5 15.900 0.000 284 $210
28 Danny Lowery – Perry Holloway 75 5 15.860 0.000 283 $200
29 Eddie Paul – Ed Paul 73 5 15.750 0.000 282
30 John Proctor - Leo Cannon 163 5 15.720 6.170 281
31 Bernie Dreher - Les Westberry 155 5 15.700 9.100 280
32 Randy Welch – Tommy Floyd 79 4 15.530 8.230 279
33 Henry McFadden - Jeff Cantey 153 5 15.030 0.000 278
34 Jim Smoak – Mike Watson 3 5 14.850 0.000 277
35 Brian Tyler – Mack Altman 54 5 14.850 0.000 276
36 Hunter Spivey - Michael Stribble 103 4 14.560 0.000 275
37 Winkey Watford - Sam Lambert 88 5 14.380 0.000 274
38 Barry Thames – Victor Belegorska 59 5 14.290 8.380 273
39 Michael Stanley - Ray Deloach 101 5 13.980 0.000 272
40 Rodney Jordan - Brent Waynick 135 5 13.930 0.000 271
41 Chris Brunson – Nelson Walker 62 5 13.910 0.000 270
42 Jerry Uhrick - Jason Carleton 97 5 13.870 0.000 269
43 Billy McIntosh – Gene Dubose 10 5 13.840 0.000 268
44 Brian Huskins - Thomas Vickers 121 5 13.830 0.000 267
45 Larry Lehew - Shane Lehew 128 4 13.690 0.000 266
46 Bo Chappell - George Chappell 90 4 13.550 0.000 265
47 Gary Elsey – Mark Hutson 18 5 13.260 0.000 264
48 Wayne Marlow - Randall Miller 89 5 13.250 0.000 263
49 Eric Mora - Donald Miller 143 4 13.120 0.000 262
50 Shane Suddeth - Fred Moore 149 4 13.110 0.000 261
51 David Heatherly 148 3 13.060 0.000 260
52 John Johnston – Steve Lowder 30 3 12.980 7.530 259
53 Dick Lloyd – Sam Hopkins 28 5 12.880 0.000 258
54 Spencer McCrary – Steve Borton 19 5 12.590 0.000 257
55 Rick McLean – Robert Ross 53 3 12.490 0.000 256
56 Bryan Gunter - Josh Anderson 108 3 12.430 6.740 255
57 Kenneth Clark – Mitchell Jackson 40 5 12.120 0.000 254
58 Judie Revels - David Oxendine 106 5 11.920 0.000 253
59 Miles Hair – Cory Hair 5 3 11.450 7.260 252
60 Albert Pieper - Wayne Clifton 83 3 11.420 0.000 251
61 Jimmy McFarland – Calvin Griggs 77 2 11.380 0.000 250
62 Bobby Jackson - John Robert Jackson 109 5 11.250 0.000 249
63 Jody Jones - Andrew Moser 137 4 11.080 0.000 248
64 Johnny Morris – Tory McCallum 48 5 10.890 0.000 247
65 Clay Riddle – Scott Holland 44 4 10.820 0.000 246
66 Calvin Hewitt – John Sturkie 15 5 10.770 0.000 245
67 Patrick Tierney - Maurice Freeze 84 4 10.680 0.000 244
68 Phil Parten – Mike Blalock 61 5 10.460 0.000 243
69 Chris Heath – Steve Debord 65 2 10.270 7.150 242
70 Nathan Burgess – Brent Riley 66 3 10.260 0.000 241
71 Mack Kitchens - Bob Dyer 131 3 10.220 0.000 240
72 Jesse Williams – Richard Smith 71 5 10.140 0.000 239
73 Andy Owens 6 3 10.080 0.000 238
74 Ryan West – Larry Rollings 78 4 9.940 0.000 237
75 Buddy Walden - Jill Shealy 136 3 9.620 0.000 236
76 David Williams - Gerald Williams 100 5 9.260 0.000 235
77 Alan Fletcher – Danny Johnson 4 2 8.650 0.000 234
78 Russ Padgett - Meredith Havird 159 4 8.640 0.000 233
79 Sandy Sanders – Jonathan Patrick 58 4 8.570 0.000 232
80 Jason Morse – Zeke Lynum 39 4 8.490 0.000 231
81 Sandy Oliver - John Crisp 25 2 8.330 0.000 230
82 Todd Walters – Patrick Walters 38 2 8.020 0.000 229
83 Larry McKissick – Jay McKissick 60 3 7.980 0.000 228
84 Ferris Jennings – Robin Rogers 11 3 7.800 0.000 227
85 Todd Gambrell - Chad Cook 162 2 7.570 0.000 226
86 Sean Skey – Lonnie Drusch 43 2 7.220 0.000 225
87 Wesley Cashwell - Shane Doughtie 132 3 7.120 0.000 224
88 Frank Avent - Bobby Wilson 81 1 6.720 6.720 223
89 Chris Bullock – Glenn Altman 12 2 5.240 0.000 222
90 Terry Morris – Michael Morris 32 1 5.140 5.140 221
91 Ronnie Mueller – Wayne Frierson 31 1 4.900 4.900 220
92 David Quandt - Mike Edge 118 1 2.540 2.540 219
93 Deron Donohoo – Johnny Houser 1 0 0.000 0.000 218
94 Josh McGregor – Randall Driggers 2 0 0.000 0.000 217
95 Dennis Reedy – Jeff Thomas 8 0 0.000 0.000 216
96 Joe Avin – Larry Avins 13 0 0.000 0.000 215
97 Mark Abbott – Shane Abbott 14 0 0.000 0.000 214
98 Darryl Watson – Ken McFarland 16 0 0.000 0.000 213
99 Doug Reeves – William Blanton 20 0 0.000 0.000 212
100 Johnny Player – Robert Hall 21 0 0.000 0.000 211
101 Freddie Faulkenberry – Steve Phillips 22 0 0.000 0.000 210
102 Bubba Johnston – Max Terry 23 0 0.000 0.000 209
103 Jimmy Bass – Wayne King 26 0 0.000 0.000 208
104 Jason McCoy – Ronnie McCoy 27 0 0.000 0.000 207
105 Chris Marshall – Ronnie Wilson 33 0 0.000 0.000 206
106 Rick Porter – Joe Hunter 34 0 0.000 0.000 205
107 Rudy Williams – Terry Coleman 35 0 0.000 0.000 204
108 Greg Rikard – Eddie Herlong 36 0 0.000 0.000 203
109 Al Odom – Dane Odom 37 0 0.000 0.000 202
110 Jason Miles – Jerry Freezon 42 0 0.000 0.000 201
111 Conrad Bolt – Gene Parker 45 0 0.000 0.000 200
112 Mathew Goheen – Terry Goheen 46 0 0.000 0.000 199
113 Steve Wicker – Andy Wicker 47 0 0.000 0.000 198
114 Tommy Etters – Todd Frazier 49 0 0.000 0.000 197
115 William Young – Jamie Mizell 50 0 0.000 0.000 196
116 Ronnie Watts – Lyn Langston 52 0 0.000 0.000 195
117 Dennis Smith – Daniel Jordan 55 0 0.000 0.000 194
118 Mike Catt – Travis Parish 56 0 0.000 0.000 193
119 Paul Ham – Steven Long 57 0 0.000 0.000 192
120 Eddie Wortham – Chris Powell 63 0 0.000 0.000 191
121 Johnathan Crossland – Ray Casey 68 0 0.000 0.000 190
122 Robert Holland – Nick Gainey 69 0 0.000 0.000 189
123 Wyatt Gwyn – David Crossland 72 0 0.000 0.000 188
124 Flash Butts – Dan Treadway 76 0 0.000 0.000 187
125 Brent Sitton – Don Garner 80 0 0.000 0.000 186
126 Eric Weir - Sonny Beam 87 0 0.000 0.000 185
127 Brad Petway - Keith Hawley 93 0 0.000 0.000 184
128 Daniel Howell - Sommer Shortridge 94 0 0.000 0.000 183
129 Timmy Squires - Alan Richardson 99 0 0.000 0.000 182
130 Chad Weatherford - Patrick Crawford 104 0 0.000 0.000 181
131 Robbie Amos - Mickey Sauls 105 0 0.000 0.000 180
132 Dan Barnes - Dave Barnes 110 0 0.000 0.000 179
133 Jason Smith - Jimmy Cole 111 0 0.000 0.000 178
134 Brad Fowler - Brock Taylor 112 0 0.000 0.000 177
135 Lorenzo Portee - Carl Smith 113 0 0.000 0.000 176
136 Thomas Richmond - Artie Phillips 114 0 0.000 0.000 175
137 Blake Campbell - Larry Martin 115 0 0.000 0.000 174
138 Beau Dixon - Andy Sease 116 0 0.000 0.000 173
139 Greg Sigmon - Joey Caskey 117 0 0.000 0.000 172
140 Greg Davis - Woody Parks 119 0 0.000 0.000 171
141 Chis Sample - Charlie Wilkie 120 0 0.000 0.000 170
142 Gary Pope - Mark Johnson 122 0 0.000 0.000 169
143 Jackie Reilly - Butch Drew 124 0 0.000 0.000 168
144 Bradley Rhodes - Chris Dorlan 125 0 0.000 0.000 167
145 Darren Birchfield - Chuck Harrison 126 0 0.000 0.000 166
146 Charles Murphy - Jim Sanders 127 0 0.000 0.000 165
147 Thomas Purvis - Bill Payne 130 0 0.000 0.000 164
148 Derek Schoteerback - Steve Kimling 133 0 0.000 0.000 163
149 Michael Richardson - Anthony Chappell 134 0 0.000 0.000 162
150 Scott Peavy - Jeremey Talbert 139 0 0.000 0.000 161
151 Robert Walsler - Mike Miller 141 0 0.000 0.000 160
152 Sean Anderson - George Berry 142 0 0.000 0.000 159
153 Marty Quesada - James Rose 145 0 0.000 0.000 158
154 Craig Chambers - Don Graham 146 0 0.000 0.000 157
155 Ray Dowey - Joey Outlaw 150 0 0.000 0.000 156
156 Josh Rennebaun - Ross Bynes 151 0 0.000 0.000 155
157 Glenn Rogers - Gary Weathersby 152 0 0.000 0.000 154
158 Chris Blanchette - John Katsos 154 0 0.000 0.000 153
159 Mike Ward - Scott Farmer 156 0 0.000 0.000 152
160 Jason Hadden - Norm Attaway 157 0 0.000 0.000 151
161 John Axsom - Tracy Watkins 158 0 0.000 0.000 150
162 David Kneece - Tim Harmon 160 0 0.000 0.000 149
163 Joey Bramlett - Barry Holloman 161 0 0.000 0.000 148
164 Shannon Jordan - Shawn Jordan 164 0 0.000 0.000 147
165 Larry Moss - JB Wicker 165 0 0.000 0.000 146
166 Rodney Cromer 166 0 0.000 0.000 145
167 Bobby Taylor - Scott Mechling 167 0 0.000 0.000 144
168 Billy Morris - Gary Angel 168 0 0.000 0.000 143
169 Troy Buffington - Lonnie McGill 169 0 0.000 0.000 142

Miracle And Wolfenbarger Hold On To Win Tight Finish At Tom's Marine Tt On Cherokee-Full Results Here!

Miracle and Wolfenbarger Win Shootout!

The second Tomas Marine Team Trail event of 2013 turned into a shootout at the top. While nearly a third of the 121 boat field failed to weigh a single fish the top 21 all had in excess of 16-pounds. The team of Steve Miracle and Mike Wolfenbarger came out on top of the pack with a 5 fish limit weighing in at 19.98-pounds and win the $2,500 first place prize.  Second place went to the team of Steve and Benny Neal with another nice limit weighing in at 19.32-pounds. They earned $1,500. Allen Smith and Josh Roark were a very close third with 19.22-pounds winning them $900. Fourth place and $700 went to Steve Givson and Tim Smiley with 18.81-pounds.Rounding out the top 5 was the team of Rick Patterson and Andy Ramsey with an 18.8-pound limit earning them $520.

Tom's Marine TT Cherokee Champs Miracle and Wolfenbarger
Complete results, points and pictures are now posted on the Toms Marine web site at http://www.tomsmarinetn.com . Toms Marine would like to invite everyone out for our next event April 27th on Douglas Lake at the Dandridge public ramp.


Tom's Marine Moves Back To Cherokee Lake To Make Way For Paa On Douglas Lake

Howard Greenlee and James Burchfield won the first Tom's Marine tournament of 2013 with a 20.33-pound limit!

The Tom's Marine Team Trail is holding its second tournament of the year Saturday on Cherokee Lake. This tournament was originally scheduled on Douglas Lake, said tournament director Richard McMaster, but with the PAA holding its first tournament of 2013 on Douglas Thursday-Saturday, the Tom's Marine Trail moved to Cherokee for the tournament.

“The Chamber of Commerce asked us to move,” McMaster said. “We are still in Jefferson County, but this time we are at Cherokee Dam.”

That was probably a wise decision. PAA always attracts a pretty large field and Tom's Marine had 123 boats entered in the first tournament March 9 on Cherokee.

“We had absolutely no drop-off from last year's first tournament,” McMaster said. “It's a good thing to maintain what you were doing the year before – and we had a really good year last year.”

Fishing was good for that tournament on Cherokee, he noted, and should still be good this weekend.

Howard Greenlee and Jim Burchfield weighed in a limit at 20.33 pounds to win the opener. We are looking for about the same results as far as the amount of fish weighed in. Fishing conditions are almost the same as they were then.”

McMaster said the water temperature has remained at about the same level – 48-52 degrees – not enough of a rise to make the fish move shallow.

“I think the majority of the fish will be caught on jerkbaits and Tennessee rigs, and there are sill some deep fish being caught on jigs. A Tennessee rig is like an Alabama Rig, but Tennessee law allows only three hooks. You can have as many baits on the rig as you want, but only three can have hooks,” he said.

“I would also like to remind anglers that you can still make our championship if you fish the last six events. Even if you missed the first tournament you can still make it in with no problem.”

Entry fee for the Tom's Marine tournaments is $100, plus a $10 lunker fee. Payout is at least 90 percent of entry fees, paid one for every six entries at the ramp.

The trail offers most major boat bonus programs, including the Ranger Cup, Triton Gold, Stratos 2X, Skeeter Real Money, Phoenix First Flight, plus other incentives including the Bass Pro Shops Tournament Rewards, Motor Mate and the PAA Pay Day Program.

In addition, anglers who own a 2010 or newer truck bought new from Ramey Ford will get a $500 bonus for winning a regular season tournament.

“We are looking forward to another great season of tournament fishing this year,” he said. We've been doing this for nine years and we are looking forward to our 10th anniversary next year. I can't say enough about Tom's Marine and Ranger Boats. Without them this trail would not exist. Tom's Marine is a home town dealership that does a lot for the local fishermen.”

McMaster also pointed towards the2014 season when Tom's Marine will launch its new Tom's Marine Elite Series. Anglers will qualify for the Elite Series through points earned in the established Tom's Marine Team Trail.

“Hopefully, the Elite Series will complement the Tom's Marine Team Trail,” McMaster said. “It's still in the process of being worked out, but we will have a maximum field of 50 boats in the Elite Series, based on the top 30 percent in the points for 2013.”

McMaster said the new wrinkle was developed to get more anglers to fish the trail and weigh in their fish. The new series will have fewer places paid back, but the payouts will be larger to reward the anglers who do well, he said.

Tom's Marine Team Trail

Sat, Mar 30, 2013

Cherokee Lake

Dam Access - TVA Cherokee

Call Richard McMaster 423-748-3240

www.tomsmarinetn.com

 


Rising, Muddy, Cold Water Awaits Anglers In Paa Opener On Douglas Lake

Todd Auten was content to spool new line on about 20 rods and tie on a variety of baits rather than worry about how he was going to fish the Professional Anglers Association's first tournament of 2013 on Douglas Lake this Friday-Saturday.

“I really don't know what to expect. I've heard the lake is muddy, the water is cold and it's coming up – as much as half a foot a day,” Auten said. “I was going to go out there and practice, but if it's going to come up 10 feet before we get there it's no use – unless you could predict where the water is going to be and what kind of stuff it would cover on the bank.”

Auten said rain and snow were predicted for the first part of the week, then a gradual warming trend is expected to follow. But it won't warm quickly enough for him.

“I like for the water to be at least 60 degrees, but I think it will still be in the high 40s to low 50s for the tournament,” said Auten who has fished one other tournament on Douglas Lake, finishing 32nd in the 2001 Bassmaster Megabucks event there.

Under those conditions, with the muddy water, Auten said he is thinking slow moving baits might be the key for the tournament. Auten said he was hoping the water would clear up enough to provide a good jerkbait bite, but he is not optimistic.

“If it's as muddy as they say it is, there might still be a shallow bite. Being muddy is going to make it harder on the deep bite. If you can find some clear water you can catch some fish deep, but I think they are holding the water so it is backed up and the mud is not pulling through. The only clear water is in the backs of the creeks, but with only three or four big creeks, there will be a boat in each one,” he said

“At this point I don't really have a good strategy. I'm just going to get there, see what the water temperature is, and go from there.”

Besides fishing the PAA schedule, Auten said his plans this year are to fish one B.A.S.S. Open and the FLW Tour.

“Without any more sponsorships, that is about all I could swing,” he said.

After this week's tournament on Douglas Lake, the PAA will move to Ft. Louodon/Tellico Lakes in Tennessee May 20-25 for the second tournament of the year, then to Table Rock Lake in Missouri for the third tournament. A fourth tournament is being planned for November, with details on the location and dates expected to be released soon.

The top 15 in points will be the PAA qualifiers to the prestigious Toyota Texas Bass Classic (TTBC) . The world Championship event pits the top 15 anglers from the Angler of the Year races in the B.A.S.S. Elite Series, FLW Tour and the PAA Tournament Series in head to head competition.

Professional Anglers Association (PAA )

Mar 28-30, 2013

Douglas Lake

The Point Marina

270-527-2030

www.fishpaa.com

 


Bass Are 'turned On' For Berry's Trail Tournament Saturday On Lake Sinclair

Shane Stokes won Big Fish at 7.80 lbs at the Mar 9 Berry's tournament on Lake Oconee

“The fish have turned on down here,” said Bobby Berry who will bring his popular Berry's Team Tournament Trail to Lake Sinclair Saturday for the fifth tournament of the series. The Berry's Trail holds eight tournaments on Oconee and Sinclair Lakes.

“They have been wearing the fish out on both lakes,” Berry said. “It took over 20 pounds to win the last tournament on Oconee March 9. There was a bass club tournament on Sinclair this past weekend, the Georgia Youth Tournament, and it took over 22 pounds to win it.”

Berry noted that the top three in the March 9 tournament on Oconee weighed in 20.25 pounds, 20.24 pounds and 19.23 pounds respectively.

“They've been catching some good fish, some up to 7 pounds,” said Berry, who added that the Berry's Trail is more popular than ever.

“Things have been going great for us and we seem to be growing good. We had 150 boats at the last tournament and we have been averaging about 138 boats a tournament. We are bigger than last year,” he said.

“Most of the people who fish our tournaments live within driving distance. They don't want to travel any more. They can't afford the gas so they are staying close to home,” he said. “They don't have to pay motel fees to fish with us. They can leave out at 4 o'clock in the morning and just show up.”

Founded in 2003 by Bobby Berry and his two sons, the Berry’s Tournament Trail is unique in that all eight of the tournaments, plus the season-ending classic, are held on Lakes Oconee and Sinclair. Four regular season tournaments are held on Oconee and four are held on Sinclair, with anglers having to fish at least five tournaments to qualify for the classic, which means they have to fish both lakes at least once.

Anglers pay a $160 entry fee per boat with 75 percent paid back in cash the day of the tournament, while 12.5 percent is held for the Angler of the Year team award and the Classic.

The 2013 Classic will b held June 1-2, with the first day of competition held on Oconee out of Sugar Creek and the second day on Sinclair, out of Little River.

Berry's Team Tournament Trail

Sat, Mar 30, 2013

Lake Sinclair

Little River Marina

Call 770-787-6179

www.berrysbass.com

 


Ehrler Used Down Imaging To Dominate Flw Tour On Smith Lake

Teaser image:

 

 Pre-spawn bass can be a difficult nut to crack.  As fish transition from winter locations to spawning habitat, frigid water temps and drastic weather changes can turn finding a bite into a formidable game of chess.

 

Yet, for anglers like bass pro Brent Ehrler, knowing how to use your electronics can definitely put the odds in your favor—like at the recent Walmart FLW Tour event on Lewis Smith Lake, Alabama, where the Californian took top honors in the form of a $125,000 giant cardboard check.

 

“I knew the fish were going to be deeper, staging for a move up shallow. And although pre-spawn fish can be difficult, I knew Down Imaging would find them,” says Ehrler.

 

 

 

 

Indeed, Ehrler found money fish bellied into brush and tickling tree-tops in 15- to 30-feet.  He says it was simply a matter of putting in the time to fill his livewell with what he spied on the screens of his three Humminbird 1198s.   

 

“One of the spots I found with Down Imaging was an inside channel swing with three brush piles that I wouldn’t have won the tournament without. Although I never got a bite on it during practice, I saw lots of fish. So I made a waypoint; just looked too good. Then, when the tournament started I drove by around noon, made a U-turn, pulled up, made a couple of casts and watched a couple fish float up off the bottom on my electronics,” says Ehrler.

 

He says the next five minutes were exactly what you hope for when big money is on the line.

 

“My first bite was a 4 ½-pounder. I put that fish in the box, got right back down there and pulled up a 3 ½-pounder. Then I knew I looking at a whole school of money fish, so I floated off the spot, re-tied, and slid back up nice and slow with the Minn Kota, saw another fish on the graph and pulled a 3-pounder. I then told my co-angler it was time to split, I had to save the spot for later in the week,” says Ehrler.

 

By the end of the tournament, Ehrler weighed in six fish over 3-pounds off this spot.  

“That’s the great thing about Down Imaging. I idle over brush piles and actually pick out the individual fish,” says Ehrler.

Ehrler says there’s a lot more to the game than simply having electronics on your boat. Every angler should spend the time to think about what set-up works best for his/her application and customize the installation to match those needs.

 

“I run a unique set-up. I have an 1198 on the bow, an 1198 in the console, and an 1198 on the side of the console. I run classic 2-D sonar and mapping on the unit on the bow, 2-D sonar and mapping on the main console, and Down Imaging/Side Imaging on the 1198ci HD SI off the side of the cockpit,” says Ehrler.

 

“But here’s my secret: I run two transducers for my side unit. While I use the Side Imaging transducer that’s included, I also run an XNR-9-DI-T Down Imaging transducer to get the most detailed picture of what’s straight down. The DI transducer comes with a switch so I simply run that toggle to instantly switch between the best Side- and Down Imaging views possible,” says Ehrler.

 

Depending on what SI and DI units you use, you can also accomplish the same thing with the Humminbird TS3 transducer switch.

 

In terms of settings, Ehrler says he doesn’t do anything fancy.

 

 

 

 

“Other than switching to Advanced Mode to change the readings on the bottom of the screen, like depth, time, speed, etc., I run the settings pretty much as they come out of the box. Although a lot of guys have it in their head that you have to change everything, you really don’t. I run my 2-D in Clear Mode nearly all the time and occasionally adjust sensitivity, but that’s about it. I don’t change anything with Down Imaging, and with Side Imaging I only tweak the view distance. Sometimes it’s as little as 40 feet, sometimes a full 150,” says Ehrler.

 

Ehrler says his trifecta of Humminbird electronics—especially Down Imaging—is a huge confidence booster. “Lewis Smith is a good example of how electronics help keep me on my A game. I knew there were fish there, I just had to take my time and get ‘em to bite,” says Ehrler.

 

When everything was said and done, Ehrler weighed an impressive 20 fish for 60-09, finishing nearly 8 pounds over the second-place finisher Jacob Powroznik.

 

Not only is it another notch in Ehrler’s cane, making it his fourth Walmart FLW Tour win, it’s also a good start in the Angler of the Year race, an honor Ehrler has yet to achieve.

This recent win brings Ehrler’s career winnings close to $2 million. 

 

 


Surrett And Morgan Win Again On Lake Norman For The Carolina Coach And Marine Event-Full Results Here!

Another good Monday nighter at Lake Norman for Carolina Coach and Marine! Here are your pic's and results:

 

http://www.teamprobass.com/2013/03/mar-25-2013-monday-night-results/

 

 

PLACE TEAM # NAMES TOTAL WT POINTS WINNINGS
PLACE TEAM # NAMES TOTAL WT POINTS WINNINGS
1st 21 Dale Surrett & Brian Morgan 15.60 100 1st=$ 440 Big Fish=$190
2nd 18 Scott Hamrick & Chuck Poovey 14.80 97 2nd=$ 240
3rd 1 Dave Snyder & Bobby Derrick 13.80 94 3rd=$120
4th 5 Alfred Kieslign Jr & Roger Griffin 13.10 91
5th 20 Ronnie Pittman & Charles Jordan 10.65 88
6th 7 Alfred Kiesling Sr. & Butch Holder 10.25 86
7th 26 Shane Lahew 10.00 85
8th 28 Shane Hawkins & Lewis Thomasson 9.90 84
9th 2 Scott Beattie & Dwight Beattie 9.90 83
10th 3 Cliff Kirby & Eddie Black 9.45 82
11th 30 Kevin Langill 9.25 80
12th 12 Charles Hobbs & Mack Lowe 8.85 79
13th 31 Brett Kubin 5.35 78
14th 6 Matthew Benge & Joshua Benge 4.40 77
15th 11 Nick Miller & Brandon Brickweg 3.50 76
16th 4 Larry Neil & Mark Beaver 3.00 75
17th 14 Michael Cloninger & Jerry Scruggs 2.80 74
18th 29 Seth Brotherton & Oliver Reitzell 0.00 69
19th 19 Darin Bumgarner & K.C. Cornelius 0.00 69
20th 20 Matt McBee 0.00 69

Berry's Tournament Trail Results - Lake Oconee - Mar 9, 2013

Teaser image:

GRANT KELLY AND JARED HENDRIX WON WITH 5 @ 20.25 LBS. PATTERN: FISHING  CRANKBAITSGRANT KELLY AND JARED HENDRIX WON WITH 5 @ 20.25 LBS. PATTERN: FISHING CRANKBAITS

Grant Kelly and Jared Hendrix teamed up to win the Berry's Team Trail tournament Mar 9, 2013 on Lake Oconee. They caught 5 bass weighing 20.25 pounds and took home a total of $4,140! They said they caught their fish using crankbaits.

David and Hilbert Lowery came in a VERY CLOSE 2nd Place with 5 bass weighing 20.24 lbs, just 0.01 lbs behind the winners! They won $2,070 and said they were using crankbaits and jigs.

Rounding out the Top 5 were Kim Carver fishing alone in 3rd Place with 5 weighing 19.23 - good for $1,300. He was fishing crankbaits. Jerry Burford and Frank Masiello came in 4th Place with 18.70 lbs - they won $1,050. And in 5th Place, Brian and Bob Jamison weighed in at 18.02 lbs, good for $910.

Big Bass of the day was caught by Shane Stokes - the weight was 7.80 lbs and he said he was using a jig on a point. He took home $1,500!

Shane Stokes with the Big Bass of the day - 7.80 lbs!Shane Stokes with the Big Bass of the day - 7.80 lbs!In all, 150 teams weighed in 399 fisn at 1,043.54 lbs. 45 teams weighed in 5 fish limits. We had $2,250.00 Classic Contribution and $750 Angler Contribution.

Here are the complete results:

PLACE TEAMS WEIGHT WINNING BIG BASS
1 GRANT KELLY - JARED HENDRIX 20.25 $4,140.00
2 DAVID LOWERY - HILBERT LOWERY 20.24 $2,070.00
3 KIM CARVER 19.23 $1,300.00
4 JERRY BURFORD - FRANK MASIELLO 18.70 $1,050.00
5 BRIAN JAMISON - BOB JAMISON 18.02 $910.00
6 JIM WINDHAM - GREG BARWICK 17.89 $750.00
7 VAN DILLARD - JASON JENKINS 17.70 $650.00
8 RANDY WOODHAM - MARTIN RUTLEDGE 16.99 $580.00
9 JAY WALL - RUSTY HACK 16.60 $490.00
10 TONY GREEN - DAVEY MONTFORD 15.97 $430.00
11 SAM MIMES - MIKE DIXON 15.50 $390.00
12 ERNEST MILLER - KEVIN THORNTON 15.49 $360.00
13 MIKE REID - GREGORY PAYNE 15.09 $320.00
14 DAVID FOSTER - ALAN CHAFFIN 14.29 $310.00
15 JASON DICKSON - MATT YOUNG 14.28 $300.00
16 DAN CROWE - LEE CROWE 14.22 $290.00
17 CARL HAYES III - DYLAN WYLIE 14.19 $280.00
18 STEVEN CLANTON - WAYNE HOLLAND 14.06 $270.00
19 ANDY NORMAN - FRANK KITCHENS 13.77 $260.00
20 JAE EVANS - JACOB THOMPSON 13.72 $250.00
21 WILLIE WHITE - DEVEREAUX ADAMS 13.66 $240.00
22 FRED HOOD - DWAYNE MURPHY 13.41 $230.00
23 JASON CARDEN - COULBY LEWIS 13.26 $220.00
24 KELLY THOMPSON - GREG WILKERSON 13.19 $210.00
25 RICHARD PARSON - BARRY FORREST 12.74 $200.00
26 DANIEL DURHAM - JACK BARBER 12.57

27 VINCE FARROW - RANDY KIMBRELL 12.57

28 TYLER RHOADES - SCOTTY RHOADES 12.41

29 MARK HOLLOWAY - PAT FISHER 12.26

30 DWANE BAUCOM - JUSTIN STILL 12.04

31 ANDY CANNON - BOBBY HILL 11.87

32 JIMMY GOLDEN - COLE McWILLIAMS 11.85

33 TERRY FRAZIER - BUCK EUBANKS 11.36

34 SCOTT McDANIEL - LAITH REAGIN 11.36

35 TRIPP GLAWSON - MATT GILLIAM 11.23

36 RANDY HEATH - DAMIAN HALL 11.20

37 DEAN EDWARDS 11.18

38 RON SMITH - NICK HART 11.13

39 TODD LOWE - SCOTT BASSETT 11.10

40 SEAN SULLIVAN - MIKE BUTLER 10.86

41 KEITH BASSETT - MARC IRVIN 10.85

42 KEN MYERS - DEWAYNE WHITTEMORE 10.73

43 LANE WRIGHT 10.45

44 NATHAN FULLER - MARTY FULLER 10.44

45 WILLIE McMULLEN - CHAD STAHL 10.44

46 STACEY EATON - RONNIE STEGALL 10.27

47 CHARLIE BALDWIN - VONYA BALDWIN 10.19

48 MARK ERWIN - ROBERT GAUSE 10.10

49 RICHARD BELL - SHANE STOKES 10.03
$1,500.00
50 ADAM WICKS - STEVIE JACKSON 9.87

51 WILL SIZER - BEN REESE 9.72

52 DAVID ELLISON - BOBBY JONES 9.67

53 STEPHEN JONES - GIRARD JAMES 9.66

54 LANCE COLLINS - BARRY COLLINS 9.63

55 MIKE CLEVELAND - BOBBY WOOD 9.59

56 BARRY HOOPER - PHIL OZBURN 9.55

57 DAVID USELTON - MARK KERSEY 9.51

58 CLAY NIX - CALEB NIX 9.42

59 WAYNE GARNER - BRIAN GARNER 9.32

60 RICKY GRAY 8.73

61 GRAHAM ECHOLS - JUSTIN GUIN 8.68

62 TYREE RAPTIS - CLAUDE RAPTIS 8.63

63 AARON BATSON - MICHAEL MINCEY 8.54

64 LAMAR MOODY - VERLAND BEST 8.45

65 DUSTIN KLIMEK - EDDIE SIMPSON 8.43

66 GREG RICKETSON - DARREN TAYLOR 8.37

67 ANDY TIPPENS - RUSTY WILLIAMS 8.35

68 BRAD STALNAKER - CHRIS LUMPKIN 8.35

69 BARRY STOKES - RUSSELL HALL 8.34

70 STEVE DONALDSON - BRAD DAVIS 8.11

71 LARRY CASON - BUDDY McCOWAN 8.11

72 MATT SELLARS - BEN BRAND 7.95

73 KEN COTHRAN - JASON SMITH 7.93

74 DEREK SNIDER - TRAVIS SNIDER 7.92

75 DAVID MILLSAPS - JIMMY MILLSAPS 7.81

76 CHAD BARKER - KEVIN JOOST 7.69

77 MIKE CHESTER - MARK BISHOP 7.55

78 MIKE YORK - MIKE RILEY 7.54

79 SCOTT CHATHAM - ROBERT SMITH 7.52

80 DON RANDALL - RICKY RANDALL 7.42

81 MATT EDWARDS - SCOTT CHANDLER 7.05

82 MICHAEL BROCK - BRIAN COX 6.66

83 DANNY WHITE - MIKE BLACKSHEAR 6.47

84 RICHARD HOLDEN - JEFF FERRELL 6.36

85 BILLY HENSLEY - CHUCK KIBLINGER 5.87

86 JOHN DUVALL - JACK MORRIS 5.81

87 JACK BROWN - RAY COLLINS 5.72

88 JIM JORDAN - BUBBA JORDAN 5.71

89 DALE WHITE 5.67

90 CHRIS JONES - RAYMON COX 5.61

91 JASON SMITH - DINK WILLIAMS 5.28

92 BILL BLOUNT - WAYNE FAUSCETT 5.25

93 ROGER WHITE - ADAM CLAY 5.05

94 TIM WILDER - BRUCE TOWNSEND 4.58

95 JASON SAYERS - JOHNNY DEATON 4.47

96 KEVIN SANDERS - KONNER SANDERS 4.43

97 MORRIS SMITH - JOHNNY LINDSAY 4.04

98 MICHAEL McCLENDON - JUSTIN PAIR 3.97

99 KIP CARTER - JOE ELLINGTON 3.72

100 MICKEY McHENRY - DOUG BLOUNT 3.37

101 JEFF PARKER - TODD PETERSON 3.32

102 JUSTIN BUCKLES - CHADD JONES 3.22

103 RONNIE McMULLEN - TONY CURTIS 2.34

104 JEFF NORRIS - MIKE KEEBLE 2.26

105 DAVID BRANTLEY - CLAYTON WILLIAMS 0.00

105 WHITMAN GASAWAY - CLAYTON GASAWAY 0.00

105 BRAD GANDEE - CHRIS SAUNDERS 0.00

105 BEN WOODCOCK 0.00

105 TERRY DIETSCH - JON DIETSCH 0.00

105 KEITH SCARBROUGH - STANLEY DUNN 0.00

105 HOWARD DAVIS - ASHLEY NEWELL 0.00

105 RAY KESSLER 0.00

105 EDDIE ROBERTS - ED ROBERTS 0.00

105 STEVE VOWELL - JIMMY HODGES 0.00

105 RICKY CLEGHORN - DUSTY FRANK 0.00

105 JOSH KELLY - TRAVIS CLAY 0.00

105 JASON GUNN - JAMES GUNN 0.00

105 ESTON SLACKS - GEORGE JOHNSON 0.00

105 JEFF OWENBY - SCOTT KUHN 0.00

105 DANNY WILLIAMS - EVAN WILLIAMS 0.00

105 STEVEN RUTHERFORD - DEAN RUTHERFORD 0.00

105 JAKE MITCHELL - LARRY POOLE 0.00

105 DAVIS DRAKE - BRANDON LANDRY 0.00

105 BUSTER HELTON - MIKE HARRINGTON 0.00

105 MIKE STALNAKER - HUNTER STALNAKER 0.00

105 CARLTON PONDER - BYRON CARTER 0.00

105 MARTY GEORGE - CHRISTOPHER MARTIN 0.00

105 MARTIE MURPHY - COLE MURPHY 0.00

105 LEON BLOW - MARK HANNAH 0.00

105 ADAM WALL - TODD DOW 0.00

105 ROBERT ANDERSON - CASON ANDERSON 0.00

105 CHAD WILSON - ALAN ROBERTS 0.00

105 DANNY WHIDBY - MARK WHIDBY 0.00

105 JUSTIN KIMMEL - STEPHEN MAY 0.00

105 RAY SWORDS - SLADE JOHNSON 0.00

105 STEVE TAYLOR - JARED STRICKLAND 0.00

105 SHANE TYSON - GREG PUTNAL 0.00

105 JUSTIN LANIER - RUSTY COHEN 0.00

105 LANCE TEMPLETON - MIKE OXFORD 0.00

105 ROGER STUBBS - JEFF CARREKER 0.00

105 JIMMY LITTLE - BILLY DUVALL 0.00

105 KELLEY CLARK - FRANK BURRIS 0.00

105 MIKE COURSEY - SHAWN MALCOM 0.00

105 JARED KUTIL - JOSH FUTCH 0.00

105 JOE PENNONE - CHAD CLEGHORN 0.00

105 BARRY HARDIN 0.00

105 JEREMY YORK - BRIAN BELL 0.00

105 DAVIS SANSBURY - VALERIE SANSBURY 0.00

105 SCOTT LOCKLEAR - BRYANT ROLAND 0.00

105 TIM SPIVEY 0.00

 


Boats Unlimited Nc Team Trail Results - Jordan - Mar 23, 2013

1st Place: Ean Davis & Matt Czerepak of Southern Pines...5 bass...20.66 lbs

57 teams showed up for the 3rd qualifying tournament of the 2013 Boats Unlimited NC Team Tournament Bass Trail. We had a right decent day even though we did have a small period of sleet in the am. 39 degrees in the morning and about 45 for the rest of the day with no wind in the am and light in the pm.

Ean Davis & Matt Czerepak of Southern Pines captured 1st place honors with 5 bass weighing 20.66 lbs. They

won the 1st place money and the BOATS UNLIMITED NC 1st place $1,000 bonus for a grand total of $2,140.

Scott Smith & Tony Woodard won 2nd place (18.38lbs.) plus 1st place TWT and took home $1,548.

99 fish were weighed in for a total weight of 340 pounds. At least 4 weighed over 7lbs! Most fish were caught

from 2 to 8 feet of water on a variety of baits including crankbaits, spinnerbaits, jigs and plastics for the most

part. Water temps were around 50 degrees. The fish really looked healthy and several were loaded with roe.

I want to thank all the anglers that participated and the sponsors that support this trail.

We will take a break for the Easter Observance and our next tournament will be the BOATS UNLIMITED

NC Qualifier #4, April 6th at Falls Lake out of Ledge Rock Wildlife Ramp.

All the information on our tournaments can be found at: www.piedmontbassclassics.com

Now here are the full results:

1st Place: Ean Davis & Matt Czerepak of Southern Pines...5 bass...20.66 lbs...$1,140

2nd Place: Scott Smith & Tony Woodard of Apex & Four Oakes...5 bass...18.38 lbs...$638

3rd Place: Bobby Matthews & David Overcash of Durham...4 bass...14.67 lbs...$547

4th Place: Randy Fisher & Donnie Lowe of Hillsborough & Mebane...3 bass...14.08 lbs...$501

5th Place: Geno McCree & Phillip Johnson of Durham...4 bass...14.01 lbs...$412

6th Place: William Small & Lee Williams of Wake Forest & Durham...5 bass...13.73 lbs...$319

7th Place: Mike Stephenson & Chad Jones of Bahama & Durham...4 bass...13.64 lbs...$274

8th Place: Erik Ross & Les Walters of Fayetteville...4 bass...13.63 lbs...$228

9th Place: James Williams & Bud Fowler of Raeford & Aberdeen...4 bass...13.11 lbs....$182

10th Place: Wayne Shaw & Raeford Soles of Cameron & Aberdeen...3 bass...12.74 lbs...$182

11th Place: Arthur Pugh & Don Bovin of Spring Lake & Fayetteville...5 bass...12.03 lbs...$137

1st Place Big Fish..Mike Hodge & Tim Wall of Clayton...7.77 lbs1st Place Big Fish..Mike Hodge & Tim Wall of Clayton...7.77 lbs1st Place Big Fish..Mike Hodge & Tim Wall of Clayton...7.77 lbs...$770

2nd Place Big Fish..7th Place Team above...7.76 lbs...$330

1st Place TWT..2nd Place Team above...18.38 lbs...$910

2nd Place TWT..5th Place Team above: 14.01 lbs...$390

For all of our tournament information:

Phil McCarson ... Tournament Director

919-471-1571 or 919-971-5042

email: [email protected]

web: www.piedmontbassclassics.com

 


Combs Captures Elite Series Falcon Slam Title With 111 Pounds, 5 Ounces!

Keith Combs wins Falcon Slam. photo James Overstreet/B.A.S.S.

Complete standings:  http://www.bassmaster.com/tournaments/2013-elite-series-falcon-slam/leaderboard


Keith Combs is something of a ‘local’ on Falcon Lake. He guides there and has intimate knowledge of the lake, its bass and their habits. This week he used every bit of that local knowledge to win the Bassmaster Elite Series Falcon Slam.

“It is a big deal,” said Combs of his experience on Falcon Lake. “My practice meant nothing. I’ve been fishing on memories. It’s guesswork. You just never really know how it’s going to go.”

What he did know was the deep bite would be the key.

While others struggled to get the pulse of the lake during an unproductive practice period, Combs combined past experience with a Strike King 6XD which he said is “the only bait you need” on Falcon to amass 111 pounds, 5 ounces over 4 competition days.

What makes the 6XD so valuable? “It goes down fast,” notes Combs. “A lot of these fish are on those little ledges that drop 2 or 3 feet – vertical. They’ll sit right on that ledge and a 6XD will hug the drop. That’s what I like about it.”

The rumors Falcon Lake’s demise have been greatly exaggerated. Combs admits that the past couple of months have been disappointing but also pointed out that last year was “a banner year” for the big lake. With low water levels, authorities don’t pull water as often and that affects the bite.

“Falcon is still full of big ones but in the past 6 months they haven’t been pulling water and fish are not positioning in the way that an angler wants them to. That’s the big deal.”

Rick Clunn found out that Falcon is still full of giant bass. He joined the Century Club en route to his runner-up finish. Of all the accolades Clunn had received, he had never put 100 pounds on the scale in a single tournament. This week he weighed 105 pounds, 6 ounces, much of it from a single area near the launch ramp.

Clunn found his fish at about 2 o’clock the first day of competition. He caught 3 that weighed a little over 12 pounds and left him in 79th place.

That’s where Combs’s local knowledge gave him the advantage. He got out of the gates with 34-13 and never lost the lead. Clunn had to feel around until he caught a 7-pounder and a pair of 3’s that put him on the right pattern and the right place.

Despite his excellent find Clunn noted “You never should leave 2 fish in the lake.” Indeed, the lack of a limit followed the legendary angler and, in the end, cost him.

Clunn caught his fish on a Luck “E” Strike Freak (square-lipped deep diving crankbait) from “a little point outside the wood.”

The next day Clunn hit the ground running and sacked 32 pounds. “They were right where I expected them to be and I got them pretty good.” From then on, it was “lights out.”

Clunn said of day 3, “At 9:30 I had 35 pounds and put the squarebill down.” He spent the rest of the day using a jig mostly to locate bass and shake them off without hooking them.

Day 4’s postponement gave fish an extra 24 hours to regroup. Combs took his 1 pound lead and caught 28 pounds, 2 ounces. Clunn caught 23-3.

John Crews also busted the century mark with 103-13, anchored by the final round’s heaviest haul at 29-7. The Missile Baits Company founder placed 3rd.


Jason Thomas And Chris Brown Lap The Field At The Cbc On Jordan-Take Home $9000-Full Results Here!

120 teams showed up for the 2nd NC CBC Div event on Jordan Lake.............as you will see, Jason Thomas and Chris Brown had one heck of a day. When you win by 9 plus Lbs, that is something to talk about!

Place Team Name Team # Fish       Weighed Net             Weight Big Fish Points Winnings
1 Jason Thomas - Chris Brown 66 5 27.810 7.250 310 $9,000
2 Chad Poteat - Mike Miler 114 4 18.610 0.000 309 $4,000
3 Mark Beck - Bill Goodrich 12 5 16.810 4.180 308 $2,350
4 George Lambeths - Ron Wolfarth 29 4 15.950 5.640 307 $1,550
5 Andy Nix - Justin Goodyear 105 5 14.540 0.000 306 $1,050
6 Cliff Kirby - Rick Dunstan 10 3 14.050 6.630 305 $825
7 Casey Johnson - Cody Shuffler 90 2 13.730 7.090 304 $600
8 Don Sprinkle - Wayne Skipworth 14 3 13.240 4.990 303 $550
9 Scott Threadgill - Dwayne Saunders 48 4 12.940 0.000 302 $500
10 David Williams - Gerald Williams 77 5 12.650 0.000 301 $460
11 Ryan Rigsbee - Jack Voyce 57 3 12.160 7.170 300 $430
12 Nathan Webber - Paul Rigsbee 8 3 11.820 0.000 299 $400
13 Bryan Welch - Kenneth Sheppard 47 3 10.910 6.410 298 $370
14 Eric Moser - Tracy Smith 3 3 10.720 0.000 297 $340
15 William White - Matt Deese 55 3 10.430 0.000 296 $325
16 Billy Zumwalt - William Blanton 2 5 10.360 0.000 295 $300
17 Billy West - Tracy Sykes 104 3 10.140 0.000 294 $275
18 Michael Riggs - Doug Stallings 38 3 9.840 4.330 293 $250
19 Steve Dyer - Darren Gay 102 3 9.720 0.000 292 $225

Falcon Slam Final Round Postponed

Elite Series Pros "in action" today. photo by Steve Bowman

High winds have forced postponement of the final round of the Bassmaster Elite Series Falcon Slam. The event will conclude on Monday.

Rick Clunn, who nearly never agrees with cancelling a fishing day due to a forecast, agreed that this decision by B.A.S.S. officials was the right call. A dust storm was upon them and 10-foot waves with a short period between them had piled up at the dam where, not only the pros, but spectators and media would have tried to go.

Clunn is fishing protected water near the launch site and would have likely won the tournament had it been finished today. He gives himself a 50/50 chance of winning tomorrow.

To read the entire story from Bassmaster.com, click below:

http://www.bassmaster.com/news/bass-postpones-final-day-event-windy-falcon-lake


Chris Bell And Nick Leggett Pull In 18.52 And $1815 For Their Win At The Fom On West Point

Great effort put in by Chris Bell and Nick Leggett as they beat the field of 40 other teams by almost 3 Lbs on their way to a big early win for them on the FOM GA South Div in this 2013 season. Pic's and results are below:

Chris Bell and Nick Leggett hold up their impressive winning stringer at West Point!

 

Clayton Shoupe and Lucas Trotter with their 2nd place HaulClayton Shoupe and Lucas Trotter with their 2nd place Haul

 

 

Place

Team 

# Fish 

Big Fish 

Weight 

Winnings 

1 

Chris Bell – Mableton, GA 

Nick Leggett – Marietta, GA

5

5.46

18.52

$1,815.00

(1540 – 1st

 275 – 1st Bonus Bucks)

2 

Clayton Shoupe – Newton, AL
Lucas Trotter –
Dothan, AL

5

5.58

15.71

$654.00

3 

Larry Shoupe – Newton, AL
Adam Kennedy –
Dothan, AL

5

4.62

15.18

$443.00

4 

Buddy Whitley – LaGrange, GA
Greg Noles – LaGrange, GA

5

4.31

14.16

$524.00

(359 – 4th

 165 – 2nd Bonus Bucks )

5 

Steve Stewart – Donalsonville, GA

5

5.18

13.15

$363.00

(253 5th

 110 3rd Bonus Bucks)

6 

Chad Wise – Dothan, AL
Jeremy Stevens –
Taylor, AL

5

4.45

12.46

$211.00

7 

Jim Buntin – Columbus, GA
Jim Pass – Columbus, GA

5

0.00

11.88

$190.00

8 

Harold Branham
Betty Branham –
Chipley, FL

5

4.15

11.70

$150.00

9 

Jimmy Wood - Phenix City, AL
Ken Jones – Smiths, AL

5

6.16

11.00

$200.00

(200 - Big Fish)

9 

Johnathan Sullivan – Newton, AL
Lynn Shoupe –
Newton, AL

5

5.15

11.00

$0.00

 

West Point Lake at Highland Marina

March 23, 2013

40 Teams

 

 


Combs Clings To Lead As Clunn Closes In

Combs bounces on into the boat. photo courtesy B.A.S.S./Daren Jacobson

standings: http://www.bassmaster.com/tournaments/2013-elite-series-falcon-slam/leaderboard

Keith Combs brought in another 20-plus pounds today. And he maintained his lead for the 3rd straight day on Falcon Lake. But Rick Clunn showed the young guys how it’s done as he sacked the heaviest limit of the tournament so far and cut over 6 pounds off Combs’s lead.

Clunn’s 36 pounds, 14 ounces put him exactly a pound behind Combs with one day left to fish in the Bassmaster Elite Series Falcon Slam.

Combs has 83-3. Clunn has 82-3. Each of them could pass the century mark tomorrow. Then again, all of the top 7 guys are on pace to join the Century Club.

Falcon is spitting out some giant bass this week. Billy McCaghren caught the biggest one today at 9 pounds, 9 ounces. Yesterday two over 10 hit the scale.

Edwin Evers is in 3rd with 78-15. Gary Klein is 2 ounces behind.

Jason Williamson is 5th with 76-12 but he is trailed closely by Cliff Prince who has spent the week near the top and is currently 6th with 76-11.

Combs has guided on Falcon for several years. He will be tough to beat. But his weight has fallen off every day from a tourney-opening 34-13, to 20-5 today.

Clunn has had an amazing climb. He started with 12-12 on day 1 and was near the back of the 100-man field. Yesterday he made some noise with 32-9. That was great, but several pros had 30 pounds on day 2. Today Clunn made a statement when he followed-up with the tournament’s biggest bag.

Combs told AnglersChannel.com on Thursday that he only had confidence in a couple of deep spots and that his shallow stuff was only good for 9 or 10 pounds. He said he would likely live or die with his deep water pattern.  As noted above, his weights have dwindled. Sounds odd to say that about a guy who weighed 20 pounds today, but this is Falcon Lake.

Will Combs get his first Elite Series win? Will Clunn win his 18th career tournament? Will Evers and company pass them both? Anything could happen on this big bass factory tomorrow.

 


Combs Widens Lead At Falcon Lake

Kota Kiriyama goes to grab a big bass. photo courtesy James Overstreet/B.A.S.S.

http://www.bassmaster.com/tournaments/2013-elite-series-falcon-slam/leaderboard

Keith Combs not only continues to lead the Bassmaster Elite Series Falcon Slam, he widened his lead today with a 28 pound, 1 ounce limit that gives him a 2-day total of 62-14.

Edwin Evers brought 28-15 today to run his aggregate to 55-7, good enough to make him Combs’s closest pursuer, 7 pounds, 7 ounces back of the leader.

Jason Christie (25-1 today) climbed a little and settled into the 3rd position with 54 pounds total.

Cliff Crochet made a giant leap forward with the tournament’s biggest bag yet - a 35 pound, 3 ounce effort. He is one skinny ounce behind Christie. With 18-12 on Day 1 Crochet was not even on pace to cut a check at Falcon Lake. Given the size of bass that swim the Mexico/US border lake, things can change in a hurry.

Crochet’s biggest fish weighed 10 pounds and an ounce. It was not the big bass of the day. That honor goes to Matt Greenblatt with his 10-13.

Cliff Prince and Josh Bertrand each weighed more than 30 pounds yesterday and were 2nd and 3rd, respectively, on Day 1. They fell to 5th and 6th, respectively, on Day 2. Prince has 53-9 (22-12 today), Bertrand 53-5 (23-0).

There was major movement up and down the leaderboard. Several pros who started with 20-plus pounds the first day failed to make the top 50 cut today and will not fish tomorrow; will not get paid this week.

Then there are guys like Crochet, Cliff Pirch (31-12 today) Kota Kiriyama (32-7) Rick Clunn (32-9) Clark Reehm (30-12) and Skeet Reese (32-4) who rocketed from way back in the pack to make the cut today.

Combs is camping on some prime real estate but he’s not alone. Jonathon VanDam and Fletcher Shryock are right on one of his best spots with him, often casting side by side with the leader. Rumors of turf wars have leaked but it seems the guys are getting along for the most part. Falcon bass, stacked on small spots as they can often be, have caused tempers to flare in the past. Even once-good friends are bitter about it to this day in some cases. Gamesmanship and intimidation may be part of the plan this week. When a very specific cast is called for, the guy who bows out of prime position may go fishless. Of course, there is an unwritten rule of tournament angling that says one should bow to the leader. The younger guys don’t hold to that rule as often as their tournament elders do. It will be interesting to see how they all work it out this week.

 


Combs Leads Elites On Day 1 At Falcon

They caught 'em on Falcon today. Jeremy Starks courtesy of B.A.S.S./James Overstreet

AnglersChannel.com caught up with your leader, Keith Combs and Cliff Prince who sits in 2nd after today's weigh in. The two pros pretty much give us the flavor of what's happening on Falcon right now:

 

Keith Combs leads the Bassmaster Elite Series Falcon Slam with 34 pounds, 13 ounces. So he’s stroking tons of big bass, right? Not exactly.

“I’ll take it,” said Combs of his day 1 success. I didn’t that coming. Practice was brutal. Today I just went out and fished like I normally fish here.”

 How combs ‘normally fishes Falcon is to spend plenty of time over deep water. And he does normally fish Falcon. Combs has guided on the border-straddling bass factory for several years. Such experience could inspire confidence. Not in Combs’s case.

“It can all come at one time, once they decide to bite. It makes me nervous in a tournament knowing I might only get five opportunities, and I might not catch them. Timing is very important.”

He got 8 opportunities today. Five came on one spot where he caught only 1 fish on multiple visits during practice. He said he wasn’t holding back during practice either. He was trying to catch a few.

Another spot produced no action at all in practice but gave him 3 fish today. They weighed 7 pounds apiece.

Combs expressed concern that his deep stuff may not produce tomorrow. Plan B, shallow water, is only good for 9 or 10 pounds. He knows the deep pattern gives him his best chance to win.

“Even if I don’t have anything at 2 o’clock tomorrow I think I’m going to stay out there and hope they bite.”

Combs holds an even 4-pound advantage over Cliff Prince of Palatka, Fla. Like Combs, Prince is pleased with his 30-13 opening round. “It’s a great start, but it’s a long way to the end, that’s for sure.

“I caught 2 out deep; one a rig, one on a jig. Then I went shallow and caught 3 flipping.”

One of Prince’s deep fish weighed 6 pounds. The other weighed 7. He actually caught more than 3 fish on his flippin’ pattern. He pulled two 7-pounders, a 5, a 4, and two 3’s from the cover in about three feet of water.

About his shallow bite Prince said, “I don’t know if these fish will hold up. It seems like everybody’s there doing it,” said Prince before clarifying, “It’s probably 60/40 really,” – his estimate as to the number of guys who are fishing shallow versus fishing deep.

Prince feels that fishing pressure will play a bigger role in the outcome of this tournament than will weather. “I haven’t even looked at what the weather is supposed to do over the next couple of days. The (full) moon coming up should help the shallow bite. The water temp was 68 this morning and it got up to 72 this afternoon. Most of these fish are done spawning, but not all of them. You know how it is back home (on the St Johns River) they don’t all go at once.”

Rick Morris caught the big bass of the day at 9 pounds, 11 ounces.

Combs expects some bold moves up the leaderboard tomorrow as more anglers figure the timing of the bite in their areas. “It will take 40 pounds to cut a check.” Let’s hope he’s right as we keep an eye on the Bassmaster Falcon Slam this week!

Check out the official leaderboard right here:

http://www.bassmaster.com/tournaments/2013-elite-series-falcon-slam/leaderboard

 


Montgomery Just Glad To Be Back Fishing A 'lake' For The Elite Series Falcon Lake Slam

Bass pro Andy Montgomery has never fished a tournament on Falcon Lake in Texas, but after having a “horrible tournament” on the Sabine River last weekend, he is just glad to be back fishing in a lake.

“This is not exactly like a lake back home, but it's still a lake and a lot easier for me to read than fishing the Sabine River last week with all the swamps and channels,” Montgomery said Wednesday after the final practice for the opening round of the Bassmaster Elite Series Falcon Slam tournament which starts Thursday.

“Last week there was so much water it was hard to figure out,” said the Blacksburg, S.C., pro. “I did catch a lot of fish, I just did not catch any keepers. I had 40 fish the first day and 20 or so the second day.”

Montgomery weighed in only two fish at 3 pounds, 9 ounces, and finished 87th on the Sabine which flows between Texas and Louisiana.

“Things have got to pick up, that's for sure,” he said with determination.

Although this is his first trip to Falcon Lake, the Bassmasters have been here before and fishing was very good the last time.

Falcon’s record for a single largemouth catch on a rod and reel is 15.63 pounds and 28 inches in length, according to Texas Parks and Wildlife. In 2008, the last time the Elite Series stopped at Falcon, a 13-pound, 2-ounce largemouth was brought to the scales. That 13-2 still stands as the largest bass in the eight years of Elite Series history.

Paul Elias won the 2008 Elite Series event with a four-day weight of 132 pounds, 8 ounces, which still stands as a five-fish, four-day Bassmaster record. In the same event, 11 other anglers topped the 100-pound mark.

“It may not be as good as the last time B.A.S.S. was here, but there are going to be a lot of big fish caught this week,” Montgomery said. “The fish here are real skinny. The weights may be down a little bit but lengthwise the fish are huge.”

Montgomery said his practice this week has been a mixed bag.

“I had one really good day and two bad days. Today was pretty tough, but I think I can catch some fish here. You just have to catch a 7- or 8-pounder every day, at least one, and there is a little work involved in getting that big bite. I had some big ones on in practice that I did not get into the boat.”

Montgomery said the lake is extremely low, 35 to 40 feet low, so it is going to fish very small during the tournament.

“We are not going to burn gas like we did last week. The longest run for anybody probably will be about 15 minutes,” he said.

“I think there will be some fish caught deep and some shallow, but the tournament probably will be won deep, offshore,” he said. “Most of the bigger fish will be caught on crankbaits and big worms on the rockpiles off the long points. But there are also some fish still spawning around the shallow bushes and some will catch those fish, too.”

Montgomery said he plans to fish both shallow and deep in hopes of finding that big 7- or 8-pounder each day.

Bassmaster Elite Series Falcon Slam

Mar 21-24, 2013

Falcon Lake

Zapata County Public Boat Ramp

www.bassmaster.com

 


Anglers Choice Marine Team Trail Holds Double-Qualifier Weekend On Lake Gaston

Chris Lucas was “tickled to death” with the start of the 2013 Anglers Choice Marine Team Trail under a new two-division format for Virginia and North Carolina anglers last month on Smith Mountain and High Rock Lakes.

“We had over 200 entries at Smith Mountain and we started out with 43 on the Carolina side down at High Rock,” said Lucas, tournament director for the Anglers Choice tournament trails. “We are just starting to build the Carolina Division and we were pleased with the participation.”

While the opening dates for the two divisions were on separate weekends and different lakes, the next tournaments in the two series will be on the same weekend, both on Lake Gaston, with the Virginia Division fishing out of Americamp on Saturday and the North Carolina Division fishing out of Americamp on Sunday.

“This way the guys can get two qualifiers in one trip on the same weekend,” Lucas said. “We are getting a lot of positive feedback on that with gas prices the way they are. Getting two out of the way in one weekend is a big advantage to the fishermen.”

Lucas said the numbers look pretty good for participation this weekend, with around 100 entries expected on the Virginia side and 45-50 on the Carolina side.

“As for the weather, the forecast calls for highs in the 50s, sunny on Saturday and cloudy on Sunday. Somebody said they are now calling for a little rain on Sunday,” Lucas said.

“They held a State Mr. Bass Tournament on Gaston and I heard they caught fish on Shakey Heads, spinnerbaits and crankbaits. It probably will be one of those early springtime tournaments this weekend where you can probably catch fish on whatever you want to. You just have to be in the right place when they move up to feed,” he said.

“I think we will have some pretty good bags brought to the weigh-ins.”

Lucas said the new schedule features a five-qualifier format to make the classic. Anglers can do this by fishing five tournaments in either division. Also new for 2013 is that the top 5 teams in the points race for both divisions will receive a free entry to the Classic.

The Virginia Division, which will hold the second tournament of the season Saturday on Lake Gaston, includes: April 6, Smith Mountain Lake, Parkway Marina; April 27 Kerr Lake, Occoneechee State Park; May 25, Smith Mountain Lake, Parkway Marina; and June 29, Kerr Lake, Occoneechee State Park.

The North Carolina Division, which kicks off Sunday on Lake Gaston, includes: April 7, Smith Mountain Lake, Parkway Marina; April 28 Kerr Lake, Occoneechee State Park; June 22, High Rock Lake, Tamarac Marina; June 30, Kerr Lake, Occoneechee State Park.

The two-day Classic for both divisions will be held Oct. 12-13 on Kerr Lake out of Occoneechee State Park.

“We are rolling now,” Lucas said. “We've got another double-tournament weekend April 6-7. The season is really going by quickly.”

Anglers Choice Marine Team Trail

Mar 23-24, 2013

Lake Gaston

Call Chris Lucas 276-358-0844

www.anglerschoicemarine.com

 


Fishing Tough, But Big Bass Expected For Cbc North Carolina Division On Lake Jordan

Bass fishing on North Carolina's Lake Jordan has been tough recently and it's expected to be just as tough for the second stop on the Carolina Bass Challenge North Carolina Division this Saturday, said tournament director/owner Brett Collins.

“Lately, there have been several tournaments on Jordan and a limit has been like gold. Cooler temperatures are moving in for the weekend, so we expect some more tough conditions.” But, he added, “that always plays into someone's hands.”

The opportunity is there to land some big bass, Collins said.

“The bites the guys are getting are good ones. Several bass over 5 pounds are showing up in the shallows, full of eggs, so I look for some huge bass to be brought in.”

The water temperature has been as high as 53 degrees recently, he said, and spinnerbaits have been the ticket, along with shallow crankbaits.

“We expect well over 125 teams to fish Saturday, even with the very tough fishing conditions on Lake Jordan,” said Collins. “We started out with 186 teams at Lake Norman Feb. 16, That first NC division tournament saw the winners take home $15,000.”

Collins said that so far this year the winners in the Carolina Bass Challenge tournaments have taken home an average of $12,500.

“Finish in the top 10 in any CBC event and you will take home a load of cash,” he said. “The Skeeter/Yamaha BONUS of $3,000 will be awarded to the highest placing Skeeter/Yamaha owner at Lake Jordan. “

Collins said teams can come to the ramp for the launch from any other ramp on Lake Jordan.

“If you do put in at another location you must weigh your first first before returning to the ramp you used. Also, there will be food and drinks waiting when you come off the water,” said Collins.

With both a South Carolina and North Carolina Division underway in the two states, Collins said two Skeeter TZX190/150 Yamaha HPDI boat rigs will be awarded, with one going to the winning team at the South Carolina Championship at Lake Hartwell in September and another will be awarded at the September North Carolina Championship on Lake Wylie.

“The winners of the Oct 26-27 Lake Murray CBC Classic will take home a ZX200/200Yamaha SHO rig worth $48,000,” he said.

Carolinas Bass Challenge - North Carolina Division

Sat, Mar 23, 2013

Jordan Lake

Call Brett Collins 803-413-7521

www.carolinasbasschallenge.com

 


Mid March Tournament Preview With Ac Pro Staffer Rob Digh!

AC Pro Staffer Rob Digh breaks down the Anglers Choice Marine TT on Gaston, The Bassmaster Elite Series on Falcon Lake, Oconee Marine TT on Oconee Lake, and finally, the CBC TT which blasts off on Jordan Lake this Sat-plus updates on the new BOAT SEARCH feature activated this week only on Anglerschannel.com!


Falcon Tough; 'chick' Sizzling

Coleman with 13.9-pounder from Chickamauga. Photo from WRCB TV website, channel3outdoors.com.

After the dink fest on the Sabine River, Elite Series pros were eager to get over to Falcon Lake for a true Texas-sized bass tournament complete with all the big fish a guy can whack on.

That’s not what they’re finding in practice. When the Elite Series visited in ’08, Peter “T” Thliveros said, “Well, I guess we killed another (lake).” He meant that news of Falcon’s phenomenal fishing was sure to draw too many visitors for the lake to handle.

It appears he may have been partly correct. Along with the influx of anglers, many of whom have laid the filet knife to tons of big Falcon Lake specimens, the lake has experienced a lack of rehydration. Water levels are way down and prime spawning habitat is said to be high and dry.

The combination – overharvest of the biggest bass and lack of successful reproduction for a few years – has rendered Falcon a shell of the fishery it once was.

There are still some good fish in the lake. And some of the 100 Elite Series pros will put together some solid stringers. But don’t expect to see the record-smashing performances of a few years ago.

One lake that is exceeding all reasonable expectations right now is Tennessee’s Lake Chickamauga. The ‘Chick’ has turned out some 40-pound-plus limits this winter and just this week Chris Coleman of Chattanooga caught a 13.90-pounder that nearly threatened the state record. As far as anyone can tell, Coleman’s catch is the largest to ever come out of Chickamauga. Last month Coleman caught an 11.4 out of Chick.

Most of that action is coming on umbrella rigs. Keep an eye on the lake as the weather warms. Umbrella rigs are most effective when cold weather pushes shad into balls. But the action may continue throughout the summer. If so, the FLW Tour event on Lake Chick in late June could be the heavyweight slugfest that Elite Series pros thought they were in for at Falcon.

 


Anglers @ Usc Bass Open--Lake Wylie

Over 80 boats showed up to fish the First Annual Anglers @ USC Bass Open on Lake Wylie March 16, and the teams were met by brutal winds that blew all day. Mike Stephens and Brian New of the Lake Wylie area took first place, bringing a 5-fish limit to the weigh-in that tipped the scales at 18.25 lbs. the two won $2025. Stephens said the fishing was brutal, but that they toughed it out, catching most of their fish in shallow water while throwing everything from crankbaits to spinnerbaits.

Grady Oliver and Mike Jennings finished in 2nd place and took home $1012 with 5 fish weighing 18.22 lbs, Larry Lehew and Trey Lehew teamed up for 3rd place, bagging a limit that weighed 17.5 lbs and netting $675.

Zack Davis and Hampton Anderson won Big Fish honors with a 6.92-pounder winning $876 and beating out Alan James and Robert Fowler's 2nd place Big Fish of 5.17 lbs worth $584.


Is Bass Fishing A Sport? If So, Gear-Up Accordingly With Swiftwick!

It was a cold Classic that called for performance clothing.

"As a solider's feet go, so go the soldier," a wise man once told me. I have never forgotten the point of his lesson  - keep those feet dry, warm in the winter and cool in the summer.

The Bassmaster Classic offers one of the greatest testing grounds for any type of outdoor gear that can be used by bass fishermen, as well anybody who spends time on the water in unpredictable, often harsh conditions.

The 2013 instalment of bass fishing's world championship was an exceptionally cold event. The first trick to keeping feet warm is to keep them dry. When we bundle beneath multiple layers, it's easy to begin sweating, especially in insulated boots and the like. And what's the purpose of perspiration? To cool the skin. Not what you want when the air temperature is in the 20's and you're about to ride in an open boat at better than 70 mph.

Perhaps no group is more environmentmally active than bass anglers. Whether enhancing habitat, cleaning up a stretch of shoreline or simply practicing catch-and-release, anglers are stewards.

The people at Swiftwick share our love of a healthy environment. In fact, their Sustain line of socks is made entirely from recycled nylon. Any one who has recycled old monfilament fishing line can relate to that!

The environment I loved most during the recent frigid Classic was the environment these socks provided my feet.

And I love that all Swiftwick socks are made in the USA.

In a week that featured snow, high winds and freezing rain, Swiftwick socks kept my feet dry and warm as I rode across Grand Lake O' the Cherokees to film the action for the Progressive Weekend Bass Wrap Up TV Show and for AnglersChannel.com.

Without a doubt these socks wicked moisture away during one of the coldest weeks of my life, but let's think about the other end of the spectrum. Summer heat.

You know it's coming. Sure the birds are chirping, the dogwoods are blooming and the bass are biting right now. Life is good. If Swiftwick socks are comfortable now, just wait and see how their moisture-wicking compression technology earns its keep when temperatures begin to boil in a couple of months. Talk about keeping your feet dry - we all know how important that is when the mercury climbs into the 90's. That happens for 5 solid months of the year along the Florida/Georgia border where I live. With Swiftwick  socks keeping my feet dry and comfortable I will feel more lively as I battle the stifling humidity of Florida's interior regions in search of big bass. Bring on the summer! I'll put on my Swiftwicks and see y'all on the water.

 


Millsaps And Shipe Take Morristown Marine Tt On Cherokee Worth $10,000! Full Resutls Here-

FINISHING POSITION POS SAT POS SUN SKEETER BOAT BOATER PARTNER BIG L/MOUTH BIG S/MOUTH WEIGHT SAT WEIGHT SUN TOTAL WEIGHT WINNINGS
1 87 164 KELLEY MILLSAPS MARK SHIPE 20.07 19.14 39.21 $ 10,000.00
2 36 215 STEVE MIRACLE MIKE WOLFENBARGER 18.28 16.35 34.63 $ 2,500.00
3 190 61 DAVID MULLINS BRENT HOSKINS 12.91 19.13 32.04 $ 1,500.00
4 10 241 CRAIG DAVIS WAYNE DAVIS 10.96 19.69 30.65 $ 800.00
5 2 249 X BENNY ROBERTS TODD NIDEFFER 16.18 14.01 30.19 $ 3,700.00
6 27 224 X BILL BURNS RICK DIAMOND 13.32 16.5 29.82 $ 650.00
7 66 185 MIKE HOBBY RANDY CARROLL 14.81 14.34 29.15 $ 600.00
8 233 18 X BOBBY CHAMBERS JUSTIN MCCLAIN 15.82 13.29 29.11 $ 500.00
9 196 55 RODNEY RAY ADRIAN RASNAKE 12.02 16.76 28.78 $ 475.00
10 51 200 ALLEN SMITH JOSH ROARK 17.15 11.58 28.73 $ 450.00
11 44 207 CLINT DYER RANDY OLIVER 16.17 12.29 28.46 $ 400.00
12 205 46 DERRICK SNAVELY JORDAN CARD 14.57 13.46 28.03 $ 375.00
13 197 54 MARK MELLONS MARK MELLONS JR 16.43 11.54 27.97 $ 350.00
14 7 244 GUY SAMS LARRY NEAL 12.8 15.04 27.84 $ 325.00
15 151 100 SHANNONN O'QUINN TRAVIS O'QUINN 15.03 12.71 27.74 $ 300.00
16 40 211 GREG JOHNSON DEWAYNE FAUST 14.39 12.56 26.95 $ 275.00
17 170 81 RON HYATT DUSTIN HYATT 14.44 12.3 26.74 $ 250.00
18 159 92 CHRIS PHILLIPS STANLEY DUTY JR 11.62 14.33 25.95 $ 225.00
19 145 106 ARCHIE WILSON KEVIN EDWARDS 11.5 14.13 25.63 $ 200.00
20 121 130 TEDDY WILLETT MATT WILLETT 16.92 8.64 25.56 $ 175.00
21 236 15 RICHARD CROWDER BRANDON HARTGROVE 15.31 10.18 25.49 $ 175.00
22 164 87 GARY PILKERTON DENNY TURNER 11.92 13.31 25.23 $ 150.00
23 65 186 KENNY LARUE GORDON MONROE 11.51 12.78 24.29 $ 150.00
24 238 13 DANIEL ALDRIDGE JIMMY CLARK 15.68 8.32 24.00 $ 150.00
25 26 225 CHAD WADDELL RODNEY CRADDOCK 8.4 15.49 23.89 $ 125.00
26 123 128 ANDY FRANCIS ZACHARY FRANCIS 11.63 12.17 23.80 $ 125.00
27 217 34 LUKE BOLES CHARLIE CAMPBELL 14.04 9.56 23.60 $ 125.00
28 160 91 JAKE HUX JAMIE CUTSHALL 10.25 13.13 23.38
29 249 2 BILL HUMBARD FISH FISHBURN 8.96 14.4 23.36
30 69 182 X JEREMY SWANSON JON LAWSON 15.27 7.92 23.19
31 60 191 TRACY CARTER MIKE SMITH 8.78 14.25 23.03
32 110 141 BRYAN LEONARD DARRIN FOSTER 17.1 5.92 23.02
33 114 137 BRIAN BEELER JIMMY BLAIR 6.06 16.8 22.86
34 29 222 X TONY DRINNON JAY GRAHAM 15.03 7.63 22.66
35 113 138 SPENCER BROWN CALEB EAKENS 9.17 13.25 22.42
36 64 187 SAM MEADE DAVE LONG 13.16 8.99 22.15
37 199 52 BRIAN BOLLING STEVEN MORELOCK 13.41 8.63 22.04
38 248 3 EDDIE MULLINS 13.53 7.6 21.13
39 219 32 JAMES TIPTON LANCE GRIGSBY 9.98 10.93 20.91
40 208 43 DANNY BUSH RYAN BUSH 8.47 12.38 20.85
41 83 168 ROBERT ALLEN JASON ELLIOTT 11.24 9.09 20.33
42 58 193 X RICKY SHEPHERD MARK TRENT 7.22 13.06 20.28
43 67 184 KEITH MCDEERMAN VON DILBECK 5.08 15.05 20.13
44 92 159 JACK FAULKNER DEXTER GOINS 7.66 12.27 19.93
45 28 223 CHARLES MITCHELL BRANDON HARRIS 8.31 11.58 19.89
46 104 147 CALE LAWSON PATRICK FAUST 5.18 9.92 9.95 19.87 $ 810.00
47 108 143 TRINITY CAWOOD KEVIN WEST 9.33 10.45 19.78
48 74 177 JAMIE GOODIN SCOTT HUDDLESTON 8.15 11.54 19.69
49 223 28 BRIAN KING DOUG YOUNCE 7.85 11.77 19.62
50 209 42 STEVE MCKINNEY CLAUDE SHELTON 6.81 12.19 19.00
51 188 63 WAYNE MOYHER BRAD SNAPP 4.54 14.41 18.95
52 187 64 JEREMY GORDON PHILIP GORDON 11.05 7.7 18.75
53 216 35 X BILLY DUNN WAYNE STEINER 6.67 11.67 18.34
54 39 212 MICHAEL MELLONS 9.47 8.78 18.25
55 101 150 CARL PRATER CHAD HATFIELD 11.79 6.35 18.14
56 192 59 X BURTON BRYAN JEFF RUSSELL 8.13 9.92 18.05
57 226 25 WAYNE COPPAGE DARBY DYE 18.05 0 18.05
58 127 124 X DAVID MORGAN A J FROST 12.93 5.05 17.98
59 229 22 X TOMMY BROWN GARY JONES 11.58 6.24 17.82
60 89 162 BRIAN HARVEY LEE VARNER 7.42 10.11 17.53
61 168 83 BRIAN DORTCH BRAD WARFIELD 2.09 15.41 17.50
62 237 14 LARRY ELSWICK J D LARGE 4.04 13.08 17.12
63 105 146 X WES CROWE MARK SURGENOR 9.82 6.44 16.26
64 228 23 X TEDDY LLOYD LOWELL CAUDILL 11.78 4.43 16.21
65 140 111 KEVIN POWERS ANDY BURNETT 6.76 8.95 15.71
66 203 48 X GREGORY SCOTT MICHAEL MARION 10.3 5.34 15.64
67 12 239 LYNN GREEN JOHN WILLIAMS 6.41 9.21 15.62
68 202 49 X JOEL WHEELON DON MCCURDY 3.12 12.18 15.30
69 9 242 X RANDY RIGG ROD COLYER 15.21 0 15.21
70 245 6 NATHANIEL VAUGHN JUSTIN VAUGHN 9.17 5.96 15.13
71 112 139 JIMMY WRIGHT TRACY PARKER 11.66 3.23 14.89
72 128 123 TIM SAYLOR VINCE BOTTS 5.99 0 14.75 14.75 $ 810.00
73 21 230 JIMMY TAYLOR DONNIE BITTLE 13.99 0 13.99
74 141 110 CRUZ COPE ORVILLE COPE 5.27 7.83 13.10
75 25 226 TONY MESSER STEVE ROBINSON 12.73 0 12.73
76 63 188 MICKEY ISON MIKE COOK 2.5 9.77 12.27
77 207 44 DARRYL OLIVER RODNEY OLIVER 2.95 9.03 11.98
78 136 115 STEVE GIBSON TIM SMILEY 10.06 0 10.06
79 143 108 BRAD LOGGANS RYAN KNIGHT 9.55 0 9.55
80 102 149 X JIM THOMPSON STEVE CABLE 9.44 0 9.44
81 120 131 BRANDON BROCK 2.22 7.16 9.38
82 17 234 BARRY HARRINGTON WILLIE BROWNING 9.07 0 9.07
83 185 66 CLIFFORD BUNCH PAUL NAPIER 9.04 0 9.04
84 56 195 X GARY HATFIELD JAMIE HATFIELD 1.87 6.91 8.78
85 225 26 X ROBERT JONES MICHAEL LIVESAY 0 8.72 8.72
86 98 153 EDDIE BAKER CASEY BAKER 8.69 0 8.69
87 222 29 GUY SILER 8.68 0 8.68
88 3 248 JIM MANESS BOBBY HICKS 8.4 0 8.40
89 53 198 STEVE BEAN ELVIN HELTON 7.88 0 7.88
90 227 24 CHANCEY HATFIELD CHRIS STUMP 7.74 0 7.74
91 243 8 DERRICK BLAKE 7.57 0 7.57
92 124 127 X RAY LANE RON BAILEY 7.02 0 7.02
93 90 161 JASON RILEY JONAS RILEY 1.96 5.05 7.01
94 37 214 RICK WEBSTER SCOTT SEXTON 6.53 0 6.53
95 79 172 ULYESS CHAPMAN RUSTY CHAPMAN 6.51 0 6.51
96 70 181 JEFF HOWARD PETE KING 6.33 0 6.33
97 150 101 DANNY WHALEY WAYNE HAPPNEY 6.27 0 6.27
98 138 113 X TROY OSBORNE BRAD FORSEE 6.27 0 6.27
99 204 47 JIM EDMONDS GREG VINSANT 6.18 0 6.18
100 11 240 MARK SHAFFER MARTY STEWART 6.18 0 6.18
101 24 227 LARRY GRIFFITH JEFF WALKER 6.17 0 6.17
102 55 196 JEREMY OSBORNE JASON OSBORNE 6.13 0 6.13
103 50 201 DAVID FIELDS BRAD VINEYARD 5.9 0 5.90
104 88 163 X RICK DICKERSON MICHAEL CANTRELL 5.73 0 5.73
105 31 220 X JAMES GOBLE DALTON GOBLE 5.47 0 5.47
106 46 205 ROBBY ISAACS TANDA ISAACS 5.45 0 5.45
107 1 250 RALPH CHESTNUT JR JOSH DYKES 2.1 3.3 5.40
108 246 5 BRIAN STACY RONALD STACY 5.19 0 5.19
109 171 80 CHARLIE RATLIFF PATRICK TRUJILLO 5.1 0 5.10
110 198 53 X WILLIE COLLINS 4.42 0 4.42
111 200 51 JASON STURGILL JESSEE ROBERTS 0 4.38 4.38
112 178 73 SHAWN BISHOP TODD PIPPIN 4.3 0 4.30
113 30 221 STEPHEN WRIGHT STEPHEN FOSTER 4.28 0 4.28
114 215 36 WAYNE ROACH SCOTTY ROACH 4.23 0 4.23
115 135 116 X MARTELL BIBLE MATTHEW BIBLE 4.21 0 4.21
116 103 148 CHRIS SEXTON STEVEN SEXTON 4.18 0 4.18
117 49 202 SCOTT WINCHESTER MIKE CLINE 4.15 0 4.15
118 173 78 TIM DAVIS FRANK DAVIS 4.01 0 4.01
119 15 236 RANDY WATTS KEVIN HARRIS 3.97 0 3.97
120 250 1 X RONNIE CAREY JASON CAREY 3.77 0 3.77
121 130 121 BOBBY FERGUSON CHARLIE MCCONNELL 3.76 0 3.76
122 72 179 X GARY WARD JIM HAGY 3.64 0 3.64
123 80 171 DAVID SMITH H L PARTIN 3.48 0 3.48
124 61 190 DIRK DANIEL JOHNNY BROWN JR 3.3 0 3.30
125 242 9 JEFF LAW RALPH TILLER 3.17 0 3.17
126 247 4 X JASON PHILLIPS RUSTY DAVIDSON 3.09 0 3.09
127 59 192 DUSTIN ELDRIDGE JONATHAN MIRACLE 3.07 0 3.07
128 32 219 TOD COX JEFF POWELL 3.04 0 3.04
129 163 88 GEORGE LAKINS ROGER TRENT 2.89 0 2.89
130 48 203 JOHN GILLEY JOHN SANCHEZ 2.84 0 2.84
131 41 210 RICK HOLMES BUFORD FRAZIER 2.73 0 2.73
132 68 183 EDDIE MICKEY CHRIS GULLEY 2.57 0 2.57
133 235 16 X JIM BYINGTON ALLEN WHITE 2.54 0 2.54
134 115 136 DEAN ILES BOBBY CARDWELL 2.23 0 2.23
135 239 12 JIM MIRACLE IKE RHODES 0 0 0.00
136 234 17 TIM MIDDLETON TIM MIDDLETON JR 0 0 0.00
137 221 30 ALLEN ERWIN DARRYL ELLIOTT 0 0 0.00
138 218 33 JUSTIN MAYES FREDDIE MAYES 0 0 0.00
139 211 40 SUNNY DEFOE 0 0 0.00
140 210 41 RON COX SHEA COX 0 0 0.00
141 201 50 BOB GAMBLE 0 0 0.00
142 194 57 EDWARD GETTY JEFF JOHNSON 0 0 0.00
143 184 67 MARK MAULDIN LEE MONDAY 0 0 0.00
144 182 69 JEREMY JONES ALLEN JONES 0 0 0.00
145 181 70 LARRY DARDEN 0 0 0.00
146 180 71 JEFFERY MELTON DOYLE BIBBINS 0 0 0.00
147 177 74 BRANDON STANLEY BRIAN PIERCE 0 0 0.00
148 174 77 WALTER SORIANO ROGER PHILLLIPS 0 0 0.00
149 172 79 RICK HOWINGTON 0 0 0.00
150 154 97 WAYNE CUPP KEITH HARMON 0 0 0.00
151 152 99 KEN VICCHIO GREG MCDAVID 0 0 0.00
152 76 175 X BILL JENKINS JAMES ARNETTE 0 0 0.00
153 43 208 JERRY ARNWINE MIKE PETTY 0 0 0.00
154 42 209 HERMILO SALGADO JOSE SALGADO 0 0 0.00
155 35 216 DANNY GARBER DAVID SOLOMON 0 0 0.00
156 34 217 SAM COMBS TAYLER DAVIS 0 0 0.00
157 19 232 DUSTIN BUCKNER JAY FAULKNER 0 0 0.00
158 18 233 X TODD DUFF JOE DUFF 0 0 0.00
159 16 235 X EDDIE BARNES MARK COLLINS 0 0 0.00
160 13 238 MIKE BOGGS JAMES BOGGS 0 0 0.00
161 8 243 X GARY MATHES BRUCE CLEVENGER 0 0 0.00
162 6 245 MIKE TAYLOR MLLEY TAYLOR 0 0 0.00

Rojas Retakes Lead As Elite Anglers Head Into Final Day On Sabine River!

Teaser image:
1 Dean Rojas 5 15-10 5 10-14 5 11-14 15 38- 6
2 Todd Faircloth 5 10- 7 5 16- 8 4 7-14 14 34-13
3 Ishama Monroe 5 11- 3 5 10- 9 5 9-15 15 31-11
4 Terry Scroggins 3 9-11 5 14-10 3 7- 1 11 31- 6
5 Jeff Kriet 5 10-13 5 10- 9 5 9- 0 15 30- 6

Rojas retakes lead on the Sabine. photo courtesy B.A.S.S.

Dean Rojas retook the lead in the Bassmaster Elite Series Sabine River Challenge from Todd Faircloth who had assumed control yesterday. Faircloth has a 3-day total weight of 34 pounds, 13 ounces and for the first time this week came in a fish short of a limit. Rojas (38-6 total) is one of only 6 anglers to catch a limit each of the three tournament days.

Ish Monroe is throwing big baits and still, half of his fish are shorts. 30-to-35 bites per day yield about 15 keepers per day. As mpreviously mentioned, 94 of 100 pros have not caught 15 keepers this week.

Ish’s list of lures includes the Missile Baits D Bomb, an upgrade from the Missile Craw he was using earlier this week. He said the D Bomb produces bigger fish. Apparently it has. Ish’s penchant for catching bigger bass has put him in 3rd place heading into the final round of competition with a total weight of 31-11.

‘Big Show’ Terry Scroggins has taken a different path to the top. While the rest of the top several contestants have pretty much brought limits each day, Big Show has brought bigger fish, even though he has left 4 swimming over the course of the tournament. His 11 bass weigh 31-6, nearly a 3-pound average. Had he caught 5 each day he would be leading this thing by a bunch.

Small limits are worth big bucks this week.

Jeff Kriet has quietly brought his 5 fish each day. His total weight of 30-6 puts him in 5th.

That’s the pretty picture. For the rest of the field, how tough has it been?

Rick Morris caught a 5-fish limit. It took him 3 days to do it. He weighed only 3 fish the first two days and made the 50 cut.

That has to be a record.

Today he added 2 more to give him a grand total of 5 keepers on three days. As is Scroggins, Morris was on the right size fish, better than a 3-pound average. His 17-7 aggregate was good for 31st place and $10,000.

Billy McCaghren made the 50 cut with a two-day total weight of only 10 pounds. That is an official Bassmaster Elite Series record for lowest weight ever to cut a paycheck. He caught 5 total keepers the first two days. He matched that with a limit today. That jumped him up 25 spots in the standings.

Takahiro Omori made the top 20 with a zero on his scorecard (from day 1).

Dennis Tietje actually made the 12 cut with a 1-fish showing on the first day.

Small bass aren’t the only ineligible fish eating the pros lures this week. Saltwater species abound. “I caught fish that I don’t even know what they were,” said Elite Series rookie James Elam.

Fish, gators, and snakes aren’t the only wildlife encountered by the pros.

On day 2 Brandon Card compared his 20-acre backwater to the movie ‘Deliverance’. Said he’s passing a bunch of weird houses with weird people walking around. Dave Mercer teased on stage yesterday, “If you start hearing banjos, get out of there!” Today Card an update, “You know that spot I was talking about? I kid you not, banjos were playing this morning. If I’m lying I’m dying.”

Card is running 73 miles one way to his deserted fishing hole. By comparison to many pros this week, he’s fishing close.

Mike McClelland said that if he makes the cut and fishes tomorrow he will have logged over 1,000 miles in his boat this week. He made the cut.

 


Patrick Pierce Shows The G Force Trolling Motor Cable!

Star Tron Pro Patrick Pierce shows us the NEW G Force trolling motor cable from T&H Marine. There's a good reason you're starting to see this on all of the pros' rigs. Pat explains.


Sabine River Challenge Continues To Challenge Elite Anglers

Teaser image:

 

PLACE NAME DAY 1 DAY 2 TOTAL FISH TOTAL WEIGHT
FISH WEIGHT FISH WEIGHT
1 Todd Faircloth 5 10- 7 5 16- 8 10 26-15
2 Dean Rojas 5 15-10 5 10-14 10 26- 8
3 Cliff Crochet 5 13- 0 5 12- 0 10 25- 0
4 Terry Scroggins 3 9-11 5 14-10 8 24- 5
5 Mark Davis 5 13-13 4 8- 6 9 22- 3

Ike ended up high and dry. photo by B.A.S.S.

Todd Faircloth took the lead at the Bassmaster Elite Series event on the Sabine River which straddles the Texas/Louisiana border. He brought 16-8, the day’s biggest bag, and ran his total to 26-15.

Day 1 leader, Dean Rojas is less than a half-pound behind with 26-8.

Cliff Crochet, Terry Scroggins and Mark Davis are 3rd, 4th, 5th.

Alton Jones is catching bass. He’s even catching keepers. He’s solved two pieces of the puzzle but he’s still dealing with one problem that concerned most anglers – crowding. “There have been 6 limits out of that spot,” said Jones of prime area.

The Sabine River was stingy again but a win is a win and the winner will still make $100,000 and gain a lead in the angler of the Year Race.

Half the field will, at least, take home ten-grand. “When you catch one that’s a pound and 10 ounces and you know it’s a $10,000 fish, you get pretty jacked,” said Garry Klein.

Klein missed the cut but Kelly Jordon bounded into the cut with a 13-15 limit that made up for a 3-pound day 1. “It’s all about decisions, where you go, being in the right place at the right time. I got fortunate,” concluded Jordon.

Talk about being in the right place at the right time (and knowing it). Chris Lane called his shot. “I told the camera boat ‘y’all are gonna leave and I’m gonna catch a 2-pounder out of that mat and y’all are going to miss it’.” The camera crew stayed to watch Lane make one more flip. He caught a 2-pounder. On cue. Some guys couldn’t catch a 2-pounder all week.

Long runs are part of the story this week. “I’m averaging 1 fish for every 41 gallons of gas,” quipped Gerald Swindle.

Jeremy Starks – “I ran 175 miles one-way to Morgan City, Louisiana to catch one fish that weighs 1 pound, 1 ounce.”

Considering that Starks blanked yesterday, that one fish was worth valuable points. Without it he would have gone the way of Jami Fralick, Matt Greenblatt and Kelley Jaye, who all leave Orange TX with no points as they did not weigh a single keeper.

Brandon Card said of his 73 mile run – “It’s like Deliverance. I’m Passing all these weird houses; weird people walking around.” Apparently he passed the right houses. Card is squarely inside the cut at 13th.

Mike Iaconelli wishes he had passed more weird houses. Instead, he lost control of his boat and parked it high and dry on a thicket of shoreline trees. No one was hurt in the accident.

 


Brian Morgan And Dale Surrett Bag Almost 16 Lbs In The Carolina Coach And Marine Monday Nighter-Full Results And Points Here!

Teaser image:

Here are your updated points and results from this past Monday Night Carolina Coach and Marine Tournament out at Lake Norman.

 

Brian Morgan and Dale Surrett hold up their winning Stringer Mon NightBrian Morgan and Dale Surrett hold up their winning Stringer Mon Night


Long Runs, Little Fish And Dean Rojas Dominate Day 1 Of Elite Series Tourney On Sabine River

Teaser image:

Your Top 5:

 

1        Dean Rojas         15-10

2        Mark Davis          13-13

3        Cliff Crochet         3- 0

4        Hank Cherry        12-11

5        Greg Hackney      11-13

 

Rojas leads - photo courtesy B.A.S.S./Seigo Saito

“I’ve fished a lot of tough places in my day,” said Mike Iaconelli. “This one takes the cake.”

On the other hand, James Niggemeyer had fish jumping into his boat. Literally. He thinks it had something to do with the Strike King Sexy Shad wrap on his boat. The fish was only 10 inches long, but under B.A.S.S. rules Niggemeyer would have to throw the fish back even if it had been a keeper.

Anglers expected the Sabine River would be tough on them from a fishing standpoint, but the long runs required to find quality fish took heavy tolls on outboard motors as well.

Local favorite Dennis Tietje had problems 20 miles from the takeoff point. The service crew got him back on track. But he lost more than 3 hours of precious fishing time. He had one fish that weighed 2 pounds, 14 ounces.

Chad Pipkens “got to go swimming today” when he had mechanical issues.

John Murray lost his lower unit . . . 100 miles away.

Hank Cherry continues to ride the momentum that pushed him to a high finish at the recent Classic. “I’m picking up a big jig and throwing it at everything I can throw it at. No rhyme or reason, sometimes you set the hook and the fish goes flying over the boat. Sometimes it’s a good fish.”

Kenyon Hill only caught 1 keeper but it was the right one – 4 pounds, 1 ounce. He actually caught more fish today than he has in practice, but only the biggest one would measure.

One lonely keeper is a very valuable commodity this week. “If these guys don’t weigh a fish, they don’t get any points at all,” noted tournament director Tripp Weldon. “We’ll have some guys come in with no fish and they’ll be in a deep hole when it comes to qualifying for the Classic.”

A bunch of guys simply accumulated valuable points today. Thirteen did not. That’s 13% of the most competitive anglers in the world that failed to catch a 14-inch bass today on the Sabine River.

“I’ve about lost my voice from screaming after I caught my first 14-incher today,” said Jason Williamson.

 “When that 5th one came over and into the boat I never made another cast,” said Alton Jones.  “I didn’t know if I had enough gas to get back.” Like most of the field, Jones is making a long run and catching a lot of “weekers”- “that means in another week they would be keepers,” explained Jones.

Dean Rojas was all smiles – “What a feeling. I really didn’t think I was going to catch them that well. I just went running 75 miles down the Intracoastal, burning some gas, catching some bass.”

Rojas caught enough of the right bass to take the lead with 15-10, including the big bass on the day, a 5pound, 15 ounce specimen that qualifies as an absolute monster on the Sabine.

Keith Combs made an 83 mile run to fish for an hour without catching anything; he caught all of his fish (3 that weighed 6-15) 10 miles away on the return trip.

Paul Elias did the math and figured that his single 3 pound, 11 ounce fish cost him “50-miles-to-the-pound.”

Brandon Palaniuk (3-1 today) also did some division. “I think that is the most expensive 2 bass I have ever caught in my life. I spent $150 in gas to catch those two fish. Tomorrow I may drop the trolling motor and stay close and see what happens.”

Fish management is critical – Brandon Card caught 6 and left his spot – “I think 5 fish a day will go a long way here this week.”

Then again, saving fish may not help as much as it otherwise would in this here-today-gone-tomorrow fishery. “It’s a day-to-day deal here,” said Greg Hackney. He had an 11-13 limit. “I’m really proud to have that today.”

Some guys, for instance, Kelly Jordon made a long run to find their water “blown out” by wind which can stir shallow, muck-bottomed bayous.

Kevin VanDam and Terry Scroggins both mentioned muddy water due to recent south winds and tidal influx. Scroggins had a slightly better time in the muddy water, 3 fish for 9-11 vs. VanDam’s 3 for 8-2.

Even without 5-fish limits, Scroggins is 12th, VanDam 19th. Additionally, Fred Roumbanis is 14th without a limit (3 fish, 9-5) and Bernie Schultz is 20th with 4 bass that weigh 8-1. Otherwise, a small limit was golden today as everyone who caught 5 fish (16 anglers) is in the top 20.

Cliff Crochet (currently 3rd) excited the locals when he put 13 pounds on the scale. Heck, Crochet was just happy to speak in front of a crowd that could understand his Cajun accent.

 


More Great Boat-Rigging Tips From Star Tron Pro Pat Pierce!

In this, Part 2, of our look at a tournament-ready rig Patrick Pierce show us around the battery compartment of the Star Tron Triton. You will be surprised at the technology that powers his rig!


Challenge, Commit, Survive All Key Words For Elite Series Pros At Sabine River This Week

Stop #2 of the 2013 Bassmaster Elite Series will be an absolute big bass slug fest on Falcon Lake.

But that will have to wait another week. Right now the Elite Series pros have resigned themselves to the grind that will greet them as the 2013 season gets underway on the Sabine River which straddles the Texas/Louisiana border below Toledo Bend Lake.

How tough is it? “Abnormally tough,” said James Niggemeyer. “I’m going into my 7th year of doing this and this week has been the toughest practice I’ve ever had.

“You can catch quite a few but catching 14-inchers (the minimum length limit this week) is a challenge. That’s the best word I can use to sum it up – ‘challenge’. Practice was challenging. I looked at a lot of different water and it looked the same everywhere I went.”

In addition to ‘challenge’ a key word this week will be ‘commitment’. Given the spread out nature of the waterway, anglers will not have time to change locations frequently. As is usually the case on delta fisheries, pre-tournament decisions will play a huge roll.

“I’m making a decent run, putting my head down and putting all my eggs in one basket,” affirmed Niggemeyer.

As for lure selection, it is simple this week. Pitching plastics and slinging a spinnerbait are the best tactics on this tidewater playing field. Niggemeyer will flip a Strike King Rodent and toss a ¼-oz. Strike King spinnerbait.

After the practice rounds Greg Vinson is “Certainly not comfortable. It’s tough to get a keeper. I talked to a lot of guys and if most of them are being honest 1-to-3 per day is all they’re catching. There are a lot of 12-inch fish.”

In faraway places most anglers hang their proverbial hats on something that reminds them of home. Vinson has found that, but it’s little consolation. “This place is a lot like the Mobile/Tensaw Delta. It’s similar in size and fishes similarly, but down there in Mobile we can keep 12-inch fish in a tournament.”

Vinson will make a big decision in the morning. “I’m split between 2 areas; still not sure where to go. It’s hard to put a lot of stock in either one.” One area offers quality but it would be hard to scratch out a limit. The other offers a solid chance to catch a small limit but nothing more. Vinson realistically hopes to get 3 or 4 bites per day. He adds another key word to our lexicon this week:  ‘survive’. “I’m really trying to - what’s the word - survive this one. It would be very easy to zero 2 days in a row here. You don’t want to mess around and put yourself out of contention for the Classic.”

 Saltwater intrusion from hurricanes killed many of the Sabine’s bass and those fish grow slowly as it is so recovery slow in coming. “You can see the results of the state’s stocking efforts but we need a couple more years. Those fish are all 12-inches or less,” noted Vinson. “The winner is going to have a little area that has a few quality fish. And right now, to me, a quality fish is anything over 2 pounds.”

 


Catt Old North Results & Catt Classic Kerr Info

 2013 CATT Classic is on Kerr Lake May 18-19. To be eligible to enter the CATT Classic you and your partner ONLY have to enter 1 CATT even which includes teams from 2012 and 2013. A team can still qualify by fishing 1 of the Spring CATT events before May 18. The complete list of eligible teams is on the home page of the CATT site. 1st Place at the Classic will be $10,000 to $12,000.

Jeremy Sabo and Dale Campo took 1st Place Saturday at Shearon Harris with 5 bass weighing up at 25.14 lbs. They also took home the 1st Place BONUS $. All total they collected $1,265.00!

Billy West and Tracy Sykes claimed 2nd Place with another limit weighing 22.78 lbs and they took the 2nd Place BONUS $. They took home $640.00.

 3rd went to Jamie Fajardo and Josh Hooks with 5 bass weighing 21 lbs even. They weighed in a 9 pounder which took 2nd BF. They earned a total of $402.00.

Chad Craven and Ben Cannon weighed in 19.69 lbs and took 4th Place. They claimed $175.00.

Dennis Reedy and Jeffery Thomas brought in a limit weighing 17.39 lbs and they collected $120.00.

Steve Bishop and Robin Bowen took the last money spot with 5 bass weighing 15.25 lbs. They received $100.00.

Tony Woodard and Scott Smith brought in a 9.04 lb bass and took home $238.00 for 1st BF.

Next Old North Qualifier is this Sunday March 17th at Shearon Harris.

Brett Collins

Carolina Anglers Team Trail LLC

 


Swindle Speaks About Using Non-Sponsor Products

You knew they did it. And you were right! Pros sometimes use products made by companies that don't sponsor them. Sometimes they even use lures manufactured by a direct competitor. Gerald Swindle explains:


Hite Hoping His 'delta Magic' Continues In Elite Series Opener On Sabine River

On the first day of the 1999 Bassmaster Classic on the Louisiana Delta, Davy Hite discovered the fish had changed in the spot he had located during practice, but he did not panic.

“I had to figure those fish out and it all worked out,” said Hite who won that Classic, weighing in a total of more than 55 pounds of bass, just a fraction of an ounce under 10 pounds ahead of his nearest competitor.

The long-time pro from Ninety Six, S.C., is hoping that experience will serve him well in the Bassmaster Elite Series season opener, the Sabine River Challenge, along the Texas-Louisiana border this week.

“We've never been here. I don't know of any of the Elite anglers who ever fished a tournament here, so we don't know what to expect,” he said. “But I like my chances on a delta like this because I have had some success on bodies of water like this.”

The water around Orange, Texas, he noted, is a delta, with a lot of shallow water, cuts, rivers and canals running through it.

“I've been successful in canals and shallow water, flipping and cranking, so this area kind of plays to my strengths. I am excited about getting the new year started on a new place and excited about going to try to pattern these fish,” he said.

He's also excited about a new lure that he plans to use extensively this week, the Rapala Scatter Rap,which features a balsa body with a curved or 'Scatter Lip' that, according to Rapala, “creates the most evasive, erratic, aggressive sweeping action ever seen.”

“It's got a different action than any other crankbait I've ever seen,” Hite said. “Instead of coming straight back to you on a retrieve, it darts to the left and right like a baitfish being chased. I think it is going to change shallow water cranking.”

Several factors could weigh heavily in the tournament this week, Elite anglers say. Most expect the spawn to be on, so a lot of fish could be caught. But the size limit is 14 inches minimum,, so that could make it tough to get a quality limit.

“From the research I've done it doesn't appear that a lot of big largemouths are caught here, so I don't think the weights will be very high,” Hite said.

Whatever the outcome, however, Hite said he had already enjoyed being down on the delta this week.

“We've met some very hospitable people here who have been very good to us,” he said. “A couple of guys went and caught some redfish and flounder and Kevin VanDam is filleting them, and we are boiling up some crawfish so we are going to have a good time.”

Bassmaster Elite Series Sabine River Challenge

Mar 14-17, 2013

Sabine River - near Orange, TX

City of Orange Boat Ramp

www.bassmaster.com

 


Carver Hoping For A Bass Fishing Feast In Bulldog Bfl On Seminole Saturday

Kim Carver of Milledgeville, GA. Photo courtesy FLW Outdoors

For veteran bass angler Kim Carver of Milledgeville, Ga., fishing on Lake Seminole is either feast or famine.

“There is not an in between for me on Lake Seminole,” he said. “It's either good or bad.”

His history on the lake bears him out. He has finished as high as 2nd in the 2010 BFL Regional and 7th in the 2005 Bassmaster Series on the lake – and he has finished well out of the money on many other occasions.

Carver is hoping Saturday will be one of the good ones for him on Lake Seminole in the Walmart Bass Fishing League Bulldog Division's second tournament of the season. He finished 5th in the season opener on Lake Lanier last month, winning $996 plus a $300 Evinrude bonus with a five-fish limit that weighed 15 pounds, 6 ounces.

“We will be on a new moon this weekend, so I think there will be a lot of spawning fish. The advantage for me will be that the lake is muddy and nobody can see them.”

Carver said recent heavy rains have muddied the lake, but the bass will still move up on the sandbars in the mouths of major creeks like Spring Creek to begin spawning.

“You should be able to catch a lot of fish on spinnerbaits,” he said. “Two years ago they were blind fishing in the Bassmaster Classic on the Louisiana Delta. When one would hit it they would have to make multiple casts before he would hit it again. That is probably what will be going on this week on Seminole.”

Carver said he did not practice on Seminole over the weekend because the weather is changing and the fish will change with the weather.

“When the water warms the fish can change drastically. I felt like going down there over the weekend would have been a waste of time because the fish are going to be moving so much with this warm weather.”

Carver, who has been fishing tournaments on a regular basis for more than three decades, predicted it will probably take over 25 pounds to win the BFL on Lake Seminole Saturday.

“It will probably take 15 pounds just to make a check. Fishing is going to be that good.”

Carver burst onto the B.A.S.S. scene with top 10 finishes on Lake Okeechobee and Lake Eufaula in 1980 and 1982, won the 1984 St. John's Invitational on the St. John's River and qualified for the 1985 Bassmaster Classic on the Arkansas River where he earned a very respectable 11th place finish for a Classic rookie.

Since then he has fished B.A.S.S. and FLW tournaments and spent a lot of time locally in BFL tournaments.

“I got to where I had to go to work for a living,” said Carver who owns multiple businesses.”When you get children you kind of change your attitude about what you can go. I've taken the money I won over the years and invested it, trying to make something for my children.

He claims a granddaughter and nephew as his own and said his own two sons will be with him at Lake Seminole this weekend, one fishing as a boater and one as a no-boater.

“Fishing kept me out of trouble growing up , so I had to keep them out of trouble too,” he said with a chuckle. “My daddy always kept us in the woods no matter what. If we were not running dogs we were at the lake fishing.”

Walmart Bass Fishing League - Bulldog Division

Sat, Mar 16, 2013

Lake Seminole

Bainbridge Boat Basin

www.flwoutdoors.com

 


Denver Marine Cancels Spring Trail, Promotes Monster Bass Thursday Night Trail

The Denver Marine Monster Bass Invitational Spring Trail was canceled as of Tuesday morning when the tournament director left to pursue other interests.

“It's just one of those things,” said Danny McCall at Denver Marine. “We don't have time to get a new director for the spring trail. I hate it – I had a lot of time and money tied up in it, but I have to do what I have to do at this point.”

The spring trail cancellation will also cause a change in the prize package for Denver Marine's 2013 Monster Bass Thursday Night Trail on Lake Norman, McCall said, because both trails were going to fish for a new Ranger Boat.

“Now it's just cash prizes. Most guys would rather have the money than fish for a boat, anyway,” he said.

“We will continue the Lake Norman Thursday Night Trail with the second tournament this Thursday, March 14. We hold these tournaments the first three Thursday's of each month and we are off the last Thursday of the month. Then we have double points for the first Thursday tournament each month.”

The Thursday night tournaments will be held out of Midway Marine from 6:30 to 11 p.m. from March through September. The two lowest scores during the season will be dropped. The championship will be held Oct. 12-13.

For questions about the Thursday night trail, call Harley at 704-483-2628.

Denver Marine Monster Bass Thursday Night Trail

Thurs., Mar 14, 2013

Lake Norman

Midway Marina

www.denverrecreationalmarine.com

Call 704-483-2628 for more information

 


New Bassmaster Elite Series Season Begins This Week In Orange, Texas

Photo courtesy BASS Communications

When asked if he had ever competed on the Sabine River, site of the March 14-17 Bassmaster Elite Series season opener, Elite Series pro Dennis Tietje chuckled.

“Only for about 30 years,” he replied.

He’s in the minority because the Elite Series has never had an event on the Sabine. Most of the 100 competitors don’t know what to expect in this week’s Sabine River Challenge presented by STARK Cultural Venues out of Orange, Texas.

That means Tietje has been getting a lot of phone calls from his fellow Elite Series pros angling for his secrets.

“Sure, they call — but I don’t tell them anything,” he said, the smile still in his voice.

Tietje would be wise not to surrender any advantage. An Elite Series first prize is $100,000, an instant qualification for the 2014 Bassmaster Classic and the early lead in the Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year season-long points race.

Tietje already seems to have Lady Luck working for him. He just returned to the Elite Series after a medical leave in 2012 for spinal surgery, and where is the first event of the season? Where he cut his competitive teeth.

“I was totally shocked when I first heard the Elite Series was coming here. I never dreamed I would compete at the Elite level where I learned to fish,” Tietje said.

He lives in Roanoke, La., about 60 miles east of Orange. That’s given him many opportunities over the years to enter a number of small, local tournaments on the Sabine, which forms the southeasterly Texas-Louisiana border. No big tournaments, he’s quick to point out. To his knowledge, the Elite event is the largest organized tournament to come to Orange.

That fact has a lot to do with why Todd Faircloth has never competed on the Sabine River, even though he lives just 90 miles away in Jasper, Texas. He’s usually at work on the water far from home.

Ditto for Alabama’s Keith Poche, although some might assume he knows the Sabine because he is a native of central Louisiana. Growing up, he spent a lot of time on small waters near where he lived in Natchitoches, but he never fished the Sabine, he said.

To help close up the holes in their knowledge of the Sabine, Faircloth and Poche scouted the river system before the Feb. 11, 2013, cutoff.  (After that date, all Elite competitors were barred from tournament waters until the official March 11-13 practice period.)

On his scouting trip, Poche said he was reminded of Louisiana’s Atchafalaya Basin fishery.

“It’s a lot like Atchafalaya, but I think it’s going to fish differently,” said Poche, who now lives in Alabama. “The largemouth size limit for the Sabine event is 14 inches, and that’s going to make it tough on a lot of guys to get a limit. And I don’t think we’re going to be catching a lot of 4s and 5s.”

He, Faircloth and Tietje described an area south of Orange, off the main Sabine River, where huge spreads of backwaters, bayous and feeder rivers and creeks in both Texas and Louisiana hold black bass. The Neches, Calcasieu and other rivers are fertile fishing grounds. The Intracoastal Waterway connects some of the waters. North of Orange, anglers will find more of a traditional river, but some of the same types of backwaters.

The size of the tournament waters means an angler’s morning choice about where to find fish will likely be the only choice of the day.

“In the backwaters, it’s like a maze, so many canals and cuts. You really have to pick an area and go with it,” Poche said. “There’s so much water, you can’t run from area to area.”

Especially in the river system’s lower reaches, the tides will play a big role, Poche said.

“You have to catch that water moving,” he said. “The tides will position those fish. It’ll be all timing — and getting the right bites [by larger bass] because there are a lot of smaller fish there.”

Faircloth made time to scout the Sabine River, even though he was prepping for the Feb. 22-24 Bassmaster Classic on Oklahoma’s Grand Lake, where he finished ninth, a heroic recovery from Day 2 in 21st place and a jumpstart mentally for his Elite season.

“I’ve been there for trout and redfish, but I’ve never bass fished down there, so I spent four or five days there just riding around,” he said of the Sabine fishery. “There’s so much water that’s accessible, so much to look at, I wanted to get at least a feel for it.”

He predicts that the majority of the tournament’s catches will come from the backwaters, and the spawn will play somewhat of a role.

“I think there definitely will be fish in all stages of the spawn. I don’t think they’ll be too far from where they live in summertime — around moving water. But moving water won’t play as big a role as it would in summertime,” Faircloth said.

Tietje also scouted the river before cutoff, just to brush up. His main challenge is to fight off “fishing the past,” a syndrome that can trip up any local favorite who can’t resist returning to once-lucrative spots, even though conditions are nagging at the angler to try something else.

Predicting a winning Elite Series weight is difficult, Tietje said.

“There’s not as many big fish as there was before the hurricanes, but we’re going to catch fish,” Tietje said. “Mother Nature has a way of bringing a fishery back real fast, and with the restocking programs, there’s a lot of fish, and anglers are going to catch a lot of fish.”

That said, the Elite field needs to get used to seeing the number 13 on measuring sticks.

“There are tons of bass, but many haven’t made it to 14 inches yet,” Tietje said. “You might have an angler catch 50 or 60 fish — and one keeper. But if the weather’s right, we’ll have a lot of limits. That’s the main thing: Mother Nature will dictate the tournament’s outcome, depending on rainfall, wind and temperatures the week of the tournament. None of us will know until the tournament starts.”

Because one of his sponsors, Gopher Industrial, is located in Orange, Tietje has driven through the town often lately.

“It’s unbelievable what the community is doing to make sure this tournament is memorable for anglers, their families and fans. They really want people to know what Orange is about. They even had boats out picking up trash on the river and people cleaning up along the shorelines. That was neat for me to see that. The whole community is excited about the Elite event coming to Orange.”

Bassmaster.com will provide extensive coverage of the tournament each day. On site, fans are invited to watch the Thursday-Sunday 7 a.m. launches and 3:15 p.m. weigh-ins at the City of Orange Boat Ramp, 1000 Simmons Drive and Harry Reed Road, Orange, TX 77630. A full schedule is posted on Bassmaster.com.

There’s no admission charge for any Bassmaster event, and access to Bassmaster.com is free.

The event’s title sponsor is STARK Cultural Venues, www.starkculutralvenues.org. Other local sponsors include Greater Orange Area Chamber of Commerce, www.orangetexaschamber.org; and the City of Orange, www.orangetexas.net.

2013 Bassmaster Elite Series Official Sponsors: Toyota, Bass Pro Shops, Berkley, Evan Williams Bourbon, Humminbird, Mercury, Minn Kota, Nitro Boats, Skeeter Boats, Triton Boats, Yamaha

2013 Bassmaster Elite Series Supporting Sponsors: Carhartt, Livingston Lures, Lowrance, Luck “E” Strike, Power-Pole, Ramada, Shimano

2013 Bassmaster Elite Series Proud Partner: Mustang Survival

About B.A.S.S.

For more than 45 years, B.A.S.S. has served as the authority on bass fishing. The organization advances the sport through advocacy, outreach and an expansive tournament structure while connecting directly with the passionate community of bass anglers through its Bassmaster media vehicles.

The Bassmaster brand and its multimedia platforms are guided by a mission to serve all fishing fans. Through its industry-leading publications — Bassmaster Magazine and B.A.S.S. Times — comprehensive website Bassmaster.com and ESPN2 and Outdoor Channel television programming, Bassmaster provides rich, leading-edge content true to the lifestyle.

The Bassmaster Tournament Trail includes the Bassmaster Elite Series, Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Open Series, Carhartt Bassmaster College Series, B.A.S.S. Nation events and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the Bassmaster Classic.

B.A.S.S. offers an array of services to its more than 500,000 members and remains focused on issues related to conservation and water access. The organization is headquartered in Birmingham, Ala.

 


Cbs Quality Cars Hyco Lake Open Tournament Results - Mar 9, 2013

Tony Fox and Wayne Sheppard hauled in 5 bass weighing 21.03 to win!

What a great day for the inaugural CBS Quality Cars Hyco Lake Open! It was a little chilly in the morning but as the day went on the wind died down and it got up to about 60 degrees and was nice and sunny!

We had 42 teams fishing in the tournament. The winning team of Tony Fox and Wayne Sheppard had 5 bass that weighed 21.03 lbs. That was worth $1,000. Then they had the big bass of the tournament which weighed 6.64 lbs., worth $294. They also won the Tournament Within a Tournament worth $473. Then they collected the $1,000 1st place bonus provided by Steve Smith, owner of CBS Quality Cars. All in all, they took home $2,767 !!!

All the participants were treated to hot dogs, chips and drinks, along with many gifts from CBS Quality Cars.  Below are the list of the top winners:

1st: Tony Fox & Wayne Sheppard of Timberlake & Prospect Hill...5 bass...21.03 lbs...$1,000

2nd: Jimmy & James Wall of Greensboro...5 bass...19.59 lbs...$550

3rd: Alan Haigh & Doug Washburn of Prospect Hill & Chapel Hill...4 bass...16.56 lbs...$440

4th: Dale Martin & Brian Owens of Stokesdale...5 bass...10.91 lbs...$347

5th: Nathan Talley & Brent Davis of Prospect Hill & Burlington...4 bass...10.39 lbs...$283

6th: George Crabtree & Thomas Glosson of Bahama & Rougemont...5 bass...10.28 lbs...$220

7th: David Gentry & Clint Dixon of Timberlake...4 bass...9.92 lbs...$190

8th: Doug Johnson & Tim Hubler of Raleigh...4 bass...9.58 lbs...$160

1st Big Fish: 1st Place Team above: 6.64 lbs...$294

2nd Big Fish: Tommy Bugg & Ahargh Faircloth of Trinity & Thomasville: 5.76 lbs...$126

1st TWT: 1st Place Team above: 21.03 lbs...$473

2nd TWT: 2nd Place Team above: 19.59 lbs...$203

Our next Piedmont Bass Classics event is the CBS Quality Cars Mini Trail Qualifier #2 at Jordan Lake, this coming Saturday, March 16th.

http://www.piedmontbassclassics.com/2013CBSMiniTrailMainPage.html

All the information on this and all of our great tournaments can be found at: www.piedmontbassclassics.com

Phil McCarson ... Tournament Director 919-471-1571 or 919-971-5042 email: [email protected] web: www.piedmontbassclassics.com

 


What Does A Tournament-Ready Rig Look Like These Days?

So you think YOUR rig is tourney ready? Patrick Pierce shows us what makes his Star Tron Triton capable of handling the rigors of Bassmaster Opens competition and PAA Tour tourneys across the country. And this is just Part 1- the battery compartment required an entire video segment of its own, coming soon!


Good Start On The Bassmaster Weekend Series

The First stop for my 2013 season was on my home waters of Lake Murray. Living on the lake has allowed me to put in a good amount of time pre-fishing. I spent many weeks out deep fishing a drop shot and a jerkbait, typical winter patterns, with absolutely nothing to show for. Once again, a herring lake throws me another curve ball that doesn’t make sense. Some of the guys at work were telling me that they were catching good quality fish shallow off of floating docks using small crank baits.

I finally made the move to the bank and started fishing the coves with floating docks. It didn’t take long for the bites to start coming once I figured out the right coves to target. So much in fact that I could start calling my shots. That’s when fishing can be really fun. I was consistently catching between 16-18lbs every time out.

To start things out I was the last boat out on Saturday. So I took my time getting the boat in the water because of the drizzling cold conditions. I didn’t start backing the boat down the ramp until boat one was called for launch.

With the rain starting to come down, my co-angler and I both prayed for the rain to hold off for the remainder of day because we were both unprepared wearing tennis shoes instead of boots.

My weapons of choice were a Berkley Flicker Shad and a Rapala Shad Rap. I was throwing both crankbaits on spinning gear with Berkley Vanish 8 lb fluorocarbon. I was targeting southern facing pockets with floating docks. The southern facing pockets protect the water from the brutally coldnorthern winds and the black floats on the docks radiate heat from the sun. During practice, I was having to make super tight casts to those floating docks in order to get a bite.

My partner was throwing a Berkley Schooling rig. He had won the BFL the year before on Murray as a co-angler throwing shad raps behind his partner who was throwing an A-rig. So my partner felt completely comfortable fishing behind me throwing a schooling rig.

With the rain and overcast conditions, the fish didn’t have a reason to relate to the black dock floats. We caught most of our fish in between the docks. I caught a few off the dock floats but they were small. My two biggest fish came in less then three feet of water off the Flicker Shad.
My co-angler on the other hand only had two bites but they were the right ones. His first fish came off a dock in the back of a cove and it crushed his schooling rig. The other came out of the same pocket in between the docks. It hit the rig the so hard it about ripped the rod out of his hands. That one weighed in right at 7 lbs even.

So with his two fish he ended up weighing just under 12 lbs and winning the event as well as taking big fish. I was pretty excited for him even though I ended up with just over 12 lbs and missing a check.

With Julianne and I living together now, it was pretty awesome having her come to weigh in and just be a part of the whole afternoon. Even though I was pretty disappointed with my finish it was really great having her there to root me on.

My next event is going to be my first BFL fishing as a boater. I am excited because the BFLs are a little more competitive then the Bassmaster Weekend Series. It too will be on Lake Murray. So hopefully I can get some better weather conditions and bring in a big sack.

You can also see my blog on my website, www.kgfishing.com.

Until next time, never stop chasing your dreams!


Walser Whacks 'em At Santee

Robert Walser of Lexington, NC walloped the bass, as well as his competitors at the March 9th Bassmaster ABA tournament on Santee Cooper. Fishing out of John C. Land III landing, Walser said he expected it would take 30 pounds to win the tournament. With only 5 anglers bringing a 5-bass limit to the scale, Walser was wrong on that count, but he was right about everything else on the day. Throwing a Weapon jig and a Chatterbait around the base of cypress trees on the upper lake, Walser culled his share of fish and brought 5 fish weighing 25.28 to the weigh-in. 37 anglers joined 37 co-anglers to fish the tournament

Brad Fowler caught the big fish of the day, an 8.77 pounder that helped him to a top-ten finish despite only catching 4 keepers on the day.

Top Ten

1. Robert Walser 5-fish 25.28 lbs

2. Ronnie McCoy 5 fish 20.83

3. Tim Jones 4 fish 20.63

4. Sean Anderson 5 fish 18.99

5. Andy Wicker 4 fish 18.08

6. Brad Fowler 4 fish 16.41 (Big Fish-8.77)

7. Nelson Walker 5 fish 12.71

8. Ron Brown 5 fish 11.29

9. Alexander James 3 fish 9.94

10. Randall Langston 2 fish 8.86


Justin Goodyear And Tony Waterhouse Win The Anglers Choice Marine Tt On High Rock-Full Results Here!

43 Teams turned out to fish for the 1st NC Div event of the Anglers Choice Marine TT. Conditions were as difficult as we've ever seen at any tournament with many teams only bringing 1 fish to the scales. Somehow, Justin and Tony managed to get 3 in the boat and come away with a very hard earned victory. Their efforts netted them $1650 on only a $100 entry fee. Pictures below and full results are attached:

AC Marine TT High Rock Champs Justin Goodyear and Tony Waterhouse 

AC Marine TT High Rock Champs Justin Goodyear and Tony Waterhouse

 

AC Marine TT High Rock 2nd Place Team of Terry James and Kevin Chandler 

AC Marine TT High Rock 2nd Place Team of Terry James and Kevin Chandler

 

AC Marine TT High Rock Solid 5 Lb Fish worth keeping!

AC Marine TT High Rock Solid 5 Lb Fish worth keeping!


Shockin' With Doc - Electro-Fishing Reveals Big Bass Secrets!

Ever wonder where big bass really spend their time, what they eat? Jump in the 'shock boat' with Doc Glawson as we electro-fish a lake that has tremendous potential to turn out big bass along the Florida/Georgia border. Are they eating shad, shiners? Would you believe - lake chub suckers? With water temps in the 50's and with 20-foot depths nearby, we found these bass in less than 6 feet of water. Come learn along with us at Bienville Plantation!


Justin Goodyear And Tony Waterhouse Hold On And Win The Anglerschoice Marine Tt On High Rock Lake!

To say High Rock Lake has been tough lately is the understatement of the season so far...........Justin Goodyear and Tony Waterhouse stuck to their plan and somehow managed to pull out 10.16 Lbs and take home $1650 for their 1st win of the year in the NC Div of the Anglerschoice Marine TT. If you are heading to the Rock anytime soon, here is what you will have to do-


Carl And Stephanie Meyers Win The 2013 Jim Ledbetter With 16.88 Sponsored By Denver Marine!

When Carl and Stephanie Meyers launched Saturday morning on Lake Norman among 204 other boaters, they were looking to just find some fish and enjoy some time together on the water. Well, with their 1st place 16.88 Lb bag, they did just that and more as they took home a $35,000 Ranger Z118/Evinrude E-TEC package sponsored by Denver Marine!


Carl And Stephanie Meyers Win The 2013 Jim Ledbetter With 16.88 Sponsored By Denver Marine-Full Results Here!!

 

Huge win for Carl and Stephanie Meyers as they out dual 203 other teams to win the 2013 Jim Ledbetter Memorial Cancer Tournament sponsored by Denver Marine and Ranger Boats! 204 Boats came out to fish this 27th Annual event. Many folks struggled to get more than 10 Lbs, but for the ones that did, the payday was worth the effort! Full results below:

2013 Jim Ledbetter Champs Stephanie and Carl Meyers: All Smiles with their Denver Marine 2013 Ranger Z118 on the way!2013 Jim Ledbetter Champs Stephanie and Carl Meyers: All Smiles with their Denver Marine 2013 Ranger Z118 on the way!

 

2013 CANCER TOURNAMENT

MARCH 9, 2013 LAKE NORMAN
28 9 17 314 6.52 16.88 632.43
Boat # Team     HW PC # of Fish Caught   Biggest Fish Total Weight Net Weight Place Finished
3 Carl Meyers, Jr & Stephanie Meyers     1   5   4.18 16.88 16.88 1
43 Vince Parker & Mark Parker         5   4.05 14.42 14.42 2
5 Aric Dwyer & Zack Bolick         5   3.26 14.19 14.19 3
164 Shane Lehew & Adam Waters         5   6.52 14.13 14.13 4
7 Alfred Kiesling, Sr & Robert Stiltner         5   3.26 14.07 14.07 5
113 Mark Brown         4   5.09 13.02 13.02 6
170 Larry Lehew & Troy Lehew         5   3.15 12.29 12.29 7
4 Carl Meyers, Sr & Larry Carpenter         5   4.33 11.95 11.95 8
61 Jeff Queen & K J Queen       1 5   3.39 11.85 11.85 9
179 Craig Chambers & Mark Zoltanski         5   4.19 11.47 11.47 10
26 Keith Berry & Jarrad Poarch         5   4.37 11.27 11.27 11
126 Gerald W. Carr & Jerry Bragg         4   4.31 11.27 11.27 12
65 Kevin Toler & Rodney Lambert         5   2.68 11.12 11.12 13
30 Louie Hull & Ryan Hull         5   2.86 11.11 11.11 14
134 George Hirapetian & Aram Hirapetyan         5   2.57 11.08 11.08 15
69 Tracy Schiff & Eric Griggs         5   3.42 10.83 10.83 16
178 Scott Hamrick & Roger Pope         5   4.03 10.81 10.81 17
34 Bobby Wade & Jim Yates         5   3.67 10.74 10.74 18
18 David Hilderbran & Gary Little         5   2.17 10.51 10.51 19
11 Bob Bolick & Rick Hedrick         5   2.50 10.50 10.50 20
71 Klaus Hadschin & Michael Winn         5   2.71 10.41 10.41  
186 Darrin Sigmon & Brian Huffman         5   3.62 10.38 10.38  
103 Zack Bodford & Paul Bodford         5   2.82 9.95 9.95  
168 Jason Lowman & Paul Brittain         4   3.91 9.83 9.83  
66 Craig Rycroft & Richard Cates         5   2.91 9.81 9.81  
201 Michael Fox & Tony Shook         4   3.03 9.77 9.77  
19 Dwight Dellinger & Doug Dellinger         5   2.01 9.74 9.74  
23 Rob Digh & Aaron Digh       1 5   2.22 9.72 9.72  
58 Eddie Smith & Kaleb Hartly         5   3.01 9.60 9.60  
91 Nick Miller & Brandon Brickweg         5   2.78 9.55 9.55  
202 Chris Ellis & Nathan White         3   3.25 9.51 9.51  
  Kevin Young & Jeremy Hamby         5   2.55 9.42 9.42  
173 Tommy Chapman & Reggie Guffy, Jr         5   2.08 9.25 9.25  
35 Jason Wilson & Kelly Logan         5   2.01 9.21 9.21  
28 Tommy Ireland & Dennis Caudle         5   2.72 8.99 8.99  
205 Dave Stevens & Mark Henderson         5   2.64 8.95 8.95  
45 Brayden Rakes & Michael Rakes         3   4.10 8.89 8.89  
8 Kenneth Hoyle & Gerry Goble         5   2.36 8.84 8.84  
76 Kelly Ruff & Tyler Rose       1 5   2.30 8.54 8.54  
115 Alan Whitaker & Kevin Lansill         5   2.50 8.35 8.35  
198 Brian Key & Hunter Key       1 5   0.00 8.16 8.16  
72 Rob Wright & Ralph Faw         3   3.60 8.05 8.05  
107 David Cooke & Dakota Lineburger       1 4   3.23 8.05 8.05  
123 Danne Harie & Thurman Lowry         5   2.13 8.02 8.02  
33 Ben Parker & jimmy Drum         5   0.00 8.01 8.01  
110 Wes Carr & Wayen Carr         5   0.00 7.91 7.91  
14 David Busque & Jerry Ball         5   1.94 7.78 7.78  
105 Jerry Craig & Corrie Craig     1   5   2.29 7.69 7.69  
158 Terry Royston & Graham Rushing         5   0.00 7.58 7.58  
183 Thomas A Sipes & Kenneth R Sipes, Jr         5   0.00 7.50 7.50  
137 Drew Adkins & C. Allen Wellman         5   0.00 7.27 7.27  
87 Alvin Shaw & Stanton Harris         5   0.00 7.17 7.17  
64 Chuck Knight & Brandon Branch         5   0.00 7.08 7.08  
73 Gordon Smith         5   0.00 6.98 6.98  
132 Gabe Cooper & Nathan Randolph         5   0.00 6.97 6.97  
70 Jerry Roper & Larry Connell         5   0.00 6.84 6.84  
149 Danny Mason & Lionel Mason         4   0.00 6.82 6.82  
20 Darin Fabiano & Kurt Barltey         4   0.00 6.74 6.74  
124 Boots Beasley & Dave Johnson         3   3.92 6.48 6.48  
56 Carlos Smith & Israel Mills         5   0.00 6.39 6.39  
80 Anthony Leech & Garrett Hoyle       1 4   2.53 6.38 6.38  
47 Dennis Kennedy & Tracy Brown         2   3.02 6.05 6.05  
135 Bobby Young & Lori Young     1   2   0.00 5.16 5.16  
92 Rob Roakes & Mark Silverthorne         3   0.00 5.13 5.13  
119 Richard Williams & Mike Boger         3   0.00 5.12 5.12  
52 Paul Travis & Stewart Travis         2   0.00 4.44 4.44  
196 David Williams & Gerald Williams         2   0.00 4.08 4.08  
94 Randall Chewning & Jacob Moore       1 3   0.00 4.04 4.04  
166 Darin Bumgarner & Jeremey Hollifield         3   0.00 3.55 3.55  
130 Trace Cochran & Carson Cochran       1 2   0.00 3.02 3.02  
36 Ronnie Huffman & Carl Stafford         2   0.00 3.00 3.00  
85 Nicholas Maney & Jacob Tomblin         1   0.00 2.75 2.75  
1 Paul Bradshaw & Dean Swaim                 0.00  
2 Blaine Holbrook & Chris Corriher                 0.00  
6 Bruce Rahrer & Mike Parlier                 0.00  
9 Scott Beattie & Dwight Beattie                 0.00  
12 Max Long & Jason Long                 0.00  
13 Ronnie Willis & Mike Armstrong                 0.00  
15 William Richards & Stacey Richards                 0.00  
16 Charles Sipe & Charlie Sipe                 0.00  
17 Charles Federico & Greg Federico                 0.00  
21 Patrick Tierney & Maurice Freeze                 0.00  
22 Jefferson Eudy & Daniel Cranford                 0.00  
24 Curtis Carpenter & Tracy Kale                 0.00  
25 Chad Midkiff & Rob Middleton                 0.00  
27 CW Baker & C Dwayne Baker                 0.00  
29 Tyler Hensley & Trent Killian                 0.00  
31 Shaun Lawrence & Andy Shundich                 0.00  
32 M Collen Brittain & Devan Brittain       1         0.00  
37 Wayne Bost & Richard Bost                 0.00  
38 David Lynch & Richard Outlaw                 0.00  
39 John Lutz & Larry Haney                 0.00  
40 Joshua Perry & Blake Mays                 0.00  
41 Dan Morgan & Joyce Morgan     1           0.00  
42 Pete Bejte & Ashley Brotherton                 0.00  
44 Michael Boeke & William Hardy                 0.00  
46 Mark Foy & Alex Foy                 0.00  
48 Mark McCaslin & Mark Taylor                 0.00  
49 Gary Sims & Michael Huffman                 0.00  
50 Clint Benbow & Brandon Abernathy                 0.00  
51 Tim Hollar & Bob Killian                 0.00  
53 Gary Cline & Terry Wien                 0.00  
54 Eric Singleton & Mike Hensley (Not Fishing)                 0.00  
55 Burt Lane & Paul Alford                 0.00  
57 Scott Heavener & Randy Moss                 0.00  
59 Michael Smith & Gerald Smith                 0.00  
60 Danny Lawson & Tim Wiles                 0.00  
62 Steve Addington & Michael Steele                 0.00  
63 Bobby Gill & Wayne Ingram                 0.00  
67 Rodney Adams & Steve Gagnier (Out of Tournament)                 0.00  
68 Randall Sessoms & Larry Fleeman                 0.00  
74 Brian Nappier & Brad Nappier                 0.00  
75 Travis Lovell & Josh Lyalls                 0.00  
77 Randy Embry & Chris Embry                 0.00  
78 Doug Punch & Tim Bumgarner                 0.00  
79 Barry Barber & Andrew Barber                 0.00  
81 Darrel Haber & Ben Haber       1         0.00  
82 Kenneth Stamey & Jerry Lineberger                 0.00  
83 David Edge & Mike Hemmingway                 0.00  
84 Brian Tidwell & Mike Tidwell                 0.00  
86 Michael Shelor                 0.00  
88 Steve Dyer & Bobby Bauer       1         0.00  
89 Bill Greer & Robbie Byrum                 0.00  
90 Donald Stanley & Kevin Stanley                 0.00  
93 Kevin Lynch & Michael Smith                 0.00  
95 Robin Kincaid & Donnie Linn                 0.00  
96 Patrick Duffy & Jim Gurley                 0.00  
97 Jason Amato & David Spivey                 0.00  
98 Roger Milam & Todd Barbee                 0.00  
99 Shane Moose & Mike Ramsey                 0.00  
100 David Bowers & TJ Delcourt                 0.00  
101 Scott Stanbery & David Stanbery                 0.00  
102 Void                 0.00  
104 Chris O'Neal & James Redman                 0.00  
106 Billy Willoughby & Laura Willoughby     1           0.00  
108 Bill Grier & Robbie Bynum                 0.00  
109 Bob Furstenberg & Sheldon Hipps                 0.00  
111 Jason Young                 0.00  
112 Keith Travis & Jeffrey Travis                 0.00  
114 James Akers & Rob Mills                 0.00  
116 Andy Fox & Joel Frye                 0.00  
117 Shawn Foster & Justin Foster                 0.00  
118 Woodrow Holder, Jr & Joshua Holder                 0.00  
120 Tommy Estep & Robert Cooper                 0.00  
121 Charles Jason Price & April H Price     1           0.00  
122 Mark Carpenter & Hunter Carpenter       1         0.00  
125 Chris Graham & Ricky Byrd                 0.00  
127 Harvey Clodfelter                 0.00  
128 John Elliot & Jason Padgett                 0.00  
129 Randy Hedrick & Brian Snapp                 0.00  
131 Dean Hampton & Mitchell Hampton       1         0.00  
133 Michael T Fenniger & Bobby Lineberger                 0.00  
136 Ricky Dennie & Bill Hamilton                 0.00  
138 Eddie Wilson & Lewis Johnson                 0.00  
139 James Osborne & Michael Osborne                 0.00  
140 Danny Roseman & Josh Roseman       1         0.00  
141 John B Parker, Jr & Wesley Shane Bell                 0.00  
142 Chris Hoopaugh & Tyler Hoopaugh                 0.00  
143 Michael D Thomas & Robby Robinson                 0.00  
144 Doug Easton                 0.00  
145 Darrell Fisher & William R Gregory                 0.00  
146 Matt Haywood & Chris Haywood                 0.00  
147 Gene Keiger & Phil Summerville                 0.00  
148 Chris Vallance & Wade Smith                 0.00  
150 Dalton Edwards & Tom Edwards                 0.00  
151 Grady Cheek & Darrel Barbee                 0.00  
152 Anthony Rife & Steven Brady                 0.00  
153 Terry Throneburg & Ray McGinnis                 0.00  
154 Donald Poteat & Jerry Pruitt                 0.00  
155 Paul D Foley & Tim Watwood                 0.00  
156 Chris Guest & Christpher J Guest       1         0.00  
157 Russell Stafford & Randy L Pitts                 0.00  
159 Brian Travis & Kristin Travis     1           0.00  
160 Paul Kiser & David Cheek                 0.00  
161 Thomas Vickers & Zachary Vickers       1         0.00  
162 Matt Walters & Mike Kirkley                 0.00  
163 Dennis Hensley & Steve Yoder                 0.00  
165 John Drew & Howard Bean                 0.00  
167 Mitch Drew & Butch Drew                 0.00  
169 Todd Burchett                 0.00  
171 Ben McKinney & Mike Nishimoto                 0.00  
172 Greg Deal & Matt Stanley                 0.00  
174 Tim Hawley & Brian Hatley                 0.00  
175 Shane Lineberger & Kyle Whisnant                 0.00  
176 Michael Daugherty & Marc Grigg                 0.00  
177 Roger Adams & Susan Adams     1           0.00  
180 Wayne Yarborough & Nicholas Yarborough       1         0.00  
181 Bernie Davis & Ken Wood                 0.00  
182 Doug Fowler & Chad McKinney                 0.00  
184 Mike Clark & Chris Anderson                 0.00  
185 Chris Richey & George Bost                 0.00  
187 Jason Barnes & Keith Barnes                 0.00  
188 John Franklin & Bobby Latuch                 0.00  
189 Ramon Stockham & Brian Morgan                 0.00  
190 Johnny Fish & Sarah Barb     1           0.00  
191 Fred Settlemyer & Mark Helms                 0.00  
192 Ed Douthit & Bill Caudill                 0.00  
193 Jeremi Beathy & Chris Wood                 0.00  
194 Hunter Shvyock                 0.00  
195 Tim Keith & Rob Keith                 0.00  
197 Matthen McBee                 0.00  
199 Doug Sawyer & Chad Sawyer                 0.00  
200 Ryan Paroue & Brad Myels                 0.00  
203 Donnie Woody & Grant McPeters                 0.00  
204 Jeff Johnson & Chuch Poovey                 0.00  
206 Shawn Crosby & Linda Patterson                 0.00  

Greenlee And Burchfield Top 20-Pound Mark On Cherokee To Take The Tom's Marine Tt Win-Full Results Here!

Greenlee and Burchfield Top 20-Pound mark on Cherokee

On March 9 Toms Marine Team Trial kicked off the 2013 season. The crisp cool Spring morning saw 123 boats show up to compete for the guaranteed $2500 first prize. In the end the team of Howard Greenlee and James Burchfield came out on top with a nice 20.33-pound limit to give them the win. Second place went to last years classic champions Randy Brown and Greg Burrell with an 18.48-pound limit. Rodney Ray and Adrian Rasnake came in third with 17.82-pounds. Third place went to Jeremy and Phillip Gordon with 17.33-pounds. Rounding out the top 5 was Bobby Ferguson and Charles McConnell with 16.75-pounds.Full results are attached:


 

Complete results and points are now posted on the Toms Marine web site at http://www.tomsmarinetn.com. Toms Marine would like to invite everyone out for our next event March 30 on Cherokee at the dam.


Walser Wins Santee Aba

Robert Walser of Lexington, NC walloped the bass, as well as his competitors at the March 9th Bassmaster ABA tournament on Santee Cooper. Fishing out of John C. Land III landing, Walser said he expected it would take 30 pounds to win the tournament. With only 5 anglers bringing a 5-bass limit to the scale, Walser was wrong on that count, but he was right about everything else on the day. Throwing a Weapon jig and a Chatterbait around the base of cypress trees on the upper lake, Walser culled his share of fish and brought 5 fish weighing 25.28 to the weigh-in.

Ronnie McCoy of Lamar, SC took second place, weighing in a limit that tipped the scales at 20.83, including a 7.73 pounder. Tim Jones was one fish shy of a limit and finished just behind McCoy with 20.63. Sean Anderson finished fourth with 5 fish at 18.99, and Andy Wicker rounded out the top 5 with a 4-fish bag that weighed 18.08. Brad Fowler caught the tournament's biggest fish, an 8.77 pounder that boosted him into a 6th place finish with 4 fish.

Nelson Walker finished 7th with 5 fish weighing 12.71, and was followed by Ron Brown in 8th place at 11.29. Alexander James took 9th place with 3 fish weighing 9.94, and showing how tough the fishing was, it only took 2 largemouth to take 10th place for Randall Langston, who had a 5.34 pounder to help his cause.

Clyde Whiteside of Forest City, NC won the co-angler division with 3 fish weighing 8.69. Whiteside was the only co-angler to bring 3 fish to the scales. Calvin Sharp took second with 2 fish weighing 6.66, and Robert Gambrell squeaked into 3rd place with 1 fish that weighed 6.48, the biggest on the co-angler side. Jon Smoak finshed 4th with 2 fish weighing 6.46, and Vernie Haltiwanger took 5th place with 2 fish weighing 5.42.