Hank Cherry of Maiden, N.C., hopes to extend his recent tournament success in the Bassmaster Bass Pro Shops Southern Open tournament on Lake Norman next weekend, with the goal of earning a slot in the BASS Elite Series next year.

Cherry finished a respectable 17^th in the first Southern Open of the year Jan. 19-21on the Harris Chain of Lakes in Florida and he hopes to improve that position on his home lake in the second Open of the year April 5-7.

Fishing should be very good and he likes his chances, he said.

“Right now about half the bass have spawned and about half are waiting on the next full moon to come up. I think fish will be caught from the bank out to 20 feet deep in the Open, and I think you will be able to catch them just about any way you want to fish,” he said.

“We had such a warm winter the lake never got cold so I really can’t tell if one end of the lake will have better fishing than the other. The water temperature is all about 68-69 degrees over the whole lake.”

Cherry said he believes it will take a combination of spotted bass and largemouth bass to win the tournament.

“I would expect to see some big bags come off the beds the first day of the tournament and then I imagine that will all be done,” he said.

Cherry, who had to back off from a heavy tournament schedule because of the bad economy and the arrival of a baby, is forging his way back onto the tournament scene.

“I could not round up enough money to go out and fish on my own and then my wife and I had a baby, but he is bigger now and things are getting more stable so I am trying to get back to where I want to be,” said Cherry who has won more than $134,000 in FLW Outdoors tournaments, including wins in four Walmart BFL events from 2006 through 2009.

Cherry is sponsored by Cashion Rods in Pittsboro, N.C., a company that takes a scientific approach to designing fishing rods, using cutting edge procedures and high performance materials that are typically used in the production of race cars. All Cashion Bass Fishing Rods are designed using Fuji Microguide technology, which increase the physical performance and sensitivity.

Cherry has started strong in local BFL competitions, currently leading the BFL South Carolina Division in points and is fifth in the North Carolina Division standings.

He finished second in the S.C. Division tournament on Lake Murray Feb. 25, with his largest one-day catch in FLW Outdoors competition at 22 pounds, 13 ounces. His limit included his biggest fish in FLW Outdoors competition, a 7-pound, 6-ounce Lake Murray largemouth.

That finish, combined with a sixth place at Lake Wylie March 17 has him in first place in the points for South Carolina and he is not far behind in the North Carolina Division. Cherry finished fifth in the only N.C. Division tournament of the year so far March 3 on Lake Norman and holds down the fifth spot in division standings.

However, Cherry will not be able to defend his spot atop the standings in the South Carolina Division because the next tournament at Santee Cooper conflicts with his plans to fish with his dad in the Oakley Big Bass Challenge on Lake Norman the weekend of April 14.

“My father has a bad back and does not get to fish very much. I am going to fish the Big Bass Challenge with my dad the day of the Santee BFL tournament He wants to go so I am going to take him instead of going to Santee,” said Cherry. “I only have one dad and there are plenty of bass tournaments.”

Although his primary goal is to secure that Elite Series invite, Cherry admits there is another possibility that he also has his eye on at Lake Norman.

“The winner gets an automatic invite to the Bassmaster Classic. Only one person can win and on Lake Norman I think I have as good a shot as anybody this time of year,” he said.

 

Bassmaster Bass Pro Shops Southern Open #2

Apr 5-7, 2012

Lake Norman

Blythe Landing

www.bassmaster.com