Glasgow makes big score at Guntersville

ATHENS, Ala. – Allan Glasgow went home $5,000 richer after winning the Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Weekend Series, operated by American Bass Anglers, Alabama North Division 1 tournament, held Feb. 26, 2011, on Lake Guntersville.

The Ashville, Ala., angler landed five bass weighing 27.94 pounds for a 5.58-pound average. He helped his average with a 6.84-pound bucketmouth. Launching at Val-Monte Lakeside Resort, the anglers spread out through the 69,100-acre Tennessee River impoundment.

“I had a terrible practice, but was able to figure out something late,” Glasgow said. “The fish were super shallow. I flipped a black and blue jig with a watermelon red beaver in blow-downs, hitting the ends of the trees in about two feet of water. I had seven bites and they were all big.”

In second for the 108-boat event, Michael Bradford of Scottsboro, Ala., landed a five-bass tournament limit weighing 20.94 pounds. He took home $1,935.

“I mainly threw rattling baits in a shallow creek channel bend with stumps on it,” Bradford explained. “There was about a foot difference in depth and the fish were staying in the three-foot zone. I fished the front of the creeks because the fish were migrating into the creeks. The fish wanted red early in the morning, but after about 9 a.m., they wanted white.”

Casey Whitehead of Robbinsville, N.C., also topped the 20-pound mark with five bass going 20.08 pounds. He earned $1,290 for third place.

“I found some fish a couple weeks ago, but they swam up the channel about half a mile,” Whitehead said. “I caught them on shad pattern spinnerbaits in about four feet of water around isolated grass.”

In fourth, Alex Davis of the hosting town of Guntersville, Ala., caught five bass at 19.85 pounds. Gil Summerlin, also a Guntersville angler, landed three bass for 19.48 pounds, but anchored his bag with a 9.28-pound bruiser to take tournament big bass honors.

“I caught the big one in about eight feet of water along a grass line while throwing a jig,” Summerlin said. “I lost another good one just after that. That fish hit at about noon.”

In the Co-Angler Division, three anglers exceeded 13 pounds with Randy Snyder of Corryton, Tenn., coming out on top with three bass weighing 13.34 pounds, a 4.44-pound average. With more than 100 boats participating, Snyder won a guaranteed $2,500.

“I was throwing a 1/2-ounce Redeye Shad in white, red and gold and slowing it down,” Snyder explained. “In practice about a week ago, I noticed they were hitting that color really well.”

Jon Burt of Fort Payne, Ala., landed in second with a three-bass division limit weighing 13.10 pounds. He anchored his bag with a 6.46-pounder to win $960.

“I caught my fish on a shallow-running square-billed crankbait,” Burt said. “I was targeting grass growing in the shallows. I culled twice.”

In third among the co-anglers, Brian Helderman of Fyfe, Ala., caught three keepers going 13.02 pounds to earn $645. Curtis Norton of Decatur, Ala., took fourth with three bass at 11.94 pounds, followed by Benjamin Curry of Hayden, Ala., with three bass weighing 11.65 pounds.

“We threw blue Rat-L-Traps all day,” Helderman said. “Most of our bites came after about 10 a.m. I caught about two limits.”

Brandon Taylor of Scottsville, Ky., finished in eighth place among the co-anglers with two bass weighing 10.46 pounds. However, one of them tipped the scales at 7.99-pounds, the division lunker.

“I started with five Rat-L-Traps tied on, but found out that we were going to fish deep,” Taylor said. “I scrambled to find some plastics. I caught the big one on a beaver in about 12 feet of water at 11 a.m.”

For more information, call ABA at (888) 203-6222. On line, see www.americanbassanglers.com.

About American Bass Anglers: The Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Weekend Series provides weekend anglers a professionally operated competitive tour with a path the world championship of bass fishing the Bassmaster Classic. American Bass Anglers commitment is to provide low cost, close to home tournaments for the weekend angler and at the same time offer each competitor an upward path for individual angler progression. For more information about American Bass Anglers and the American Fishing Tour, The Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Weekend Series or the American Couples Series, visit www.americanbassanglers.com.