RIDGELAND, Miss. — Overcoming a tournament handicap and applying angling ingenuity ranked ahead of a secret lure and technique for Jamie Laiche, overall winner of the Old Milwaukee B.A.S.S. Nation Central Divisional.
 
Laiche, of Gonzales, La., won the overall title on Ross Barnett Reservoir with a three-day weight of 38 pounds, 1 ounce. Billy Lemon, who led on Wednesday, finished second with 36-14.
 
Laiche registered for the tournament on Ross Barnett Reservoir as a nonboater, leaving him without the convenience and confidence of using his personal rig and its fish-catching accessories.
 
“I had at least 30 offshore ledges with specific areas the size of a car hood holding fish on each spot,” he said.
 
That was a handicap because Laiche stored all the potentially game-winning waypoints on his boat’s large-screen Lowrance HDS-9 Gen3. Laiche plotted the hot spots during practice.
 
Laiche removed the electronic graph recorder and rigged it to a makeshift, portable platform, complete with power cable and alligator clips. The idea was to power the unit using the batteries in his partner’s boat.
 
“I knew my boater wouldn’t have the waypoints stored, obviously, so I just brought them with me,” said Laiche, a member of the Ascension Area Anglers.
 
As the nonboater, Laiche spent his shared portion of Day 1 on the front deck. Within view was the portable graph that allowed him to make pinpoint casts to specific sweet spots holding bass. He caught a tournament-best 14 pounds, 15 ounces.
 
Laiche fished Thursday as a boater after his partner called in sick. He fished conservatively, hoping for an opportunity to compete from his personal boat on the final day. He got that chance after his final-day partner forfeited the right to use his boat.
 
The areas holding the winning fish were offshore ledges tapering from a depth of 3 to 12 feet. The sweet spot, as he called it, was the presence of gravel that attracted baitfish.
 
On cloudy days, Laiche found roaming bass feeding near the sweet spot with a Bandit 200 Series crankbait. Sunny conditions moved the bass stationary to the bottom. As a result, he switched to a Missile Baits Tomahawk, a ribbontail plastic worm rigged with a 1/4-ounce weight.
 
The regional tournament advances the top finishing anglers from eight states to the Old Milwaukee B.A.S.S. Nation Championship. Joining Louisiana’s Laiche and Lemon, of Oklahoma, are the following state winners: Doug Thompson, Arkansas; Preston Frazell, Kansas; Donald Adcock, Mississippi; Matt Roberts, Missouri; Jerry Pape, Nebraska; Albert Collins, Texas.
 
The state competition proved just as dramatic as the win by Laiche. His state won it by the slim margin of 1 pound, 3 ounces. Louisiana’s 14-angler team caught a collective weight of 273 pounds, 2 ounces. Oklahoma finished second with 271-14 and Mississippi came in third with 242-13.
 
The states competed for a Skeeter/ Yamaha boat, motor, trailer and accessories package valued at $33,340.
 
The event included a friendly competition between state championship high school teams from the region. Mentoring the youths and introducing them to a championship event was the goal. Braden Blanchard and Cade Fortenberry, students at St. Amant High School in Louisiana, won the high school title.
 
The next divisional tournament is the Old Milwaukee B.A.S.S. Nation Mid-Atlantic Divisional on the Monongahela River in West Virginia. The event is June 17-19 Stay tuned for Bassmaster.com for complete coverage.

2015 Old Milwaukee B.A.S.S. Nation Central Divisional 6/10-6/12
Ross Barnett Reservoir, Ridgeland  MS.
(ANGLER) Standings Day 3

   Angler                   Hometown              No./lbs-oz  Pts   Total $$$

1.  Jamie Laiche           Gonzales, LA (LA)       15  38-01  0
2.  Billy Lemon            Sand Springs, OK (OK)   15  36-14  0
3.  Preston Frazell        Cleveland, OK (KS)      15  35-12  0
4.  Albert Collins         Nacogdoches, TX (TX)    15  33-10  0
5.  David Cavell           Prairieville, LA (LA)   15  33-08  0
6.  Ryan Lavigne           Gonzales, LA (LA)       15  32-12  0
7.  Doug Thompson          Mabelvale, AR (AR)      14  32-05  0
8.  John Soukup Jr         Agra, OK (OK)           15  31-06  0
9.  Benjamin King          Garnett, KS (KS)        14  30-15  0
10. Donald Adcock          Richland, MS (MS)       14  30-03  0
11. Brandon Lee            Ratcliff, AR (AR)       15  29-08  0
12. Chad Warren            Sand Springs, OK (OK)   15  29-06  0
13. Kris Bosley            Amarillo, TX (TX)       12  27-10  0
14. Blake Betz             Baton Rouge, LA (LA)    15  26-07  0
15. Chris Torkleson        Sand Springs, OK (KS)   15  26-05  0
16. Doug Guins             Lake Charles, LA (LA)   15  25-05  0
17. Chuck Halbert Jr       West Helena, AR (MS)    10  25-03  0
18. Troy Morrison          North Little Rock, AR ( 15  24-14  0
19. Frank Morton           Purvis, MS (MS)         11  23-14  0
20. Creighton Sawyer       Houston, AR (AR)        15  23-04  0
21. Chris Johnson          Enid, OK (OK)           15  23-02  0
22. Samuel Anthony         Independence, LA (LA)   14  23-00  0
23. Josh Wray              Omaha, AR (AR)          15  22-11  0
24. Michael Valentine      Laurel , MS (MS)        12  22-07  0
25. Mark Floyd             Blue Mountain, MS (MS)  15  22-06  0
26. Jody Herring           Meadville, MS (MS)      15  22-05  0
27. Jason Buchanan         Burnet, TX (TX)         13  22-04  0
28. Wyatt Smith            Stroud, OK (OK)         13  22-01  0
29. Jerry Pape             Milford, IA (NE)        15  21-11  0
30. Kevin Vaughan          Nowata, OK (OK)         10  21-06  0
31. Matt Roberts           Pulaski, IA (MO)        15  21-03  0
32. Craig Torkleson        Sand Springs, OK (KS)   15  20-11  0
33. Jeffery Lemoine        Des Allemands, LA (LA)  15  20-10  0
34. Justin Foster          Bude, MS (MS)           12  20-04  0
35. Kris Lee               Coweta, OK (OK)         15  20-04  0
36. Mike Ford              Peculiar , MO (MO)      9  20-01  0
37. Danny Carter           Hernando, MS (MS)       13  19-11  0
38. Chuck Wisdom Jr        Beebe, AR (AR)          10  19-04  0
39. Trevor Yates           Norman, OK (OK)         10  18-15  0
40. Jeremy Tibben          Stanton, IA (NE)        12  18-09  0
41. Jason Citta            Hershey, NE (NE)        11  18-08  0
42. Paul Huse              Omaha, NE (NE)          10  18-06  0
43. Aaron Olsen            Lenexa, KS (NE)         13  18-06  0
44. Beau Branine           Haysville, KS (KS)      13  18-03  0
45. Bo Middleton           Lawton, OK (OK)         13  17-15  0
46. Will Major             Port Allen, LA (LA)     10  17-14  0
47. Jared Knuth            Wahoo, NE (NE)          11  17-10  0
48. Richard Risewick       Norton, KS (NE)         9  17-06  0
49. Paul Kremers           Clarksville, AR (AR)    12  17-06  0
50. HS-Cade Fortenberry/Braden Blanchard St Amant, LA (LA)       10  17-05  0
51. HS-Caleb Parker/Nathan Walley LAUREL, MS (MS)         9  17-03  0
52. Brandon Pedigo         Durant, OK (OK)         12  16-11  0
53. Sam Leintz             Linwood, KS (KS)        14  16-08  0
54. Jim Simpson            Canyon, TX (TX)         11  16-04  0
55. Terry Reed             Willils, TX (TX)        13  16-03  0
56. Robbie Latuso          Gonzales, LA (LA)       13  15-11  0
57. Charlie Harrington     New Cambria, MO (MO)    11  15-08  0
58. James McKee            Springdale, AR (AR)     11  15-06  0
59. Ron Snyder             Georgetown, AR (AR)     9  15-03  0
60. Jay Rogers             Arlington, TN (MS)      11  14-13  0
61. Kyle Dragulski         Mansfield, TX (TX)      13  14-12  0
62. HS-Cameron Pappen/Jesse Heflin Topeka, KS (KS)         10  14-04  0
63. HS-Joseph Bruener/Jack Garner Nacodgoches, TX (TX)    8  13-12  0
64. Trevor Rogge           San Antonio, TX (TX)    11  13-11  0
65. Brad VanRiette         Iola, KS (KS)           12  13-10  0
66. Jason Boswell          Corning, IA (NE)        10  13-01  0
67. Brian Penning          Wichita, KS (KS)        9  13-01  0
68. Ralph Leonard          Tekamah, NE (NE)        8  12-13  0
69. Mark Boggs             Beggs, OK (OK)          9  12-13  0
70. Jeff Saunders          Kearney , MO (MO)       5  12-10  0
71. Larry Fralick          Wichita, KS (KS)        9  12-04  0
72. Josh Stapleton         Arlington, TX (TX)      9  11-07  0
73. Heath Willard          Brookhaven, MS (MS)     7  11-05  0
74. HS-Tyler Eagan/Jason Thompson Lees Summit, MO (MO)    10  11-02  0
75. HS-Trevor Owens/Matthew Hasenfratz Ponca City, OK (OK)     9  11-00  0
76. Larry Stoafer          Leavenworth, KS (MO)    8  10-15  0
77. Harold Stark           Eldon, MO (MO)          8  10-10  0
78. Cary Beard             Gonzalez, LA (LA)       8  10-09  0
79. Larry Brumley          Topeka, KS (KS)         7  10-06  0
80. HS-Drake Vines/Brett Avery El Dorado, AR (AR)      8  10-05  0
81. Scotty Smith           Taylor, AR (AR)         6  10-02  0
82. Robert Degraffenreid   Oklahoma Cty, OK (OK)   8  10-01  0
83. Troy Montgomery        Granbury, TX (TX)       7  09-08  0
84. James Parsons          Topeka, KS (KS)         9  09-07  0
85. Darrin Herndon         Soso, MS (MS)           6  09-02  0
86. Kyle Robertson         Austin, AR (AR)         8  08-10  0
87. Chris Brokman          Council Bluffs, IA (NE) 5  08-09  0
88. Jeff Hamilton          Blue Springs, MO (MO)   8  08-06  0
89. Mike Jackson           Cuba, MO (MO)           7  08-01  0
90. Felix Appelt           Goliad, TX (TX)         5  08-01  0
91. Johnny Starks          Wellington, KS (KS)     6  07-15  0
92. Joshua Alleman         Gramercy, LA (LA)       6  07-11  0
93. Donald Switzer         Clarinda, IA (NE)       5  07-10  0
94. Nick Carroccio         Plano, TX (TX)          7  07-09  0
95. Cody Graff             Glenvil, NE (NE)        6  07-07  0
96. Ken Caldwell           Wylie, TX (TX)          4  07-02  0
97. Duane Crenshaw         Irving, TX (TX)         4  06-11  0
98. Dusty Scott            Rector, AR (AR)         6  06-01  0
99. Greg Voss              Jefferson City, MO (MO) 4  05-11  0
100. John Blankenbeker      Camdenton, MO (MO)      3  05-03  0
101. Faron Morris           Clarksburg, MO (MO)     3  04-11  0
102. Dan Chickering         Bloomfield, IA (MO)     4  04-08  0
103. Rob Werner             Denham Springs, LA (LA) 5  04-05  0
104. Kevin Parker           Sumrall, MS (MS)        3  04-01  0
105. HS-Cole Luetkenhaus/Nathan Kmiecik Progue, NE (NE)         3  03-07  0
———————————————————————–

———————————————————————–
Totals
Day   #Limits    #Fish      Weight
 1       55       363       623-03
 2       46       352       536-08
 3       47       375       622-14
———————————-
         148      1090      1782-09

TEAM STANDINGS Day 3
———————————-
    State                Lbs-Oz
  1 LOUISIANA            273-02
  2 OKLAHOMA             271-14
  3 MISSISSIPPI          242-13
  4 ARKANSAS             234-15
  5 KANSAS               229-05
  6 TEXAS                208-08
  7 NEBRASKA             183-07
  8 MISSOURI             138-09

INDIVIDUAL STANDINGS Day 3
———————————————————————–

KANSAS
    Angler               Hometown                   No./lbs-oz Total $$$
  1 Preston Frazell      Cleveland, OK               15   35-12  0
  2 Benjamin King        Garnett, KS                 14   30-15  0
  3 Chris Torkleson      Sand Springs, OK            15   26-05  0
  4 Craig Torkleson      Sand Springs, OK            15   20-11  0
  5 Beau Branine         Haysville, KS               13   18-03  0
  6 Sam Leintz           Linwood, KS                 14   16-08  0
  7 HS-Cameron Pappen/Jesse Heflin Topeka, KS                  10   14-04  0
  8 Brad VanRiette       Iola, KS                    12   13-10  0
  9 Brian Penning        Wichita, KS                 9   13-01  0
 10 Larry Fralick        Wichita, KS                 9   12-04  0
 11 Larry Brumley        Topeka, KS                  7   10-06  0
 12 James Parsons        Topeka, KS                  9   09-07  0
 13 Johnny Starks        Wellington, KS              6   07-15  0

OKLAHOMA
    Angler               Hometown                   No./lbs-oz Total $$$
  1 Billy Lemon          Sand Springs, OK            15   36-14  0
  2 John Soukup Jr       Agra, OK                    15   31-06  0
  3 Chad Warren          Sand Springs, OK            15   29-06  0
  4 Chris Johnson        Enid, OK                    15   23-02  0
  5 Wyatt Smith          Stroud, OK                  13   22-01  0
  6 Kevin Vaughan        Nowata, OK                  10   21-06  0
  7 Kris Lee             Coweta, OK                  15   20-04  0
  8 Trevor Yates         Norman, OK                  10   18-15  0
  9 Bo Middleton         Lawton, OK                  13   17-15  0
 10 Brandon Pedigo       Durant, OK                  12   16-11  0
 11 Mark Boggs           Beggs, OK                   9   12-13  0
 12 HS-Trevor Owens/Matthew Hasenfratz Ponca City, OK              9   11-00  0
 13 Robert Degraffenreid Oklahoma Cty, OK            8   10-01  0

LOUISIANA
    Angler               Hometown                   No./lbs-oz Total $$$
  1 Jamie Laiche         Gonzales, LA                15   38-01  0
  2 David Cavell         Prairieville, LA            15   33-08  0
  3 Ryan Lavigne         Gonzales, LA                15   32-12  0
  4 Blake Betz           Baton Rouge, LA             15   26-07  0
  5 Doug Guins           Lake Charles, LA            15   25-05  0
  6 Samuel Anthony       Independence, LA            14   23-00  0
  7 Jeffery Lemoine      Des Allemands, LA           15   20-10  0
  8 Will Major           Port Allen, LA              10   17-14  0
  9 HS-Cade Fortenberry/Braden Blanchard St Amant, LA                10   17-05  0
 10 Robbie Latuso        Gonzales, LA                13   15-11  0
 11 Cary Beard           Gonzalez, LA                8   10-09  0
 12 Joshua Alleman       Gramercy, LA                6   07-11  0
 13 Rob Werner           Denham Springs, LA          5   04-05  0

NEBRASKA
    Angler               Hometown                   No./lbs-oz Total $$$
  1 Jerry Pape           Milford, IA                 15   21-11  0
  2 Jeremy Tibben        Stanton, IA                 12   18-09  0
  3 Jason Citta          Hershey, NE                 11   18-08  0
  4 Paul Huse            Omaha, NE                   10   18-06  0
  5 Aaron Olsen          Lenexa, KS                  13   18-06  0
  6 Jared Knuth          Wahoo, NE                   11   17-10  0
  7 Richard Risewick     Norton, KS                  9   17-06  0
  8 Jason Boswell        Corning, IA                 10   13-01  0
  9 Ralph Leonard        Tekamah, NE                 8   12-13  0
 10 Chris Brokman        Council Bluffs, IA          5   08-09  0
 11 Donald Switzer       Clarinda, IA                5   07-10  0
 12 Cody Graff           Glenvil, NE                 6   07-07  0
 13 HS-Cole Luetkenhaus/Nathan Kmiecik Progue, NE                  3   03-07  0

MISSOURI
    Angler               Hometown                   No./lbs-oz Total $$$
  1 Matt Roberts         Pulaski, IA                 15   21-03  0
  2 Mike Ford            Peculiar , MO               9   20-01  0
  3 Charlie Harrington   New Cambria, MO             11   15-08  0
  4 Jeff Saunders        Kearney , MO                5   12-10  0
  5 HS-Tyler Eagan/Jason Thompson Lees Summit, MO             10   11-02  0
  6 Larry Stoafer        Leavenworth, KS             8   10-15  0
  7 Harold Stark         Eldon, MO                   8   10-10  0
  8 Jeff Hamilton        Blue Springs, MO            8   08-06  0
  9 Mike Jackson         Cuba, MO                    7   08-01  0
 10 Greg Voss            Jefferson City, MO          4   05-11  0
 11 John Blankenbeker    Camdenton, MO               3   05-03  0
 12 Faron Morris         Clarksburg, MO              3   04-11  0
 13 Dan Chickering       Bloomfield, IA              4   04-08  0

ARKANSAS
    Angler               Hometown                   No./lbs-oz Total $$$
  1 Doug Thompson        Mabelvale, AR               14   32-05  0
  2 Brandon Lee          Ratcliff, AR                15   29-08  0
  3 Troy Morrison        North Little Rock, AR       15   24-14  0
  4 Creighton Sawyer     Houston, AR                 15   23-04  0
  5 Josh Wray            Omaha, AR                   15   22-11  0
  6 Chuck Wisdom Jr      Beebe, AR                   10   19-04  0
  7 Paul Kremers         Clarksville, AR             12   17-06  0
  8 James McKee          Springdale, AR              11   15-06  0
  9 Ron Snyder           Georgetown, AR              9   15-03  0
 10 HS-Drake Vines/Brett Avery El Dorado, AR               8   10-05  0
 11 Scotty Smith         Taylor, AR                  6   10-02  0
 12 Kyle Robertson       Austin, AR                  8   08-10  0
 13 Dusty Scott          Rector, AR                  6   06-01  0

MISSISSIPPI
    Angler               Hometown                   No./lbs-oz Total $$$
  1 Donald Adcock        Richland, MS                14   30-03  0
  2 Chuck Halbert Jr     West Helena, AR             10   25-03  0
  3 Frank Morton         Purvis, MS                  11   23-14  0
  4 Michael Valentine    Laurel , MS                 12   22-07  0
  5 Mark Floyd           Blue Mountain, MS           15   22-06  0
  6 Jody Herring         Meadville, MS               15   22-05  0
  7 Justin Foster        Bude, MS                    12   20-04  0
  8 Danny Carter         Hernando, MS                13   19-11  0
  9 HS-Caleb Parker/Nathan Walley LAUREL, MS                  9   17-03  0
 10 Jay Rogers           Arlington, TN               11   14-13  0
 11 Heath Willard        Brookhaven, MS              7   11-05  0
 12 Darrin Herndon       Soso, MS                    6   09-02  0
 13 Kevin Parker         Sumrall, MS                 3   04-01  0

TEXAS
    Angler               Hometown                   No./lbs-oz Total $$$
  1 Albert Collins       Nacogdoches, TX             15   33-10  0
  2 Kris Bosley          Amarillo, TX                12   27-10  0
  3 Jason Buchanan       Burnet, TX                  13   22-04  0
  4 Jim Simpson          Canyon, TX                  11   16-04  0
  5 Terry Reed           Willils, TX                 13   16-03  0
  6 Kyle Dragulski       Mansfield, TX               13   14-12  0
  7 HS-Joseph Bruener/Jack Garner Nacodgoches, TX             8   13-12  0
  8 Trevor Rogge         San Antonio, TX             11   13-11  0
  9 Josh Stapleton       Arlington, TX               9   11-07  0
 10 Troy Montgomery      Granbury, TX                7   09-08  0
 11 Felix Appelt         Goliad, TX                  5   08-01  0
 12 Nick Carroccio       Plano, TX                   7   07-09  0
 13 Ken Caldwell         Wylie, TX                   4   07-02  0
 14 Duane Crenshaw       Irving, TX                  4   06-11  0