There are just four tournaments left in the Denver Marine Monster Bass Invitational Winter Trail on Lake Norman and Saturday’s tournament is a double-point event which makes for an interesting situation with the top 10 places all within about 40 points of each other.

“It’s a really close race. Larry Lehew, Shane Lehew and David Cook are at the top of the points,” said Thad Campbell, tournament director. “In the last tournament Larry Lehew weighed in five fish at 18.05 pounds. When he came in and showed us what he had, that changed the whole program.”

The reason, Campbell said, was because Lehew caught his fish on the version of the Alabama Rig designed and made by his grandson, Shane Lehew, a 24-year-old tournament angler from Charlotte, N.C. Shane Lehew and his father have started a small bait company called Shane’s Baits

“The anglers out there are telling me the fishing is good on Lake Norman,” Campbell said. “They are catching bass in deep water on the Alabama Rigs. People are starting to get on them (Shane’s Baits) and they had better get them before they are sold out.”

Campbell said all the bonus packages are in place and Denver Marine is getting all kinds of incentives they are passing along to the anglers in the Monster Bass Trail.

“They get a free Bojangles breakfast at the tournaments and certificates for up to $1,500 on boats,” he noted.

The Monster Bass program includes the Silver membership for $50, with more incentives offered for the Gold Monster Bass at $150 and Platinum Monster Bass at $200. Besides discounts and priority for service, the program also pays cash rewards for members who place in the Denver Marine Monster Bass tournaments.

“Anglers from other tournaments are showing up at our tournaments to fish our series because we have such extraordinary payouts,” Campbell said. “We are getting them in and we hope they will be with us for the next trail. We tell them what the rules are and we are sticking to the rules 100 percent. That way everybody has the same opportunity. The inconsistency of some of the other trails is what the anglers don’t like.”

With just four tournaments left in the winter trail, including the one coming up Saturday, there is still time to make the championship, Campbell said.

“Even at this late date, an angler can pay his entry fee and still make the championship,” he said. The top five will get free entries in the championship and an opportunity to win that boat.”

Remaining tournaments include Jan. 4, Jan. 11, Jan. 18 and Jan,. 25, with the championship Feb. 1, all on Lake Norman.

 

Denver Marine Monster Bass Invitational Winter Trail

Sat, Jan 4, 2014

Lake Norman

Midway Marina

Call Thad Campbell, 704-483-2628

http://denverrecreationalmarine.com/tournaments,schedule