Dusty Jordan and Alex Bowdoin Win 2019 Alabama Bass Trail Alabama Riverby Dan O’Sullivan

Dusty Jordan and Alex Bowdoin Win 2019 Alabama Bass Trail Alabama River
by Dan O’Sullivan

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April 20, 2019 – Prattville, Ala. – Just when springtime breaks and perfect conditions begin to arrive, it seems the weather throws bass anglers for a loop.  While the temperatures and rainfall had been stable and light in the period leading up to the third stop of the Alabama Bass Trail Southern Division’s third stop, it changed drastically the two days prior to the event.

Heavy rainfall and cooler temperatures greeted anglers during practice on Thursday and Friday, and with it came a nearly 20-degree drop in temperatures, and a two foot rise in water level.  However difficult those conditions can be, the team of Dusty Jordan and Alex Bowdoin figured out the conditions and brought 18.35 pounds to the scales at Cooter’s Pond to claim victory and the $10,000 winner’s prize.

They credited Jordan riding with a former Elite Series pro for their win.  “I learned a lot from Ott DeFoe when the Bassmaster Elite Series fished here last time,” said Jordan.  “The conditions were very similar, and he put on a big time clinic in that high water, and we were able to use those tactics today to win this tournament.”

They reported using a pear white 5-inch Berkley Swimbait rigged on a 3/4-ounce head as well as a heavy Shaky Head and NetBait T-Mac worm to catch their fish.  “We were fishing a hump upriver, and caught a 16-pound limit early, then culled to this weight by early afternoon,” they said.  “This is a very special feeling because these are great anglers, and we’ve wanted a win like this for a long time.  To do it after having a tough practice round, then making adjustments and having it turn out this way makes it even better; we’re thrilled.”

Rob Lee and Steve Winslett have been in this position before – at Cooter’s Pond – having finished second at this same venue in 2018.  “We can’t feel anything but good about this outcome, because after the practice we had we are lucky to have even caught a decent limit,” they said.  “This is a much better outcome then we expected, we were just hoping to salvage some points, this is a big outcome for us.”  The reported catching all of their fish in current on a 7-inch green pumpkin chartreuse tail Big Bite Bait Company Finesse worm on homemade 1/4 and 5/16-ounce Shaky Heads; they earned $5,000 for their performance, along with the $1,000 America’s Fist bonus for financing their boat purchase with America’s First Credit Union.”

Joe Wickoff and Radney Atchison stayed in Cooter’s Pond and caught 17.49 pounds on a 1/2-ounce chartreuse with gold blades Thunder Baits spinnerbait made by Wickoff.  The pair earned $4,000 for their efforts.

Fishing without his partner Kyle Dorsett, and anchored by the 5.34-pound Mountain Dew Big Bass of the tournament Allen Yarborough, posted a limit worth 17.42 pounds to finish fourth. He earned $3,000 for his top finish, and his big bass earned the $500 bonus for being the heaviest fish of the tournament.

The Southern Division of the Alabama Bass Trail hits the water next at the Lay Lake on May 18.

The Top 10 Standings are below, for complete standings, visit: https://www.alabamabasstrail.org/tournament-series/ar-results/

The sponsors of the 2019 Alabama Bass Trail include; Phoenix Bass Boats, Bill Penney Toyota, Garmin, Academy Sports & Outdoors, America’s First Federal Credit Union, Sweet Home Alabama, Alabama Tourism Department, Alabama Mountain Lakes Tourist Association, T-H Marine Supplies, Wedowee Marine, Buffalo Rock, Mountain Dew, Jack’s, Fish Neely Henry Lake.com, Alabama Power Company, Lew’s Fishing, AFTCO, YETI, Power Pole, Big Bite Bait Company and E3 Apparel.