Search
Subscribe
Tuesday, December 16, 2025
Home Blog Page 1204

Clunn Finishes Strong On St. Johns River, Becomes Oldest B.A.S.S. Winner At 69

wpalert
-
0
Clunn Finishes Strong On St. Johns River, Becomes Oldest B.A.S.S. Winner At 69

Rick Clunn of Ava, Mo., wins the 2016 Bassmaster Elite at St. Johns River presented by Dick Cepek Tires & Wheels held out of Palatka, Fla., Sunday, with a four-day total weight of 81 pounds, 15 ounces.

Photo by Seigo Saito/Bassmaster

March 20, 2016

Clunn Finishes Strong On St. Johns River, Becomes Oldest B.A.S.S. Winner At 69

PALATKA, Fla.  — On Nov. 5, 1976, Missouri angler Rick Clunn claimed his first B.A.S.S. victory in the Bassmaster Classic on Lake Guntersville.

It was his first giant step toward becoming a true legend in the sport of professional fishing.

On Sunday, he won for the 15th time on the B.A.S.S. circuit — and in many ways, this step might have gone even further toward cementing his legacy.

Clunn, who will turn 70 in July, caught five bass that weighed 19 pounds during Sunday’s championship round and won the Bassmaster Elite at St. Johns River presented by Dick Cepek Tires & Wheels easily with a four-day weight of 81-15. The win was bolstered by a monumental catch of 31-7 during Saturday’s semifinal round.

“I was certainly feeling some pressure after having such a big weight yesterday,” said Clunn, who finished 4 pounds ahead of second-place finisher Greg Hackney (77-15). “Through the years, you just learn to hide it better. Having my son (River) here helped a lot.”

After catching 16-11 and 14-13 the first two days, Clunn was in 31st place and seemed a longshot to make Sunday’s Top 12 championship cut. But the incredible catch of 31-7, which ranked as the third-best five-bass limit of his career, gave him the lead going into the final round with 62-15.

Though he had varied results during the four-day event, he said he used the same bait almost the whole time — a homemade bladed jig with a green skirt and a white Luck-E-Strike swimbait for a trailer. He said he calls the bait the “Trickster 2,” and he believed it would work after watching some local anglers fishing with live shiners earlier in the week.

“I actually watched shiner fishermen in Crescent Lake flipping shiners up under a dock, and they were catching fish,” Clunn said. “I saw that, and I tied on a big Luck-E-Strike swimbait. I flipped it up under a dock and caught about a 6-pounder. That got me on the shad-type baits.”

Though much of the field was sight fishing for bedding bass around the fishery’s grass-covered shorelines, Clunn chose a different approach. He used the bladed jig around the same type of cover in Lake George, enticing bites from fish he couldn’t see.

The key to his magical day Saturday was an hour’s worth of wind and rain that he said seemed to make the fish bite better.

He fished his bait on 65-pound braid with a 7-foot-6 Bass Pro Shops Johnny Morris CarbonLite rod — and he didn’t hesitate to manhandle big bass when they bit his homemade lure.

“I put a little bit different hook on my bait and a different split ring, so it’s better suited for handling big fish,” Clunn said. “When you’re fishing for big fish, it’s important to use the right equipment. I was swinging 6-pounders in the boat this week.”

For the first half of the tournament, it looked like it was Hackney’s tournament to lose.

The Louisiana pro caught 21-5 on Day 1 and grabbed the lead with a Day 2 catch of 18-1 that pushed his two-day mark to 39-6. He was still leading on Day 3 until Clunn — the last angler to weigh in — brought in his big bag.

“In a lot of ways, I think what Rick Clunn did on Saturday took the pressure off me,” said Hackney, who spent the week fishing for bedding bass with a topwater prop lure, a jig and a drop-shot rig. “If I had gone out today in the lead, I would have been a nervous wreck.

“But I knew all I could do today was catch what I could catch — and I’m thrilled with the week I had.”

Hackney was one of several pros — all of those who fished on Sunday and many who didn’t — who crowded around the weigh-in platform to watch Clunn make history.

The 69-year-old angler became the oldest to win a B.A.S.S. event, surpassing Shorty Evans, who won the Kentucky Invitational on Kentucky Lake in 1978 at age 65. Clunn also became the oldest to win a Bassmaster Elite Series event, moving past Denny Brauer who won on the Arkansas River in 2011 at age 62.

With his first win coming 39 years ago, Clunn also easily set the record for longest gap between his first victory and his most recent.

“I know I got a lot of support online last night from the over-60 crowd, and that sure means a lot,” said Clunn, who has four Bassmaster Classic titles and more than 400 total B.A.S.S. events on his resume. “Thank goodness there are lots of Baby Boomers. I may have the biggest fan base of all.”

Clunn was awarded $1,000 for the leading the Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year points race at the end of the event.

Marty Robinson earned the Power-Pole Captain’s Cash award of $1,000 for being the highest-placing angler who is registered and eligible and uses a client-approved product on his boat.

Hackney earned the Livingston Lures Leader Award of $500 for leading on the second day.

Robinson also won the Toyota Bonus Bucks of $3,000 for being the highest-placing eligible entrant in the program. The second-highest-placing eligible entrant, Brent Chapman, received $2,000.

Dick Cepek Rolling Forward Award of $1,000 will be presented to the angler who makes the largest gain in Toyota Angler of the Year points from tournament to tournament and will be determined after the Huk Performance Fishing Bassmaster Elite at Winyah Bay.

The Big Bass Award of $1,500 was presented to Cliff Prince for weighing in the overall biggest bass of the event — a 10-8 bass.

Robinson also earned the A.R.E. Top Angler Award of $1,000 for being the highest placing angler using A.R.E. products.

The local host for the event is the Putnam County Chamber of Commerce.

2016 Bassmaster Elite at St. Johns River presented by Dick Cepek Tires & Wheels 3/17-3/20
St. Johns River, Palatka  FL.
(PROFESSIONAL) Standings Day 4

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

1.  Rick Clunn             Ava, MO                 20  81-15  110 $101,000.00
Day 1: 5   16-11     Day 2: 5   14-13     Day 3: 5   31-07     Day 4: 5   19-00
2.  Greg Hackney           Gonzales, LA            20  77-15  109  $25,500.00
Day 1: 5   21-05     Day 2: 5   18-01     Day 3: 5   17-09     Day 4: 5   21-00
3.  Marty Robinson         Lyman, SC               20  76-05  108  $22,000.00
Day 1: 5   18-09     Day 2: 5   19-12     Day 3: 5   16-07     Day 4: 5   21-09
4.  Drew Benton            Panama City, FL         20  75-06  107  $15,000.00
Day 1: 5   22-15     Day 2: 5   09-14     Day 3: 5   20-11     Day 4: 5   21-14
5.  Brent Chapman          Lake Quivira, KS        20  74-02  106  $14,000.00
Day 1: 5   13-05     Day 2: 5   17-15     Day 3: 5   23-09     Day 4: 5   19-05
6.  Cliff Prince           Palatka, FL             20  73-06  105  $15,000.00
Day 1: 5   10-12     Day 2: 5   23-01     Day 3: 5   21-03     Day 4: 5   18-06
7.  Terry Scroggins        San Mateo, FL           20  73-03  104  $13,000.00
Day 1: 5   16-14     Day 2: 5   21-10     Day 3: 5   16-11     Day 4: 5   18-00
8.  Jason Christie         Park Hill, OK           20  67-12  103  $12,500.00
Day 1: 5   16-06     Day 2: 5   14-11     Day 3: 5   23-03     Day 4: 5   13-08
9.  Jordan Lee             Grant, AL               20  67-03  102  $12,000.00
Day 1: 5   20-15     Day 2: 5   17-08     Day 3: 5   12-11     Day 4: 5   16-01
10. Davy Hite              Ninety Six, SC          20  62-11  101  $11,500.00
Day 1: 5   15-02     Day 2: 5   20-13     Day 3: 5   18-14     Day 4: 5   07-14
11. Randall Tharp          Port St. Joe, FL        20  62-01  100  $11,000.00
Day 1: 5   22-10     Day 2: 5   12-08     Day 3: 5   14-10     Day 4: 5   12-05
12. Justin Lucas           Guntersville, AL        17  59-07   99  $10,500.00
Day 1: 5   13-13     Day 2: 5   22-13     Day 3: 5   19-09     Day 4: 2   03-04
BIG BASS OF TOURNAMENT
Cliff Prince             Palatka, FL         10-08      $1,500.00
———————————————————————–
Totals
Day   #Limits    #Fish      Weight
1       109       547      1656-09
2        96       520      1339-06
3        47       247       724-13
4        11        57       192-02
———————————-
263      1371      3912-14

ANDERSON WINS FLW COLLEGE FISHING NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP FISH-OFF, WILL COMPETE AT FORREST WOOD CUP

wpalert
-
0
ANDERSON WINS FLW COLLEGE FISHING NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP FISH-OFF, WILL COMPETE AT FORREST WOOD CUP

ANDERSON WINS FLW COLLEGE FISHING NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP FISH-OFF, WILL COMPETE AT FORREST WOOD CUP

[print_link]

SENECA, S.C. (March 20, 2016) – For the first time in FLW College Fishing history, the National Championship winners from the University of South Carolina faced off Sunday morning in a one-day fish-off on Lake Russell to decide which team member would represent their school at the Forrest Wood Cup, the world championship of bass fishing. Chris Blanchette of Irmo, South Carolina, brought four bass to the scale weighing 6 pounds, 6 ounces. Teammate Hampton Anderson of Anderson, South Carolina weighed a five-bass limit totaling 10 pounds, 1 ounce, to win the fish-off and earn the entry into the 2016 Forrest Wood Cup.

“This is unbelievable and really hasn’t even sunk in yet,” said Anderson, a senior majoring in Finance. “After we won the championship yesterday it seems like we have been running the entire time. Between interviews, making preparations for the fish-off, waking up early and then fishing all day – I haven’t even had a chance to really think about what just happened. I do know that I’m fishing in the Forrest Wood Cup, though, and that means a whole lot.”

Anderson is guaranteed at least a $10,000 paycheck, as that amount is awarded to the last-place finisher at the Forrest Wood Cup. The angler that wins the Forrest Wood Cup will earn $300,000.

“I don’t even know what $300,000 looks like,” Anderson joked on stage.

Anderson said that he caught his fish Sunday on Lake Russell by fishing a Watermelon Seed-colored weightless worm.

“I was familiar with Russell, but I hadn’t seen the lake in more than five years,” Anderson said. “I used to fish there with my dad when I was young, but I didn’t even remember where we had fished at. I knew that I was going to have to treat it like a practice day and just go fishing.

“This morning I started near the takeoff ramp. I targeted some main-lake points and managed to catch a couple of small spotted bass, but I knew that I wasn’t going to win by staying there. I ran back in a few pockets and caught a nice largemouth on a laydown. Once I caught that fish, I started running more pockets and only targeting the laydowns. I ended up weighing in four largemouth and one spotted bass, but all of them were caught off of the laydowns.

“This championship win was huge for our club,” Anderson went on to say. “After Gettys (Brannon) and Patrick (Walters) won the championship last year our bass team definitely got bigger. I’m sure that our second-straight title will only help our numbers. We’ve got a few good teams already qualified for next year’s championship as well, so the University of South Carolina is definitely becoming one of the top bass clubs in the nation.”

The final standings after the one-day fish-off on Lake Russell were:

1st:  University of South Carolina – Hampton Anderson, Anderson, S.C., five bass, 10-1, Entry into Forrest Wood Cup

2nd:  University of South Carolina – Chris Blanchette, Irmo, S.C., four bass, 6-6

Full results and standings for the 2016 FLW College Fishing National Championship can be found at FLWFishing.com.

The FLW College Fishing National Championship, hosted by the Mountain Lakes Convention and Visitors Bureau, awarded the top team a $30,000 prize package, including a Ranger Z175 boat with a 90-horsepower outboard engine and one entry into the 2016 Forrest Wood Cup. The Forrest Wood Cup, the world championship of bass fishing, will be held August 4-7 on Wheeler Lake in Huntsville, Alabama, and will offer a collegiate angler the opportunity to compete for a top award of $300,000.

College Fishing is free to enter. All participants must be registered, full-time students at a college, university or community college and members of a fishing club recognized by their college or university.

For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow College Fishing on Facebook at Facebook.com/FLWFishing and on Twitter at Twitter.com/FLWFishing. Visit CollegeFishing.com to sign up or to start a club at your school.

Enjoy the Photos from the FLW/BFl on Smith Mountain Lake March 19,2016

wpalert
-
0
Enjoy the Photos from the FLW/BFl on Smith Mountain Lake March 19,2016

If Interested in any of these photos please email me @ [email protected]

Photo’s are Free But If posted to Social media please give The Bass Cast Credit


#TheBassCast

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA WINS FLW COLLEGE FISHING NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP FOR SECOND STRAIGHT YEAR

wpalert
-
0
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA WINS FLW COLLEGE FISHING NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP FOR SECOND STRAIGHT YEAR

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA WINS FLW COLLEGE FISHING NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP FOR SECOND STRAIGHT YEAR

[print_link]

Link to HD YouTube footage of Winning Moment

SENECA, S.C. (March 19, 2016) – The University of South Carolina team of Chris Blanchette of Irmo, South Carolina, and Hampton Anderson of Anderson, South Carolina, brought a five-bass limit to the scale Saturday weighing 13 pounds, 4 ounces, to win the FLW College Fishing National Championship on Lake Keowee presented by the Lowrance Insight Genesis College Cup. The Gamecocks bass team weighed a three-day cumulative total of 15 bass totaling 38 pounds, 15 ounces to win the top prize $30,000 package, including a new Ranger Z175 boat with a 90-horsepower outboard engine and one entry into the 2016 Forrest Wood Cup, the world championship of bass fishing.

The University of South Carolina became the second club to ever win back-to-back championships in FLW College Fishing competition after Blanchette and Anderson earned the victory to complement last year’s win by the USC squad of Gettys Brannon and Patrick Walters. The University of Florida was the first school to accomplish the feat, winning back-to-back championships in 2009 and 2010.

“We knew we could catch a limit of spotted basss fairly easily, so we went and tried to gamble and catch some largemouths we had found on the beds by casting a weightless [Yamamoto] Senko to them,” Blanchette said. “The first fish we went to had pulled off. We went to another fish, and it had pulled off too.”

Rather than getting spun out, the anglers regrouped and grabbed a relatively easy limit of spots by throwing Senkos around stumps in 5 to 7 feet of water on clay banks. With about 7½ pounds in the boat, Blanchette and Anderson knew it was gut-check time.

“We said, ‘This is not how we’re going to win it,’” Blanchette recounted. “We picked up, ran to the back of a creek and started throwing the Senko. We knew if we kept it in our hand all day we’d get the bites we needed. Sure enough, we sat down on our first spot, and on my second cast, I catch a 4-pounder at 9 o’clock.”

Eventually, they realized that further improvement would require relocation.

“We had about 10 1/2 pounds, but we ran everything in that creek,” Blanchette recalled. “We said, ‘We’ve burnt it up, and we have to make a decision.’”

That decision: Venture up to another cove with habitat similar to what produced. Sounds like basic fishing rotation, but, as Anderson notes, neither angler had been there in several years.

“We knew that area had what we were looking for, so we hunkered down in that cove,” Blanchette said. “We didn’t get a bite in an hour and a half, but we said, ‘The fish to win live here.’

“Sure enough, we were going into the back of this cove and he [Anderson] spots a bed fish out of the corner of his eye that was over 2 pounds,” Blanchette continued. “I caught that fish on a white Zoom Lizard, and as soon as I did, he picked up the unweighted Senko, and two casts later catches one that was over 3.”

That one-two punch sealed the deal.

Anderson says that locating big cruising largemouths to complement their spotted bass pattern was the key to their success. While they did mix in a little bed-fishing action this week, the majority of their fish were caught outside the bedding zone, right on the edge of prespawn staging.

“We’re both conservative fishermen,” Blanchette says. “We just want to go out and catch a solid limit. But we knew this is it – this is the National Championship. We came here to win, not take second or third.

“We knew we had to swing for the fences, and we hit one out of the park.”

For the first time ever in FLW College Fishing competition, the winning duo will compete against each other Sunday day in a one-day fish-off on Lake Russell in Iva, South Carolina, a lake that was undisclosed to the anglers until they were declared champions. The two anglers will weigh in at 4 p.m. prior to the final weigh in of the Walmart FLW Tour event at Lake Hartwell. The team member with the largest one-day stringer will win the ticket to advance to the 2016 Forrest Wood Cup.

The top 10 teams on Lake Keowee finished:

1st:  University of South Carolina – Chris Blanchette, Irmo, S.C., and Hampton Anderson, Anderson, S.C., 15 bass, 38-15, $30,000 Prize Package

2nd:  Colorado Mesa University – Josh Worth, Grand Junction, Colo., and Kennedy Kinkade, Alpine, Utah, 15 bass, 38-1, $5,000

3rd:  Auburn University – Timmy Ward, Childersburg, Ala., and Mitchell Jennings, Auburn, Ala., 15 bass, 38-0, $4,000

4th:  Henderson State University – Michael Gross, Gurdon, Ark., and Cobey Wingfield, Malvern, Ark., 15 bass, 35-14, $3,000

5th:  University of North Alabama – Dawson Lenz, Peachtree City, Ga., and Andrew Tate, Florence, Ala., 15 bass, 35-2, $2,000

6th:  Illinois State University – Bryce Wegman, Normal, Ill., and Taylor Umland, Gridley, Ill., 15 bass, 34-14

7th:  Adrian College – Jarrett Martin, Gallipolis, Ohio, and Jacob Bayer, Westfield, Mich., 15 bass, 34-0

8th:  Texas A&M University – Josh Bensema, Willis, Texas, and Matthew McArdle, Crosby, Texas, 13 bass, 31-7

9th:  Dallas Baptist University – Zackery Hines, Clyde, Texas, and Reed Foster, Combine, Texas, 13 bass, 30-5

10th:  Kansas State University – Lance Maldonado, Junction City, Kan., and Ethan Dhuyvetter, Manhattan, Kan., 10 bass, 25-3

Full results and standings can be found at FLWFishing.com.

Overall there were 41 bass weighing 84 pounds, 11 ounces caught by nine college teams Saturday. The catch included seven five-bass limits.

The FLW College Fishing National Championship, hosted by the Mountain Lakes Convention and Visitors Bureau, awarded the top team a $30,000 prize package, including a Ranger Z175 boat with a 90-horsepower outboard engine and one entry into the 2016 Forrest Wood Cup. The Forrest Wood Cup, the world championship of bass fishing, will be held August 4-7 on Wheeler Lake in Huntsville, Alabama, and will offer a collegiate angler the opportunity to compete for a top award of $300,000.

The South Carolina University team will compete Sunday on Lake Russell out of Sanders Ferry, located at 3611 Elberton Highway, in Iva, South Carolina, launching at 6:30 a.m. EST. They will weigh-in at 4 p.m., prior to the day 4 weigh-in of the FLW Tour event at Green Pond Landing, located at 470 Green Pond Road in Anderson.

Fans will be treated to the FLW Expo on Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. at Green Pond Landing prior to the final weigh-ins. The Expo includes interactive games, activities and giveaways provided by FLW sponsors, and the opportunity to interact with professional anglers to learn more about the sport of fishing and other outdoor activities. All activities are free and open to the public.

College Fishing is free to enter. All participants must be registered, full-time students at a college, university or community college and members of a fishing club recognized by their college or university.

For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow College Fishing on Facebook at Facebook.com/FLWFishing and on Twitter at Twitter.com/FLWFishing. Visit CollegeFishing.com to sign up or to start a club at your school.

WENDLANDT TAKES LEAD ON DAY THREE OF WALMART FLW TOUR ON LAKE HARTWELL PRESENTED BY EVINRUDE

wpalert
-
0
WENDLANDT TAKES LEAD ON DAY THREE OF WALMART FLW TOUR ON LAKE HARTWELL PRESENTED BY EVINRUDE

WENDLANDT TAKES LEAD ON DAY THREE OF WALMART FLW TOUR ON LAKE HARTWELL PRESENTED BY EVINRUDE

Texas Angler Tops Standings With 19-pound, 9-ounce Stringer

[print_link]

ANDERSON, S.C. (March 19, 2016) – Texas pro Clark Wendlandt, brought a five-bass limit to the scale weighing 19 pounds, 9 ounces Saturday to take a 1-pound, 5-ounce lead into the final day of the Walmart FLW Tour at Lake Hartwell presented by Evinrude. Wendlandt’s three-day total of 52 pounds, 9 ounces make him the No. 1 seed on championship Sunday as the field is now cut to 10 in the four-day competition that features 168 of the world’s best anglers competing for a top cash award of up to $125,000.

Right behind Wendlandt in second place is John Cox of Debary, Florida, the day two leader, who brought in a five-bass limit weighing 14-3 Saturday for a three-day total of 15 bass worth 51-4.

“The lake is really fishing well out there right now, and I’ve got a lot of momentum going,” said Wendlandt, a three-time FLW Angler of the Year. “I love fishing when bass quickly come to the bank. They’ve mostly been deeper this week, and that’s where I’ve struggled, but the Lord blessed me today with how fast they were coming up shallow.”

Wendlandt said he focused on nearly 20 spawning pockets and adjusted his technique according to the type of structure and cover he encountered. He said he was primarily in clear water and caught seven keepers over the course of his day.

“For the most part, I’m running new water,” said Wendlandt. “I’ll hit a dock if it’s there, cast ahead into the pocket, or stop and go after a sight-fish if I see a good one. To me, finding new water is the only way that you can win. You can’t go in where there’s been a lot of boat traffic. There just won’t be any new fish.”

Wendlandt said his stringer fish consisted of two spotted and three largemouth bass.

“I lost one that was easily over six pounds, it was a giant,” said Wendlandt. “The great thing about this lake is that there are a lot of bass in places where nobody has been yet.”

The 20-year Tour veteran went on to say that finding new fish has been crucial to his success.

“The guys that win find new fish every day and that’s what I’ve been doing,” said Wendlandt. “I’ve got to go out there and find some new ones tomorrow and do my best to make the right decisions with the pressure that will be there.”

The top 10 pros advancing to the final day of competition on Lake Hartwell are:

1st:          Clark Wendlandt, Leander, Texas, 15 bass, 52-9

2nd:         John Cox, DeBary, Fla., 15 bass, 51-4

3rd:          Darrel Robertson, Jay, Okla., 15 bass, 47-1

4th:          Yamamoto Baits pro Larry Nixon, Bee Branch, Ark., 15 bass, 46-7

5th:          Bryan Thrift, Shelby, N.C., 15 bass, 46-4

6th:          Cory Johnston, Cavan, Ontario, Canada, 15 bass, 45-5

7th:          Powell Kemp, Scotland Neck, N.C., 15 bass, 45-5

8th:          Jeff Gustafson, Keewatin, Ontario, Canada, 15 bass, 45-3

9th:          Lew’s pro Peter Thliveros, Saint Augustine, Fla., 15 bass, 44-14

10th:        Jamie Horton, Centerville, Ala., 15 bass, 44-13

Finishing in 11th through 20th are:

11th:        Quaker State pro Matt Arey, Shelby, N.C., 15 bass, 44-12, $12,000

12th:        Chris Johnston, Peterborough, Ontario, Canada, 15 bass, 43-15, $12,000

13th:        Keystone Light pro Jeff Sprague, Point, Texas, 15 bass, 43-14, $12,000

14th:        Anthony Gagliardi, Prosperity, S.C., 15 bass,   43-10, $12,000

15th:        Scott Suggs, Alexander, Ark., 15 bass, 43-3, $12,000

16th:        Blake Smith, Lakeland, Fla., 15 bass, 15 bass, 43-0, $12,000

17th:        Rusty Trancygier, Hahira, Ga., 15 bass, 42-8, $12,000

18th:        Scott Martin, Clewiston, Fla., 41-10, $12,000

19th:        Tony Davis, Williston, Fla., 15 bass, 40-14, $12,000

20th:        Jason Reyes, Huffman, Texas, 15 bass, 39-0, $12,000

For a full list of results visit FLWFishing.com.

Overall there were 100 bass weighing 268 pounds, 6 ounces caught by 20 pros Saturday. All 20 of the day three contenders caught five-bass limits.

Chuck Kavros of Grass Valley, California, won the co-angler division and $20,000 Friday with a two-day total of 10 bass weighing 22 pounds, 2 ounces, followed by Anthony Goggins of Auburn, Alabama, who finished in second place with 10 bass weighing 21 pounds, 9 ounces worth $7,500.

In FLW Tour competition, anglers are also vying for valuable points in hopes of qualifying for the 2016 Forrest Wood Cup, the world championship of bass fishing. The 2016 Forrest Wood Cup will be on Wheeler Lake in Huntsville, Alabama, Aug. 4-7 and is hosted by the Huntsville/Madison County Convention & Visitors Bureau.

Anglers will take off Sunday at Green Pond Landing located at 470 Green Pond Road in Anderson at 7:30 a.m. Sunday’s final weigh-in will begin at 4 p.m.

Fans will also be treated to the FLW Expo Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. at Green Pond Landing prior to the final weigh-in. The Expo includes interactive games, activities and giveaways provided by FLW sponsors, and the opportunity to interact with professional anglers to learn more about the sport of fishing and other outdoor activities. All activities are free and open to the public.

The tournament is hosted by the Anderson Convention & Visitors Bureau.

For complete details and updated information visit FLWFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow us on Facebook at Facebook.com/FLWFishing and on Twitter at Twitter.com/FLWFishing.

Legendary Angler Rick Clunn Storms Into Lead With Huge Catch At St. Johns River

wpalert
-
0
Legendary Angler Rick Clunn Storms Into Lead With Huge Catch At St. Johns River

Rick Clunn of Ava, Mo., takes the lead on the third day of the Bassmaster Elite at St. Johns River presented by Dick Cepek Tires & Wheels, bringing a whopping 31 pounds, 7 ounces to the scales on Saturday for a three-day total weight of 62-15. 

Photo by Seigo Saito/Bassmaster

March 19, 2016

Legendary Angler Rick Clunn Storms Into Lead With Huge Catch At St. Johns River

[print_link]

PALATKA, Fla.  — Dozens of anglers from the Bassmaster Elite Series joined an already-giant crowd of spectators Saturday afternoon to watch Rick Clunn weigh in his Day 3 catch.

They sensed something special was about to happen — and they were right.

The 69-year-old Missouri angler, who has fished more than 400 events with B.A.S.S., proved he still has plenty of fight left with an eye-popping five-bass limit that weighed 31 pounds, 7 ounces. The tournament-best catch pushed Clunn’s three-day total to 62-15 and lifted him from 31st place into the lead in the Bassmaster Elite at St. Johns River presented by Dick Cepek Tires & Wheels.

Clunn, a four-time winner of the Bassmaster Classic and a 14-time champion on the B.A.S.S. circuit, said it was one of the better rounds of tournament fishing he’s ever had.

“It was just one of those days that was magical,” Clunn said. “This is the third-largest five-fish limit I’ve ever weighed in. Everything went right. Every fish that bit, I caught.”

Clunn said he had known all week that the fishery had the potential to produce a big bag. As it turned out, he needed two bags to carry in his monumental catch — one of which was carried up the walkway from the boat dock by fellow Elite Series angler Skeet Reese.

It was a change in the weather that Clunn said made all the difference.

“I knew how to catch the big ones, but I also knew I had to have the wind and the rain to catch them,” he said. “I had it today, and I caught all of the big ones in about an hour.

“When the wind shifted and really started to blow, I knew I could probably catch them — and I did.”

With the weigh-in winding down, Clunn waited to remove his fish from his livewell until his family could make it in from the airport. His young son, Sage, helped him sack the fish and accompanied him onto the weigh-in platform.

“To him, all of my accomplishments are purely in the history books,” said Clunn, who hasn’t won a B.A.S.S. event since the 2002 Central Open on Sam Rayburn Reservoir in Texas. “I wanted him to witness the catch. Hearing about it later is just not the same.”

Despite going into the final day with a 6-pound lead, Clunn said anything can happen on a fishery full of big bass that are right in the middle of the spring spawning run. He expects a hard charge from second-place angler Greg Hackney (56-15), third-place angler Justin Lucas (56-3) and the rest of the Top 12 anglers who qualified for Sunday’s championship round.

Hackney said he has fished three different areas each day of the event so far and plans to fish a fourth new area Sunday. His Saturday catch of 17-9 was anchored by a 7-10 largemouth.

“That biggest fish would get on the bed and wouldn’t stay,” Hackney said. “I was probably a little too close when I first set up.”

So Hackney left the fish, moved down the shoreline and came back a few minutes later.

“The fish would get up on the bed and sit if I wasn’t there,” Hackney said. “I was worried about it a little bit when I came back because the wind was blowing so hard that I couldn’t tell if she was there or not. But as soon as I got the bait right the first time, she bit.”

Lucas caught 19-9 Saturday to put himself in position for his second career B.A.S.S. win with a three-day total of 56-3, while Florida pro Terry Scroggins stayed in contention with a Saturday catch of 16-11 that pushed his overall mark to 55-3.

But all of the buzz after the weigh-in was about Clunn — and he used the moment to inspire.

“Never accept that all of your best moments are in your past,” Clunn said. “Most of us go through a peak period. But when you start to lose that, you start to wonder.

“Maybe I don’t have as many great moments ahead, but I still have great moments to look forward to.”

Sunday’s take-off will be at 7:15 a.m. ET from Palatka City Dock, with weigh-ins set for 3:30 p.m. at Palatka Riverfront Park. The winning angler will receive $100,000.

The local host for the event is the Putnam County Chamber of Commerce.

2016 Bassmaster Elite at St. Johns River presented by Dick Cepek Tires & Wheels 3/17-3/20
St. Johns River, Palatka  FL.
(PROFESSIONAL) Standings Day 3

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

1.  Rick Clunn             Ava, MO                 15  62-15  110
Day 1: 5   16-11     Day 2: 5   14-13     Day 3: 5   31-07
2.  Greg Hackney           Gonzales, LA            15  56-15  109     $500.00
Day 1: 5   21-05     Day 2: 5   18-01     Day 3: 5   17-09
3.  Justin Lucas           Guntersville, AL        15  56-03  108
Day 1: 5   13-13     Day 2: 5   22-13     Day 3: 5   19-09
4.  Terry Scroggins        San Mateo, FL           15  55-03  107
Day 1: 5   16-14     Day 2: 5   21-10     Day 3: 5   16-11
5.  Cliff Prince           Palatka, FL             15  55-00  106
Day 1: 5   10-12     Day 2: 5   23-01     Day 3: 5   21-03
6.  Brent Chapman          Lake Quivira, KS        15  54-13  105
Day 1: 5   13-05     Day 2: 5   17-15     Day 3: 5   23-09
7.  Davy Hite              Ninety Six, SC          15  54-13  104
Day 1: 5   15-02     Day 2: 5   20-13     Day 3: 5   18-14
8.  Marty Robinson         Lyman, SC               15  54-12  103
Day 1: 5   18-09     Day 2: 5   19-12     Day 3: 5   16-07
9.  Jason Christie         Park Hill, OK           15  54-04  102
Day 1: 5   16-06     Day 2: 5   14-11     Day 3: 5   23-03
10. Drew Benton            Panama City, FL         15  53-08  101
Day 1: 5   22-15     Day 2: 5   09-14     Day 3: 5   20-11
11. Jordan Lee             Grant, AL               15  51-02  100
Day 1: 5   20-15     Day 2: 5   17-08     Day 3: 5   12-11
12. Randall Tharp          Port St. Joe, FL        15  49-12   99
Day 1: 5   22-10     Day 2: 5   12-08     Day 3: 5   14-10
13. Brandon Lester         Fayetteville, TN        15  49-11   98  $10,000.00
Day 1: 5   23-13     Day 2: 5   14-02     Day 3: 5   11-12
14. Keith Combs            Huntington, TX          15  49-00   97  $10,000.00
Day 1: 5   19-14     Day 2: 5   09-04     Day 3: 5   19-14
15. Andy Montgomery        Blacksburg, SC          15  48-14   96  $10,000.00
Day 1: 5   14-13     Day 2: 5   14-15     Day 3: 5   19-02
16. Edwin Evers            Talala, OK              15  48-12   95  $10,000.00
Day 1: 5   20-05     Day 2: 5   13-02     Day 3: 5   15-05
17. Hank Cherry Jr         Maiden, NC              15  48-10   94  $10,000.00
Day 1: 5   14-07     Day 2: 5   17-09     Day 3: 5   16-10
18. Dean Rojas             Lake Havasu City, AZ    15  48-05   93  $10,000.00
Day 1: 5   21-00     Day 2: 5   08-01     Day 3: 5   19-04
19. Bradley Roy            Lancaster, KY           15  48-00   92  $10,000.00
Day 1: 5   18-05     Day 2: 5   18-13     Day 3: 5   10-14
20. Skeet Reese            Auburn, CA              15  47-15   91  $10,000.00
Day 1: 5   18-11     Day 2: 5   16-10     Day 3: 5   12-10
21. Jared Lintner          Arroyo Grande, CA       15  47-10   90  $10,000.00
Day 1: 5   17-02     Day 2: 5   15-15     Day 3: 5   14-09
22. Mike McClelland        Bella Vista, AR         15  47-09   89  $10,000.00
Day 1: 5   19-15     Day 2: 5   13-00     Day 3: 5   14-10
23. Cliff Pace             Petal, MS               15  47-07   88  $10,000.00
Day 1: 5   21-10     Day 2: 5   09-13     Day 3: 5   16-00
24. Luke Clausen           Otis Orchards, WA       15  47-04   87  $10,000.00
Day 1: 5   19-13     Day 2: 5   11-11     Day 3: 5   15-12
25. Ken Iyobe              Tokoname  Aichi JAPAN   15  47-01   86  $10,000.00
Day 1: 5   17-08     Day 2: 5   18-06     Day 3: 5   11-03
26. Billy McCaghren Jr     Mayflower, AR           13  46-15   85  $10,000.00
Day 1: 5   20-01     Day 2: 5   17-00     Day 3: 3   09-14
27. Michael Iaconelli      Pitts Grove, NJ         15  46-15   84  $10,000.00
Day 1: 5   19-00     Day 2: 5   17-05     Day 3: 5   10-10
28. Ish Monroe             Hughson, CA             15  46-13   83  $10,000.00
Day 1: 5   17-10     Day 2: 5   13-09     Day 3: 5   15-10
29. Brent Ehrler           Newport Beach, CA       15  46-01   82  $10,000.00
Day 1: 5   19-08     Day 2: 5   18-11     Day 3: 5   07-14
30. Shaw Grigsby Jr.       Gainesville, FL         15  45-13   81  $10,000.00
Day 1: 5   12-09     Day 2: 5   19-02     Day 3: 5   14-02
31. Kevin VanDam           Kalamazoo, MI           15  45-07   80  $10,000.00
Day 1: 5   20-09     Day 2: 5   09-01     Day 3: 5   15-13
32. Todd Faircloth         Jasper, TX              15  45-07   79  $10,000.00
Day 1: 5   15-04     Day 2: 5   15-02     Day 3: 5   15-01
33. Seth Feider            Bloomington, MN         15  45-06   78  $10,000.00
Day 1: 5   17-05     Day 2: 5   13-06     Day 3: 5   14-11
34. Jason Williamson       Wagener, SC             15  45-01   77  $10,000.00
Day 1: 5   21-10     Day 2: 5   11-10     Day 3: 5   11-13
35. Bill Lowen             Brookville, IN          15  45-00   76  $10,000.00
Day 1: 5   18-03     Day 2: 5   14-02     Day 3: 5   12-11
36. Stephen Browning       Hot Springs, AR         15  44-14   75  $10,000.00
Day 1: 5   13-15     Day 2: 5   14-13     Day 3: 5   16-02
37. Brandon Palaniuk       Rathdrum, ID            15  44-11   74  $10,000.00
Day 1: 5   15-01     Day 2: 5   16-02     Day 3: 5   13-08
38. Chris Zaldain          Laughlin, NV            15  44-09   73  $10,000.00
Day 1: 5   13-03     Day 2: 5   16-11     Day 3: 5   14-11
39. Takahiro Omori         Emory, TX               15  44-07   72  $10,000.00
Day 1: 5   15-08     Day 2: 5   15-06     Day 3: 5   13-09
40. Gerald Swindle         Warrior, AL             15  42-12   71  $10,000.00
Day 1: 5   15-07     Day 2: 5   19-01     Day 3: 5   08-04
41. John Crews Jr          Salem, VA               15  42-07   70  $10,000.00
Day 1: 5   19-08     Day 2: 5   11-15     Day 3: 5   11-00
42. Alton Jones            Lorena, TX              15  42-03   69  $10,000.00
Day 1: 5   19-02     Day 2: 5   10-14     Day 3: 5   12-03
43. Clifford Pirch         Payson, AZ              15  42-02   68  $10,000.00
Day 1: 5   16-09     Day 2: 5   16-10     Day 3: 5   08-15
44. Bernie Schultz         Gainesville, FL         15  41-09   67  $10,000.00
Day 1: 5   12-12     Day 2: 5   18-15     Day 3: 5   09-14
45. Britt Myers            Lake Wylie, SC          15  40-12   66  $10,000.00
Day 1: 5   18-14     Day 2: 5   15-01     Day 3: 5   06-13
46. Cliff Crochet          Pierre Part, LA         13  40-11   65  $10,000.00
Day 1: 5   22-14     Day 2: 3   06-02     Day 3: 5   11-11
47. Mark Menendez          Paducah, KY             15  40-09   64  $10,000.00
Day 1: 5   21-06     Day 2: 5   07-14     Day 3: 5   11-05
48. Chad Pipkens           Lansing, MI             13  40-04   63  $10,000.00
Day 1: 5   18-04     Day 2: 5   16-01     Day 3: 3   05-15
49. Greg Vinson            Wetumpka, AL            15  39-02   62  $10,000.00
Day 1: 5   17-03     Day 2: 5   11-15     Day 3: 5   10-00
50. Brian Snowden          Reeds Spring, MO        14  37-01   61  $10,000.00
Day 1: 5   13-00     Day 2: 5   19-01     Day 3: 4   05-00
51. Randy Howell           Guntersville, AL        12  32-07   60  $10,000.00
Day 1: 5   20-01     Day 2: 5   08-11     Day 3: 2   03-11
———————————————————————–
Totals
Day   #Limits    #Fish      Weight
1       109       547      1656-09
2        96       520      1339-06
3        47       247       724-13
———————————-
252      1314      3720-12

Prespawn Bass Fishing Top Picks by Gene Jensen

wpalert
-
0
Prespawn Bass Fishing Top Picks by Gene Jensen

March 19,2016

In this video Gene gives us some great tips on fishing for those prespawn bass. Take a listen to what he has to say.

COX TAKES LEAD ON DAY TWO OF WALMART FLW TOUR ON LAKE HARTWELL PRESENTED BY EVINRUDE

wpalert
-
0
COX TAKES LEAD ON DAY TWO OF WALMART FLW TOUR ON LAKE HARTWELL PRESENTED BY EVINRUDE

COX TAKES LEAD ON DAY TWO OF WALMART FLW TOUR ON LAKE HARTWELL PRESENTED BY EVINRUDE

California’s Kavros Wins Co-angler Title, $20,000

[print_link]

ANDERSON, S.C. (March 18, 2016) – Florida pro John Cox, brought a five-bass limit to the scale weighing 20 pounds, 5 ounces Friday to take the lead after day two of the Walmart FLW Tour at Lake Hartwell presented by Evinrude. Cox now brings a 2-pound, 4-ounce lead into day two of the four-day tournament that features 168 of the world’s best anglers competing for a top cash award of up to $125,000.

In second place is Darrel Robertson of Jay, Oklahoma, the day one leader, who weighed in five bass totaling 14-7 Friday for a two-day cumulative total of 10 bass worth 34-13. The field is trimmed to the top 20 on Saturday, with only the top 10 anglers fishing on the final day Sunday.

“I covered a ton of water today and ran into some good fish here and there,” said Cox, a three-time Forrest Wood Cup qualifier. “My three smallest stringer fish were caught sight-fishing. It was all about timing. If I saw them in a pocket earlier in the day and they weren’t ready, I’d swing back in later and get them.”

Cox said he focused on nearly 100 different pockets between Green Pond Landing and the Hartwell Dam. He said he moved fairly quickly through his areas and did his best to avoid boat traffic.

“On my second or third cast I caught a 6-pound, 11-ouncer off of a dock using a Zoom Trick Worm,” said Cox. “I usually never shake with excitement, but that one got me going.”

The Florida pro said he caught 10 keepers over the course of his day, including one fish that he weighed in on a jig.

“Tomorrow I plan to continue sight-fishing,” said Cox. “I ran to some new pockets today and marked around 10 bass that I think are worth 16 or 17 pounds. Hopefully they don’t move too far from their spots.”

The top 20 pros that made the Buck Knives Cut and will fish Saturday on Lake Hartwell are:

1st:          John Cox, DeBary, Fla., 10 bass, 37-1

2nd:         Darrel Robertson, Jay, Okla., 10 bass, 34-13

3rd:          Yamamoto Baits pro Larry Nixon, Bee Branch, Ark., 10 bass, 33-13

4th:          Blake Smith, Lakeland, Fla., 10 bass, 33-6

5th:          Clark Wendlandt, Leander, Texas, 10 bass, 33-0

6th:          Lew’s pro Peter Thliveros, Saint Augustine, Fla., 10 bass, 32-2

7th:          Anthony Gagliardi, Prosperity, S.C., 10 bass, 31-10

8th:          Jamie Horton, Centerville, Ala., 10 bass, 31-4

9th:          Bryan Thrift, Shelby, N.C., 10 bass, 31-2

10th:        Scott Martin, Clewiston, Fla., 10 bass, 30-13

11th:        Chris Johnston, Peterborough, Ontario, Canada, 10 bass, 30-13

12th:        Rusty Trancygier, Hahira, Ga., 10 bass, 30-8

13th:        Cory Johnston, Cavan, Ontario, Canada, 10 bass, 30-3

14th:        Scott Suggs, Alexander, Ark., 10 bass, 29-11

15th:        Keystone Light pro Jeff Sprague, Point, Texas, 10 bass, 29-10

16th:        Jason Reyes, Huffman, Texas, 10 bass, 29-9

17th:        Powell Kemp, Scotland Neck, N.C., 10 bass, 29-8

18th:        Jeff Gustafson, Keewatin, Ontario, Canada, 10 bass, 29-7

19th:        Tony Davis, Williston, Fla., 10 bass, 29-6

20th:        Quaker State pro Matt Arey, Shelby, N.C., 10 bass, 29-6

For a full list of results visit FLWFishing.com.

Davis earned the Big Bass Award on the pro side Friday, weighing a 7-pound, 10-ounce bass to win the $500 prize.

Overall there were 781 bass weighing 1,772 pounds, 4 ounces caught by 166 pros Friday. The catch included 140 five-bass limits.

Chuck Kavros of Grass Valley, California, won the co-angler division and $20,000 Friday with a two-day total of 10 bass weighing 22 pounds, 2 ounces, followed by Anthony Goggins of Auburn, Alabama, who finished in second place with 10 bass weighing 21 pounds, 9 ounces worth $7,500.

“I haven’t been fishing at this level for very long so to win a Tour event as a co-angler is pretty cool,” said Kavros, who is fishing his fourth season as a co-angler on the FLW Tour. “I caught all of my fish this week fan casting near docks and points using a wacky-rigged Yamamoto Senko.”

The top 10 co-anglers finished:

1st:          Chuck Kavros, Grass Valley, Calif., 10 bass, 22-2, $20,000

2nd:         Anthony Goggins, Auburn, Ala., 10 bass, 21-9, $7,500

3rd:          Gary Haraguchi, Redding, Calif., nine bass, 20-15, $5,000

4th:          Greg Glouse, Liberty, S.C., 10 bass, 20-7, $4,000

5th:          David Larson, Mound, Minn., 10 bass, 20-1, $3,000

6th:          David Hudson, Jasper, Ala., 10 bass, 19-4, $2,500

7th:          Joseph Marks, Duncan, S.C., 10 bass, 18-13, $2,000

8th:          J.P. Sims, Cookeville, Tenn., 10 bass, 18-11, $1,800

9th:          Joey Cifuentes, Clinton, Ark., 10 bass, 18-10, $1,700

10th:        Anthony Marks, Spartanburg, S.C., 10 bass, 18-8, $1,600

Hiroyuki Watanabe of Shizuoka, Japan, earned the Big Bass Award on the co-angler side Friday with a fish totaling 5 pounds, 14 ounces to win the $250 prize.

Overall there were 512 bass weighing 840 pounds, 8 ounces caught by 163 co-anglers Friday. The catch included 55 five-bass limits.

In FLW Tour competition, anglers are also vying for valuable points in hopes of qualifying for the 2016 Forrest Wood Cup, the world championship of bass fishing. The 2016 Forrest Wood Cup will be on Wheeler Lake in Huntsville, Alabama, Aug. 4-7 and is hosted by the Huntsville/Madison County Convention & Visitors Bureau.

Anglers will take off and weigh-in Saturday and Sunday at Green Pond Landing located at 470 Green Pond Road in Anderson at 7:30 a.m. each day. Saturday and Sunday’s final weigh-ins will begin at 4 p.m.

Fans will also be treated to the FLW Expo on Saturday and Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. at Green Pond Landing prior to the final weigh-ins. The Expo includes interactive games, activities and giveaways provided by FLW sponsors, and the opportunity to interact with professional anglers to learn more about the sport of fishing and other outdoor activities. All activities are free and open to the public.

Also for youth, the FLW Foundation’s Unified Fishing Derby will be held at Chris Taylor Memorial Park located at 5 Jim Ed Rice Circle in Anderson on Saturday, March 19, from 9-11 a.m. The event is hosted by FLW Foundation pro Cody Kelley along with other FLW Tour anglers, and is free and open to area youth 15 years of age and younger and Special Olympics athletes. Rods and reels are available for use, but youth are encouraged to bring their own if they own one. All bait is provided by the DMF Bait Company.

The tournament is hosted by the Anderson Convention & Visitors Bureau.

For complete details and updated information visit FLWFishing.com. For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow us on Facebook at Facebook.com/FLWFishing and on Twitter at Twitter.com/FLWFishing.

Veteran Angler Hackney Takes Lead At St. Johns River With Big Day 2 Catch

wpalert
-
0
Veteran Angler Hackney Takes Lead At St. Johns River With Big Day 2 Catch

Greg Hackney of Gonzales, La., leads on the second day of the Bassmaster Elite at St. Johns River presented by Dick Cepek Tires & Wheels, bringing 18 pounds, 1 ounce to the scales on Friday for a two-day total weight of 39-6. 

Photo by Seigo Saito/Bassmaster

March 18, 2016

Veteran Angler Hackney Takes Lead At St. Johns River With Big Day 2 Catch

PALATKA, Fla. — With most of the field sight fishing for spawning bass, Louisiana pro Greg Hackney took a slightly different approach during Friday’s second round of the Bassmaster Elite at St. Johns River presented by Dick Cepek Tires & Wheels.

By daring to be a little different, Hackney caught a five-bass limit that weighed 18 pounds, 1 ounce and jumped into the overall lead with a two-day total of 39-6. Florida pro and local favorite Terry Scroggins is second with 38-8, followed by Alabamian Jordan Lee with 38-7 and South Carolina angler Marty Robinson with 38-5.

“I’m fishing spawning fish for sure,” Hackney said. “I’m not necessarily looking at all of them, but I know they’re bedding or guarding fry or something.

“I caught a couple of rats (small fish) that I was looking at. But I caught all of the good ones just fishing.”

Hackney, a 13-time qualifier for the GEICO Bassmaster Classic presented by GoPro and the 2014 Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year, is one of the more secretive competitors on the Elite Series.

With plenty of fishing left, he wouldn’t say which lures he’s been using. But he did say he changed areas from Thursday to Friday — and will probably make another change for Saturday’s semifinal round.

“Today, I went back to the place I fished (Thursday) and caught a bunch of fish, but they were small,” Hackney said. “I’m just having to run new water. I caught them one place yesterday, a different place today, and I’ve about decided I’m going to do something totally different tomorrow.”

With the spring spawning run in full swing, lots of beds are visible in the clear waters of the St. Johns fishery. The bass are easier to see when the conditions are calm and sunny — and for that reason, many anglers in the field are hoping for bright sunshine Saturday.

Since Hackney isn’t sight fishing, he said the conditions won’t matter to him.

“I don’t care one way or another,” he said. “I would just as soon it be cloudy and windy and rainy. Why not?

“If people can’t see them, it cuts down on the fishing pressure.”

After getting off to what some considered a slow start with 16-14 Thursday, Scroggins rebounded Friday with a nice five-bass limit that weighed 21-10. His knowledge of the fishery and how it’s influenced by the tidal pull of the Atlantic Ocean seemed to have keyed his comeback.

Scroggins has been starting south of the takeoff site at Palatka City Dock and fishing just long enough to let the tide get right before moving north. He’s been catching big spawning bass on an unspecified topwater lure.

“When you go up the river, the tide really affects the water levels,” Scroggins said. “If you go south to Lake George, it doesn’t affect you that much. But if you go north, it’s got to be a low tide before you can see.”

Scroggins’ two-day weight of 38-8 was an ounce better than that of Lee, who finished Friday’s round with a flourish. He caught his biggest fish of the day — a 6-pound largemouth — with less than 10 minutes left before he had to return for the weigh-in.

“I saw one up there on a bed, and I thought it was a 3- or 4-pounder,” Lee said. “So I used my push pole and kind of backed off a little bit.

“I pitched over there a couple of times and missed it at first. But then I set the hook, and it was on.”

The big fish helped Lee cull a smaller one that he said weighed only about a pound and kept the 24-year-old angler within striking distance of his first career win with B.A.S.S.

The field will be trimmed to the Top 51 anglers for Saturday’s second round, with only the Top 12 advancing to Sunday’s championship finale. The winner will receive $100,000.

Hackney also earned the Livingston Lures Leader Award of $500 for leading on the second day.

Daily takeoffs will be held at 7:15 a.m. ET from Palatka City Dock, with weigh-ins set to begin both days at 3:30 p.m. at Palatka Riverfront Park.

The local host for the event is the Putnam County Chamber of Commerce.

2016 Bassmaster Elite at St. Johns River presented by Dick Cepek Tires & Wheels 3/17-3/20
St. Johns River, Palatka  FL.
(PROFESSIONAL) Standings Day 2Angler                   Hometown              No./lbs-oz  Pts   Total $$$

1.  Greg Hackney           Gonzales, LA            10  39-06  110
Day 1: 5   21-05     Day 2: 5   18-01
2.  Terry Scroggins        San Mateo, FL           10  38-08  109
Day 1: 5   16-14     Day 2: 5   21-10
3.  Jordan Lee             Grant, AL               10  38-07  108
Day 1: 5   20-15     Day 2: 5   17-08
4.  Marty Robinson         Lyman, SC               10  38-05  107
Day 1: 5   18-09     Day 2: 5   19-12
5.  Brent Ehrler           Newport Beach, CA       10  38-03  106
Day 1: 5   19-08     Day 2: 5   18-11
6.  Brandon Lester         Fayetteville, TN        10  37-15  105
Day 1: 5   23-13     Day 2: 5   14-02
7.  Bradley Roy            Lancaster, KY           10  37-02  104
Day 1: 5   18-05     Day 2: 5   18-13
8.  Billy McCaghren Jr     Mayflower, AR           10  37-01  103
Day 1: 5   20-01     Day 2: 5   17-00
9.  Justin Lucas           Guntersville, AL        10  36-10  102
Day 1: 5   13-13     Day 2: 5   22-13
10. Michael Iaconelli      Pitts Grove, NJ         10  36-05  101
Day 1: 5   19-00     Day 2: 5   17-05
11. Davy Hite              Ninety Six, SC          10  35-15  100
Day 1: 5   15-02     Day 2: 5   20-13
12. Ken Iyobe              Tokoname  Aichi JAPAN   10  35-14   99
Day 1: 5   17-08     Day 2: 5   18-06
13. Skeet Reese            Auburn, CA              10  35-05   98
Day 1: 5   18-11     Day 2: 5   16-10
14. Randall Tharp          Port St. Joe, FL        10  35-02   97
Day 1: 5   22-10     Day 2: 5   12-08
15. Gerald Swindle         Warrior, AL             10  34-08   96
Day 1: 5   15-07     Day 2: 5   19-01
16. Chad Pipkens           Lansing, MI             10  34-05   95
Day 1: 5   18-04     Day 2: 5   16-01
17. Britt Myers            Lake Wylie, SC          10  33-15   94
Day 1: 5   18-14     Day 2: 5   15-01
18. Cliff Prince           Palatka, FL             10  33-13   93
Day 1: 5   10-12     Day 2: 5   23-01
19. Edwin Evers            Talala, OK              10  33-07   92
Day 1: 5   20-05     Day 2: 5   13-02
20. Jason Williamson       Wagener, SC             10  33-04   91
Day 1: 5   21-10     Day 2: 5   11-10
21. Clifford Pirch         Payson, AZ              10  33-03   90
Day 1: 5   16-09     Day 2: 5   16-10
22. Jared Lintner          Arroyo Grande, CA       10  33-01   89
Day 1: 5   17-02     Day 2: 5   15-15
23. Mike McClelland        Bella Vista, AR         10  32-15   88
Day 1: 5   19-15     Day 2: 5   13-00
24. Drew Benton            Panama City, FL         10  32-13   87
Day 1: 5   22-15     Day 2: 5   09-14
25. Bill Lowen             Brookville, IN          10  32-05   86
Day 1: 5   18-03     Day 2: 5   14-02
26. Brian Snowden          Reeds Spring, MO        10  32-01   85
Day 1: 5   13-00     Day 2: 5   19-01
27. Hank Cherry Jr         Maiden, NC              10  32-00   84
Day 1: 5   14-07     Day 2: 5   17-09
28. Shaw Grigsby Jr.       Gainesville, FL         10  31-11   83
Day 1: 5   12-09     Day 2: 5   19-02
29. Bernie Schultz         Gainesville, FL         10  31-11   82
Day 1: 5   12-12     Day 2: 5   18-15
30. Luke Clausen           Otis Orchards, WA       10  31-08   81
Day 1: 5   19-13     Day 2: 5   11-11
31. Rick Clunn             Ava, MO                 10  31-08   80
Day 1: 5   16-11     Day 2: 5   14-13
32. Cliff Pace             Petal, MS               10  31-07   79
Day 1: 5   21-10     Day 2: 5   09-13
33. John Crews Jr          Salem, VA               10  31-07   78
Day 1: 5   19-08     Day 2: 5   11-15
34. Brent Chapman          Lake Quivira, KS        10  31-04   77
Day 1: 5   13-05     Day 2: 5   17-15
35. Ish Monroe             Hughson, CA             10  31-03   76
Day 1: 5   17-10     Day 2: 5   13-09
36. Brandon Palaniuk       Rathdrum, ID            10  31-03   75
Day 1: 5   15-01     Day 2: 5   16-02
37. Jason Christie         Park Hill, OK           10  31-01   74
Day 1: 5   16-06     Day 2: 5   14-11
38. Takahiro Omori         Emory, TX               10  30-14   73
Day 1: 5   15-08     Day 2: 5   15-06
39. Seth Feider            Bloomington, MN         10  30-11   72
Day 1: 5   17-05     Day 2: 5   13-06
40. Todd Faircloth         Jasper, TX              10  30-06   71
Day 1: 5   15-04     Day 2: 5   15-02
41. Alton Jones            Lorena, TX              10  30-00   70
Day 1: 5   19-02     Day 2: 5   10-14
42. Chris Zaldain          Laughlin, NV            10  29-14   69
Day 1: 5   13-03     Day 2: 5   16-11
43. Andy Montgomery        Blacksburg, SC          10  29-12   68
Day 1: 5   14-13     Day 2: 5   14-15
44. Kevin VanDam           Kalamazoo, MI           10  29-10   67
Day 1: 5   20-09     Day 2: 5   09-01
45. Mark Menendez          Paducah, KY             10  29-04   66
Day 1: 5   21-06     Day 2: 5   07-14
46. Keith Combs            Huntington, TX          10  29-02   65
Day 1: 5   19-14     Day 2: 5   09-04
47. Greg Vinson            Wetumpka, AL            10  29-02   64
Day 1: 5   17-03     Day 2: 5   11-15
48. Dean Rojas             Lake Havasu City, AZ    10  29-01   63
Day 1: 5   21-00     Day 2: 5   08-01
49. Cliff Crochet          Pierre Part, LA          8  29-00   62
Day 1: 5   22-14     Day 2: 3   06-02
50. Randy Howell           Guntersville, AL        10  28-12   61
Day 1: 5   20-01     Day 2: 5   08-11
51. Stephen Browning       Hot Springs, AR         10  28-12   60
Day 1: 5   13-15     Day 2: 5   14-13
52. Aaron Martens          Leeds, AL               10  28-06   59
Day 1: 5   14-06     Day 2: 5   14-00
53. Brett Hite             Phoenix, AZ             10  28-05   58
Day 1: 5   16-00     Day 2: 5   12-05
54. Koby Kreiger           Bokeelia, FL            10  28-05   57
Day 1: 5   15-13     Day 2: 5   12-08
55. Jay Brainard           Enid, OK                10  28-00   56
Day 1: 5   18-00     Day 2: 5   10-00
56. Dennis Tietje          Roanoke, LA             10  28-00   55
Day 1: 5   14-15     Day 2: 5   13-01
57. Micah Frazier          Newnan, GA              10  27-03   54
Day 1: 5   15-11     Day 2: 5   11-08
58. David Mullins          Mt Carmel, TN           10  26-15   53
Day 1: 5   14-06     Day 2: 5   12-09
59. Scott Rook             Little Rock, AR         10  26-10   52
Day 1: 5   11-04     Day 2: 5   15-06
60. Josh Bertrand          Gilbert, AZ             10  26-07   51
Day 1: 5   19-07     Day 2: 5   07-00
61. Randy Allen            Shreveport, LA           9  26-07   50
Day 1: 5   18-08     Day 2: 4   07-15
62. Boyd Duckett           Guntersville, AL        10  26-03   49
Day 1: 5   13-15     Day 2: 5   12-04
63. Fletcher Shryock       New Philadelphia, OH     9  26-01   48
Day 1: 5   16-04     Day 2: 4   09-13
64. Kelley Jaye            Dadeville, AL           10  25-11   47
Day 1: 5   11-15     Day 2: 5   13-12
65. Ott DeFoe              Knoxville, TN           10  25-10   46
Day 1: 5   17-04     Day 2: 5   08-06
66. Steve Kennedy          Auburn, AL              10  25-10   45
Day 1: 5   11-12     Day 2: 5   13-14
67. Kelly Jordon           Flint, TX               10  25-08   44
Day 1: 5   14-07     Day 2: 5   11-01
68. Bobby Lane Jr.         Lakeland, FL            10  25-03   43
Day 1: 5   15-08     Day 2: 5   09-11
69. Fabian Rodriguez       Ocean City, DE          10  25-02   42
Day 1: 5   08-06     Day 2: 5   16-12
70. Jeff Kriet             Ardmore, OK             10  25-01   41
Day 1: 5   12-12     Day 2: 5   12-05
71. Chris Lane             Guntersville, AL        10  25-00   40
Day 1: 5   14-09     Day 2: 5   10-07
72. James Niggemeyer       Van, TX                 10  24-11   39
Day 1: 5   15-09     Day 2: 5   09-02
73. Chad Grigsby           Maple Grove, MN         10  24-10   38
Day 1: 5   16-11     Day 2: 5   07-15
74. Casey Scanlon          Rocky Mount, MO          9  24-10   37
Day 1: 5   14-09     Day 2: 4   10-01
75. Jonathon VanDam        Kalamazoo, MI            9  24-09   36
Day 1: 5   16-05     Day 2: 4   08-04
76. Brett Preuett          Monroe, LA              10  24-03   35
Day 1: 5   10-13     Day 2: 5   13-06
77. Casey Ashley           Donalds, SC             10  23-15   34
Day 1: 5   13-02     Day 2: 5   10-13
78. Jacob Powroznik        Port Haywood, VA        10  23-07   33
Day 1: 5   14-02     Day 2: 5   09-05
79. David Walker           Sevierville, TN         10  22-15   32
Day 1: 5   12-12     Day 2: 5   10-03
80. David Williams         Newton, NC              10  22-14   31
Day 1: 5   09-07     Day 2: 5   13-07
81. Kotaro Kiriyama        Moody, AL               10  22-13   30
Day 1: 5   11-14     Day 2: 5   10-15
82. Tim Horton             Muscle Shoals, AL       10  22-11   29
Day 1: 5   14-04     Day 2: 5   08-07
83. Matt Vermilyea         Perrysburg, OH           9  22-11   28
Day 1: 5   13-12     Day 2: 4   08-15
84. James Elam             Tulsa, OK               10  22-11   27
Day 1: 5   09-01     Day 2: 5   13-10
85. Fred Roumbanis         Bixby, OK               10  22-11   26
Day 1: 5   10-12     Day 2: 5   11-15
86. Matt Lee               Guntersville, AL        10  22-10   25
Day 1: 5   14-06     Day 2: 5   08-04
87. Matt Herren            Ashville, AL            10  22-10   24
Day 1: 5   10-04     Day 2: 5   12-06
88. Adrian Avena           Vineland, NJ            10  22-09   23
Day 1: 5   12-05     Day 2: 5   10-04
89. Gary Klein             Weatherford, TX         10  22-03   22
Day 1: 5   14-02     Day 2: 5   08-01
90. Morizo Shimizu         Suita, Osaka JAPAN      10  22-02   21
Day 1: 5   13-01     Day 2: 5   09-01
91. Paul Elias             Laurel, MS              10  20-15   20
Day 1: 5   09-12     Day 2: 5   11-03
92. Chad Morgenthaler      Reeds Spring, MO        10  20-02   19
Day 1: 5   13-05     Day 2: 5   06-13
93. Matt Reed Jr           Madisonville, TX        10  20-02   18
Day 1: 5   08-11     Day 2: 5   11-07
94. John Hunter Jr         Shelbyville, KY         10  20-02   17
Day 1: 5   10-14     Day 2: 5   09-04
95. Mark Davis             Mount Ida, AR           10  19-15   16
Day 1: 5   11-11     Day 2: 5   08-04
96. Dave Lefebre           Erie, PA                10  19-14   15
Day 1: 5   13-00     Day 2: 5   06-14
97. Clent Davis            Montevallo, AL           9  19-04   14
Day 1: 5   10-00     Day 2: 4   09-04
98. Shane Lineberger       Lincolnton, NC           8  19-01   13
Day 1: 5   08-00     Day 2: 3   11-01
99. J Todd Tucker          Moultrie, GA            10  19-00   12
Day 1: 5   07-06     Day 2: 5   11-10
100. Keith Poche            Pike Road, AL           10  18-14   11
Day 1: 5   12-09     Day 2: 5   06-05
101. Brandon Card           Caryville, TN            9  18-09   10
Day 1: 5   12-08     Day 2: 4   06-01
102. Yusuke Miyazaki        Forney, TX              10  18-09    9
Day 1: 5   10-13     Day 2: 5   07-12
103. Byron Velvick          Boenre, TX              10  18-09    8
Day 1: 5   08-15     Day 2: 5   09-10
104. Carl Jocumsen          Queensland TX AUSTRALIA  8  18-06    7
Day 1: 5   10-11     Day 2: 3   07-11
105. Brock Mosley           Collinsville, MS        10  17-13    6
Day 1: 5   10-10     Day 2: 5   07-03
106. Russ Lane              Prattville, AL          10  17-00    5
Day 1: 5   11-04     Day 2: 5   05-12
107. Tommy Biffle           Wagoner, OK              7  11-10    4
Day 1: 5   08-09     Day 2: 2   03-01
108. John Murray            Spring City, TN          5  11-08    3
Day 1: 5   11-08     Day 2: 0   00-00
109. Brandon Coulter        Knoxville, TN            6  11-01    2
Day 1: 5   08-13     Day 2: 1   02-04
110. Paul Mueller           Naugatuck, CT            2  04-06    1
Day 1: 2   04-06     Day 2: 0   00-00
———————————————————————–
Totals
Day   #Limits    #Fish      Weight
1       109       547      1656-09
2        96       520      1339-06
———————————-
205      1067      2995-15

ILLINOIS STATE UNIVERSITY TAKES LEAD ON DAY TWO OF COLLEGE FISHING NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP – FLW

wpalert
-
0
ILLINOIS STATE UNIVERSITY TAKES LEAD ON DAY TWO OF COLLEGE FISHING NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP – FLW

ILLINOIS STATE UNIVERSITY TAKES LEAD ON DAY TWO OF COLLEGE FISHING NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

[print_link]

SENECA, S.C. (March 18, 2016) – The Illinois State University team of Bryce Wegman of Normal, Illinois, and Taylor Umland of Gridley, Illinois, weighed in a limit of bass totaling 17 pounds, 1 ounce, Friday to take the lead on day two of the FLW College Fishing National Championship on Lake Keowee presented by the Lowrance Insight Genesis College Cup. The Redbirds duo have a two-day cumulative total of 10 bass weighing 27 pounds, 9 ounces and will lead the 10 teams that made the final-day cut into the last day of competition.

The three-day tournament, hosted by the Mountain Lakes Convention and Visitors Bureau, featured 54 of the top college bass fishing clubs from across the nation competing for a top award of a Ranger Z175 boat with a 90-horsepower outboard engine and entry into the 2016 Forrest Wood Cup, the world championship of bass fishing.

“It’s crazy to be leading after we struggled yesterday,” said Wegman, a senior majoring in Construction Management. “We had found a few big largemouth in practice that we thought we were going to catch right away yesterday, but they had disappeared and we only ended up catching a limit of 2-pounders. Today we fished all new water and we ended up finding some big largemouth. ”

The duo said that they caught around 20 fish throughout the day, a mixture of spotted bass and largemouth, on two or three different baits. Although they caught both species, their limit consisted of five largemouth. They were not yet ready to name any specifics, but did mention that they were doing something very unique – they believe no other teams are doing it – and it was something that they could pattern very well.

“We ended up running to a bunch of different areas and we caught fish at almost all of them,” Wegman continued. “We’re going to go back out and do the same thing tomorrow. I’m ready to get out there again right now.”

“We were getting more and more excited as we kept culling throughout the afternoon,” said Umland, a senior majoring in Marketing. “We were in a big hole after starting the day in 28th place, but the weights were very stacked up and we knew if we found the largemouth we could jump up in the top 10. I had no idea we’d be leading, but this is just awesome.

“Our bass club has had some very high finishes, but this win would definitely be the biggest accomplishment that we’ve ever had,” Umland went on to say. “I’m definitely nervous – being in the lead means it’s ours to lose. Hopefully our pattern can do it again tomorrow and we can win this.”

The top 10 teams on Lake Keowee that will advance to the final day of competition are:

1st:   Illinois State University – Bryce Wegman, Normal, Ill., and Taylor Umland, Gridley, Ill., 10 bass, 27-9

2nd:  Auburn University – Timmy Ward, Childersburg, Ala., and Mitchell Jennings, Auburn, Ala., 10 bass, 26-8

3rd:  Adrian College – Jarrett Martin, Gallipolis, Ohio, and Jacob Bayer, Westfield, Mich., 10 bass, 26-3

4th:   Colorado Mesa University – Josh Worth, Grand Junction, Colo., and Kennedy Kinkade, Alpine, Utah, 10 bass, 26-1

5th:  University of South Carolina – Chris Blanchette, Irmo, S.C., and Hampton Anderson, Anderson, S.C., 10 bass, 25-11

6th:  Dallas Baptist University – Zackery Hines, Clyde, Texas, and Reed Foster, Combine, Texas, 10 bass, 25-10

7th:  Kansas State University – Lance Maldonado, Junction City, Kan., and Ethan Dhuyvetter, Manhattan, Kan., 10 bass, 25-3

8th:  University of North Alabama – Dawson Lenz, Peachtree City, Ga., and Andrew Tate, Florence, Ala., 10 bass, 25-2

9th:  Henderson State University – Michael Gross, Gurdon, Ark., and Cobey Wingfield, Malvern, Ark., 10 bass, 24-13

10th:  Texas A&M University – Josh Bensema, Willis, Texas, and Matthew McArdle, Crosby, Texas, 10 bass, 24-6

Full results and standings can be found at FLWFishing.com.

Overall there were 253 bass weighing 516 pounds, 12 ounces caught by 52 college teams Friday. The catch included 46 five-bass limits.

The FLW College Fishing National Championship awards the top team a $30,000 prize package, including a Ranger Z175 boat with a 90-horsepower outboard engine and one entry into the 2016 Forrest Wood Cup. The Forrest Wood Cup, the world championship of bass fishing, will be held August 4-7 on Wheeler Lake in Huntsville, Alabama, and will offer a collegiate angler the opportunity to compete for a top award of $300,000.

For the first time ever in FLW College Fishing competition, the winning team will compete against each other Sunday day in a one-day fish-off on an undisclosed body of water. The two anglers will weigh in prior to the final weigh in of the Walmart FLW Tour event at Lake Hartwell. The team member with the largest one-day stringer will advance to the 2016 Forrest Wood Cup.

The top 10 teams will take off Saturday from South Cove County Park, located at 1099 S. Cove Road, in Seneca at 7:30 a.m. EST. Saturday’s weigh-in will be held at Green Pond Landing, located at 470 Green Pond Road in Anderson, at 3:15 p.m., prior to the day 3 weigh-in of the FLW Tour event at Lake Hartwell.

Fans will be treated to the FLW Expo on Saturday and Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. at Green Pond Landing prior to the final weigh-ins. The Expo includes interactive games, activities and giveaways provided by FLW sponsors, and the opportunity to interact with professional anglers to learn more about the sport of fishing and other outdoor activities. All activities are free and open to the public.

College Fishing is free to enter. All participants must be registered, full-time students at a college, university or community college and members of a fishing club recognized by their college or university.

For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow College Fishing on Facebook at Facebook.com/FLWFishing and on Twitter at Twitter.com/FLWFishing. Visit CollegeFishing.com to sign up or to start a club at your school.

1...1,2031,2041,205...1,533Page 1,204 of 1,533

Follow Us

The latest

Mark Cannon & David Wright Win CATT Yadkin on High Rock Lake! 27.86 lbs with a BF at 6.50 lbs!

CATT Yadkin 0
Another great year on the Yadkin Chain come to...

Britt Myers Win the CATT Lake Wylie Fall Final! 17.85 lbs & BF at 4.65 lbs!

CATT Wylie 0
The 2026 Lake Wylie Spring schedule is posted! Tap...

Mike Stephens Wins CATT Lake Wylie! 5 Bass weighing gup at 16.05 lbs!

CATT Lake Wylie 0
Up next is the Lake Wylie Fall Final on...

© 2023 The Bass Cast. All Rights Reserved.