The third event in the Fishers of Men National Tournament Trail’s “2009 Regional Championship Series” ended today as Louisiana North-Central competitors, Martin Elshout and Mark Price, claimed the victory and a fully equipped 2010 Triton TR-186 powered by a150 hp Mercury Optimax and valued at more than $30,000.00.
With bluebird skies and gentle winds on Day 2, weights were down quite a bit. In 2 days of competition, 173 teams brought in 1120.92 lbs of fish on Day 1 and 810.94 crossed the scales today for a tournament total of 1931.86 lbs. Day 1 saw 69 five-fish limits, while 44 limits came in to the Lake Palestine Resort weighin site today.
However, today’s clear skies, nonetheless, proved to be surprisingly productive for a number of teams and the new Champions, Martin Elshout and Mark Price. The talented Louisiana North Central pair’s steady performance throughout the two days of competition secured the win by nearly a three-pound margin. Martin and Mark netted 16.57lbs today, for 32.35 lbs overall.
Martin and Mark targeted the back end of Flat Creek on the downstream side of the CR314 Bridge. Current channeled under the highway crossing proved to be the key in catching active bass. Martin said most of their fish came by using texas-rigged, junebug Speed Craws® along the edges of grass. On the other hand, the Louisiana North-Central team’s largest fish, boated each day, came from the same stump and by using the same lure: a half-ounce, black / blue Terminator® jig, sporting a Tiny Paca Craw® trailer.
Texas-rigged, watermelon/red, Lake Fork Creature baits were what 2nd place, Texas Central finishers, Brent Homen and Chuck Guthrie used in the Ledbetter Bay area and Chimney Cove to catch 15.66 lbs of bass in flooded grass for a tournament total of 29.62 lbs. On Day 1 Chuck and Brent used the same pegged plastics to punch their baits through the water hyacinths that was floating in the same area.
Ark-LA-TX partners, JD Russell and Otha Smith used chatter-type baits on top, in shallow water over coontail moss, and black wacky-rigged senkos in the Flat Creek channel cuts to finish third. Their Day 2 catch of 13.96 gave the anglers 28.98 lbs for the two days.
Brandon Dodson and Todd Murray moved up eleven places to finish forth overall, with 25.87 lbs. The Louisiana South anglers flipped buck brush in shallow water up in Kickapoo Creek with Blk-Blu Oldham jigs, tipped with Paca Craw® trailers. Using 1oz white spinnerbaits, the pair, also, concentrated on bridge piers in the deeper Kickapoo channel areas.
Ryan Wooten and Jeff Smith also moved eleven slots to place fifth, by fishing pockets and coves from Paradise Point to the dam. Ryan stated that he and Jeff would limit out early each day in flooded grass areas with chatter-type baits, worms and spinnerbaits. Around noon, the consistent anglers would head north to Kickapoo Bay. The Louisiana South teammates would begin culling fish by taking larger bass from the shady side of docks with a char/white, Swamp Thang® and shad colored Bandit and Strike King crankbaits. With 12.94 on Day One and 12.07 today, Jeff and Ryan said that the Swamp Thang made all the difference in the world and accounted a good share of their 25.01 lbs.
Glyn and Joseph Kennedy, the top Adult Junior team, completed the event with 7 bass, at an impressive 20.65 lbs, and will be representing the Texas Central Division next April in the National Championship. Joseph, 15, and Glyn vaulted 60 places to finish 20th overall with today’s five fish, weighing 13.88 lbs. Glyn threw a Louisiana Shad Rat-L-trap® and a watermelon, red flake Zoom Super Fluke® while Joseph worked a blue Senko near the dam. Both days, the two concentrated on the shallow-water flooded grass as well as hyacinth floating around a long point that jutted out on the east side of the lake near Cherokee Landing.
Jimmy Charbonnet and Tammy Charbonnet, Louisiana South, topped all other Male Female teams with a two-day total of 24.40 lbs. Jimmy and Tammy’s 12.58 lbs included a bonus. Their 8.83 lbs tournament-high largemouth earned them an additional $480.00 for today’s 1st Big Fish award. The huge beast fell for a 200 Series, Char/Lime, Bandit® crankbait.
The top ten finishers in this event, by weight, along with the highest finishing team from each division, the top Male/Female and Adult/Junior teams, current reigning National Champs, and all “Division Points Champions” will earn the opportunity to fish in the April 10 – 15, 2010, Fishers of Men, $60,000.00, Lake Guntersville National Championship. Once there, a full field will fish the first two days, then the top twenty percent will go on to compete on the third and final day, where everyone will earn a check, except the first place team, which will take home a $40,000.00, fully rigged, 2010 Triton TR-20 with a Mercury 200hp motor.
During the post-season competition, total payouts, in cash and prizes, hover around $250,000.00.
We wish to thank the South Central Regional Championship Presenting Sponsors, Cindy Smoak and the Tyler County Convention and Visitors Bureau, along with David Irwin and Tyler Ford.
We also want to thank, Alan Ranson at Strike King, Pastor Donnie and members of Bullard Baptist Church; meal sponsors: Smith County Baptist Association, H & W Marine, Trinity Baptist Church, Tyler Skate Complex, and the cooks of our delicious grilled chicken meal: Tommy Berry, along with Danny Smith and members of Texas North-Central Fishers of Men Division, plus a host of others that worked meticulously in making our meeting a success. In addition, thanks go out to the folks at Lake Palestine Resort who invited us and worked diligently at the launch and weighin site.
Finally, we are thankful for our National Sponsors: Triton Boats, Mercury Marine, Strike King Lure Company, Marshalls Marine, Power Pole, Grace Full Gospel Church, Solar Bat, Gary Yamamoto Custom Baits, Kistler Custom Rods, Keelshield, Jacobs Glass, Markel Insurance, Shakespeare, Stanley Jigs, Spike-It Bait Company, Rejuvenade, Mizmo Bait Company, Motorguide, Lowrance, Logan Fire Apparatus, Keep Alive Oxygen Infusor, Dual Pro Chargers, Buckeye Lures, Allstar Rods, and Xtools.
