(Photo by Dan O’Sullivan) The rule for the week at the 31st Anniversary WON Bass Nitro Boats / Mercury U.S. Open had been consistency. The anglers that seemed to fare the best had been those who had managed to put together steady limits, avoiding the wild swings that can happen in a event on Lake Mead.
Rusty Brown proved that one more time on the final day, and claimed the title of U.S. Open Champion.
The Tustin, Calif. pro posted his third consecutive limit weighing in excess of 10 pounds to claim his first U.S. Open victory. His final day limit of 10.81 pounds pushed his three day total to 31.25 pounds and help him eclipse a hard charging Clifford Pirch; a two-time U.S. Open Champion who bagged a 15.48-pound bag to give him his second consecutive runner up finish with a total weight of 30.32 pounds. Day two leader Brett Hite stumbled slightly in his quest for three consecutive 10 pound limits, and brought 9.03 pounds to the Callville Bay Marina scales and slipped to third place with 30.09 pounds.
Brown credited three lures, and his ability to slow down and fish his areas thoroughly with the win. “I knew there were quality fish in the Gregg Basin area, so I just had to slow down and fish back and forth around grass beds to try and trigger the big fish into biting. I caught my fish on a Rapala Skitter Walk and a few on a Vixen, a shad colored Pro Line spinnerbait with smaller sized willowleaf blades and a Storm Arashi 3 Squarebill crankbait.”
He said he used erratic retrieves around grass beds trying to contact the grass without bogging the baits down. he also said that he tried to focus on grinding out the right kinds of bites. “I fished really hard for three days, after a good practice, and knew that if I just kept fishing without getting in a hurry, I would get the right bites,” he said. “Everything went great this week, and I couldn’t be happier with the result.”
He also said he has dreamed of being a U.S. Open Champion, and humbled by the accomplishment. “I can’t believe I’m standing here with my name on the same list of the guys I’ve watched win this tournament for so many years,” he said. “I’ve got great sponsors who have stood behind me in working at this for many years and it’s really great to be one of the guys who have won this tournament.”
Merlin Nunes of Vacaville, Calif. fished with Pirch on the final day, and his participation in the 15.47-pound limit brought his three day total weight to 31.78 pounds to claim the AAA Division championship. He was followed by Robert Jeannotte, who finished with 30.55 pounds to finish in second place for the third consecutive day. Day two AAA leader Scott Palumbo finished in third place with 28.95 pounds.
| Place | Name | Hometown | Weight | Penalty | Big Fish | Total |
| 1 | Rusty Brown | Tustin CA | 31.25 | 3.92 | 31.25 | |
| 2 | Clifford Pirch | Payson AZ | 30.72 | 0.4 | 5.2 | 30.32 |
| 3 | Brett Hite | Phoenix AZ | 30.09 | 3.04 | 30.09 | |
| 4 | Justin Hanold | Poway CA | 29.66 | 3.49 | 29.66 | |
| 5 | Tommy Jonovich | Phoenix AZ | 29.82 | 0.2 | 29.62 | |
| 6 | Gary Dobyns | Yuba City CA | 28.89 | 2.52 | 28.89 | |
| 7 | Joe Uribe, Jr. | Lake Forest CA | 28.56 | 0.2 | 3.47 | 28.36 |
| 8 | Chris Bozarth | Henderson NV | 27.26 | 2.82 | 27.26 | |
| 9 | Morizo Shimizu | Osaka JP | 26.85 | 3.16 | 26.85 | |
| 10 | Jamie Cyphers | Cedar City UT | 26.77 | 3.14 | 26.77 | |
| 11 | Todd Herman | Gilbert AZ | 26.07 | 4.49 | 26.07 | |
| 12 | Aaron Leon | Henderson NV | 26.44 | 0.4 | 2.8 | 26.04 |
| 13 | Ben Byrd | Moab UT | 25.72 | 25.72 | ||
| 14 | Bill Brown | Grand Junction CO | 25.64 | 25.64 | ||
| 15 | Todd Woods | San Dimas CA | 25.42 | 2.59 | 25.42 | |
| 16 | John Perkins | Lake Havasu City AZ | 25.35 | 2.91 | 25.35 | |
| 17 | Shaun Bailey | Lake Havasu City AZ | 25.59 | 0.4 | 3.73 | 25.19 |
| 18 | Paul Hodges | Glendale AZ | 24.96 | 24.96 | ||
| 19 | Randy Blaukat | Joplin MO | 24.88 | 4.11 | 24.88 | |
| 20 | Ray Arbesu | Henderson NV | 25.22 | 0.4 | 3.1 | 24.82 |
| 21 | Garrett Howard | Riverside CA | 24.75 | 0.4 | 3.3 | 24.35 |
| 22 | Johnny Johnson | Lakeside AZ | 24.17 | 24.17 | ||
| 23 | Randy Estrada, M.D. | Corona CA | 24.04 | 24.04 | ||
| 24 | Klayton Belden | El Cajon CA | 23.95 | 23.95 | ||
| 25 | Kenichi Tanaka | Minamikawachigun | 23.89 | 2.7 | 23.89 | |
| 26 | Patrick Whitaker | Gilbert AZ | 23.87 | 23.87 | ||
| 27 | Dorne Soto | Henderson NV | 23.62 | 0.2 | 23.42 | |
| 28 | Brett Allen Leber | Dixon CA | 23.35 | 23.35 | ||
| 29 | John Murray | Phoenix AZ | 23.22 | 3.32 | 23.22 | |
| 30 | Josh Rhodes | Lakeside CA | 23.08 | 3.87 | 23.08 | |
| 31 | Gary Pinholster | Lake Havasu City AZ | 23.19 | 0.2 | 22.99 | |
| 32 | Steve Gibson | Las Vegas NV | 22.73 | 3.06 | 22.73 | |
| 32 | Claude Sims | Boerne TX | 22.93 | 0.2 | 22.73 | |
| 34 | Sean Stafford | Fairfield CA | 22.83 | 0.2 | 22.63 | |
| 35 | Andy Manahl | Mesa AZ | 22.77 | 0.2 | 22.57 | |
| 36 | Roy Hawk | Lake Havasu City AZ | 22.47 | 3.23 | 22.47 | |
| 37 | Kyle Grover | Trabuco Canyon CA | 22.36 | 0.2 | 22.16 | |
| 38 | Phillip Dutra | Antioch CA | 21.96 | 3.15 | 21.96 | |
| 39 | Rich Tauber | Camarillo CA | 21.85 | 3.99 | 21.85 | |
| 40 | Aaron Martens | Leeds AL | 21.78 | 21.78 | ||
| 41 | Kevin Norling | San Diego CA | 21.77 | 21.77 | ||
| 42 | Gabe Bolivar | Ramona CA | 21.72 | 3.45 | 21.72 | |
| 43 | Matt Shura | Gilbert AZ | 21.62 | 21.62 | ||
| 44 | Justin Kerr | Lake Havasu City AZ | 21.51 | 2.88 | 21.51 | |
| 45 | Derek Yamamoto | Boulder City CO | 21.49 | 21.49 | ||
| 46 | David Valdivia | Norwalk CA | 21.66 | 0.2 | 21.46 | |
| 47 | Shawn Lee | Arroyo Grande CA | 21.55 | 0.2 | 3.32 | 21.35 |
| 48 | Clayton Meyer | Henderson NV | 21.32 | 3.12 | 21.32 | |
| 49 | Ken Whalen | Lompoc CA | 21.25 | 0.2 | 21.05 | |
| 50 | Byron Velvick | Del Rio TX | 21.02 | 21.02 | ||
| 51 | Raymond Archer | Greeley CO | 21 | 21 | ||
| 52 | Bobby Lanham | Cave Creek AZ | 20.78 | 20.78 | ||
| 53 | Stephen Pike | Las Vegas NV | 20.71 | 20.71 | ||
| 54 | Dick Watson | Alta Loma CA | 20.7 | 0.4 | 20.3 | |
| 55 | Kevin Wiggins | Las Vegas NV | 20.27 | 20.27 | ||
| 56 | John Weisfuss | Oxnard CA | 20.45 | 0.2 | 20.25 | |
| 57 | Vu Au | Tucson AZ | 20.37 | 0.2 | 20.17 | |
| 58 | Marco Valdez | Mesa AZ | 20.14 | 20.14 | ||
| 59 | Rick Mason | Glendale AZ | 19.99 | 2.3 | 19.99 | |
| 60 | Garrett Lorenzen | Escondido CA | 19.89 | 2.7 | 19.89 | |
| 61 | Kevin Caruso | Glendale AZ | 19.87 | 3.2 | 19.87 | |
| 62 | Jamie Shaw | Coolidge AZ | 19.82 | 19.82 | ||
| 63 | Devin McDonald | Las Vegas NV | 19.65 | 3.04 | 19.65 | |
| 64 | Dave Wendrich | Elko NV | 19.59 | 19.59 | ||
| 65 | Ricky Shabazz | Rialto CA | 19.56 | 19.56 | ||
| 66 | Bill O’Shinn | Granite Bay CA | 19.48 | 2.83 | 19.48 | |
| 67 | Neil Flores | Menifee CA | 19.45 | 19.45 | ||
| 68 | Matt Massey | Golden CO | 19.33 | 19.33 | ||
| 69 | Ed Arledge | Valley Center CA | 19.23 | 19.23 | ||
| 70 | Jiggs Benn | Myrtle Creek OR | 19.17 | 2.67 | 19.17 | |
| 71 | Rick Clunn | Ava MO | 18.99 | 18.99 | ||
| 72 | John Mackey | Boulder City NV | 18.95 | 18.95 | ||
| 73 | Mark Poe | Coolidge AZ | 18.87 | 2.94 | 18.87 | |
| 74 | Randy Cnota | Tucson AZ | 18.98 | 0.2 | 18.78 | |
| 75 | John Morrow | Brea CA | 18.38 | 18.38 | ||
| 76 | Craig Miller | Las Vegas NV | 18.33 | 18.33 | ||
| 77 | Keith Beever | Aliso Viejo CA | 18.47 | 0.2 | 18.27 | |
| 78 | Ken Phillips | Antioch CA | 18.09 | 18.09 | ||
| 79 | Neil Campbell | Fallbrook CA | 17.44 | 17.44 | ||
| 79 | Jay Wright | Pasadena CA | 17.44 | 2.75 | 17.44 | |
| 81 | Gary Freeman | Las Vegas NV | 17.41 | 17.41 | ||
| 82 | Ernie Stumpf | Carrollton TX | 17.6 | 0.2 | 2.77 | 17.4 |
| 83 | Michael Caruso | Peoria AZ | 17.32 | 5.08 | 17.32 | |
| 84 | Jonathan D. Demonet | Downey CA | 17.2 | 17.2 | ||
| 85 | Vern Ridgway | Chandler AZ | 17.12 | 17.12 | ||
| 85 | Ed Shaver | Lake Havasu City AZ | 17.12 | 17.12 | ||
| 87 | Mike Brillhart | Waddell AZ | 16 | 16 | ||
| 88 | Nick Young | Ontario OR | 15.93 | 15.93 | ||
| 89 | Gary Boyd | Reseda CA | 15.75 | 2.42 | 15.75 | |
| 90 | Mike Folkestad | Villa Park CA | 15.84 | 0.2 | 2.27 | 15.64 |
| 91 | Guy Savidan | Yorba Linda CA | 15.58 | 2.68 | 15.58 | |
| 92 | William Ruehle | Peoria AZ | 15.41 | 15.41 | ||
| 93 | Shane Moline | Kingman AZ | 15.16 | 15.16 | ||
| 94 | Stephen Patek | Chula Vista CA | 14.84 | 2.62 | 14.84 | |
| 95 | David Peltier | Acton CA | 14.82 | 14.82 | ||
| 96 | Gerald Kimzey | Willcox AZ | 14.69 | 2.83 | 14.69 | |
| 97 | Scott Wingo | San Diego CA | 14.57 | 3.35 | 14.57 | |
| 98 | Jason Burchfield | Las Vegas NV | 14.91 | 0.4 | 14.51 | |
| 98 | Thomas Wennerlund | Gilbert AZ | 14.51 | 14.51 | ||
| 100 | Clyde Evans | Las Vegas NV | 14.4 | 14.4 | ||
| 101 | Marvin Barellano | Monterey Park CA | 14.27 | 14.27 | ||
| 102 | George Kramer | Lake Elsinore CA | 14.45 | 0.2 | 14.25 | |
| 103 | Michael Phua | Chino CA | 14.16 | 14.16 | ||
| 103 | Joseph Raftery | Las Vegas NV | 14.16 | 14.16 | ||
| 105 | Steve Molinari | Waddell AZ | 14.01 | 14.01 | ||
| 106 | Trey Campbell | Gardena CA |
…
