Got It in Before the Downpours Started

Eleven anglers in eight boats motored out of the boat basin at West Neck Marina this morning, knowing they might get wet before the day was over. As it turned out, most of us did encounter a few showers before weigh-in, but all of us got off the water before the deluges started coming in waves late this afternoon.

Money winners today included (from left) Steve Bailey, who captured big-fish honors with a bass weighing 3.77 lbs.; Tim Ackal, who claimed 2nd place with five bass weighing 13.84 lbs.; and the team of Chris Fretard and Mike Miller, who walked away with the first-place envelope for a five-bass limit weighing 13.87 lbs.

Here is how all the other participants finished the day's competition:

     * Steve Bailey, five fish, weighing 12.50 lbs.
     * Duane Kessel, five fish, weighing 10.74 lbs.
     * Gary Coderre, five fish, weighing 9.88 lbs.
     * Team of Bob Glass and Randy Conkle, five fish, weighing 8.07 lbs.
     * Team of Rob Chatham and Ken Testorff, four fish, weighing 5.84 lbs.

Bryan Dear didn't weigh any fish today.

Those 10 anglers who participated in the weigh-in accounted for a total of 34 bass weighing a grand total of 74.74 lbs., for an average of 2.1 lbs. per fish.

The only addition today to the list of those qualified to compete in the season-ending two-day Classic tournament was Randy Conkle.

For planning purposes, our next tourney is scheduled for next Saturday, May 18. Start time will be safe light (or approximately 6 a.m.), and weigh-in will take place at 2 p.m.

I just have to say something about Rob Chatham, the man who partnered up with me for the first time today. I've been in the boat with a lot of different anglers over the years, but I've never seen anyone demonstrate such whisper-smooth casts time after time. His casts literally were touching down so softly I couldn't hear them half the time. When I asked him how he achieved such expertise, he told me it came from spending a lot of time practicing in the backyard pool. My hat is off to Rob. His ability with a rod is second to none.

He wasn't part of our tourney, but Morris W. did fish out of West Neck Marina on Saturday. He ended up catching five bass that he estimated at a total weight of about 11 lbs. His best fish was a nice 4.2-pounder. When asked what he caught them on, Morris identified an Ike finesse jig and white mini-spinnerbaits. "The wind was definitely a plus," he said. I always like a "little" wind, but what we had Saturday was a bit more than I care for.