The Bar Has Been Raised

Unseasonably gorgeous weather greeted the 16 anglers in 12 boats that launched at Bob's Fishing Hole this morning for event No. 7 of the 2013-14 Goody's season. From a low in the 50s, it had climbed to 80 degrees at weigh-in time.

Pocketing 1st-place prize money today was Mark Ingram (right), who weighed a 4.04-lb. bass. This fish also puts him at the head of the pack for the end-of-year pot, which as of today, stands at $66. He replaces Eddie Sapp, who had held that position since the Nov. 17 tourney out of West Neck Marina. Eddie's big bass that day tipped the scales at 3.64 lbs. Mark also is the only back-to-back winner of these events so far this season.

Claiming 2nd-place money today was Greg Dick, who weighed a 3.22-lb. bass.

Here is how the other contenders finished the competition:
     * 3rd place, Tyler McNair, with a 2.52-lb. bass
     * 4th place, Kevin Love, with a 2.39-lb. bass
     * 5th place, Bob Clarkson, with a 2.19-lb. bass
     * 6th place, Al Napier, with a 1.84-lb. bass
     * 7th place, Jim Sumrell, with a 1.55-lb. bass
     * 8th place, Steve Bailey, Brian Skeens, Joe Hurlbert, Cathy Brandt, John Harmon, Richard Woods, Mark Kines, Clint VanMarter, and Chris Pike, none of whom weighed fish. Tournament director, John Goodman, noted that many of these folks simply opted not to weigh their catch when they saw the size of fish others were bringing to the scales.

The next tournament in this series is scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 28, at Bob's Fishing Hole. Start time again will be 7:30 a.m., with weigh-in at 2 p.m.

If you have any questions, call John Goodman at 427-0659, or email him at johngoodman3@cox.net.

Other Results:

After posting the earlier tournament results, I got reports from some friends who were fun-fishing out of West Neck Marina today. Rob told me that he and his partner, Mitch, boated five keepers between about 8 a.m. and noon. Meanwhile, Wayne caught 10 while fishing solo during the same period. Rob said he and his partner caught most of their fish on medium-running crankbaits in protected water, such as ditches and coves.