Napier and Allbritten Continue Their Lock on Classic Wins

Repeat Dewey Mullins Memorial Bass Classic winners (from left) Jared Allbritten and Chris Napier teamed up to continue their winning ways during this 2016 season-ending event held the past two days out of West Neck Marina. They had a five-fish limit both days, with a combined total weight of 24.18 lbs.

This latest first-place victory is the third for Allbritten since this contest went to a two-day format in 2011. It is the fifth time Napier has finished in first place.

Here is how the other winners finished the contest:

Claiming 2nd place was this team of (from left) Bob Glass and Randy Conkle. They, too, weighed a limit both days, for a combined total weight of 23.49 lbs.

Finishing in 3rd place was this team of  (from left) Sean Vitovich and Wayne Hayes, whose combined total weight for the two days was 21.84 lbs.

The 4th-place prize went to this team of (from left) Don Carter and Rob Peppers. They also caught a limit both days, for a combined total weight of 21.54 lbs.

Walking away with 5th place today was this team of (from left) Mark London and John Goodman. Their combined total weight for two days' limits was 21.23 lbs.

Big-fish honors for the Classic went to this team of (from left) Bobby Moore and Duane Kessel. They brought a 6.51-lb. bass to the scales today.

The seasonal lunker-award winner for the second year in a row was this man, Al Napier, with a bass that tipped the scales at 5.43 lbs. earlier this year. I should point out that, to be eligible for this award, an angler must fish at least nine tournaments throughout the year and pay the required $2 each time, including the tournament in which he caught the lunker.

Classic contenders Eddie Sapp...

                                                    Cathy Brandt...

and Randy Conkle were winners in today's raffle drawing.

Rounding out the winners was this team of (from left) Rob Chatham and yours truly, who won the mystery-weight award. We had the lowest two-day total of the whole field (only 5.98 lbs. for a total of five fish). That weight was closest to the 5.00 tab that was drawn.



Here are the other participants and their two-day combined total weights:

     * The team of Jim Sumrell and Cathy Brandt, 20.94 lbs.
     * The team of Bobby Moore and Duane Kessel, 20.78 lbs.
     * Mike Evans, 20.69 lbs.
     * The two teams of Eddie Sapp and Al Napier, and Gary Coderre and Lenny Hall, 19 lbs. even.
     * The team of David Dozier and Nelson Anderson, 18.94 lbs.
     * Steve Bailey, 17.27 lbs.
     * The team of Chris Fretard and Mike Miller, 16.93 lbs.
     * The team of Jim Wilder and Darryl Dunn, 16.67 lbs.
     * The team of Mike Speedy and Stephen Hardwick, 14.73 lbs.
     * The team of Skip Schaible and Mitch Portervint, 13.32 lbs.

Congrats to all the winners and thanks to all the participants for helping make this whole season a resounding success. I look forward to seeing you next year. In the meantime, have a safe winter.