In Just 2 More Months, Another Season Will Be in the Record Books

For the moment, though, everyone is just taking it one tournament at a time. A total of 19 anglers in 12 boats showed up for today's contest. Their combined efforts resulted in a total of 44 bass coming to the scales for a total weight of 84.2 lbs. and an average weight of 1.91 lbs. per fish.

Those standing in the winners' circle at day's end included the following:

In first place was the team of Duane Kessel (left) and Bobby Moore (not pictured), with a five-fish limit weighing 15.09 lbs. They had a couple of nice fish, including a 4.61 (caught by Duane) and a 4.75 (caught by Bobby), the latter of which took the day's lunker honors.

 

In second place was the team of (from left) Bob Glass and Randy Conkle, with a five-fish limit that tipped the scales at 14.45 lbs. Their big bass checked in at 3.8 lbs.

Finishing in third place was Chris Fretard, who had a five-fish limit weighing 9.57 lbs. (after a one-dead-fish penalty of 0.25). He didn't weigh a big fish.

Today's mystery-weight winner was Skip Schaible. He had three fish that weighed 3.69 lbs., which was closest to the 4.85-lb. tab that was drawn. He didn't have a big fish.








Here is how everyone else stood in the final tally:

     * The team of Rob Peppers and Don Carter, five bass, 9.51 lbs. total weight, 4.02-lb. big bass.
     * The team of Andy Morath and Diana Mendez, five bass, 7.60 lbs. total weight, 2.75-lb. big bass.
     * The team of Gary Coderre and Lenny Hall, five bass, 7.42 lbs. total weight, 2.89-lb. big bass.
     * The team of Wayne Hayes and Al Napier, five bass, 7.31 lbs. total weight, no big bass.
     * Jim Wilder, four bass, 6.59 lbs. total weight (after a one-dead-fish penalty of 0.25), 2.59-lb. big bass.
     * The team of Rusty Girard and Samantha Tawan, two bass, 2.97 lbs. total weight (after a two-fish penalty for weighing a short fish), no big bass.
     * Steve Bailey and Ken Testorff did not weigh any fish.

Three more anglers joined the ranks of those qualified to fish our two-day season-ending Classic. These additions bring our current total to 14 competitors.

Congratulations to all of the winners, and thanks to everyone who came out to participate. For planning purposes, our next scheduled event is Saturday, Aug. 19, from safe light to approximately 2 p.m. I hope you can join us.

During the weigh-in today, I learned that about three fellas' boats had some issues with the outboards. One motor locked up early this morning, another was having oil-alarm problems, and yet another was experiencing an overheat alarm. Could it have been related to the weather conditions? Who knows?

I talked briefly with the fella with the overheat alarm and advised him to remove the thermostats from his motor. I've done that with my last two Yamahas (which he also has) and never, to this point in time, have had a repeat event. I have to allow a little extra warm-up time during the colder months, but that's the only difference.

Of those anglers I talked to during weigh-in, the vast majority indicated their productive baits today were soft plastics. I threw some of those baits, too, along with a wide assortment of topwaters, a spinnerbait, some wakebaits, and a crankbait--all to no avail. The best I could do was to get about four blowups on different topwaters. So, for the fourth time since this past January, I had my butt handed to me in the form of a skunk. But, in a manner of speaking, I spread my wealth around: I wasted the first four hours in Milldam and finished up wasting the last four hours in West Neck. If nothing else, I believe in equal opportunity.