SMAC Report

Terry Smith and Scott Crocker - 1st Place

Terry Smith and Scott Crocker used two different patterns to win the Southwest Michigan Anglers Club Classic at Lake Leelanau last weekend.

Smith and Crocker used A-rigs the first day to catch 19.11 pounds and followed that up with a 21.35-pound limit the second day caught on tubes. They won with a total of 40.46 pounds.

Crocker said he fished small swimbaits on 1/8-ounce jig heads on his A-rig. He sat on the break in about 12 feet of water and cast up on sand flats and along the break.

The second day required a change in tactics when the A-rig wasn’t doing the job.

“It was stupid,” said Smith. “The fish were up on sand flats with a few sand grass spots in no more than 3 feet of water. You had to throw the tube up and let it sit.”

They fished green pumpkin tubes with 3/16-ounce jigheads to win $1,000. They won a bonus $50 for having the biggest bass the second day, a 4.99-pound smallmouth.

“You basically had to crawl it on the bottom,” added Crocker. “If you were snapping it fast, they wouldn’t bite it.”

Pat Pilmore and Brent Burgess - 2nd Place

Pat Pilmore and Brent Burgess had 10 fish that weighed 34.93 pounds for second. They had 18.21 pounds of that the first day. They said they caught their fish on tube jigs in 8 to 12 feet of water and went home with $700.

Skyler Traver and Drake Nevins - 3rd Place

Skyler Traver and Drake Nevins led the first day with 19.80 pounds and finished third with 34.86 pounds. They fished drop-shot rigs on bait pods in 5 to 25 feet. They won $600.

Brad Sterling and Trevor Paulus - 4th Place

Brad Sterling and Trevor Paulus were fourth with a total of 34.38 pounds that included the first day big bass, a 5.86-pound smallmouth. They won $550.

Jeff Stankovich and Paul Groves - 5th Place

Jeff Stankovich and Paul Groves were fifth ($400) with 34.06 pounds.