John Gipson (Battle Ground, Ind.) and Tom Noe (Benton Harbor, Mich.)

John Gipson (Battle Ground, Ind.) and Tom Noe (Benton Harbor, Mich.) caught a whopping 21.60 pounds on Paw Paw Lake to win the Southwest Michigan Anglers Club (SMAC) season opener.

The winners’ difference maker was their big bass, a 6.22-pound largemouth they caught off a bed as well as a 3½-pound male off the same bed. They caught their fish on 3/16-ounce finesse jigs and 6.8-inch Jackall Flick Shake worms in 1-3 feet of water from channels and the main lake.

However, they weren’t the only big bass snatchers. Scott Crocker (Niles) and Terry Smith (South Bend) were second with 20 pounds, 14 ounces caught on jigs shallow while Justin Hahaj (Bridgman, Mich.) and Mike Rappette (Benton Harbor) were third with 15.47 pounds caught on white finesse jigs in 1-3 feet of water.