R&B Report

Ron Fabiszak (South Bend) and Jason Fowler (South Bend)

Ron Fabiszak (South Bend) and Jason Fowler (South Bend) won the two-day Megaware KeelGuard R&B Classic by nearly six pounds at Higgins and Houghton Lake recently.

Ron Fabiszak (South Bend) and Jason Fowler (South Bend)

Fabiszak and Fowler took the first-day lead with a 19.80-pound limit of smallmouth bass from Higgins Lake. They were one of only three teams with a limit, catching all but one fish on an Alabama Rig retrieved in 16-18 feet of water. They caught one four pounder with a tube bait and their 4.72-pound smallmouth won them the Lochness Lures Big Bass of the day.

Houghton Lake was more of a challenge for them on the second day but they still managed a 14.91-pound limit of smallmouth by slinging crankbaits and swimbaits to a combination of rocks and shell beds in the wind. Their cumulative weight was 34.71 pounds. They won a total of $2,885.

John Gipson Jr (Battle Ground, Ind.) and Tom Noe (Benton Harbor) weighed 29.02 pounds over the two days to finish second and win $2,455. They were very disappointed after Day 1 at Higgins Lake because they only landed four keeper smallmouth that weighed 8.54 pounds. Those fish were caught with a combination of Alabama Rigs, jigs, and drop-shot rigs.

Gipson and Noe stormed back the second day on Houghton Lake by weighing the biggest bag of the tournament - a 20.48 pound mixed bag of smallmouth and largemouth bass. They rotated eight spots that offered rocks or shell beds. They also had the Lochness Lures Big Bass of Day 2 - a 4.44-pound smallmouth bass.

Chad Walter (Fremont) and Lance Tresenriter (Angola) weighed 27.23 pounds of smallmouth bass over two days to win $1,500 for third place. They only managed 3 keeper smallmouth on Higgins lake caught on drop-shot rigs and tubes. Still, they weighed 10.69 pounds. Houghton Lake was much better as they bagged a 16.54-pound limit of smallmouth. They drifted the same ½-mile stretch to boat over 25 keepers by slinging tubes and custom-painted crankbaits

Complete results can be viewed at www.randbbasscircuit.com.