Tournament News Powered By Lake Drive Marine
- Details
Gipson (left) and Hahaj show off winning catch.Justin Hahaj (Bridgman, MI) and John Gibson, Jr. (Lafayette, IN) targeted cruising fish in shallow water to bring a mixed bag of largemouth and smallmouth weighing 13.49 pounds and win the R&B Circuit event on Austin Lake near Kalamazoo.
Most of the fish they caught they saw beforehand, but only 1 out of every 5 they saw bit. Most fish fell for a Jackall flick shake worm in both the Cola and green pumpkin color schemes. A handful of fish also were tricked by a green pumpkin jig. They earned them $746 for beating 46 other teams.
- Details
Clint Gradeless (Huntington) and Lee Pilz (Wawaka) had 19.97 pounds to win the US Angler Choice Pro Tournaments on Winona Lake last week.
They earned $1,015 for their catch caught under docks near deep water.
Richard Delagrange (Warsaw) and Don Whitaker (Chapman Lake) had five fish weighing 17.92 pounds for second ($493) caught on jigs on the outside of the weeds in 10 to 16 feet. They also had a 4.64-pound bass to win the big bass prize ($170) and establish a big bass for the year. Rodney Fannin (Muncie) and son Craig (Syracuse) were second ($202) with 16.48 pounds. They caught their limit using jigs and darters around piers.
There were 80 fish weighed in for a total weight of 216.54 pounds and an average weight of 2.71 per fish.
- Details
Clint Gradeless (Huntington) and Lee Pilz (Wawaka) won the U.S. Anglers Choice Pro tournament on Lake Wawasee last week with 10.59 pounds.
The winners pocketed $1,020 for their fish caught on topwaters and frogs in slop and on the outside edges of weeds. They had their limit in two hours.
Benji Waldbeser (Syracuse) and Israel Beard (Goshen) had five fish weighing 10.10 pounds for third ($539) caught on stickbaits on the flats along inside weed edges in 4 to 6 feet. Bill Whitaker (Middlebury) and Doug Klapp (Tippecanoe) were third ($256) with 10.09 pounds. They caught their fish on jigs and Poor Boys Darters on the flats. Big Bass for the tournament ($180) was a 4.25-pound largemouth caught by the team of Frank Berning and John Shady (Ft. Wayne).
There were 72 fish weighed in for a total weight of 126.52 pounds. The average weight per fish was 1.76 pounds. The next tournament will be at Winona Lake Aug. 17 (7-3) at the Fairgrounds Ramp. Call Mitch Hayes, 219-716-4808.
- Details
Mike Rhoades (South Bend) and Randy Gaines (Wellsville, Ohio) won the Michiana Walleye Associations Innovative Anglers Group Challenge last weekend with 10.16 pounds.
The team caught their fish by pitching jig/crawler rigs onto drop-offs and dragged them into 20 feet of water. They also captured the ClearH2O Tackle big fish award with a 2.82-pound walleye.
Shawn Kintigh (Goshen) and Doug Burkhead (Osceola) were second with 8.91 pounds caught by working jigs with twister tails and crawlers in 12 to 18 feet of water.
Rocky Enfield (Elkhart) and Lucas Schwartz (Warsaw) had 7.19 pounds for third. They were casting blade baits and jigging raps in 10 to 18 feet of water.
- Details
Two tournaments highlighted the Southwest Michigan Anglers Club events last week.
At Magician Lake Sunday, Brian and Renee Hensley won with 21.41 pounds, including a 5.99-pound largemouth that won them big bass. The fish were caught on Senkos and tubes.
Brian Lieburg and Scott Davis were second with 12.83 pounds caught jigs and drop-shot rigs while Kevin Fletcher and Ron Fabazack were third with 12.29 pounds caught crankbaits and jigs.
In the Wednesday nighter on the St. Joseph River at Niles, Scott Crocker and Chad Worvey won with 11.51 pounds caught on jigs and topwaters.
Terry Smith and Jim Horn were second with 9.11 pounds, including a 3.31-pound smallmouth caught on jigs, while Corey and Matt Barber were third with 5.90 pounds caught on tubes.