You would have thought the weather was producing heavy rain like a “frog strangler” with all the frogs that were present in the weeds, on the pads and scumbeds. Well the rain did not show up until weigh-in on Saturday but the frogs did- both days of the October 18 and 19 tournament on Lake Eufaula. Eighty-six boats with competitors from Alabama B.A.S.S. Nation affiliated clubs from across the state were vying for the State Championship, a spot on the 2014 State Team and a high finish in the 35 cash positions. The bass anglers in general found fishing a little tough- but not all.
Currie’s total was 29.53 lbs. good for first place.
Patrick Currie, Backwater Bassmasters, had a first day weight of 13.64 lbs. and 15.89 lbs. on day two. Currie’s total was 29.53 lbs. and first place finish. Although he did not rely on the popular frog at the tournament, he did go with another water animal- of sorts. Currie flipped grass on Eufaula with a Sweet Beaver on a couple of stretches around Lakepoint Park but mostly in areas all upstream. The Beavers ran low so Currie had to switch over to a Boo Bug in black with red glitter but kept catching bass. First place put him on the State Team and earned him $3500.
Local angler David Pair from the Eufaula Head Hunters ran a very close second with a two day total of 28.93 lbs. worth $1500. Pair used a frog and a Big Bite and Blade Runner spinnerbait to boat his fish.
Third went to Larry Franks, Jr., Blue-Eye Bassmasters. Franks had an impressive tournament total of 26.75 lbs. for $1000. Franks took a little different approach by using a swimbait in the grass. His area was downriver close to the dam on the Georgia side of the lake. Wes Logan, Shoal Creek Bass Chasers, took fourth with 26.71 lbs. Logan didn’t go froggin’ but threw a homemade black and blue jig all day in 10 to 15 feet of water. He was targeting mostly wood 10 to 12 miles up the lake from the launch point at Lakepoint Park. Rounding out the top five was George Crain, also with the Shoal Creek Bass Chasers, who bagged a two day total of 26.69 lbs. Crain, who fished the 2011 Bassmaster Classic, fished grass in 3 to 5 feet of water. He used multiple baits to catch his limit including a silver Rat-L-Trap, green pumpkin jig and a green pumpkin Speed Worm.
Day 2 lunker went to Shane Powell, Auburn University Bass Club, for a hefty 6.61 pounder.
Big bass on day 1 was 7.38 and went to Lee Byrd, Birmingham Bass Club. Day 2 lunker went to Shane Powell, Auburn University Bass Club, for a hefty 6.61 pounder that hit a Booyah black and yellow Pad Crasher frog. Ray Covington got a check for the big bass of the year caught at the March tournament that weighed 8.01 pounds.
Alabama B.A.S.S. Nation State Team
State Team qualifiers were: Boaters- Ray Covington, Coby Carden, James Hardy, Shawn Perrigo, Rickie Harp, Rickey Dunn and Patrick Currie. No-Boaters- Elliot Reedy, David Pair, Larry Franks, Jr., Wes Logan, George Crain, Lee Byrd and Jack Tibbs.
Angler-of-the-Year honors for Boater was taken by Rickie Harp, Lake Tuscaloosa Bassmasters, and No-Boater honors went to Elliot Reedy, Neely Henry Bassmasters.
The complete individual results are posted on the Alabama B.A.S.S. Nation site at http://albassfednation.com/tourny/2013/SC13.pdf.
To frog or not to frog
Although the top five did not rely on the frog bite to fill their livewells, many in the top 35 money positions gave credit to froggin’ for their totals.
Scott Phillips, Blue Eye Bassmasters – 23rd Flipped a green pumpkin Sweet Beaver around the grass.
Scott Luster, Central Alabama Bassmasters – 9th Fished deep treetops down by the dam with a watermelon-colored worm.
Larry Bullock, New Line Bass Club – 8th Caught his two biggest bass on sexy shad-colored frog and lost one about six pounds. He also fished a sexy shad-colored crankbait on ledges in 12 to 14 feet of water.
Phillip Curvin, Neely Henry Bassmasters – 33rd Fished a blue-colored Dino House Fightin’ Frog in the grass.
Richard Walker, Big River Bassmasters – 56th Opted for a bone-colored Rico Popper all day targeting schooling fish.
Skip Jackson, Eufaula Head Hunters – 18th Caught about everything on a Strikezone ½ oz. football head jig, blue gill/brown and orange, in 7 to 15 feet of water.
Rocky Rockhill, Tennessee Valley Bass Club – 11th Caught several on a black with yellow belly Spro frog then went to the ledges with a Zoom watermelon red 8” Magnum Lizard.
Jack Tibbs, Eufaula Head Hunters – 7th Stayed shallow with a nasty shad-colored Spro Popper.
Jamie Long, Winfield Bassmasters – 19th Ended the tournament fishing humps and ledges downriver with a Carolina-rigged, green pumpkin, Zoom Baby Brush Hog. His four feet of leader made the difference.
Scap Cicero, Rumbling Waters Bass Anglers – 20th Relied on a black and white crankbait and a Zoom creature bait fished in two feet of water.
Rickey Dunn, West Alabama Bass Fishermen’s Association – 14th Used several lures for his catch including a spinnerbait, balsa bait and a crankbait upstream.
Saturday weigh-in line in the rain.
Of all the contestants fishing, only nine did not weigh a fish either day of the tournament for one reason or another. There were 18 twenty-pound plus total weights brought to the scales in the event. The lightest bag brought to the scales was 1.1 lbs. The heaviest single day bag was 19.81 lbs.
All of the photos for the tournament can be viewed/downloaded at: https://plus.google.com/photos/111722229253187822014/albums/5937331713602204913?banner=pwa&authkey=CL6flZPs9-ywSA
