The second event of the 2005 season in National Boat Mart-TVA Tournament Series was held on Lake Freeman.
Don Deerwester of Demotte, IN came to the scales with five bass that weighed 6.87 pounds to take his first win of 2005 and first ever Lake Freeman Open title. I had a lot of confidence going into the tournament so I just tried to fish smart. After seeing the forecast, knowing that the conditions wouldn’t be their best, I only rigged 5 rods, 3 with crankbaits and 2 with tubes. I didn’t want to experiment, just throw the baits I have a lot of confidence in and try to get some keepers in the boat. The bulk of my fish came on a crankbait. I had to have the bait make contact with cover otherwise I wouldn’t get a strike. The gusting wind and the amount of leaves in the water made it challenging and tedious all day. The bite was extremely light as I lost 4 keepers and I was very fortunate to squeak out a win. I would like to thank my sponsors for all their support this year: All-Walls, Big Bag Bait Co., Crown Industrial Supply, J V Custom Baits, and Merrillville Awning Co. “I am really looking forward to the 2005 season” said Deerwester.
In a close second place finish was Monticello, Indiana’s Wade Cohagan with a five bass limit tipping the scales to the 6.65 pounds. Cohagan fished the main lake and river areas with worms and crankbaits to nail down another solid finish. Cohagan is sponsored by: JV Custom Baits and Team Custom Rods. In third was 2004 NBM-TVA Bass Championship winner Rod Coffing. Coffing who brought four bass to the scales that weighed in at 5.83 pounds. Coffing reported catching his fish by crankbaiting main lake flats and points. Coffing is sponsored by Monticello Shell.
In fourth was Logansport, Indiana’s John Sabatini. Sabatini finessed four Lake Freeman bass that tallied 5.43 pounds to hold down his solid finish. Sabatini is sponsored by Skeeter, Yamaha, Gamkatsu, Spro, and Computers Plus. In fifth was Franklin, Indiana’s Gerald Shaw. Shaw brought in three bass weighing 4.14 pounds to take fifth and at the same time win the Co-Angler Bonus in the Lake Freeman Open.
For big bass honors there was a tie, believe it or not. Both Winamac, Indiana’s Rick Owen, and Demotte, Indiana’s Don Deerwester brought a bass to the scales that weighed in at 3.09. Usually in tie situations, according to the rules in the standings the number of fish prevails, if still tied there is a fish-off. Since the Big Bass Award constitutes only one bass, the number of bass does not apply. Neither angler wanted to do a fish-off because of how tough it was on the lake that day. So both anglers mutually agreed to just split the prize. Probably a good decision.
The next NBM-TVA Tournament Series event will be the TVA Team Challenge presented by Lafayette Glass Company on Lake Freeman held out of Dodge Camp. Then the series will go into “Winter Break”, until April 16, 2005.
The NBM-TVA Bass Series is proudly sponsored by: National Boat Mart, FishingWorld.com, Bass Maxx Charging Systems, Hendrickson Chrysler-Dodge-Jeep, Monticello Shell, Wrede & Son’s Excavating, Kroger, Wild Bill’s Outpost, Stephan’s IGA, Land-O-Champs Trophy, Lafayette Glass Company and Twin Lakes Fish & Game Monticello, Indiana.By: TVA Staff
