Despite froggy conditions with rising lake waters, gusting cross-winds, and muddy run-offs, 42 of the 263 teams who fished this Bass-n-Bucks season opener, managed to put some serious bass weight on the scale to collect nearly $60,000.
“From the President; These past years Bass-N-Bucks has offered its anglers the most prestigious team championships with payouts over $100,000 in cash & prizes. Top prizes have been fully rigged boats valued from $23,000 to $45,000. I really feel that our championships have kept our average draw in the 200 Team per-event bracket, stated David Concienne, and as we start our 2005 season, I look back on the faithful Bass N Buck anglers whove barely missed the championship either from the one that got away, unforeseen breakdowns, an ounce short, or just had a bad day. But now, for our 2005 championship, all you have to do is fish the first 5 events in the 1st Series and you automatically qualify! Now for the good part, points and standings will be as usual. In the 1st series, after the 5th tournament, teams whove fished all first 5 events will be divided into 3 brackets by their total points. First bracket, the elite group, will be teams 140, 2nd bracket will be teams 4180, 3rd bracket will be teams 81-& higher. Also, in the Summer Series, we will take the top 20 Teams by points to the championship. You must have fished all 3 events with the same partner to qualify. Top 3 teams by points will compete with the elite group in the 1st series, 140, at the championship, 410 will compete with teams 4180 and 1120 will compete with teams 81-& higher. Couples Note: Top 3 couples (man and woman team) by points that have fished all 3 events with the same partner in the Summer Series automatically qualify: Highest finishing couple by points will compete with the 2nd bracket, teams 4180, 2nd and 3rd highest finishing couple by points will compete with the 3rd bracket 81-& higher. All 3 Divisions will compete for a fully rigged Champion/Mercury bass-rig loaded with Minn-Kota, Lowrance and Dual Pro equipment. Plus, as always there will be great sponsor products from all of our fine sponsors. Now throw in the side pot money from the anglers, which is always 100% pay-back, and that makes the Biggest and Best Championship ever!
PLUS, thanks to Southeast TX Toyota Dealers, Philpott Toyota, Silsbee Toyota, Cecil Atkission Toyota & Kinsel Toyota, all who qualify for the Championship will have a luck-o-the-draw chance to win a Texas Edition, TOYOTO TUNDRA V8, truck, to be given away at our 2005 Championship. All qualified Championship teams from the 1st and 2nd series will be eligible. (You must be present to win.) “
Top 5 Teams;
1st-(27.37)-($10,000)- Lance and Michael Lowery of Etoil TX, put their Skeeter/Yamaha bass-rig over mid-lake area grass to work Castaway rods and Shimano reels spooled with 15 lb test Berkley Big Game mono. The father & son team fished 7 to 9 inside grass-lines with ½ oz red Rattle Traps and ½ oz chartreuse-white Stanley spinner baits. The winning duo culled their first place weight from an early bite that put 30 bass in their catch, which included a 6.5 kicker caught by Lance.
2nd-(22.99)-($4,000)- Garry Hancock and John Widders of Lake Jackson TX, ran their Champion/Evinrude bass-rig to Farmers Flats to fish Castaway rods and Shimano reels spooled with 15 lb test Berkley Big Game mono. The 2nd place winners worked 4 to 8 brush with ¼ oz white/chartreuse Strike King spinner baits to cull their catch from a 10:am to 2:pm bite that put 10 bass in their boat, that included a 7.84 lb kicker caught by Garry on a 2:40 pm last cast bite. The 2nd place team also won the Champion Boat bonus of $1,000.
3rd-(21.05)-($3,100)- Robert Smith of Huntington TX, and Nick Herzinger of Nacogdoches TX, ran their Zephyr/Yamaha bass-rig north of the 147 bridge to work Fenwick rods and Abu-Garcia reels spooled with12 lb test Berkley Fluorocarbon line. The 3rd place anglers fished Awesome Baits Thunder shads and Lucky Craft shad cranks to catch their weight from 4 ditches. Robert also intimidated the weigh-scale with an 8 lb kicker caught on a 1:45 pm bite.
4th-(19.84)-($3,052)- Wes Dawson of Silsbee TX, and Teddy Joe Cloide of Vidor TX, ran their Skeeter/Yamaha bass-rig north of the 147 bridge to work Shimano rods and reels spooled with 15 lb test Berkley mono. The 4th place finishers fished ½ oz Rayburn red rattle traps for their early buck brush bite and ½ oz black/blue Oldham Jigs for their PM bite.
5th-(19.41)-($2,050)- Paul Whitman and Joel wall of Dallas TX, put their Ranger/Mercury bass-rig over Buck Bay grass to work Castaway rods and Shimano reels spooled with 14 lb test Berkley vanish line. The 5th place team fished ¾ oz gold rattle traps along 3 to 7 inside grass-lines to catch their weight, which included an 8.24 lb kicker caught by Paul on an 8:15 am bi bite.
Overall Big Bass-(8.94)- Ricky Guy of Humble TX, and Chris Wilkerson of Livingston TX, put their Ranger/Yamaha bass-rig over a 6 south-lake hydrilla patch where Chris worked his Falcon rod and Shimano reel spooled with 15 lb test Berkley Big Game mono and rigged with a watermelon Kicker Bait wacky worm. I really wanted to catch a nice bass to show my 4 month old son, Jackson, stated Chris, and what a catch it was as the 8.94 lb bass hit on a 10:am big bite.
All bass were recovered and live released via the Bass-n-Bucks fish recovery crew with 854 bass at 2,171 lbs.
For more info on the Bass-n-Bucks tournament trail contact David or Trish Concienne at (409)727-8941 or click to BassNBucks.com.
Welcome to TEXAS MARINE & WULF OUTDOORS as top sponsors for our new Livingston/Conroe series. This circuit will have its own separate championship.
Bass-n-Bucks Sponsors- Champion Boats- Mercury Outboards- Minn-Kota, Lowrance, Shimano, Southeast Texas Toyota Dealers- Wulf Outdoor Sports- Texas Marine- Kicker Fish, Rat-L-Trap, Dual Pro, Snag Proof, Stanley Jigs, Power Tech Props, fishing world.com- Needmore Tackle- Anns Tackle Shop- Pro-Rule- The Stump Restaurant- Rayburn Tackle- Super 8 motel- Holiday Inn Express- Piney Point Plaza- Bass Medics- Toledo Town & Tackle- McFerrin Insurance- X-Tools, ProRule, and the 2005 Bass-n-Bucks Anglers.
This Ed Snyder/Outdoors Tournament Report is sponsored by The Stump Restaurant & Club- Bass Buster Inn- Rayburn Country Resort- The Lake Sam Rayburn Pavilion Association- The Fishermans Guide News- – The Jasper Newsboy.By: Ed Snyder / Ed Snyder Outdoors
