A big opening day followed by double-digit limits the next two days made a winner of Tracy Adams at the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Southern Open on Lake Norman.
The Wilkesboro, N.C., angler set the pace the first day of the tournament with a 20-pound, 13-ounce limit and kept adding to his lead the next two rounds. Today, he bagged a 10-12 limit to finish with 45-6, which netted him the pro division top prize of a Triton bass boat/Mercury outboard rig valued at $45,000 and $7,360 in cash. The victory also ensured Adams a berth in the 2013 Bassmaster Classic provided he fishes all three Southern Opens.
Adams said he believes his heavy catch the first day clinched the win for him, especially when he caught a 4 1/2- and 6-pounder off the same bed.
“Whoever got those fish was going to win the tournament, and luckily I got them,” he said. “I had a good day yesterday,” said Adams, after adding a 13-13 limit on the second day. “I saw a couple of fish and they weren’t bedding. But I knew which docks they were under, so I caught them. It just worked out. When it is your time, it is your time. Today I knew I just had to go out and survive it and get 10 or 11 pounds. I thought that would be enough. And luckily I did.”
The North Carolina pro completed his limit by 9 a.m. today while fishing close to the take-off area and kept adding to his catch throughout the day. He caught most of his fish on a Reaction Innovations 4.95 Flirt Worm with a 1/8-ounce shaky jighead. His lures for the bedding fish were a Ki-Tech swimbait and Zoom Speed Craw.
Bassmaster Elite Series pro Bradley Roy of Kentucky took second place with 36-12.
He caught all of his fish either jerking a Spro McStick stickbait for suspended fish or skipping a wacky rigged Berkley Bottom Hopper.
“A lot of my fish were guarding fry hanging around the shade of the docks,” said Roy. “I skipped that (Bottom Hopper) in there, and it scared the fry, and the big fish came up and ate it,” he said.
The rest of the pro division’s Top 5 finishers were David Williams, North Carolina, third, 35-2; Allan Engelmeyer, Maryland, fourth, 34-6; and Clifford Pirch, Arizona, fifth, 34-2.
Taking home the top prize – a Nitro bass boat with a Mercury outboard worth $35,000 – for finishing first on the co-angler side was Glynn Goodwin of Ohio. The 30-year-old pipefitter had a three-day catch of 19-12. He was using a Carolina rigged Zoom Speed Craw and Strike King 3X worm on a shaky head.
“While my partners were looking for beds, I had a lot of success just throwing out and trying to catch the bigger females. That worked for me on the second day, but today I just caught smaller spots (spotted bass).”
Other co-anglers finishing in the Top 5 were C.J. Freeman, South Carolina, second, 17-11; Ethan Cox, North Carolina, third, 17-5; Tom McDermott, North Carolina, fourth, 16-14; and John Kunze, West Virginia, fifth, 16-7.
Adams’ 20-13 catch won the Luck “E” Strike Heavyweight Award for the heaviest stringer of the tournament in the pro division, and Goodwin earned the award on the co-angler side with a 9-9 catch.
Earning the Carhartt Big Bass award of the tournament was Matthew Mcbee of Concord, N.C., with a 6 pound, 5ounce fish. He won $500 in prize money.
2012 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Opens Series Title Sponsor: Bass Pro Shops
2012 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Opens Series Official Sponsors: Toyota, Bass Pro Shops, Berkley, Evan Williams Bourbon, Mercury, Nitro Boats, Skeeter Boats, Triton Boats, Yamaha
2012 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Opens Series Supporting Sponsor: Boat U.S., BOOYAH, Carhartt, Humminbird, Luck “E” Strike, Minn Kota, Power-Pole
About B.A.S.S.
For more than 40 years, B.A.S.S. has served as the authority on bass fishing. The organization advances the sport through advocacy, outreach and an expansive tournament structure while connecting directly with the passionate community of bass anglers through its Bassmaster media vehicles.
The Bassmaster brand and its multimedia platforms are guided by a mission to serve all fishing fans. Through its industry-leading publications – Bassmaster Magazine and B.A.S.S. Times – comprehensive Bassmaster website and ESPN2 and Outdoor Channel television programming, Bassmaster provides rich, leading-edge content true to the lifestyle.
The Bassmaster Tournament Trail includes the Bassmaster Elite Series, Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Open Series, Carhartt Bassmaster College Series,
Cabela’s B.A.S.S. Federation Nation events and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the Bassmaster Classic.
B.A.S.S. offers an array of services to its more than 500,000 members and remains focused on issues related to conservation and water access. The organization is headquartered in Birmingham, Ala.By: B.A.S.S. News
