Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Central Open
The leader blanked and two challengers ended up in a tie for first place, forcing a fish-off in the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Central Open at Lewisville Lake.
Pro division leader Bradley Hallman failed to catch a keeper today and dropped to third place, while Elite Series pro Brent Chapman weighed in three keepers, and Josh Bertrand brought one fish to the scales. Both finished tied for first with 20 pounds, 9 ounces. They will compete in a fish-off from 7 a.m. to noon CST tomorrow with the takeoff and weigh-in at the Lewisville Lake Park at 100 E. Lake Park Rd.
Chapman?s best spot is in the back of a creek that he found in practice.
“I knew there would be a lot of boats in there, but I felt like if I could just get in there and put my Power-Poles down and camp on that one spot, I might be able to catch a few,” said Chapman. “I was real fortunate. I got in there and had four quality bites and put three in the boat and was off to a good start (the first day). I went in there yesterday and spent almost the entire day in there and never had a bite.”
Since his partner caught two fish there, Chapman knew the area still had fish. On the way in, he caught about a 2-pound spotted bass yesterday, his only keeper.
“Today I went back in there, and I knew it would be good, because there wouldn?t be that many people in there,” he said. “I caught two in the first hour and fished the rest of the day and had one other bite.”
Bertrand caught his biggest stringer (18 pounds) the first day on an Alabama Rig with Pro Swim Bait 5-inch Pro Minnows.
“Today I had to slow down a lot,” he said. “The wind was really blowing hard in the area I was fishing and I couldn?t fish it. So I pitched boat docks the rest of the day and caught one pitching a drop shot with a Roboworm.”
Rounding out the top five on the pro side were Hallman with 20-4 in third; Brad Lankford, 18-1, fourth; and Mike McClelland, 17-7, fifth.
Keith Glasby won the non-boater division with 11-8 and took home a $35,000 Skeeter ZX190 bass boat with a 150-horse power Yamaha outboard. The other top five pro bass anglers were Rick Parker in second with 11-1; Brent Haggard, third, 10-5; Kenneth Moser, fourth, 10-5; and Christopher Warren, fifth, 8-6.
The Luck “E” Strike Heavyweight Awards for the heaviest stringer of the tournament went to Lankford in the pro division with an 18-1 limit and Haggard on the non-boater side with an 8-12 catch.
2012 Bassmaster Open Official Sponsors: Toyota, Bass Pro Shops, Berkley, Evan Williams Bourbon, Mercury, Nitro Boats, Skeeter Boats, Triton Boats, Yamaha
2012 Bassmaster Open Supporting Sponsors: BoatUS Angler, BOOYAH Bait Company, 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, College B.A.S.S., B.A.S.S. Federation Nation events and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the Bassmaster Classic.
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By: B.A.S.S. News
