The third stop along the way to the National Championship in the 2010 Fishers Of Men Regional Championship Series came to a close today as Day-one leaders, Flannagan Fife and Steve Cannon captured a big win by more than an eight and one-half lbs margin. The new South Central Regional Champions nailed this victory by making the 4 mile run across the lake to Delaware Bay where they then, ripped X Calibur XR-25 rattle baits through coontail moss on flats and break lines. Steve and Flannagan said that the smaller quarter-ounce size seemed to draw more strikes because it resembled the tiny baitfish inhabiting the area. The two stated that they boated 12 keepers on Friday and only 7 today, most likely due to the one hour fog delay at blast-off this morning. With today’s 17.67 added to Day-1’s 18.39, the new champs earned a brand new Triton TR-18 Explorer/150 hp Mercury Optimax, valued at more that $24,000.00, for their 36.06 lbs.
Moving up 2 places and finishing in second place, with 27.41 lbs, are Randy and Jeremi Farrar, competing out of Matt Little’s Louisiana-North Div. Jeremi and Randy, also, fished the vast flats of Delaware Bay by swimming Santone Lures Blk-Blu and purple jigs tipped with 3 in Berkley Chigger Craws. Randy noted that they ripped Rat-L-Traps through a variety of submerged grass on the flats and punched jigs through matted grass in order to get 15.45 lbs on Day 1 and 11.96 lbs on Day 2.
Vaulting all the way from 25th and capturing third place, solo fisherman Brent White finished with an impressive 25.54 lbs. Brent traveled upstream about 15 miles to the Shoal Bay area and cast a Luckycraft RC-25 to woody structure on Day 1 to net 9.32. Today, Brent flipped a finesse jig, tipped with a Paca Craw, and a Strike King Pure Poison swim jig to collect an amazing 16.22 lbs in the grassy areas of Shoal Bay.
Perennial favorites, Martin Elshout and Mark Price, LA-NC, had 2 fish in the boat within 10 minutes upon arriving at Delaware Bay on Day 1. Then, the next 5 hours of working 2 to 3 foot depths in grass-filled water with Rat-L-traps, yielded only 2 more keepers. However, at 1:30 the bite turned on and the two culled out their previous fish and ended up with 15.95 lbs. Today, Martin stated that their 8.78 lbs in 4 fish, just came here and there in a seemingly long exhausting day on the water. For the 2009 South Central Champions, their 2-day total of 24.73 lbs earned them a 4th place finish and the current lead in the National Points race. Martin and Mark wanted to thank their sponsors: Ranger Boats, Mercury Marine, Ludwig Brothers Marine, and Kistler Custom Rods.
On Day One, Texas East’s, Branden Hyatt and Chet Slaydon, were sitting in 12th place with 4 fish crossing the scales at 12.62 lbs. Chet and Branden proceeded back to the Delaware Bay area, today, and worked Strike King Pure Poisons for a late bite at 3:00 pm. Their additional 4 quality fish, weighing 11.69, gave the teammates 24.31 lbs and a 5th place finish.
Michael Holmes landed today’s 6.05 lbs, 1st Big Fish Award at 1:50 pm using a Chatterbait in 2 to 3 feet of grass-choked water, located just a short way from the launch ramp. Michael and his partner, Eric Evans, who fish out of Brent Crawford’s, Louisiana North Central Division, finished 14th with 19.30 lbs in 6 fish.
Day Two’s 2nd Big Fish Award went to the Texas North-Central team of Jeff Linville and Jason Parker for their 4.70 lbs largemouth that fell for a Rat-L-Trap.
Robert and Matthew Moore earned a spot to the April 2011, Lake Guntersville National Championship as the highest finishing Adult-Junior team. The Texas East boys brought in 7 fish that weighed an impressive 21.88 and an 8th place finish.
Tammy and Jimmy Charbonnet bested the other Male-Female teams and also earned a spot to Guntersville next April.
Overall, 436, 15-inch or better, bass crossed the scales at 1016.61 lbs, which included 28, 5-fish limits for the 2 days.
The South Central Regional Championship pay out to 24 places, plus, if the winners meet the requirements of the Triton Gold Program, they will earn an extra $7500.00 cash bonus. The top ten finishers in this event, along with the highest finishing team from each division, and the top male-female and adult-junior team from the South Central Regional Championship will qualify to fish next April in the FOM Lake Guntersville National Championship. Where also, Markel Insurance will be awarding $10,000.00 to the team who is registered in this special marketing program and has the highest accumulated points for the 2010 FOM tournament season.
We want to thank Christie Graham, Executive Director, and the Russellville Tourism & Visitors Center, FLW Pro Greg Bohannan, and Jay Hamm with the First Baptist Church of Russelville, along with all of the faithful members who prepared and served a fantastic meal. A big thank you goes out to Lake Dardenelle State Park Superintendent, Andy Thomas, and the Arkansas Fish and Game Commission by providing a state of the art facility to conduct this event and taking care of all fish that were weighed in order to protect their very special fishery at Dardenelle.
We would like to take this opportunity to also thank all the fine companies that make Fishers of Men possible; Primary: Triton Boats, Mercury, Strike King Lure Company, Markel American Insurance, Abu Garcia, Power-Pole, Nester Hosiery. Presenting; Marshall’s Marine of Lake City SC, Keelshield, Solar Bat, Kistler Custom Fishing Rods, Gary Yamamoto Custom Baits, Berkley, Lowrance. Official: Buckeye Lures, Jacobs Glass, Outdoor Specialty Products (Rejuvenate), Dual Pro Chargers, MotorGuide, Full Grace Gospel Church, Mizmo Bait Company, Stanley Jigs, Spike-It, Logan Fire Apparatus, T&H Marine, and Keep Alive Oxygen Infusers.By: Fishers of Men
