04-11-2006, 07:44 PM
MANNING, South Carolina - Competing in the wake of the Bassmaster Elite Series event at Santee Cooper Reservoir, anglers in the Bassmaster Southern Tour got a shot at the productive fishery.
Thursday, the opening day of the April 6-8 Tour event, Alabama angler Boyd Duckett hauled in a limit that weighed in at 29 pounds, 2 ounces, giving him a commanding four-pound-plus lead over Texan James Niggemeyer.
While Duckett's weight was impressive, it was a far cry from the weights brought in by Elite Series anglers just one week ago. Tour anglers had to deal with greater boat pressure and the downhill side of the incredible spawning wave Elite anglers keyed in on.
Gunning for his second BASS win, Duckett took advantage of a late afternoon sight-bite presented to him by luck of the draw: Because he was in the last flight of anglers to leave the ramp in the morning, he was able to fish later in the day. The 45-year-old said he caught all of his keeper fish on a crawdad-type lure, including an 8-13 lunker for Purolator Big Bass honors and the $1,000 premium.
Luck put him in the last flight, so perhaps the 45-year-old wasn't off base when he gave some credit for his successful day to a pair of bright-red athletic shoes. Not wanting to jinx his chances of two more productive days, he said he will wear the shoes throughout the tournament, breaking his normal routine of switching shoes for each day of competition.
"After catching 29 pounds, I am wearing these babies tomorrow," Duckett said of his lucky red shoes. "I didn't catch my first fish until 10:30 a.m., but they moved back on the beds later in the day, and I took advantage."
On Friday, Duckett won't get his late-afternoon advantage because he's scheduled to go out in the first flight. The Alabama pro said he will travel immediately to an 8-pounder he located at the end of the day on Lake Moultrie.
Similar to Duckett, Niggemeyer, who late last year was victorious at an ESPN Outdoors Bassmaster Series Tournament on the Red River in Louisiana, is targeting bedding fish on Lake Moultrie, sight-fishing with soft-plastic baits. Although he didn't want to divulge specifics about his bait, he did say it is produced by Lake Fork Trophy Bait and Tackle, which is near Lake Fork, his hometown lake.
The recent tournament resume of the soft-spoken Niggemeyer shows few weaknesses. In addition to an ESPN Outdoors Bassmaster Series win in November 2005, he has two top-10 finishes thus far on the Tour, providing him with a lead in the all-important points race.
The next logical step for Niggemeyer is to qualify for and enter the Elite Series, the premier trail in bass fishing. The top five point leaders from each Tour automatically qualify for the Elite Series; the top three from each Tour also qualify for the 2007 Bassmaster Classic.
"To fish in the Classic and participate in the Elite Series is definitely a dream of mine," said Niggemeyer, who recently had his first child, now a 6-month-old boy. "The financial commitment is very serious, but if you are confident in your skills, that is the way to go."
Rounding out the top five on the pro side are Mississippi's Cliff Pace (23-13); homegrown angler Cecil Wolfe (23-4) of Goose Creek, S.C.; and Floridian Patrick Pierce (19-10).
On the co-angler side, leading the chase for a Triton boat package valued at $30,000 is Georgia's Marty Scoggins. His bag Thursday was two fish that weighed 8 pounds, 10 ounces, giving him a 1-pound-plus lead over Texan Robert Kell (7-9) and Vermont's Larry Butler (7-5). Scoggins, of Trion, Ga., took the Day 1 Purolator Big Bass honors with his 6-13 fish.
Pros are fishing for $324,650 and co-anglers are competing for $68,880. The champion pro will take home a fully rigged Triton boat valued at $45,000, plus $30,000 in cash. The champion co-angler will receive a Triton boat valued at $30,000.
Location and Field
Bassmaster Southern Tour
Santee Cooper Reservoir
Manning, S.C.
April 6 - 8
Field
Field cut to top 50 after Day 2
Launch
John C. Land III Landing
Greenall Road
Summerton, SC 29148
6:45 a.m.
Weigh-in
John C. Land III Landing
Greenall Road
Summerton, SC 29148
2:45 p.m.
Day 1 Purolator Big Bass
Pro: Boyd Duckett, Demopolis, Ala., 8-13
Co-Angler: Marty Scoggins, Trion, Ga., 6-13
Media Contact:
Bass Communications
(407) 566-2208
[signature]
Thursday, the opening day of the April 6-8 Tour event, Alabama angler Boyd Duckett hauled in a limit that weighed in at 29 pounds, 2 ounces, giving him a commanding four-pound-plus lead over Texan James Niggemeyer.
While Duckett's weight was impressive, it was a far cry from the weights brought in by Elite Series anglers just one week ago. Tour anglers had to deal with greater boat pressure and the downhill side of the incredible spawning wave Elite anglers keyed in on.
Gunning for his second BASS win, Duckett took advantage of a late afternoon sight-bite presented to him by luck of the draw: Because he was in the last flight of anglers to leave the ramp in the morning, he was able to fish later in the day. The 45-year-old said he caught all of his keeper fish on a crawdad-type lure, including an 8-13 lunker for Purolator Big Bass honors and the $1,000 premium.
Luck put him in the last flight, so perhaps the 45-year-old wasn't off base when he gave some credit for his successful day to a pair of bright-red athletic shoes. Not wanting to jinx his chances of two more productive days, he said he will wear the shoes throughout the tournament, breaking his normal routine of switching shoes for each day of competition.
"After catching 29 pounds, I am wearing these babies tomorrow," Duckett said of his lucky red shoes. "I didn't catch my first fish until 10:30 a.m., but they moved back on the beds later in the day, and I took advantage."
On Friday, Duckett won't get his late-afternoon advantage because he's scheduled to go out in the first flight. The Alabama pro said he will travel immediately to an 8-pounder he located at the end of the day on Lake Moultrie.
Similar to Duckett, Niggemeyer, who late last year was victorious at an ESPN Outdoors Bassmaster Series Tournament on the Red River in Louisiana, is targeting bedding fish on Lake Moultrie, sight-fishing with soft-plastic baits. Although he didn't want to divulge specifics about his bait, he did say it is produced by Lake Fork Trophy Bait and Tackle, which is near Lake Fork, his hometown lake.
The recent tournament resume of the soft-spoken Niggemeyer shows few weaknesses. In addition to an ESPN Outdoors Bassmaster Series win in November 2005, he has two top-10 finishes thus far on the Tour, providing him with a lead in the all-important points race.
The next logical step for Niggemeyer is to qualify for and enter the Elite Series, the premier trail in bass fishing. The top five point leaders from each Tour automatically qualify for the Elite Series; the top three from each Tour also qualify for the 2007 Bassmaster Classic.
"To fish in the Classic and participate in the Elite Series is definitely a dream of mine," said Niggemeyer, who recently had his first child, now a 6-month-old boy. "The financial commitment is very serious, but if you are confident in your skills, that is the way to go."
Rounding out the top five on the pro side are Mississippi's Cliff Pace (23-13); homegrown angler Cecil Wolfe (23-4) of Goose Creek, S.C.; and Floridian Patrick Pierce (19-10).
On the co-angler side, leading the chase for a Triton boat package valued at $30,000 is Georgia's Marty Scoggins. His bag Thursday was two fish that weighed 8 pounds, 10 ounces, giving him a 1-pound-plus lead over Texan Robert Kell (7-9) and Vermont's Larry Butler (7-5). Scoggins, of Trion, Ga., took the Day 1 Purolator Big Bass honors with his 6-13 fish.
Pros are fishing for $324,650 and co-anglers are competing for $68,880. The champion pro will take home a fully rigged Triton boat valued at $45,000, plus $30,000 in cash. The champion co-angler will receive a Triton boat valued at $30,000.
Location and Field
Bassmaster Southern Tour
Santee Cooper Reservoir
Manning, S.C.
April 6 - 8
Field
Field cut to top 50 after Day 2
Launch
John C. Land III Landing
Greenall Road
Summerton, SC 29148
6:45 a.m.
Weigh-in
John C. Land III Landing
Greenall Road
Summerton, SC 29148
2:45 p.m.
Day 1 Purolator Big Bass
Pro: Boyd Duckett, Demopolis, Ala., 8-13
Co-Angler: Marty Scoggins, Trion, Ga., 6-13
Media Contact:
Bass Communications
(407) 566-2208
[signature]