07-14-2010, 04:10 PM
ATHENS, Ala. - Robert Dodson found a hump in the middle of Stockton Lake with enough fish to win the Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Weekend Series, operated by American Bass Anglers, Missouri Division 6 tournament, held July 10, 2010, out of Orleans Trail Marina.
Coming from Harrison, Ark., the Boater Division champ found some fish in practice with his side-view sonar. He returned during the tournament to bring in five keepers for 18.52 pounds. He caught a total of eight keepers with one going 5.84 pounds.
"I went back Thursday and made three casts and caught three fish," Dodson said. "The fish were in about 15 feet of water, coming up from 32 feet. When they pull a little water, the bass go on top of the hump. When they stop pulling, they go back to the bottom."
Greg Cooper of Monroe City only detected five bites while fishing the 25,000-acre lake, but landed a tournament limit going 17.66 pounds with a 4.98-pound kicker. He took home a hefty bonus as the top Triton finisher.
"It was tough fishing," Cooper said. "I was fishing deep brush piles in eight to 20 feet of water. I started ticking the top of the brush piles with a DD-22 and caught one on the third cast. Then, the bass sunk down into the pile and I started fishing a 3/4-ounce jig with a green pumpkin Strike King trailer."
In third, Kevin McKnight of Versailles landed three bass going 11.29 pounds to collect $883. The rookie ABA boater used plum Berkley Power Worms.
"I had a fourth fish on, but lost it," McKnight lamented. "I never got the fifth bite. The boat was sitting in about 30 feet of water and we were catching fish in 10 to 20 feet of water."
Placing fourth among the 59 boaters, Brent Algeo of Ozark landed three bass for 10.65 pounds with one 4.95-pounder. Justin Angel of Willard finished fifth with five bass going 9.61 pounds. David Morgan of Sunrise Beach only landed one bass, but took lunker honors with his 6.40-pounder. Fittingly, he caught the big bass on a green pumpkin brush hog while fishing a brush pile in about 30 feet of water.
In the Co-Angler Division, Martin Aulbur of Martinsburg landed three bass for 10.90 pounds with a 3.87-pound kicker.
"I fished a 7-inch green pumpkin Chompers worm around points in 15 to 30 feet of water," he said.
Richard Champagne of Bella Vista, Ark., landed three bass for 10.35 pounds, but a penalty put him back to 9.85 pounds. However, he pocketed a check for $561 as the second-place non-boater and a $145 bonus for catching the division big bass, a 4.84-pounder.
"I caught my fish while working a Carolina-rigged brush hog in green pumpkin," Champagne said. "The big one was the last keeper. I caught it off a ledge."
In third, John Buchanan of Jefferson City landed a division limit of three bass weighing 9.28 pounds, followed by Robin Hessling of Quincy, Ill., with two bass for 7.19 pounds. One weighed 4.30 pounds. Rounding out the top five co-anglers, Edward Vitela of Jefferson City landed three bass for 6 pounds, after losing 1.5 pounds to penalties.
About American Bass Anglers: The Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Weekend Series provides weekend anglers a professionally operated competitive tour with a path the world championship of bass fishing the Bassmaster Classic. American Bass Anglers commitment is to provide low cost, close to home tournaments for the weekend angler and at the same time offer each competitor an upward path for individual angler progression. For more information about American Bass Anglers and the American Fishing Tour, The Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Weekend Series, The American 150 Series or the American Couples Series, visit www.americanbassanglers.com.
Media Contact
David Hagood (888) 203-6222
Coming from Harrison, Ark., the Boater Division champ found some fish in practice with his side-view sonar. He returned during the tournament to bring in five keepers for 18.52 pounds. He caught a total of eight keepers with one going 5.84 pounds.
"I went back Thursday and made three casts and caught three fish," Dodson said. "The fish were in about 15 feet of water, coming up from 32 feet. When they pull a little water, the bass go on top of the hump. When they stop pulling, they go back to the bottom."
Greg Cooper of Monroe City only detected five bites while fishing the 25,000-acre lake, but landed a tournament limit going 17.66 pounds with a 4.98-pound kicker. He took home a hefty bonus as the top Triton finisher.
"It was tough fishing," Cooper said. "I was fishing deep brush piles in eight to 20 feet of water. I started ticking the top of the brush piles with a DD-22 and caught one on the third cast. Then, the bass sunk down into the pile and I started fishing a 3/4-ounce jig with a green pumpkin Strike King trailer."
In third, Kevin McKnight of Versailles landed three bass going 11.29 pounds to collect $883. The rookie ABA boater used plum Berkley Power Worms.
"I had a fourth fish on, but lost it," McKnight lamented. "I never got the fifth bite. The boat was sitting in about 30 feet of water and we were catching fish in 10 to 20 feet of water."
Placing fourth among the 59 boaters, Brent Algeo of Ozark landed three bass for 10.65 pounds with one 4.95-pounder. Justin Angel of Willard finished fifth with five bass going 9.61 pounds. David Morgan of Sunrise Beach only landed one bass, but took lunker honors with his 6.40-pounder. Fittingly, he caught the big bass on a green pumpkin brush hog while fishing a brush pile in about 30 feet of water.
In the Co-Angler Division, Martin Aulbur of Martinsburg landed three bass for 10.90 pounds with a 3.87-pound kicker.
"I fished a 7-inch green pumpkin Chompers worm around points in 15 to 30 feet of water," he said.
Richard Champagne of Bella Vista, Ark., landed three bass for 10.35 pounds, but a penalty put him back to 9.85 pounds. However, he pocketed a check for $561 as the second-place non-boater and a $145 bonus for catching the division big bass, a 4.84-pounder.
"I caught my fish while working a Carolina-rigged brush hog in green pumpkin," Champagne said. "The big one was the last keeper. I caught it off a ledge."
In third, John Buchanan of Jefferson City landed a division limit of three bass weighing 9.28 pounds, followed by Robin Hessling of Quincy, Ill., with two bass for 7.19 pounds. One weighed 4.30 pounds. Rounding out the top five co-anglers, Edward Vitela of Jefferson City landed three bass for 6 pounds, after losing 1.5 pounds to penalties.
About American Bass Anglers: The Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Weekend Series provides weekend anglers a professionally operated competitive tour with a path the world championship of bass fishing the Bassmaster Classic. American Bass Anglers commitment is to provide low cost, close to home tournaments for the weekend angler and at the same time offer each competitor an upward path for individual angler progression. For more information about American Bass Anglers and the American Fishing Tour, The Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Weekend Series, The American 150 Series or the American Couples Series, visit www.americanbassanglers.com.
Media Contact
David Hagood (888) 203-6222