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The Full Story
Bassmaster E50:
Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway, MS
E50 Event # 2 of 4
Preview | Day 1 |
Day 2 | Day 3 |
Day 4
Preview: New Elite 50 Series
Moves on to Mississippi
Back to Top
COLUMBUS, Miss. - Professional fishing's newest and most exciting tournament
series
moves on to Columbus, Miss., and the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway as the
second
event of the Bassmaster Elite 50 series comes to town May 19-22.
The Elite 50 series, the newest addition to the CITGO Bassmaster Tournament
Trail
presented by Busch Beer, fields an all-star line-up in the sport's first
shootout-style, no-entry-fee circuit with a guaranteed paycheck for every
participant.
The Elite 50 series marks the first time that the cream of the crop of
today's bass
pros can compete in limited-field events. These 50 top pros earned their
elite
status through either their combined performance over the past three CITGO
Bassmaster Tour seasons or based on careers of excellence that placed them
in the
top 20 of the BASS all-time money list.
Apparently, the fishing world has been waiting for such an exciting format
with its
ultra fan-friendly 10 a.m. daily launches and 7 p.m. weigh-ins. Last month's
inaugural Elite 50 event on Arkansas' Lake Dardanelle attracted enormous,
enthusiastic weigh-in crowds, including a record 7,500 fans that cheered the
final
ceremonies.
"I think the people around here are real excited about the (series) coming
to town,"
said Pete Ponds, a former CITGO Bassmaster Classic qualifier from Madison,
Miss. "It
should be a good show."
The Tenn-Tom weaves a serpentine 234-mile path along the borders of
Mississippi and
Alabama, offering 44,000 acres of fishable waters along the way.
It begins with Bay Springs Lake (located near Tishomingo, Miss.), a
6,700-acre
reservoir that doesn't receive much fishing attention when compared to its
counterparts to the south. Continuing south, the Tenn-Tom features five
unnamed
locks and 46 miles of water.
If you ask the Alabama and Mississippi anglers who fish the Tenn-Tom, few
recommend
the long run north to Bay Springs. Instead, Aberdeen Lake, a
4,600-acre pool, is
regarded as the beginning of the waterway. Next is the 23-mile long Columbus
Lake
(8,900 acres in size), which may be the most heavily pressured pool on the
Tenn-Tom.
Continuing south, Aliceville Lake is the favorite of most local trophy
hunters. With
8,300 surface acres, this 28-mile-long pool has produced an impressive
number of
10-pound-plus bass over the years, along with documented catches of a 14-
and a
16-pound fish.
Gainesville Lake is the oldest of the waterway's pools. The 6,400-acre lake
was
opened to the public in 1978.
The Elite 50 pros will have access to the entire chain, but on the weekend,
the top
12 semifinalists and top-six finalists will rotate through six designated
holes on
the otherwise off-limits Columbus Pool.
BASS made its first appearance on the Tenn-Tom last August for a CITGO
Bassmaster
Central Open won by Arkansas' Kevin Short with 39 pounds, 4 ounces.
Last August, Short's winning pattern involved mixing up three crankbaits
while
making repeated casts from various angles to flooded cypress trees in 2 to 8
feet of
water in Lake Aliceville.
"I think the fishing is going to be fairly good," Ponds said. "I would say
that 15
pounds a day would do real well. It should be better than it was in the
August
tournament. The fish are moving into their summer mode. They finished
spawning weeks
ago."
During the qualifying rounds, Ponds looks for the largest catches to come
from Lake
Aliceville.
"The shad are spawning around the trees in Aliceville early in the morning
and
that's going to be a factor," he said. "The shad are balling up and pushing
up
against the bank, and the bass feed underneath them. Anything you want to
throw in
there at that particular time will catch them. But it won't last an hour
after
daylight."
Daily weigh-ins will begin at 7 p.m. and the launch will be at 10 a.m. at
Stennis
Lock and Dam and are free to the public.
Day
1: Davis Leads on
Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway
Back to Top
COLUMBUS, Miss. – Anglers on the CITGO Bassmaster Tournament Trail have been struggling in practice for the Bassmaster Elite 50
series event
on the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway.
Early predictions were that 11 to 13 pounds a day would put an angler in
good shape.
Those predictions weren’t far off on day one as three-time CITGO
Bassmaster Angler
of the Year Mark Davis took the lead with 14 pounds and 8 ounces.
“I anticipated that it would be a good day and it was,” Davis said. “I
like to look
for schools of fish and I found one. What was really great was that I
caught five
really quick and I left them there to bite tomorrow.
“The fish are in a typical post spawn pattern. They’re all schooled
up.”
The Arkansas pro caught all of his fish, Wednesday, on three different
baits. A
tequila soft plastic worm, a Strike King Spitting King top water bait and a
Strike
King Series One crank bait.
“I’m fishing in a backwater area,” Davis said, “and I plan on going back to
the same
spot tomorrow.”
Second place Roland Martin, brought in 12-6 on day one, fishing the main
pool.
“I probably have the fastest boat out here,” Martin said. “I get it up
to about 70,
run it for about 30 seconds and shut it off. I have more time to fish
if I do it
that way. I don’t have to worry about the locks.”
Martin had never fished the Tenn-Tom until this tournament, however, he has
some
history with the waterway.
“My father wasn’t a fisherman,” Martin said. “He was an engineer.
As a matter of
fact, he was the lead engineer on a project called the Tennessee-Tombigbee
Waterway.”
Martin also picked up an extra $1,000 by participating in the Busch Shootout
program
and for producing the Busch Heavyweight Sack of the Day.
Another pro who is taking home some cash is Arizona’s John Murray.
Murray brought
in a 5-pound 3-ounce lunker today to earn him $1,000 from Purolator for the
Purolator Big Bass of the Day. If that fish holds out to be the
largest fish of the
tournament, Murray will earn an additional $1,000 for the Purolator Big Bass
of the
Tournament.
South Carolina’s Davy Hite brought in 12-4 to pick up third place.
Hite, like
Martin, is sticking with the main pool.
“I just put my head down and fished hard today,” Hite said. “When it’s
really tough
like this, I just thing you are going to be better off fishing rather than
running.
I mean I have eight hours to catch five keepers and I should be able to do
that.”
North Carolina’s Dustin Wilks (11-15), Murray (11-4) and Oklahoma’s Tommy
Biffle
(11-2) round out the top six for day one.
The Bassmaster Elite 50 series continues Thursday. Launch begins at 10
a.m. and
daily weigh-ins will begin at 7 p.m. at the Stennis Lock and Dam and are
free to the
public.
Day 1
| Rank |
Name |
Hometown |
Bass |
Weight |
| 1 |
Mark Davis |
Mount Ida, AR |
5 |
14-08 |
| 2 |
Roland Martin |
Naples, FL |
5 |
12-06 |
| 3 |
Davy Hite |
Prosperity, SC |
5 |
12-04 |
| 4 |
Dustin Wilks |
Rocky Mount, NC |
5 |
11-15 |
| 5 |
John Murray |
Phoenix, AZ |
5 |
11-04 |
| 6 |
Tom Biffle |
Wagoner, OK |
5 |
11-02 |
| 7 |
Michael Iaconelli |
Runnemede, N.J. |
5 |
10-15 |
| 8 |
Zell Rowland |
Montgomery, TX |
5 |
10-14 |
| 9 |
Ben Matsubu |
Hemphill, TX |
5 |
10-11 |
| 10 |
Alton Jones |
Waco, TX |
5 |
10-01 |
11. Gary Klein
Weatherford, Texas 5 9-05
Day 1: 5 9-05
12. Brian Snowden
Springfield, Mo. 5
9-04
Day 1: 5 9-04
13. Todd Auten
Lake Wylie, S.C. 5
9-03
Day 1: 5 9-03
14. Kevin VanDam
Kalamazoo, Mich. 5
9-02
Day 1: 5 9-02
15. Larry Nixon
Bee Branch, Ark. 4
9-01
Day 1: 4 9-01
16. Gerald Swindle Hayden,
Ala. 5
8-13
Day 1: 5 8-13
17. Bud Pruitt
Spring, Texas 5
8-07
Day 1: 5 8-07
18. Ishama Monroe
Patterson, Calif. 5
8-06
Day 1: 5 8-06
19. Randy Blaukat
Lamar, Mo.
5 8-01
Day 1: 5 8-01
20. Randy Howell
Springville, Ala. 5
7-15
Day 1: 5 7-15
21. Brent Chapman
Shawnee, Kan. 5
7-13
Day 1: 5 7-13
22. Jay Yelas
Tyler, Texas
5 7-10
Day 1: 5 7-10
23. Denny Brauer
Camdenton, Mo. 5
7-08
Day 1: 5 7-08
24. David Fritts
Lexington, N.C. 5
6-11
Day 1: 5 6-11
25. Peter E Thliveros Jacksonville, Fla.
5 6-10
Day 1: 5 6-10
26. David Wharton Sam
Rayburn, Texas 4 6-09
Day 1: 4 6-09
27. Stacey D King
Reeds Spring, Mo. 4
6-07
Day 1: 4 6-07
28. Bernie Schultz
Gainesville, Fla. 4
6-02
Day 1: 4 6-02
29. Edwin Evers
Mannsville, Okla. 3
5-14
Day 1: 3 5-14
30. Paul L Elias
Pachuta, Miss. 3
5-08
Day 1: 3 5-08
31. Jack A Gadlage Benton,
Ky.
3 5-01
Day 1: 3 5-01
32. Rick Clunn
Ava, Mo.
4 4-13
Day 1: 4 4-13
33. Dean Rojas
Grand Saline, Texas 3 4-04
Day 1: 3 4-04
34. Todd Faircloth Jasper,
Texas 2
3-10
Day 1: 2 3-10
35. Tim Horton
Tuscumbia, Ala. 1
3-07
Day 1: 1 3-07
36. Kenyon Hill
Norman, Okla. 2
3-06
Day 1: 2 3-06
37. Greg Hackney
Gonzales, La. 1
3-04
Day 1: 1 3-04
37. Mark Menendez
Paducah, Ky.
3 3-04
Day 1: 3 3-04
39. Kevin Wirth
Crestwood, Ky. 3
3-01
Day 1: 3 3-01
40. Mike Wurm
Hot Springs, Ark. 2
2-13
Day 1: 2 2-13
41. Jim Bitter
Fruitland Park, Fla. 3 2-10
Day 1: 3 2-10
41. O T Fears III
Sallisaw, Okla. 2
2-10
Day 1: 2 2-10
41. Robert Lee
Angels Camp, Calif. 3 2-10
Day 1: 3 2-10
41. Skeet Reese
Auburn, Calif. 1
2-10
Day 1: 1 2-10
45. Brett Hite
Phoenix, Ariz. 2
2-09
Day 1: 2 2-09
46. Kelly Jordon
Mineola, Texas 1
1-04
Day 1: 1 1-04
47. Chad Brauer
Osage Beach, Mo. 0
0-00
Day 1: 0 0-00
47. George Cochran Hot
Springs, Ark. 0 0-00
Day 1: 0 0-00
47. Shaw E Grigsby, Jr Gainesville, Fla.
0 0-00
Day 1: 0 0-00
47. Ron Shuffield
Bismarck, Ark. 0
0-00
Day 1: 0 0-00
Day
2: Davis Keeps Leads on
Tennessee-Tombigbee
Back to Top
 COLUMBUS,
Miss. – Arkansas pro Mark Davis brought in a five-fish limit Thursday that
lifted his two-day weight up to 33 pounds, 5 ounces and gave him the lead on
day two of the Bassmaster Elite 50 tournament on the Tennessee-Tombigbee
Waterway.
Davis and his fellow pros are fishing for one of 10 berths in the 2004 CITGO
Bassmaster Classic, as well as the $1.6 million prize purse at the end of
the first no-entry-fee series on the CITGO Bassmaster Tournament Trail.
“I fished the same areas as yesterday,” Davis said. “It took a long
time to catch a
limit today, though. I had one by about one (o’clock), but between
three and four,
I caught about 20, and all those fish were 2 or more pounds.”
Although the fishing was good in his area, Davis will have to leave it for
day
three, as the top 12 pros will fish a specially designated six-hole course
for the
final two days of competition.
“Anytime you have a place like that, you want to go back,” Davis said, “but
we all
know what we’re getting into, so I think I’ll be OK.”
The three-time CITGO Bassmaster Angler of the Year continued to use his
Strike King
3X ribbon tail worm Thursday to catch his limit.
Another former Angler of the Year, South Carolina’s Davy Hite, brought in
22-4 to
claim second place. Hite also stayed with the same pattern he was
fishing on
Wednesday, working a Gambler worm.
“I think the key was just being patient,” Hite said. “Just realizing
that the bite
was off, settling down and figuring them out.
“I feel good about tomorrow. I can fish the same way that I have been.
I think
what I’m doing can definitely work here.”
Missouri’s Brian Snowden had a big payday Thursday, picking up two $1,000
bonuses.
The first, a check from Purolator for having the Purolator Big Bass of the
Day, came
from a 4-pound, 12-ounce lunker that anchored his five-fish limit weighing
12-8.
That 12-8 was enough to earn him another $1,000 for the Busch Heavyweight of
the
Day, a voluntary contingency program from Busch Beer for the angler with the
largest
catch each day.
The catch pushed Snowden’s weight up to 21-12 for two days and put him in
third
place going in to Friday’s competition.
Texas’ Gary Klein (21-8), Arizona’s John Murray (20-15), Texas’ Alton Jones
(20-13),
Michigan’s Kevin VanDam (20-5), Oklahoma’s Tommy Biffle (18-5), Missouri’s
Stacey
King (18-5), North Carolina’s Dustin WIlks (17-12), Texas’ Ben Matsubu
(17-6), and
Texas’ Zell Rowland (17-4) round out the top 12.
The Bassmaster Elite 50 series, which will be telecast in two parts on
ESPN2, May 29
and June 5 at 10:30 a.m. ET/9:30 a.m. CT, continues Friday. Launch
begins at 10
a.m. and daily weigh-ins will begin at 7 p.m. at the Stennis Lock and Dam
and are
free to the public. Day 2
| Rank |
Name |
Hometown |
Bass |
Weight |
| 1 |
Mark Davis |
Mount Ida, AR |
10 |
33-05 |
| 2 |
Davy Hite |
Prosperity, SC |
10 |
22-04 |
| 3 |
Brian Snowden |
Springfield, MO |
9 |
21-12 |
| 4 |
Gary Klein |
Weatherford, TX |
10 |
21-08 |
| 5 |
John Murray |
Phoenix, AZ |
10 |
20-15 |
| 6 |
Alton Jones |
Waco, TX |
10 |
20-13 |
| 7 |
Kevin VanDam |
Kalamazoo, MI |
10 |
20-05 |
| 8 |
Tom Biffle |
Wagoner, OK |
10 |
18-05 |
| 8 |
Stacey King |
Reeds Spring, MO |
9 |
18-05 |
| 10 |
Dustin Wilks |
Rocky Mount, NC |
9 |
17-12 |
11. Ben Matsubu
Hemphill, Texas 9
17-06
Day 1: 5 10-11 Day 2: 4
6-11
12. Zell Rowland
Montgomery, Texas 10 17-04
Day 1: 5 10-14 Day 2: 5
6-06
13. Todd Auten
Lake Wylie, S.C. 10 16-08
Day 1: 5 9-03 Day 2: 5
7-05
13. Roland Martin
Naples, Fla.
8 16-08
$1,000.00
Day 1: 5 12-06 Day 2: 3
4-02
15. Gerald Swindle Hayden,
Ala. 10
16-03
Day 1: 5 8-13 Day 2: 5
7-06
16. Bernie Schultz
Gainesville, Fla. 9 15-13
Day 1: 4 6-02 Day 2: 5
9-11
16. Jay Yelas
Tyler, Texas 10
15-13
Day 1: 5 7-10 Day 2: 5
8-03
18. David Fritts
Lexington, N.C. 10
15-06
Day 1: 5 6-11 Day 2: 5
8-11
19. Jack A Gadlage Benton,
Ky.
8 15-01
Day 1: 3 5-01 Day 2: 5
10-00
20. Todd Faircloth Jasper,
Texas 7
14-11
Day 1: 2 3-10 Day 2: 5
11-01
20. David Wharton Sam
Rayburn, Texas 8 14-11
Day 1: 4 6-09 Day 2: 4
8-02
22. Dean Rojas
Grand Saline, Texas 8 14-08
Day 1: 3 4-04 Day 2: 5
10-04
23. Larry Nixon
Bee Branch, Ark. 7
14-06
Day 1: 4 9-01 Day 2: 3
5-05
24. Bud Pruitt
Spring, Texas 9
13-01
Day 1: 5 8-07 Day 2: 4
4-10
25. Brent Chapman
Shawnee, Kan. 9
12-14
Day 1: 5 7-13 Day 2: 4
5-01
26. Kelly Jordon
Mineola, Texas 6
12-13
Day 1: 1 1-04 Day 2: 5
11-09
27. Michael Iaconelli Runnemede, N.J.
6 12-03
Day 1: 5 10-15 Day 2: 1
1-04
28. Peter E Thliveros Jacksonville, Fla.
10 12-01
Day 1: 5 6-10 Day 2: 5
5-07
29. Randy Blaukat
Lamar, Mo.
8 11-13
Day 1: 5 8-01 Day 2: 3
3-12
30. Ishama Monroe
Patterson, Calif. 6 11-08
Day 1: 5 8-06 Day 2: 1
3-02
31. Mike Wurm
Hot Springs, Ark. 7 10-14
Day 1: 2 2-13 Day 2: 5
8-01
32. Denny Brauer
Camdenton, Mo. 8
10-11
Day 1: 5 7-08 Day 2: 3
3-03
33. Kenyon Hill
Norman, Okla. 6
10-00
Day 1: 2 3-06 Day 2: 4
6-10
34. Randy Howell
Springville, Ala. 6
9-14
Day 1: 5 7-15 Day 2: 1
1-15
34. Mark Menendez
Paducah, Ky.
6 9-14
Day 1: 3 3-04 Day 2: 3
6-10
36. Robert Lee
Angels Camp, Calif. 8 9-02
Day 1: 3 2-10 Day 2: 5
6-08
37. Kevin Wirth
Crestwood, Ky. 8
8-11
Day 1: 3 3-01 Day 2: 5
5-10
38. Greg Hackney
Gonzales, La. 4
8-10
Day 1: 1 3-04 Day 2: 3
5-06
39. Paul L Elias
Pachuta, Miss. 6
8-02
Day 1: 3 5-08 Day 2: 3
2-10
40. Skeet Reese
Auburn, Calif. 6
8-00
Day 1: 1 2-10 Day 2: 5
5-06
41. Brett Hite
Phoenix, Ariz. 6
7-02
Day 1: 2 2-09 Day 2: 4
4-09
42. Chad Brauer
Osage Beach, Mo. 3
6-14
Day 1: 0 0-00 Day 2: 3
6-14
43. Rick Clunn
Ava, Mo.
6 6-10
Day 1: 4 4-13 Day 2: 2
1-13
44. O T Fears III
Sallisaw, Okla. 4
6-06
Day 1: 2 2-10 Day 2: 2
3-12
45. Edwin Evers
Mannsville, Okla. 3
5-14
Day 1: 3 5-14 Day 2: 0
0-00
46. Jim Bitter
Fruitland Park, Fla. 5 4-14
Day 1: 3 2-10 Day 2: 2
2-04
47. George Cochran Hot
Springs, Ark. 3 4-11
Day 1: 0 0-00 Day 2: 3
4-11
47. Tim Horton
Tuscumbia, Ala. 2
4-11
Day 1: 1 3-07 Day 2: 1
1-04
49. Ron Shuffield
Bismarck, Ark. 1
0-10
Day 1: 0 0-00 Day 2: 1
0-10
50. Shaw E Grigsby, Jr Gainesville, Fla.
0 0-00
Day 1: 0 0-00 Day 2: 0
0-00
Day
3: Davis Continues
Domination at E50 Event
Back to Top
COLUMBUS, Miss. – Arkansas pro Mark Davis lengthened his reign on the
Tennessee-Tombigbee Friday, when he brought in a whopping 16-pound, 6-ounce
limit on
day three of the Bassmaster Elite 50 event, the newest addition to the CITGO
Bassmaster Tournament Trail presented by Busch Beer.
But, Davis, a three-time CITGO Bassmaster Angler of the Year, thought he
could have
had a better day rotating through the six-hole course set aside for the
final two
days of competition.
“I had a frustrating day,” Davis said. “I figured out how to catch
them in the
backwater areas where it was clear, then they put me in this pool where it’s
muddy.
I traipsed around in the mud half the day, but then when I got back to where
it was
clear, then it got fun.
“I’m fishing basically the same patterns that I have been, but I’m using
different
colors.”
Davis changed the colors of his Strike King 3X ribbon tail worm from tequila
to a
green pumpkin and black.
“There’s a lot of fish in here, and a lot of big fish, I know,” he said.
“I don’t
plan on changing anything for tomorrow.”
Another three-time CITGO Bassmaster Angler of the Year, Kevin VanDam, also
had a
good day on the Tenn-Tom. VanDam brought in 14-7 to take second place
going into
the final day of competition, which will be telecast on ESPN2, May 29 and
June 5 at
10:30 a.m. ET/9:30 a.m. CT.
“It was a good day but it could have been a lot better,” VanDam said. “I
can’t
complain. I fished well all week.”
The field has been cut down to the Super Six who will fish tomorrow on the
six-hole
course.
“On a course like this, you really have to fish what’s in front of you,”
VanDam
said. “Tomorrow it’s going to be really fun because you have the whole
area to
yourself.”
VanDam used a Denny Brauer Pro Model tube and a Denny Brauer Pro Model jig
to bring
in his catch. That sack also earned him a $1,000 check from Busch for
the Busch
Heavyweight of the day, a voluntary contingency program from Busch Beer.
Davis does
not participate in the program.
VanDam’s huge catch was anchored by a 5-pound, 7-ounce lunker that earned
him
another $1,000 for the Purolator Big Bass of the Day. If that fish
remains the
largest caught through Saturday’s final round, VanDam will receive another
grand for
the Purolator Big Bass of the Tournament.
Saturday, Davis and VanDam will be joined by Missouri’s Stacey King (12-11),
North
Carolina’s Dustin Wilks (11-2), and Texas’ Alton Jones (10-14) and Gary
Klein
(10-11).
The final day of the Bassmaster Elite 50 series event on the Tennessee-Tombigbee
Waterway gets under way Saturday. Launch begins at 10 a.m. and daily
weigh-ins will
begin at 7 p.m. at the Stennis Lock and Dam and are free to the public.
Day 3
| Rank |
Name |
Hometown |
Bass |
Weight |
| 1 |
Mark Davis |
Mount Ida, AR |
5 |
16-06 |
| 2 |
Kevin VanDam |
Kalamazoo, MI |
5 |
14-07 |
| 3 |
Stacey King |
Reeds Spring, MO |
5 |
12-11 |
| 4 |
Dustin Wilks |
Rocky Mount, NC |
5 |
11-02 |
| 5 |
Alton Jones |
Waco, TX |
5 |
10-14 |
| 6 |
Gary Klein |
Weatherford, TX |
5 |
10-11 |
| 7 |
John Murray |
Phoenix, AZ |
5 |
10-07 |
| 8 |
Zell Rowland |
Montgomery, TX |
5 |
9-14 |
| 9 |
Davy Hite |
Prosperity, SC |
5 |
9-03 |
| 10 |
Brian Snowden |
Springfield, MO |
5 |
8-15 |
11. Tom Biffle
Wagoner, Okla. 5
8-04
Day 1: 0 0-00 Day 2: 0
0-00 Day 3: 5 8-04
12. Ben Matsubu
Hemphill, Texas 4
7-09
Day 1: 0 0-00 Day 2: 0
0-00 Day 3: 4 7-09
13. Todd Auten
Lake Wylie, S.C. 15 30-05
Day 1: 5 9-03 Day 2: 5
7-05 Day 3: 5 13-13
14. Gerald Swindle Hayden,
Ala. 15
28-12
Day 1: 5 8-13 Day 2: 5
7-06 Day 3: 5 12-09
15. Jay Yelas
Tyler, Texas 15
27-07
Day 1: 5 7-10 Day 2: 5
8-03 Day 3: 5 11-10
16. Roland Martin
Naples, Fla. 13
26-01 $1,000.00
Day 1: 5 12-06 Day 2: 3
4-02 Day 3: 5 9-09
17. David Wharton Sam
Rayburn, Texas 13 25-00
Day 1: 4 6-09 Day 2: 4
8-02 Day 3: 5 10-05
18. Brent Chapman
Shawnee, Kan. 14
22-13
Day 1: 5 7-13 Day 2: 4
5-01 Day 3: 5 9-15
18. Jack A Gadlage Benton,
Ky. 13
22-13
Day 1: 3 5-01 Day 2: 5
10-00 Day 3: 5 7-12
20. Randy Blaukat
Lamar, Mo.
12 19-02
Day 1: 5 8-01 Day 2: 3
3-12 Day 3: 4 7-05
20. Bud Pruitt
Spring, Texas 12
19-02
Day 1: 5 8-07 Day 2: 4
4-10 Day 3: 3 6-01
22. Edwin Evers
Mannsville, Okla. 8 17-03
Day 1: 3 5-14 Day 2: 0
0-00 Day 3: 5 11-05
23. Jim Bitter
Fruitland Park, Fla. 10 17-02
Day 1: 3 2-10 Day 2: 2
2-04 Day 3: 5 12-04
24. Peter E Thliveros Jacksonville, Fla.
14 17-00
Day 1: 5 6-10 Day 2: 5
5-07 Day 3: 4 4-15
25. O T Fears III
Sallisaw, Okla. 9
16-15
Day 1: 2 2-10 Day 2: 2
3-12 Day 3: 5 10-09
26. David Fritts
Lexington, N.C. 15
16-04
Day 1: 5 6-11 Day 2: 5
8-11 Day 3: 5 0-14
26. Kenyon Hill
Norman, Okla. 9
16-04
Day 1: 2 3-06 Day 2: 4
6-10 Day 3: 3 6-04
28. Kevin Wirth
Crestwood, Ky. 13
15-14
Day 1: 3 3-01 Day 2: 5
5-10 Day 3: 5 7-03
29. Bernie Schultz
Gainesville, Fla. 11 15-13
Day 1: 4 6-02 Day 2: 5
9-11 Day 3: 2 0-00
30. Skeet Reese
Auburn, Calif. 10
15-01
Day 1: 1 2-10 Day 2: 5
5-06 Day 3: 4 7-01
31. Todd Faircloth Jasper,
Texas 12
14-11
Day 1: 2 3-10 Day 2: 5
11-01 Day 3: 5 0-00
32. Mark Menendez
Paducah, Ky.
9 14-09
Day 1: 3 3-04 Day 2: 3
6-10 Day 3: 3 4-11
33. Dean Rojas
Grand Saline, Texas 13 14-08
Day 1: 3 4-04 Day 2: 5
10-04 Day 3: 5 0-00
34. Larry Nixon
Bee Branch, Ark. 11 14-06
Day 1: 4 9-01 Day 2: 3
5-05 Day 3: 4 0-00
35. Denny Brauer
Camdenton, Mo. 11
13-13
Day 1: 5 7-08 Day 2: 3
3-03 Day 3: 3 3-02
36. Michael Iaconelli Runnemede, N.J.
7 13-01
Day 1: 5 10-15 Day 2: 1
1-04 Day 3: 1 0-14
37. George Cochran Hot
Springs, Ark. 8 12-14
Day 1: 0 0-00 Day 2: 3
4-11 Day 3: 5 8-03
38. Kelly Jordon
Mineola, Texas 6
12-13
Day 1: 1 1-04 Day 2: 5
11-09 Day 3: 0 0-00
39. Greg Hackney
Gonzales, La. 8
12-10
Day 1: 1 3-04 Day 2: 3
5-06 Day 3: 4 4-00
40. Randy Howell
Springville, Ala. 8 11-11
Day 1: 5 7-15 Day 2: 1
1-15 Day 3: 2 1-13
41. Ishama Monroe
Patterson, Calif. 7 11-08
Day 1: 5 8-06 Day 2: 1
3-02 Day 3: 1 0-00
42. Mike Wurm
Hot Springs, Ark. 10 10-14
Day 1: 2 2-13 Day 2: 5
8-01 Day 3: 3 0-00
43. Chad Brauer
Osage Beach, Mo. 6
10-10
Day 1: 0 0-00 Day 2: 3
6-14 Day 3: 3 3-12
44. Paul L Elias
Pachuta, Miss. 8
10-01
Day 1: 3 5-08 Day 2: 3
2-10 Day 3: 2 1-15
45. Brett Hite
Phoenix, Ariz. 9
9-15
Day 1: 2 2-09 Day 2: 4
4-09 Day 3: 3 2-13
46. Robert Lee
Angels Camp, Calif. 10 9-11
Day 1: 3 2-10 Day 2: 5
6-08 Day 3: 2 0-09
47. Tim Horton
Tuscumbia, Ala. 5
9-01
Day 1: 1 3-07 Day 2: 1
1-04 Day 3: 3 4-06
48. Rick Clunn
Ava, Mo.
8 8-12
Day 1: 4 4-13 Day 2: 2
1-13 Day 3: 2 2-02
49. Ron Shuffield
Bismarck, Ark. 1
0-10
Day 1: 0 0-00 Day 2: 1
0-10 Day 3: 0 0-00
50. Shaw E Grigsby, Jr Gainesville, Fla.
0 0-00
Day 1: 0 0-00 Day 2: 0
0-00 Day 3: 0 0-00
Day
4: Davis Goes Wire to Wire
on Tennessee-Tombigbee
Back to Top
 COLUMBUS,
Miss. - Arkansas pro Mark Davis became the first angler to post a
wire-to-wire win at a Bassmaster Elite 50 series event after Saturday's
final round on the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway. Davis brought in a
12-pound, 9-ounce sack
Saturday to claim victory for the second time on the 2004 CITGO Bassmaster
Tournament Trail.
"I've led lots of tournaments, but I've never won (this way)," the former
CITGO Bassmaster Classic champion said. "I've never led wire to wire and won
before."
Davis stuck to a tried-and-true strategy for the final day of the event,
which will
air in two parts on ESPN2, May 29 and June 5 at 10:30 a.m. ET/9:30 a.m. CT.
The
June 5 show will focus on the tournament's final rounds after Thursday's
field cut,
when anglers rotated through a separate, six-hole course.
"I did exactly what I did yesterday, today," Davis said, "but the fish
changed this
afternoon. I'm not quite sure where they went. They may have
gone deeper, I don't
really know.
"I started looking for these fish in practice using a Strike King Series One
crank
bait. I found some schools of fish, and in the tournament, I just went
fishing
using a worm. I figured something out, though. The fish weren't
in the grass.
They were in front of the grass. That's where I was catching them.
"This is really, really sweet. (Winning) the Table Rock event was
great because it
was long overdue, but this one is sweet, too, because it's the second event
in a
year. This really gives me confidence going into the next event in
Prattville."
Davis' Bassmaster Elite 50 trophy was presented by Thomas Hamill, the
Mississippi
native who was held hostage in Iraq and escaped. Davis will take home $5,000
for
winning the event and jumped up to 11th place in the Elite 50 standings.
Michigan's Kevin VanDam was the second-place angler with a weight of 26-14,
but just
didn't have the big fish he needed to take the victory.
"I couldn't get that 5-pounder today like I did yesterday," he said.
"That could
have really made a difference. I pretty much just decided to run and
gun around the
holes today. I had a tough time today.
"I felt like the fish were keying on wood and I thought it was my best
chance today
to fish as much wood as I could find."
VanDam did best Davis in one regard: his second-place finish in Mississippi
boosted
him to the top of the Elite 50 point standings. If VanDam can keep the
lead, he
stands to win the $150,000 Bassmaster Elite 50 series' first prize, the
largest
share of the $1.6 million total purse.
North Carolina's Dustin Wilks took home third place and added a $1,000 check
for the
Purolator Big Bass of the Day, earned with a 5-6 lunker. That 5-6 was
an ounce shy
of VanDam's Purolator Big Bass of the Tournament, a 5-7 bass caught in
Friday's
round. That bass earned VanDam an additional $1,000 from Purolator.
Wilks' day four sack of 14-0 also earned him a $1,000 check from Busch Beer
for the
Busch Heavyweight of the day, a voluntary contingency program that rewards
the
participating angler with the largest catch of the day.
Day 4
| Rank |
Name |
Hometown |
Bass |
Weight |
Pts. |
Winnings |
| 1 |
Mark Davis |
Mount Ida, AR |
10 |
28-15 |
310 |
$5,000.00 |
| 2 |
Kevin VanDam |
Kalamazoo, MI |
10 |
26-14 |
300 |
$6,000.00 |
| 3 |
Dustin Wilks |
Rocky Mount, NC |
10 |
25-02 |
295 |
$4,000.00 |
| 4 |
Alton Jones |
Waco, TX |
10 |
23-04 |
290 |
$1,500.00 |
| 5 |
Stacey King |
Reeds Spring, MO |
10 |
22-03 |
285 |
$1,000.00 |
| 6 |
Gary Klein |
Weatherford, TX |
10 |
20-09 |
281 |
$500.00 |
Articles from BASS
By Brandon Shook
 |