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The Full Story
Bassmaster Legends:
Lake Dardanelle, AR
Major Event # 3 of 3
Day 1 | Day 2 |
Day 3 | Day 4
Day 1: Roumbanis Takes Day 1 Lead at Legends
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RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – Seeking his second victory of the 2007
Bassmaster Elite Series season, Fred Roumbanis of Broken Arrow, Okla.,
caught five bass totalling weighing 20 pounds, 5 ounces, Thursday to take a
more than 1-pound lead over Greg Hackney of Gonzales, La., in the first
round of the Bassmaster Legends presented by Ramada Worldwide at Lake
Dardanelle.
Fishing fans can catch tournament coverage of the Bassmaster Legends at 9
a.m. ET on Saturday, Sept.1 on The Bassmasters on ESPN2.
Roumbanis, who recently relocated to Oklahoma but grew up fishing the delta
waters of California, said he has driven past Lake Dardanelle many times but
has never fished it. With Dardanelle’s abundance of grass and structure, the
28-year-old Roumbanis said it is very similar to his favorite waters back
home, making it easy for him to construct a pattern.
His lone BASS victory came in the first Bassmaster Major of the season, the
Bassmaster American out of Greensboro, N.C. With a victory this weekend, he
would earn $250,000. Peter Thliveros of Jacksonville, Fla., is the only
Elite Series anglers to post two Major victories.
That pattern, of which Roumbanis revealed little, produced a full limit of
heavy fish, including one that weighed 6-12, which was good enough for
Purolator Big Bass honors and the $1,000 premium.
“Today went perfect,” said Roumbanis, who played it close to the vest on
specifics of his pattern. “I figured out something pretty special. This is a
lot like the places I fish in California, so I just went back to my roots.
“The area I found was pretty close to a creek channel and a distinct channel
ledge, and it’s got a lot of grass. I’m swinging for the fences now. There
is no point in backing off.”
Roubmanis’ limit included a 6-12 lunker, which was good enough for Purolator
Big Bass Honors and the $1,000 premium.
Trailing Roumbanis was the 33-year-old Hackney, a three-time BASS winner,
who grew up in Star City, Ark. He caught five bass that totaled 18-10.
Hackney said he hasn’t fished Lake Dardanelle since the 2005 Bassmaster
Elite 50 and the lake looks much different than it did then.
“It’s changed so much since three years ago,” Hackney said. “With all this
grass, it looks like the lower part of the river where I grew up. What’s
amazing is how the fish have adjusted to it.”
Hackney said he had an inconsistent practice and covered a lot of water, but
Thursday he quickly found a productive pattern.
“I just dialed in and found a spot that had fish and caught them,” the 2004
Toyota Rookie of the Year said. “I didn’t know how I was going to fish
coming in, but I knew some areas. I have a lot of places that are equal, so
I started on one and caught them there.”
Hackney said he fished in the upper section of Lake Dardanelle, where the
water is darker and the current is more noticeable.
Rounding out the top five were two-time BASS winner Ish Monroe of Hughson,
Calif., in third with 18 pounds, 5 ounces, 2007 Elite Series winner Timmy
Horton of Muscle Shoals, Ala., in fourth with 16 pounds, 5 ounces, and Mike
Wurm of Hot Springs, Ark., in fifth with 16 pounds, 3 ounces.
The full field of 50 anglers will fish Friday. Only the top 12 anglers will
move on to Saturday’s third round, when weights will be zeroed. Sunday, the
final day of action, will feature only the top six anglers. On Saturday and
Sunday, anglers will fish a six-hole course in a rotating and timed manner.
Additionally, live, streaming video of the weigh-ins and real-time
leaderboards can be accessed on www.ESPNOutdoors.com. On the final day of
competition, www.ESPNOutdoors.com will provide updates throughout the day
and preview the final-day weigh-in with Hooked Up, hosted by Tommy Sanders
and ESPN2 Outdoors personality Mark Zona.
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Fred Roumbanis Auburn, CA 5 20-05 0 $2,000.00
Day 1: 5 20-05
2. Greg Hackney Gonzales, LA 5 18-10 0
Day 1: 5 18-10
3. Ishama Monroe Hughson, CA 5 18-05 0
Day 1: 5 18-05
4. Timmy Horton Muscle Shoals, AL 5 16-05 0
Day 1: 5 16-05
5. Mike Wurm Hot Springs, AR 5 16-03 0
Day 1: 5 16-03
6. Aaron Martens Leeds, AL 5 16-00 0
Day 1: 5 16-00
7. Kevin VanDam Kalamazoo, MI 5 15-15 0
Day 1: 5 15-15
8. Mark Tucker Saint Louis, MO 5 15-02 0
Day 1: 5 15-02
9. Dean Rojas Grand Saline, TX 5 14-08 0
Day 1: 5 14-08
10. Mark Tyler Vian, OK 5 13-10 0
Day 1: 5 13-10
11. Boyd Duckett Demopolis, AL 5 13-08 0
Day 1: 5 13-08
12. Jason Quinn Lake Wylie, SC 5 13-06 0
Day 1: 5 13-06
13. Brent Chapman Lake Quivira , KS 5 13-04 0
Day 1: 5 13-04
14. Michael Iaconelli Runnemede, NJ 5 12-14 0
Day 1: 5 12-14
15. Scott Rook Little Rock, AR 5 12-13 0
Day 1: 5 12-13
16. Mike McClelland Bella Vista, AR 4 12-03 0
Day 1: 4 12-03
17. Gerald Swindle Warrior, AL 5 12-00 0
Day 1: 5 12-00
17. John Murray Phoenix, AZ 5 12-00 0
Day 1: 5 12-00
19. Gary Klein Weatherford, TX 5 11-15 0
Day 1: 5 11-15
20. Stephen Browning Hot Springs, AR 5 11-14 0
Day 1: 5 11-14
21. Tommy Biffle Wagoner, OK 5 11-08 0
Day 1: 5 11-08
21. Takahiro Omori Emory, TX 5 11-08 0
Day 1: 5 11-08
23. Shaw E Grigsby, Jr Gainesville, FL 5 11-07 0
Day 1: 5 11-07
24. Kotaro Kiriyama Moody, AL 4 11-02 0
Day 1: 4 11-02
25. Todd Faircloth Jasper, TX 5 11-00 0
Day 1: 5 11-00
26. Jeff Reynolds Idabel, OK 4 10-14 0
Day 1: 4 10-14
27. Skeet Reese Auburn, CA 5 10-11 0
Day 1: 5 10-11
28. Dave Wolak Wake Forest, NC 4 10-08 0
Day 1: 4 10-08
29. Kelly Jordon Mineola, TX 5 10-04 0
Day 1: 5 10-04
30. Rick Clunn Ava, MO 4 10-02 0
Day 1: 4 10-02
31. Alton Jones Waco, TX 5 10-01 0
Day 1: 5 10-01
32. Terry Scroggins San Mateo, FL 4 09-10 0
Day 1: 4 09-10
33. Randy Howell Springville, AL 5 09-08 0
Day 1: 5 09-08
34. Jared Lintner Arroyo Grande, CA 4 08-11 0
Day 1: 4 08-11
35. Kevin Wirth Crestwood, KY 3 08-09 0
Day 1: 3 08-09
36. Kenyon Hill Norman, OK 5 08-04 0
Day 1: 5 08-04
37. Denny Brauer Camdenton, MO 3 08-01 0
Day 1: 3 08-01
38. Peter E Thliveros St. Augustine, FL 4 07-15 0
Day 1: 4 07-15
39. Matt Reed Madisonville, TX 4 07-11 0
Day 1: 4 07-11
40. Jeff Kriet Ardmore, OK 3 06-15 0
Day 1: 3 06-15
41. Steve Kennedy Auburn, AL 2 06-01 0
Day 1: 2 06-01
42. Edwin Evers Talala, OK 3 05-13 0
Day 1: 3 05-13
43. Chris Lane Winter Haven, FL 2 05-04 0
Day 1: 2 05-04
44. Bill Lowen North Bend, OH 2 05-01 0
Day 1: 2 05-01
45. John Crews Salem, VA 2 03-05 0
Day 1: 2 03-05
45. Russ Lane Prattville, AL 2 03-05 0
Day 1: 2 03-05
47. Morizo Shimizu Murrieta, CA 2 02-13 0
Day 1: 2 02-13
48. Derek Remitz Madison, AL 1 02-03 0
Day 1: 1 02-03
49. Brian Snowden Reeds Spring, MO 1 01-12 0
Day 1: 1 01-12
50. Lee Bailey Boaz, AL 1 01-03 0
Day 1: 1 01-03
Day 2: Aaron Martens Leads Legends After Day 2
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RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – Celebrating his 35th birthday, Aaron
Martens of Leeds, Ala., stepped closer to his second victory of the 2007
Bassmaster Elite Series season by being the first to qualify for the 12
angler cut Friday at the Bassmaster Legends presented by Ramada Worldwide at
Lake Dardanelle.
Martens caught five bass Friday weighing 17 pounds, 0 ounces, for a two-day
total of 33-0, and a 10-ounce margin over Greg Hackney of Gonzales, La., who
caught five bass weighing 13-12 for a two-day total of 32-6. Weights are
zeroed for Saturday’s competition and only the top six competitors will
qualify for Sunday’s final day of action and have a shot at the $250,000 top
prize.
Fishing fans can catch tournament coverage of the Bassmaster Legends at 9
a.m. ET Saturday, Sept. 1, on The Bassmasters on ESPN2.
Martens made the cut in the 2005 Bassmaster Elite 50 at Lake Dardanelle,
which featured a similar format to the Bassmaster Majors. Thus, the
four-time BASS winner is very familiar with the six-hole “course” which the
12 semifinalists will fish in Saturday’s third round of action in a timed,
rotating manner. A little cloud cover, he said, will make his birthday even
happier.
“If we get the slightest bit of cloud cover, it’ll be amazing,” said
Martens, a California native who won the Bassmaster Elite Series event on
the California Delta in March. “I hardly scratched the surface in the course
two years ago. Each hole has got offshore stuff. There are piles of
offshore, man-made structure. If I catch them shallow, I’ll still try to get
something going offshore.”
Martens anticipated making the semifinal round, but he also said he was
surprised that the weights were so high. At the end of the day, he caught a
bass that weighed 5-1 that sealed the deal.
“I expected to do as well as I did,” said Martens, who has amassed more than
$1 million in BASS career earnings. “I caught 40 or 50 bass a day, and about
10 or 12 keepers. I figured if I got a limit each day, I’d have a good
chance to make it.”
Martens said the “course” is different than what he fished in the first two
rounds. To adjust, he said he’ll have to be more versatile.
“I’ve got to be open minded,” Martens said. “I’ll have 13 or 14 rods on the
deck instead of six. I’ll have baits tied on that I haven’t thrown yet.”
Like Martens, who said Lake Dardanelle reminds him of the California Delta,
Hackney compared Dardanelle to the lower Arkansas River, where he fished for
most of his formative years. He parlayed the similarities into a shot at
$250,000.
“The main thing is that I’ll be able to get in those ‘holes,’ and I
qualified,” said Hackney, 33. “Now, I’ve got to figure out what is the deal
and how to catch them in those areas.”
With 18-10 going into Friday’s round, Hackney said he knew a limit would be
enough to make the cut. When he caught five keepers, the three-time BASS
winner said he relaxed and prepared for Saturday.
“Normally, I have to grind it out until the end, and at the end of the day
and I’m mentally and physically exhausted,” the 2004 Toyota Rookie of the
Year said. “This week I’ve been very blessed. Of course, tomorrow the mental
and physical stress will be at the maximum.”
Rounding out the top five were three-time Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of
the Year Kevin VanDam of Kalamazoo, Mich., in third with 32 pounds, 1 ounce;
Dean Rojas of Lake Havasu, Ariz., in fourth with 31 pounds, 0 ounces, and
two-time BASS winner Ish Monroe of Hughson, Calif., in fifth with 30 pounds,
4 ounces.
Also qualifying for Saturday was defending Legends champion Scott Rook of
Little Rock, Ark., in sixth with 28 pounds, 3 ounces, and 2007 Bassmaster
Classic champion Boyd Duckett of Demopolis, Ala., in ninth with 25 pounds, 8
ounces.
Meanwhile, Rick Coker of Little Rock, Ark., who served as Oklahoman Tommy
Biffle’s observer Friday, won a Triton boat package. Biffle scored the
Purolator Big Bass of the Day, a 5-11 brute, allowing Coker to win the prize
offered to observers in Bassmaster Majors competition.
The top six anglers will also fish the six-hole course Sunday in a timed,
rotating manner.
Live, streaming video of the weigh-ins and real-time leaderboards can be
accessed on www.ESPNOutdoors.com. Saturday and Sunday, visitors to
www.ESPNOutdoors.com can view live action from Hole 6 on the six-hole course
throughout the day. On the final day of competition, www.ESPNOutdoors.com
will provide updates throughout the day and preview the final-day weigh-in
with Hooked Up, hosted by Tommy Sanders and ESPN2 Outdoors personality Mark
Zona.
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Aaron Martens Leeds, AL 10 33-00 0
Day 1: 5 16-00 Day 2: 5 17-00
2. Greg Hackney Gonzales, LA 10 32-06 0
Day 1: 5 18-10 Day 2: 5 13-12
3. Kevin VanDam Kalamazoo, MI 10 32-01 0
Day 1: 5 15-15 Day 2: 5 16-02
4. Dean Rojas Grand Saline, TX 10 31-00 0
Day 1: 5 14-08 Day 2: 5 16-08
5. Ishama Monroe Hughson, CA 10 30-04 0
Day 1: 5 18-05 Day 2: 5 11-15
6. Scott Rook Little Rock, AR 10 28-03 0
Day 1: 5 12-13 Day 2: 5 15-06
7. Timmy Horton Muscle Shoals, AL 10 27-15 0
Day 1: 5 16-05 Day 2: 5 11-10
8. Fred Roumbanis Broken Arrow, OK 8 27-00 0 $2,000.00
Day 1: 5 20-05 Day 2: 3 06-11
9. Boyd Duckett Demopolis, AL 10 25-08 0
Day 1: 5 13-08 Day 2: 5 12-00
10. Jared Lintner Arroyo Grande, CA 9 24-14 0
Day 1: 4 08-11 Day 2: 5 16-03
11. Mark Tyler Vian, OK 10 24-12 0
Day 1: 5 13-10 Day 2: 5 11-02
11. Jason Quinn Lake Wylie, SC 10 24-12 0
Day 1: 5 13-06 Day 2: 5 11-06
13. Gary Klein Weatherford, TX 10 24-09 0 $11,700.00
Day 1: 5 11-15 Day 2: 5 12-10
14. Gerald Swindle Warrior, AL 10 24-07 0 $11,600.00
Day 1: 5 12-00 Day 2: 5 12-07
15. Kelly Jordon Mineola, TX 10 24-03 0 $11,500.00
Day 1: 5 10-04 Day 2: 5 13-15
16. Stephen Browning Hot Springs, AR 10 24-02 0 $11,350.00
Day 1: 5 11-14 Day 2: 5 12-04
16. Jeff Reynolds Idabel, OK 9 24-02 0 $11,350.00
Day 1: 4 10-14 Day 2: 5 13-04
18. Tommy Biffle Wagoner, OK 10 24-01 0 $12,150.00
Day 1: 5 11-08 Day 2: 5 12-09
18. Skeet Reese Auburn, CA 10 24-01 0 $11,150.00
Day 1: 5 10-11 Day 2: 5 13-06
20. Steve Kennedy Auburn, AL 7 23-14 0 $12,000.00
Day 1: 2 06-01 Day 2: 5 17-13
21. Terry Scroggins San Mateo, FL 9 23-09 0 $10,900.00
Day 1: 4 09-10 Day 2: 5 13-15
22. Rick Clunn Ava, MO 9 23-07 0 $10,800.00
Day 1: 4 10-02 Day 2: 5 13-05
23. Bill Lowen North Bend, OH 7 22-12 0 $10,700.00
Day 1: 2 05-01 Day 2: 5 17-11
24. Brent Chapman Lake Quivira , KS 10 22-10 0 $10,600.00
Day 1: 5 13-04 Day 2: 5 09-06
25. Alton Jones Waco, TX 10 22-08 0 $10,500.00
Day 1: 5 10-01 Day 2: 5 12-07
26. Mike McClelland Bella Vista, AR 7 22-07 0
Day 1: 4 12-03 Day 2: 3 10-04
27. Todd Faircloth Jasper, TX 10 21-11 0
Day 1: 5 11-00 Day 2: 5 10-11
28. Randy Howell Springville, AL 10 21-08 0
Day 1: 5 09-08 Day 2: 5 12-00
29. John Murray Phoenix, AZ 9 21-02 0
Day 1: 5 12-00 Day 2: 4 09-02
30. Takahiro Omori Emory, TX 10 20-07 0
Day 1: 5 11-08 Day 2: 5 08-15
31. Michael Iaconelli Runnemede, NJ 7 20-01 0
Day 1: 5 12-14 Day 2: 2 07-03
32. Matt Reed Madisonville, TX 8 19-02 0
Day 1: 4 07-11 Day 2: 4 11-07
33. Edwin Evers Talala, OK 8 18-12 0
Day 1: 3 05-13 Day 2: 5 12-15
34. Mike Wurm Hot Springs, AR 6 18-10 0
Day 1: 5 16-03 Day 2: 1 02-07
35. Shaw E Grigsby, Jr Gainesville, FL 8 18-09 0
Day 1: 5 11-07 Day 2: 3 07-02
36. Dave Wolak Wake Forest, NC 7 17-09 0
Day 1: 4 10-08 Day 2: 3 07-01
37. Mark Tucker Saint Louis, MO 6 16-12 0
Day 1: 5 15-02 Day 2: 1 01-10
38. Chris Lane Winter Haven, FL 7 16-10 0
Day 1: 2 05-04 Day 2: 5 11-06
39. Kotaro Kiriyama Moody, AL 6 16-03 0
Day 1: 4 11-02 Day 2: 2 05-01
40. Derek Remitz Madison, AL 6 15-01 0
Day 1: 1 02-03 Day 2: 5 12-14
41. Kevin Wirth Crestwood, KY 5 13-14 0
Day 1: 3 08-09 Day 2: 2 05-05
42. Brian Snowden Reeds Spring, MO 6 13-13 0
Day 1: 1 01-12 Day 2: 5 12-01
43. Jeff Kriet Ardmore, OK 7 13-12 0
Day 1: 3 06-15 Day 2: 4 06-13
44. Kenyon Hill Norman, OK 8 13-04 0
Day 1: 5 08-04 Day 2: 3 05-00
45. Russ Lane Prattville, AL 7 10-10 0
Day 1: 2 03-05 Day 2: 5 07-05
46. Denny Brauer Camdenton, MO 4 09-15 0
Day 1: 3 08-01 Day 2: 1 01-14
47. Morizo Shimizu Murrieta, CA 5 08-07 0
Day 1: 2 02-13 Day 2: 3 05-10
48. Peter E Thliveros St. Augustine, FL 4 07-15 0
Day 1: 4 07-15 Day 2: 0 00-00
49. John Crews Salem, VA 3 06-00 0
Day 1: 2 03-05 Day 2: 1 02-11
50. Lee Bailey Boaz, AL 3 05-15 0
Day 1: 1 01-03 Day 2: 2 04-12
Day 3: Rojas Leads Legends by Ounces
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RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – Seeking his third BASS victory and first
in more than six years, Dean Rojas of Lake Havasu, Ariz., totaled 16 pounds,
14 ounces, Saturday and took a 6-ounce lead over defending Bassmaster
Classic champion Boyd Duckett of Demopolis, Ala., into Sunday’s final round
of the Bassmaster Legends presented by Ramada Worldwide at Lake Dardanelle.
Fishing his proprietary Spro Frog to perfection, Rojas keyed on shallow
grass beds during Saturday’s semifinal round. A victory at the Legends and
the $250,000 top prize would push Rojas’ BASS career earnings to more than
$1 million, a feat he is excited to accomplish.
Fishing fans can catch tournament coverage of the Bassmaster Legends at 9
a.m. Saturday, Sept. 1, on the Bassmasters on ESPN2.
Also making the cut for the final round were Jason Quinn of Lake Wylie,
S.C., (14-14) in third, Kevin VanDam of Kalamazoo, Mich., (12-8) in fourth,
Tim Horton of Muscle Shoals, Ala., (11-14) in fifth and Ish Monroe of
Hughson, Calif., (11-11) in sixth.
Takeoff for Sunday’s final round will be at 9 a.m. CT, and the weigh-in will
begin at 6 p.m. at Lake Dardanelle State Park.
Due to heavy cloud cover and a morning thunderstorm, Rojas was able to find
an abundance of big bass in shallow grass beds throughout the six-hole
course. Sunday’s forecast calls for clear skies and temperatures in the high
90s, but Rojas said it shouldn’t affect his pattern.
“The frog and I have a love-hate relationship,” Rojas said of his confidence
bait. “Today, I loved it. It was one of those days where it went really
well. The places I caught fish will replenish. There’s plenty of deep water
around that grass, and fish move in and out of there all day.”
By virtue of his 41st position in the Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the
Year standings, Rojas has last pick of which hole to start in Sunday. The
36-year-old Rojas said hole selection and fishing behind the other pros in
the preferred holes isn’t a problem for him.
“Guys flip jigs and stuff through there and don’t get a bite, and then I go
in behind them and catch them. The fish know what that frog is. It looks
natural to them, and they react violently to it.”
Because he is so specialized with the frog, Rojas, who holds the BASS record
for heaviest one-day catch with 45 pounds, 2 ounces, said he would like to
win the Legends to validate his faith in it.
“I want it so bad,” Rojas said. “It’s one of those deals that if it takes
you there, what are you going to do, lay it down and go to something else?”
In contrast to Rojas, Duckett, who weighed 16 pounds, 8 ounces, fished deep
structure exclusively. This is the first time he’s ever fished the
Dardanelle “course,” but Rojas has fished it twice, at the 2004 and 2005
Bassmaster Elite 50 tournaments.
“Half of my day today was spent eliminating dead water,” Duckett said. “I
found two or three key areas, but three holes are still pretty dead. It
makes a difference.”
Like Rojas, Duckett said a weather change won’t hurt him because the fish
relate so strongly to specific features.
“This is similar to the Coosa River (in Alabama) stuff that I fish all the
time,” said Duckett, who won the Bassmaster Classic on Alabama’s Lay Lake.
“It’s a river-run impoundment. It’s got a lot of water willow and a lot of
structure. I’ve never been here, but it’s not terribly unsimilar to where
I’ve been in the past. I’m catching most of my fish offshore, so I have to
think clear weather will help tomorrow. I’m not afraid of the sun.”
After winning the Classic, Duckett suffered poor outings in the first two
Bassmaster Elite Series tournaments of the year. He was 98th in the Toyota
Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year standings heading into the season’s
third event, but since then he has made a tremendous comeback logging four
top-10 finishes and is now 10th in the AOY standings. He said winning the
Legends would help him earn some respect.
“After the Classic, I had two bad events,” Duckett said. “It’s good to get
back into the top 10, and I feel like those top finishes legitimized my
Classic win. I’d love to win the Legends. It’s a great tournament. It would
be a great complement to my Classic win.”
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Dean Rojas Grand Saline, TX 5 16-14 0 $1,000.00
Day 1: 5 14-08 Day 2: 5 16-08 Day 3: 5 16-14
2. Boyd Duckett Demopolis, AL 5 16-08 0
Day 1: 5 13-08 Day 2: 5 12-00 Day 3: 5 16-08
3. Jason Quinn Lake Wylie, SC 5 14-14 0 $1,000.00
Day 1: 5 13-06 Day 2: 5 11-06 Day 3: 5 14-14
4. Kevin VanDam Kalamazoo, MI 5 12-08 0
Day 1: 5 15-15 Day 2: 5 16-02 Day 3: 5 12-08
5. Timmy Horton Muscle Shoals, AL 5 11-14 0
Day 1: 5 16-05 Day 2: 5 11-10 Day 3: 5 11-14
6. Ishama Monroe Hughson, CA 5 11-11 0
Day 1: 5 18-05 Day 2: 5 11-15 Day 3: 5 11-11
7. Aaron Martens Leeds, AL 5 11-09 0 $16,500.00
Day 1: 5 16-00 Day 2: 5 17-00 Day 3: 5 11-09
8. Greg Hackney Gonzales, LA 5 10-08 0 $16,000.00
Day 1: 5 18-10 Day 2: 5 13-12 Day 3: 5 10-08
9. Scott Rook Little Rock, AR 3 07-01 0 $15,500.00
Day 1: 5 12-13 Day 2: 5 15-06 Day 3: 3 07-01
10. Mark Tyler Vian, OK 3 06-03 0 $15,000.00
Day 1: 5 13-10 Day 2: 5 11-02 Day 3: 3 06-03
11. Fred Roumbanis Auburn, CA 3 05-00 0 $15,100.00
Day 1: 5 20-05 Day 2: 3 06-11 Day 3: 3 05-00
12. Jared Lintner Arroyo Grande, CA 2 03-10 0 $13,000.00
Day 1: 4 08-11 Day 2: 5 16-03 Day 3: 2 03-10
Day 4: Duckett Takes Bassmaster Legends by Ounces
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 RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. – Scoring his second BASS victory in 2007,
Boyd Duckett of Demopolis, Ala., outlasted the 50-angler field at the
Bassmaster Legends presented by Ramada Worldwide to win the $250,000 top
prize. The 47-year-old posted a two-day total of 30 pounds, 1 ounce, which
was enough to hold off strong surges by Jason Quinn of Lake Wylie, S.C., and
three-time Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year winner Kevin VanDam
of Kalamazoo, Mich.
Duckett kicked off the season with a victory at the season-opening 2007
Bassmaster Classic on Alabama’s Lay Lake. In his two victories this season
and other winnings from the Bassmaster Elite Series, Duckett has earned
nearly $850,000 - the most an Elite Series angler has earned in one season.
Fishing fans can catch tournament coverage of the Bassmaster Legends at 9
a.m. Saturday, Sept. 1, on the Bassmasters on ESPN2.
Quinn caught five bass that weighed 14-7 for a two-day total of 29-5, while
VanDam caught five bass that weighed 16-0 for a total of 28-8. For Duckett,
winning the Legends validated his presence on the Bassmaster Elite Series
Tour.
After the Classic, Duckett had two disappointing Elite Series finishes but
since has rebounded to post four top-10 finishes. In the Angler of the Year
standings, Duckett is in 10th place.
“I don’t know what else I can do, except win Angler of the Year next year,”
Duckett said. “After I won the Classic, I had a lot of stuff going on. If
you’re not 100 percent when you put your boat in the water, these guys will
beat you. This is an amazing group of anglers and if you stumble, you’ll go
from seventh to 35th just like that. You realize really quick just how good
these guys are.”
On Saturday, Duckett fished primarily offshore structure, but he couldn’t
find bass in the deep water Sunday. After striking out in the first two
holes of the designated six-hole course, Duckett said he’d seen enough. He
switched to a heavy jig and flipped shallow grass. He timed his adjustment
perfectly.
“I started out in Hole 6 and caught one under a boat dock,” said Duckett,
who qualified for the Elite Series via his performance in the 2006
Bassmaster Tours, which have recently been re-branded as the Opens. “I spent
all my time in Hole One (the next hole) fishing deep and didn’t get
anything, and I didn’t get a bite in Hole Two. That was all I could stand.”
From then on, Duckett said he flipped a 1 ½-ounce Tru Tungsten jig in grass
mats. He also used a 3/16-ounce Tru Tungsten jig with a 7-inch, electric
blue Berkley Power Worm.
Quinn said he has no regrets for his performance. He put himself in position
to win and did all he could do to seal the deal.
“I fished a good tournament and had two really good days,” Quinn said. “I
got a lot of quality bites, but I could never get the one really big bite
that I needed. I stayed focused the entire event, and this will give me a
little momentum going into my next tournament at Toho (Lake Tohopekaliga).
Anytime you go anyplace in August and catch them like we did here, you feel
good about it.”
Quinn said his primary pattern was flipping a ½-ounce, black/blue Tru
Tungsten jig. The one-time BASS winner’s best fish were suspended in deep
water under bluffs.
“I went in with an open mind today,” said Quinn, 35 “I started out in a hole
I didn’t have any luck in yesterday, but I saw some things I liked, but the
current was the big thing for me. Where I had current, I caught fish.”
VanDam, who will look to top California’s Skeet Reese in the Toyota Tundra
Bassmaster Angler of the Year standings at the final Elite Series event on
Florida’s Lake Tohopekaliga, scored another top finish. He has 73 top-10
finishes in his career thus far.
“I managed to put a few things together today,” said VanDam, 39. “But I had
a little hiccup yesterday and the ultimately cost me.”
Rounding out the top six competitors who all fished Sunday was Saturday
leader Dean Rojas of Lake Havasu, Ariz., in fourth with 26 pounds, 3 ounces;
two-time BASS winner Ish Monroe of Hughson, Calif., in fifth with 23 pounds,
0 ounces, and 2007 Elite Series winner Tim Horton of Muscle Shoals, Ala., in
sixth with 16 pounds, 11 ounces.
Bassmaster Elite Series anglers will next head to Florida’s Lake
Tohopekaliga Sept. 13-16 for the Sunshine Showdown presented by Allstate
Boat Insurance and the final Elite event of the 2007 season. The event will
determine who wins the prestigious Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the
Year title, the Toyota Rookie of the Year award and which anglers qualify
for the 2008 Bassmaster Classic.
Live, streaming video of the weigh-ins and real-time leaderboards can be
accessed on www.ESPNOutdoors.com. Sunday, visitors to www.ESPNOutdoors.com
can view live action from Hole 6 on the six-hole course throughout the day.
Also on Sunday, www.ESPNOutdoors.com will provide updates throughout the day
and preview the final-day weigh-in at 5:30 p.m. CT with Hooked Up, hosted by
Tommy Sanders and ESPN2 Outdoors personality Mark Zona.
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Boyd Duckett Demopolis, AL 10 30-01 0 $250,000.00
Day 1: 5 13-08 Day 2: 5 12-00 Day 3: 5 16-08 Day 4: 5 13-09
2. Jason Quinn Lake Wylie, SC 10 29-05 0 $33,500.00
Day 1: 5 13-06 Day 2: 5 11-06 Day 3: 5 14-14 Day 4: 5 14-07
3. Kevin VanDam Kalamazoo, MI 10 28-08 0 $29,500.00
Day 1: 5 15-15 Day 2: 5 16-02 Day 3: 5 12-08 Day 4: 5 16-00
4. Dean Rojas Lake Havasu, AZ 8 26-03 0 $22,000.00
Day 1: 5 14-08 Day 2: 5 16-08 Day 3: 5 16-14 Day 4: 3 09-05
5. Ishama Monroe Hughson, CA 10 23-00 0 $20,000.00
Day 1: 5 18-05 Day 2: 5 11-15 Day 3: 5 11-11 Day 4: 5 11-05
6. Timmy Horton Muscle Shoals, AL 7 16-11 0 $17,000.00
Day 1: 5 16-05 Day 2: 5 11-10 Day 3: 5 11-14 Day 4: 2 04-13
Articles and images from BASS
Compiled by Brandon Shook
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