Lake Lanier Bass Fishing Tournament 2006 Results

May 6th was the second annual Bass Fishing Tournament here at Lake Lanier.  The fishing started at 7:30 AM from our dock on the 1st basin.  After a brief rule explanation the twelve boats adjourned to their favorite fishing spots.  Each boat had its limit of two fisher-people, except one whom was tardy due to a late night of wine-tasting.  

My fishing friend of many years and I worked the shadows of the docks near my place, which were fishless.  There were a couple boats near the dam, a few in the long cove, while the tandem of Bill Jones and Ed Justice were circling the Silo. We motored up to the third basin, where it was after 8:30 AM when we started catching Bass.   Daron Strub and I skip weightless hooks and worms under docks and into structure.  We caught three nice fish in less than 4 inches of water on the 3rd.  We caught and released another twenty fish, most the tourney 12 inch minimum, the Lake Lanier “usual fish”. 

The boats seemed to concentrate on the channel entry structure with a few at the birdhouses and Scout Camp flats. After catching one large Bass to fulfill our four fish limit, we returned to the 1st basin to finish up the morning.  We fished the Silo.  The water was so clear that you could see the bottom, including an old dock and some eerie dead trees standing up, but no fish.   

At the high noon weigh-in, the results were much like last year, except this year there were more fish caught.  It was a beautiful day, the rain came the days before and the day after the tournament, but the lake was simply too clear. The tourney requires artificial bait so minnows, live worms and dynamite are out.  On clear day, on a clear lake, art-i-fish-all fishing is a challenge.   

The twelve boat pot was $120; the prizes were $50 for the big fish, $40 for the heaviest stringer of three bass and $30 for the 2nd heaviest stringer of three bass.  The winning big bass does not count towards a stringer, so each boat could bring 4 fish or less to the weigh-in. The largest bass was two pounds and fourteen ounces, I was happy to accept the prize.  Our other three fish tipped the scales at 3 pounds and 2 ounces, so we accepted the heaviest stringer prize too.  Mike Wiley and Bob Jutzi took 2nd stringer at one pound and 4 ounces.  Just out of the money were teams of Scott Owen/Bruce Carlson with 1 & 11, then Michael & Bradley Rothburn @ 1 & 10.  Joe & Mark Henson tied with Jad Willis & Ralph Zeien with 1 pound 9 ounces.  The Rothburn family gets the prize for the best photo family.   

Everyone caught fish, many under the minimum size.  All fish were released after weighing at our dock.  The Bass all swam away to grow up and appear at next years event.  Other participants were Brandon Justice, Rupert Holmes, Rappy Williams, Tony Exall, Eric Strand, Matt Cagle, Tim Johnson, Ed Justice and Bill “1st Basin” Jones.  Bill Jones was best dressed, the only tie wearer. 

At the dock, mention was made of weed control and introducing baitfish into the lake. There will be investigation into ways to increase fish size and improve the quality of our wonderful lake.   We had a great turnout thanks to all the participants.  Mark your calendars with the LLBFT the 1st Saturday in May of 2007.  Good Fishing, Stu Davidson        

 The rules, results and photos of this and past years tournaments are the Internet, click here.