Ninth Annual Lake Lanier (2013) Bass Fishing Tournament Results

7 30 AM.jpg	Big Bass Fish.jpg	Big Bass.jpg	Bill, Stu & Daron.jpg	Bob Jutzi.jpg
Brandon & Kevin.jpg	Cathy & John.jpg	Dan & Bill.jpg	Daron.jpg	Ed & David.jpg
Ed.jpg	Fishing.jpg	Heavy Stringer Prize.jpg	Heavy Stringer.jpg	Linda, Bill & Stu.jpg
Mike Wiley.jpg	Rain Rain.jpg	Stringer 2nd.jpg	Stu & Daron.jpg	Weapons.jpg

In the middle of August, we’ll wish for days like May 18, 2013 as it rained most of the day.   As we had “out of town” fishermen and no thunderstorms in sight,  eight boats ventured out onto Lake Lanier at the 7:30 AM start.   I was optimistic that it would not keep raining, boy was I wrong.

For the next four hours, the rain beat down upon us, letting up occasionally, then soaking the fisher folk and their boats.    Daron Strub and I only fished the first basin, giving the trolling motor a workout.   Daron threw a “Wal-Mart” weed-less frog on the banks, and then hopped it into the lake to entice the fish.   After quite a few bass swirls with no results, he resorted to the plastic trick worm which I threw 95% of the morning.  Most of the boats had motored down to the second and third basins; “Snake Island” is a favorite fishing spot.   As usual catching bass over the 12 inch minimum length was difficult.   We caught 15, one keeper, losing quite a few smaller bass on “quick releases”.     Bob and Mike boated twenty five, two keepers.    All in all, I expect close to one hundred fifty bass were landed, with fifteen or less eligible for the weigh-in.

At eleven-fifteen, the rain subsided.   We all fished franticly for the next forty-five minutes in search of a Big Bass to win the tourney.  At the High noon weigh-in, Bradley Rathburn presented a two and a half pound Bass to take home first prize of $40.  Our one large bass weighed just over a pound, Ed Justice’s was just under one pound.  Andy and Brian Dykes three Bass (one pound fifteen ounces) edged out Bradley and Doug Rathburn’s trio (one pound fourteen ounces) for the heavy stringer.   The heavy stringer prize was $30, the Rathburn boys were awarded $10 besides the first place prize.  Brandon Justice and Kevin Boyer’s triplets weighed a pound and ten ounces.   Bob Jutzi and Mike Wiley’s stringer weighed a pound and a half.  

The other fishing teams were the Jones boys (Bill and Dan), David Stone with Ed Justice, Cathy Davis fished with John Prass.  The winning Bass was caught on a Jerk Bait on a point near the Boy Scout Camp Docks.  No one reported sighting any of the Grass Carp.   Hopefully the boats will dry out in time for the 10th annual LLBFT in May of 2014.The rules, results and photos of this and past years tournaments are the Internet, click here.