CLEARLAKE, Ca. – JUST when we think we’ve seen it all when it comes to bass fishing, something amazing always transpires to remind us why this sport is so exciting and addictive.
Most knew that a mid-May event on Clear Lake would produce big limits, and perhaps a few even figured that some teams would bring in five-fish limits that might “shock the world”. But no one, including myself, would have thought that it would take a high double-digit limit just to finish in the middle of a 110 boat field.
An unheard of TWENTY POUNDS – for five fish was what was required to make it into the TOP FIFTY in the third event of the 2013 Coors light Future Pro Tour season, held last Saturday on California’s largest natural lake, and anglers ready to do battle with big fish certainly had their hands full as bass in the 4-5 pound range were everywhere, and most importantly, ready to eat anything that posed a threat to the spawning beds nature had compelled them to protect.
A win in even the small boat division required a 5-fish limit of over 20 pounds, and the big fish of the entire event, a 9.02 pound monster, was caught by one of the teams (Sean Collier and Jerry King) that compete from a beautiful pontoon/patio boat, making the saying: “boats don’t catch fish…fisherman do”, more appropriate than ever on this particular day.
Stacy Gee and Rafael Ortiz however, somehow knowing what needed to be done to break away from the pack, zeroed in on big females, and using big jigs, pitched, flipped, and successfully netted their way to 27.25 pounds, besting the field, and earning their very first Future Pro Tour title.
“We don’t know what to say but that it takes team work, and we were both there for each other – and on point, regardless of who was reeling in the fish or who was on the net”, they both explained as they proudly held up their custom Future Pro Tour plaques for all to see. “This tour is no joke, and has some very good anglers fishing it. We have been fishing together for a long time trying to capture our first win, and the sense of accomplishment we have right now in besting such a large and tough group of anglers is indescribable”!
Best of the rest
Right behind the 1st place winners was the husband a wife team of Mui Loung and Hung Ho of Elk Grove, who grabbed second place on the strength of a 26.79 pound five-fish limit, of which Mui caught the biggest bass of the five that weighed 7.45 pounds. Mui is always quick to point out that she really enjoys spending quality time with her husband doing something that they both love.
Third place was captured by the team of Rogers and Gunney who just missed the second spot by 1/10 of an ounce (26.78), taking home two nice trophies and their share of the event’s purse.
Up next…? Finally…it’s delta time! And the “payback” opportunities all of you “delta rats” have been dying for!
This event will be held on June 22nd and 23rd – a two-day event, where on the first day (Saturday), the field will get to enjoy an afternoon/evening bite and fish from 1pm to 7pm.
The second day will be just the opposite, with totally different tides and temperature conditions, as Future Pro Tour anglers will fish from Safe light until Noon, and get the opportunity to serve those delta bass with an early morning top water breakfast of Snag Proof frogs, River2Sea crank baits, and Yamamoto Senko’s – over easy!
Talk about a challenge!
So get off that couch, get your flippin sticks ready, tie on some 65-pound braided line and get your boats ready for the next big FPT event…the 2013 Delta Summer Shootout!
See you there!
FPT
Full results from this event can be found on the Future Pro Tour website: www.futureprotour.net
The Future Pro Tour is presented in part by:
Coors Light
Thunder Valley Casino Resort
Ranger Boats
Evinrude Outboards
NAVIONICS
Ron Smith GMC/Buick
Johnson Outdoors – featuring Humminbird /Minn Kota
Cocoons Eyewear
River2Sea USA
Gamakatsu USA
The Fish Sniffer
Yamamoto Custom Baits/Kinami Baits
Lucky Craft
Snag Proof
MAACO Auto Painting
Billy Chapman Jr’s Anglers Inn Resort on El Salto
C&C Marine – Citrus Heights/Modesto
Anglers Marine – Anaheim/San Diego
Marine Unlimited – Petaluma
Fisherman’s Warehouse – Sac, Manteca/Fresno/San Jose and now online!
Hook, Line & Sinker – Oakley/Bethel and now online!
Walton’s Pond – San Leandro/and now online!
Outdoor Pro Shops – Rohnert Park and now online!
Comfort Suites of Oakley
Go Pro Cameras
Destiny Wine Tours