BASSMASTER Southern Open and the USA BASSIN National Classic
Sweat home Alabama! After leaving the cold Chesapeake Bay tournament it was refreshing to head towards the warm south in late April and early May. Lake Wheeler, Alabama was the next destination for the BASSMASTER’s Southern Open Tour. I was looking forward to this event. HBF had a 4th place finish in a BASSMASTER OPEN on Lake Wheeler before. Practice was awesome for this event. Thanks to one of my favorite baits to fish the “skinny dipper” by Reaction Innovations I only needed one pole for practice. I didn’t have to put it down. I concentrated on the skinniest back waters I could find and whatever got in my way I threw the skinny dipper at it and got my arm tore off! The pattern was complete after three days of quick practice. Conservatively 18, 19, and over 20 pounds were the weights put together just locating areas with fish and never hitting them twice.
I was really looking forward to this tournament. My schedule then made me leave for Kentucky Lake to practice for the USA BASSIN National Classic for the next five days then return to Lake Wheeler for the Open event. I was praying my pattern would hold until I returned. When I got back the pattern was still good but the one or two good kicker bites I was getting at each spot just didn’t happen. A weeks worth of guys practicing and local tournaments thinned out those larger fish. The Southern Open at Wheeler was a great tournament. HBF had a strong limit over nine pounds the first day and was within one good bite from making the final cut. As luck would have it a monsoon hit northern Alabama that night and washed all of my fishing areas into chocolate milk. After adjusting, picking up a shaky head jig and worm, I began to finesse bite a school of fish off a much more stable and clearer main lake point on day two. I salvaged another nine pound bag and just missed the day three cut.
I can only say that I wouldn’t have to catch a fish in northern Alabama to have a great time. That credit goes to the people in that area and especially The Hooters of Huntsville Alabama. The Hooters of Huntsville store should be a serious tourist attraction. Hooters of Huntsville have never missed doing a promo with HBF on any of the lakes in northern Alabama we’ve fished in the last six years. They are like family. I love those guys. We have received a multitude of media from local newspapers, ESPN, BASSMASTERs, FLW, on and on, from the promo events we’ve done together. The store itself is one of the most rocking Hooters you will ever visit. Some of the most beautiful and charismatic gals I’ve ever had the pleasure to work with and crediting their leadership from managers Kevin Bullock, Ron Coursey and especially Pete Rodrigues for all of Alabama and Mississippi. If you frequent Hooters locations all over this great country in your travels like I do, absolutely do not pass up the opportunity to visit the Hooters of Huntsville.
Thanks to all HBF’s friends that came out to the Hooters and events in that area and for there hospitality; Chris and Beth Jackson, Jonathan, Jim Leary, Nicky and all their peeps who come along. Special thanks to Stewart Vest for all your hospitality and coming out to fish with HBF. Had a blast thank you all!
HBF Doubled back after day two at Wheeler straight to Kentucky Lake to immediately fish the first day of two at the USA BASSIN National Classic. A quick rendezvous on the way at one of my favorite Hooters locations Nashville (Alcoa), highly recommended, for dinner, cheer and photos and I was back on the road. Good old HBF pro staffer and life long outdoors buddy Scott Baker and I slammed some monster largemouth in the event, it was awesome. Scott and I had finished 3rd in the prior USA BASSIN Classic out of 260 boats in Tennessee. Although we didn’t finish as well as we had in the prior Classic we sure had fun bringing in some monster largemouth to the scales. You can’t go wrong fishing on Kentucky Lake or with the USA BASSIN National Team Trail. Thanks Scott and USA BASSIN for all the hospitality and media coverage.
Congratulations to Steve Donahue and son Nick for capturing the grand prize at our local golf tournament to benefit passing the levy for Little Miami School system. Grand prize for the tournament is a donated day of guided fishing with HBF. Congratulations as well to the following six recipients who were awarded Hooters gift cards at the East Fork Lake Ohio BASSMASTER Federation State Invitational tournament.
Thanks again to all of our sponsors; Ranger, Mercury, Lowrance, Motorguide, Navionics, Dixie Marine, Walt Luti Tire, Bassahaulics, Reaction Innovations, Fishing Edge, all contributors and especially Hooters.
Angler Division
~Big Bass~
Michael White
CompetitionBassmasters
Hooters Gift Card - $25.00
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~1st Place~
Richard Keever
Warren County Bassmasters
Hooters Gift Card - $50.00
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~2nd Place~
Michael White
CompetitionBassmasters
Hooters Gift Card - $25.00
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Co-Angler's Division
~Big Bass ~
Don Coots
Hard Knox Bassmasters
Hooters Gift Card- $25.00
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~1st Place ~
Don Coots
Hard Knox Bassmasters
Hooters Gift Card - $50.00
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~2nd Place ~
Josh West
Apple CityBassmasters
Hooters Gift Card - $25.00
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Live, love, laugh, and enjoy, fish on!
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