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NC Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Weekend Series Division 5
2010
2009
Two 19-Plus Bags Win Bassmaster Weekend Series Qualifier
August 29 and 30, 2009
In the heat of summer, when someone can drain two, nineteen-plus pound bags of bass from a lake in two days, the angler is a winner and probably a champion. That was the case when the NC Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Weekend Series Division 5 traveled to High Rock Lake in Salisbury, NC this past weekend.
The two-day event, operated by the American Bass Anglers, Inc., marked the end of the series' regular schedule and regional qualifying was on the line. David Wright of Lexington, NC jumped six pounds into the lead after Day One with 20.95 pounds and hung onto the lead on the second day with 19.39 pounds.
Thirty nine Boaters and thirty eight Co-Anglers turned out at the Southmont Wildlife Access hoping to increase their chances of qualifying for the Northeast Regional Championship. That event will be held on the Potomac River at Smallwood State Park in Maryland October 16 and 17. Groups from Maryland, New York West, New York East, North Carolina, Ohio and Virginia will come together there to qualify for the Weekend Series Championship and an eventual shot at the Bassmaster Classic. The High Rock qualifier paid a top prize of $5,000 to the winning Boater.
Although Wright carried a solid margin on the Boater side of the house into Day Two of the event, local favorite, Steve Sink of Winston-Salem, NC, made up nearly half of that lead by hauling the largest bag weight to the scales Sunday. Sink boated 21.96 pounds on the second day, but managed only 14.31 the first. Saturday's second place finisher, James Blankenship, also of Lexington, netted 16.62 pounds the first day, but nearly drew a blank the second with just 1.63 pounds. He dropped to fourteenth place overall. Sink, on the other hand, improved his lot from sixth to second place and grabbed Big Fish for the day with a 7 pound even lunker. He credited his catch to jigs and an old monster worm.
“I mostly relied on the community holes both days,” stated Wright from the stage after the scales closed. “All the places where everyone fishes... there wasn't anyone fishing them both days. I used a Zoom black worm with a weight to catch many of my fish and got the rest on a crankbait.” Wright noted he fished in about nine to ten feet of water both days. “It took persistence,” he ended. “You can't make a fish bite, but you can out-wait him.”
For the Co-Anglers, winner Michael Branch began his fishing efforts strong and hung on with a tough outing on Day Two of only 5.83 pounds. The Polkville, NC native hit double digits on Saturday, with a scale total of 10.77 pounds. He was the only Co-Angler to break into double digits that first day and he carried almost a three pound advantage into the second round. The biggest comeback of the weekend was when Rodney Michael of Eagle Springs, NC staged a march from twenty-ninth position to second on Sunday. Michael ended just three-one hundredths of a pound behind Branch to grab second spot with a 14.14 pound catch. Co-Anglers fish a three-fish limit. Jason York, of Archdale, NC, found Big Fish of the day with a 6.61 pounder.
“I fished real shallow both days,” stated Branch. “I mean really shallow.” He noted to the crowd that the boat sat in three feet of water most of the day and he cast into six inches. “We were casting where there was practically no water at all,” he quipped. “I used shaky heads and five inch green pumpkin worms to catch everything,” he ended. Branch won $1,513.50 for his weekend efforts.
Known as the “Weekend anglers path to the Bassmaster Classic”, the ABA operated one-day qualifiers feature low entry fees, many bonus programs offered by manufacturer sponsors, and bonus money at qualifying events. A grand total of $14,400 was paid out to Boaters and Co-Anglers for this one event. Five regions of the U.S. make up the individual divisions where qualifiers are held. Sponosrs of the NC Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Weekend Series include Triton Boats, Toyota Tundra Trucks, Mercury Motors, Royal Purple Synthetic Motor Oil, Early Times Kentucky Whiskey, Hi-Seas Fishing Line, ProBass Networks and Rejuvenade.