Laythe Moore and his brother Brandon Smith earn the pro and co-angler trophies for the WWBT at Lake Mohave
SEARCHLIGHT, Nev. – Capturing the lead with the big stringer of the event for Saturday’s five-fish total weighing 19.37, Laythe Moore of Banning, Calif. found himself going into the Wild West Bass Trail’s (WWBT) Championship Sunday on Lake Mohave with a lead of just over four-pounds for a two-day total of 37.18.
Today, Moore added another full limit to his tournament total for a three-day weight of 50.84, earning the title of champion and claiming an $11,000 payday. His payback included Ranger Cup, Lowrance and Yamamoto contingency dollars.
“I caught every one of my fish on a Fat Ika,” he revealed. “It was watermelon with red flake and I had it rigged weightless.”
Moore credited his friends for showing him how to throw the crawdad imitator made by Gary Yamamoto Custom Baits.
He reported fishing the Ika in the first two basins just north of the launch ramp, concentrating on main lake and secondary points. “I mostly caught them in 2- to 10-feet,” he added.
Moore noted that he pre fished with his brother – Brandon Smith. Smith finished the event as the co-angler champion.
“When does that happen,” laughed Moore.
Justin Kerr of Simi Valley, Calif. weighed the biggest limit for Championship Sunday with five that went 18.98. Kerr’s final tally of 49.54 trailed Moore by just over one-pound, earning the runner-up position.
“Being perfect, to me, is the number one thing, and I wasn’t perfect and, you won’t win tournaments unless you’re perfect – usually,” said Kerr.
He claimed $6,250 for 2nd place, which included Ranger Cup cash.
The 2016 WWBT Arizona Angler of the Year (AOY) Troy Lindner of Los Angeles, Calif. added 16.27 to his total today. The five-fish limit included a 5.44 largemouth and brought Lindner’s tournament total to 49.41. Lindner banked $4,450 for the placement, including Ranger Cup cash.
Pro angler Dale Roesener racked up $650 for the biggest bass of the event. Roesener landed the 5.57 largemouth on Friday, the first day of competition.
The WWBT paid out $63,200 to the pro anglers.
WWBT Pro Top-10 at Lake Mohave:
- 50.84 Laythe Moore $11,000
- 49.54 Justin Kerr $6,250
- 49.41 Troy Lindner $4,450
- 47.02 Mitch Southern $4,050
- 45.41 Tai Au $9,450
- 43.58 Randy Pierson $3,250
- 41.80 Bryant Smith $2,900
- 39.62 Jesse Milicevic $2,500
- 36.04 Kevin Wiggins $1,800
- 27.19 Kenny Webb $1,700
Complete WWBT Mohave pro results and payout here
Moore’s brother, Brandon Smith of Indio, Calif. fished his way to the co-angler victory with 26.86. Smith’s Day Two bag of 14.37 accounted for nearly half his weight and was the biggest brought in by a co at the Mohave event. Smith sacked up $3,250, including Yamamoto contingency dollars for his time on the water.
WWBT Co-Angler Top-10 at Lake Mohave:
- 26.86 Brandon Smith $3,250
- 25.84 Gunnar Stanton $2,250
- 24.18 Jesse Parks $1,500
- 22.59 Cody Murray $1,200
- 21.92 Robert Zumwalt $1,250
- 20.63 Dante Ray $800
- 19.60 Robert Nicholson $800
- 17.64 Dustin Robinson $700
- 16.25 Jim Sullivan $925
- 15.05 Lon Armel
The WWBT paid out $13,775 to the Mohave co-anglers.
Complete WWBT Mohave co-angler results and payout here
New for 2017, the WWBT offers an innovative format for pros as well as co-anglers. Their three-day Pro/Am event allows two days of fishing for the full field and a third and final day on the water only available for the top-10 pros and cos.
A third day of fishing in the WWBT, moves the co-anglers to the front of a boat to make their own decisions, control their own destiny and get the first (and only) shot at the best cast.
The daily weights for all three competition days are combined for each angler’s tournament total to determine both a WWBT pro and co-angler champion. Weights are compared against their respective sides – pros against pros and cos against cos.
A special thanks to all of the 2017 WWBT sponsors – A & M Graphics, Costa, Dobyns Rods, Evinrude, E3 Spark Plugs, Gator Guards, Gary Yamamoto Custom Baits, General Tire, Hydro Force, Lowrance Electronics, Lucas Oil, P-Line, Power-Pole, Protect the Harvest, Ranger Boats and Super Clean.
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Offering professional-level competition throughout the west, the Wild West Bass Trail provides its anglers the opportunity to further develop and advance their fishing careers. Additionally, the WWBT offers its corporate partners the opportunity to expand sales through comprehensive national and regional television coverage, exclusive on-the-water demonstrations and various tournament incentive programs.
For 2017, the WWBT will conduct 16 events that include one Pro/Am circuit and two Teams circuits – one based in California and the other in Arizona. The Pro/Am circuit consists of five tournaments throughout California and Arizona and a year-end, qualifying championship event. Each Teams circuit includes four tournaments and a year-end, qualifying championship. For more information visit WildWestBassTrail.com and follow WWBT at Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Instagram.
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