What’s at stake: $322,021 in total prize money, plus 25 berths into the CITGO Bassmaster Open Championship on the Alabama River in Prattville, Ala., Dec.1-4. The top five boaters at the Open Championship will earn berths into the CITGO Bassmaster Classic, Feb. 24-26, on Lake Tohopekaliga in Kissimmee, Fla.
The Pros Said It
“I’m concentrating on flipping heavy cover in shallow water. I’ve put a lot of practice in and I have gotten 20 to 25 bites each day. I feel like I can win the points and the tournament.” – Terry Scroggins, who is in second place in the CITGO Bassmaster Southern Open points standings, 36, Palatka, Fla.
“Fishing has been tough. There’s a north wind and front pushing through and normally when a front comes through, the fish get lethargic. Once you find them, you can find a few and I want to catch enough to make it to the championship.” – Stephen Browning,winner of a 1998 BASS tournament and CITGO Bassmaster Elite Series angler, 39, Hot Springs, Ark.
“You can catch fish here a lot of different ways. There are a number of schools, but the consistent big fish is harder to find. I have to keep adapting and changing to find out what’s going on with them.” – Terry Segraves, a 1997 CITGO Bassmaster Classic qualifier and CITGO Bassmaster Elite Series angler, 57, Kissimmee, Fla.
“Most fish are being caught schooling and some bigger fish are being found in grass beds. If you find one fish, there seems to be a concentration of them. I think it’ll take about 10 pounds a day to make the top 50 cut.” – Pete Ponds, winner of the 2004 CITGO Bassmaster Open on Lake Eufaula and CITGO Bassmasster Elite Series angler, 46, Madison, Miss.
“My original plan was to fish Lake Kissimmee, where I know I can go for a limit, but I may travel to Lake Toho to eliminate some competition through distance.” – Charlie Youngers, 2000 CITGO Bassmaster Classic qualifier and CITGO Bassmaster Elite Series angler, 53, Geneva, Fla.
The Strategy
Scroggins: He is flipping crawdad lures and tubes in vegetation.
Browning: He is using a variety of soft plastic lures and weights on heavy line to get below vegetation where the fish are seeking shelter from the heat.
Segraves: Like Browning, Segraves is flipping a variety of soft plastic lures with heavy line to penetrate grass and weed beds. Occasionally, he’s using top-waters early in the morning and lipless crankbaits on light line.
Ponds: He is using a frog top-water lure on 50-pound braided line to punch through the vegetation. Ponds is finding all of his bass shallow.
Youngers: He’s mixing up his lures to match several techniques, including flipping. Youngers also will use Carolina rigs to catch both schooling and suspended fish.
Location and Field
CITGO Bassmaster Southern Open
Lake Tohopekaliga
Lake Wales, Fla.
Nov.17-19, 2005
Field
Cut to 50 after Day 2
Launch
Camp Mack’s River Resort
14900 Camp Mack Road
Lake Wales, Fla. 33898
Weigh-in
Camp Mack’s River Resort
14900 Camp Mack Road
Lake Wales, Fla. 33898
Background
Previous BASS events
2005, CITGO Bassmaster Tour
2001, CITGO Bassmaster Tour
2001, BASS Top 150
2000, BASS Top 150
1999, BASS Top 150
1982, BASS Invitational
1980, BASS Invitational
1978, BASS Invitational
1977, CITGO Bassmaster Classic
Previous winners on lake
50-11 Takahiro Omori, 2005
61-4, Tim Horton, 2001
108-12, Dean Rojas, 2001
53-11, Shaw Grigsby, 2000
41-0, Danny Kirk, 1999
30-1, Ken Cook, 1982
33-11, Horace Phipps, 1980
39-12, David Gliebe, 1978
27-7, Rick Clunn, 1977
Heaviest winning sack
108-12, Dean Rojas, 2001
Lowest winning sack
27-7, Rick Clunn, 1977
Weather
Temperature
78 degrees
Lake level
55.12 above mean sea level
CITGO Southern Open Boater Points Leaders
1. Eric Nethery Ga. 536
2. Terry Scroggins Fla. 534
3. Michael Johnson Ga. 515
4. Scott Rook Ark. 510
5. Todd Auten S.C. 495
6. Thomas O'Bryant Tenn. 493
7. Mark Rizk Ala. 487
8. Kurt Dove Va. 475
9. Jason Quinn S.C. 464
10. William Smith, Jr Ky. 456
CITGO Bassmaster Open
Central Open Division
May 5-7 Sam Rayburn Jasper, Texas
Oct. 13-15 Lake Norfork Mountain Home, Ark.
Nov. 10-12 Red River Natchitoches , La.
Northern Open Division
July 14-16 Lake Erie Sandusky, Ohio
Aug. 11-13 Lake Champlain Plattsburgh, NY.
Sept. 15-17 Oneida Lake Syracuse, NY
Southern Open Division
June 23-25 West Point Lake Lanett, Ala.
Sept. 22-24 Lake Guntersville Guntersville, Ala.
Nov. 17-19 Lake Tohopekliga Lake Wales, Fla.
Western Open Division
May 26-28 California Delta WaterwayBethel Island, Calif.
Oct. 13-15 Clear Lake Lakeport, Calif.
Nov. 17-19 Shasta Lake Shasta Lake, Calif.
Local sponsors: Local sponsors include Central Florida Sports Commission.
Bassmaster Open Series sponsors: CITGO Petroleum Corp., Toyota, Busch Beer, Purolator, Triton Boats, Mercury Marine, Berkley, Lowrance Electronics, MotorGuide, Bass Pro Shops and Cialis (tadalafil).
BASS is the worldwide authority on bass fishing, sanctioning more than 20,000 events through the BASS Federation annually. Guided by its mission to serve all fishing fans, BASS sets the standard for credibility, professionalism, sportsmanship and conservation, as it has for nearly 40 years.
BASS stages bass fishing tournaments for every skill level and culminates with the CITGO Bassmaster Classic. Through its clubs, youth programs, aquatic resource advocacy, magazine publishing and multimedia platforms, BASS offers the industry's widest array of services and support to its nearly 550,000 members. The organization is headquartered in Celebration, Fla.
For more information, contact BASS Communications at (407) 566-2208 or visit www.bassmaster.com.
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