Championship Belts Ripp'n Lipps Style
The BassFest for 2016 presented by Best Bass Tournaments hit the California Delta this weekend as one of the tidal water fisheries favorite team events.
The annual two-day bass fishing event boasts a first day Vendor Showcase and Seminar Series with an open team tournament on the second day.
The popularity of the event was underlined as The BassFest had over 70 teams pre sign for competition prior to tournament day and an equal amount of teams sign up at the ramp for blast off.
By blast off, 141 boats had readied themselves to take home The BassFest championship belts. Each team was allowed their biggest three-fish limit at the scales.
It appeared even the Delta bass were ready for the action and showed up for game day as well.
When the scales closed, the team of Delta locals Obedie Williams and Clint Groenwold held the belt. Their three weigh fish came in at 22.89, bolstered by a big bass that went 9.64. They led the field by four-pounds and earned $1715 for their efforts.
WINNERS REPORT
Williams reported running about 10 spots around the Delta and catching seven or eight fish.
“We had a lot of spots; but they were little spots and that was something we had to deal with all day,” he said. “Should we run to another spot or stay somewhere and fish. It was a decision that could’ve turned out either way. We could keep running to our spots, hopefully catch ‘em and win it OR we could waste too much time running and lose it.”
In the end, they decided to keep running and the plan worked out well.
“All of the fish we caught today (but one) were good fish,” he stated. “We started off on in the morning and I caught a seven about 9 a.m. A little later, Clint caught a five-pounder. Then, I caught another five and that was a good look; but about 1 p.m., Clint punched the big one.
“When he set the hook, it didn’t move! I knew I better go get the net. With the first piece of hyacinth, he was shaking. We saw it, culled one of the fives with it and counted up a near-10, a seven and a five. We figured if someone had ‘em to beat us, they deserved it!”
Williams reported fishing a River2Sea Whopper Plopper, a Spro Wake Rat and a punch rig. Their weigh fish all came on the rat and punchin. The punch rig that tempted their big bass was a Missile Baits D Bomb, 1 ½-oz weight and punch skirt.
“Throughout the day, we got ‘em all in 2- to 10-ft,” he said. “We fished hyacinth, outside edges and sporadic tules and grass clumps.
Top-Five
2nd 18.48 Nourot/Wall
3rd 16.89 Coleman/Coleman
4th 15.91 Santua/Nichols
5th 14.61 Miller/Miller
THE STATS
Bass over five-pounds = 18
Bass over six-pounds = 13
Bass over seven-pounds = 7
Bass over nine-pounds = 2
The top-12 teams weighed in over 12-lbs for their three-fish limit (a 4-lb or more average for their fish).
Seminars were provided by Tony Franceschi, Nate Harbison, Ron Howe and Greg Gutierrez.
On-site vendor booths included Frenzy Baits, Strike King Lure Company, Berkley Fishing, Abu Garcia, Trigger Happy Comfort Grips, Bigolpig, River2Sea USA, BIWAA USA, Toxic Baits,Evolution Baits, Rat-L-Trap, Cousins Tackle, Safe and Easy Boat Care, Hook Line & Sinker, Reel Speed, The Grand Island Mission project, Restore the Delta , The Fishing Instructor and more.
Other companies supporting the event without a booth on site were Republic Electric West, Inc., Snag Proof Lures, IMA, Optimum Baits, SPRO U.S.A and Atlas Disposal.
The BassFest will return to the California Delta on Sept. 9 – 10, 2017.
More information from Best Bass Tournaments and their 2017 schedule is available here.
Advertising