Fishing News - 2/24/01
From BASS
Dangerous Winds Postpone BASSMASTER Tour Finish on Toledo Bend
Winner to be decided on Sunday
MANY, La. (February 24, 2001) "The winds today aren't just hard, they're life-threatening," said Alton Jones. The 2000 BASSMASTER Megabucks winner and nine other finalists must wait until Sunday to decide the Louisiana BASSMASTER Top 150 on Toledo Bend.
For the second time this week, the event has been plagued by bad weather. Wednesday's opening-day action was called off due to heavy fog. Equally dangerous conditions existed Saturday morning, as winds were strong enough to topple tents and a TV lighting fixture.
"As you can understand, none of the top 10 wanted to go out in these conditions, so we'll try again tomorrow. The forecast is for a little calmer conditions then, but that might change," said B.A.S.S. Tournament Director Dewey Kendrick. "To not go out today was the right choice, and to fish tomorrow is fine with me," said Larry Nixon, a 14-time winner on the BASSMASTER Tour.
According to Kendrick, if the weather is no better on Sunday, the tournament will conclude with day three standings determining the order of finish. Should that occur, rookie pro Ben Matsubu would claim the biggest prize of his career.
The Mineola, Texas, angler, who was second on Thursday, finessed another big limit from more than 20 feet of water Friday to take a 5- pound, 2-ounce lead into the championship round with 39 pounds, 13 ounces. Terry Baksay of Monroe, Conn., is second with 34 pounds, 11 ounces, Dean Rojas of Lake Havasu City, Ariz., is third with 34-6, Takahiro Omori of Emory, Texas, fourth with 33-6, and Mark Menendez of Paducah, Ken., fifth with 32-8.
Rounding out the 10 finalists are Stephen Browning, Hot Springs, Ark., 32-1; Larry Nixon, Bee Branch, Ark., 31-14; David Fritts, Lexington, N.C., 31-10; Tim Horton, Muscle Shoals, Ala., 31-4; and Alton Jones, Waco, Texas, 30-15.
Anglers are prepared to launch from the Cypress Bend Resort tomorrow, beginning at 6:45 a.m., with the weigh-in set for 2:30 p.m. Also postponed until Sunday is a free BASSMASTER CastingKids event presented by Chevy Trucks, from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. This fun-filled national program, designed by B.A.S.S. CEO Helen Sevier, encourages children to perfect the skills of casting, pitching and flipping. Local B.A.S.S. clubs conduct the events and provide instruction to all youngsters.
The Louisiana BASSMASTER Top 150 is the fifth of seven events on the BASSMASTER Top 150 Trail this season. The winning pro will take home $110,000, and the winning amateur, $27,000, out of the overall $431,450 purse. In addition to the prize money, anglers will be vying to earn valuable points that will help them qualify for this summer's 31st BASS Masters Classic. The top 25 anglers in the season standings will earn a berth in bass fishing's premier event.
By sanctioning over 20,000 tournaments worldwide, The Bass Anglers Sportsman Society is the world's largest fishing organization. The BASSMASTER Tournament Trail is America's oldest and most prestigious pro bass fishing tournament circuit. It continues to set the standard for credibility, professionalism, and sportsmanship after more than three decades.
Sponsors of the 2001 BASSMASTER Tournament Trail include: Ranger Boats, RangerTrail Trailers, Mercury Outboards, Chevy Trucks, Long John Silver's, Kumho Tires, ACDelco Batteries, Worldwaters.com, Humminbird/Zercom Marine, Pennzoil Marine, Flowmaster Exhaust Systems, First USA/B.A.S.S. Platinum Visa, MotorGuide Trolling Motors, Gore-Tex Outerwear and GMAC Insurance.
The event is sponsored locally by the Sabine River Authority and Sabine Parish Tourist Commission.
B.A.S.S. Web site: http://www.bassmaster.com.
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