Fishing News - 4/28/01
From BASS
Wire-to-Wire Win For Tennessee's Holt at Bass Fishing's Amateur
Championship
MOBILE, Ala.-(April 28, 2001)-Michael Holt has achieved what no other amateur bass fisherman has claimed in winning the BCâ Powder/B.A.S.S. Federation Championship held on the Mobile-Tensaw Delta. The three-day tournament wrapped up today and is considered bass fishing's amateur championship.
Holt, a 43-year-old telephone company technician from Lexington, Tenn., caught 13 bass weighing 24 pounds, 4 ounces to claim his second federation national championship, a feat no other amateur has done. The first was in 1993 on the Arkansas River. He collected $15,000 for the win plus a matching $15,000 from Mercury Marine, one of the tournament sponsors. He has also qualified for the second time to compete in the BASS Masters Classic set for this summer in New Orleans.
With no fish in his livewell until 12:30 p.m., Holt applied mental confidence to keep him in contention. "I kept telling myself to keep my composure and not give up," he said. The plan worked. His second fish came at 1 p.m. and the third about one-half hour later. In all, he only caught three fish today weighing 4 pounds, 9 ounces. The nail-biting day was also complicated by heavy boat traffic from weekend warriors and another local bass tournament. "The shorelines were pure mud by 9 'o clock," he added.
Holt keyed on pre-spawn bass migrating from deeper water into the creek to spawn. His area was located in Miflin Lake near the Interstate-65 bridge. Cypress tress and submerged logs were casting targets. His pattern involved pitching and flipping a jig into the trees on the high tide and cranking the logs on the low tide. Baits included a Bandit Series 200 crankbait with a black back, red sides and orange belly fished on 15-pound test Trilene Big Game line. The second bait was a 3/8-ounce Spring Buck Brush Jig with black, blue and purple skirt with a watermelon Zoom Critter Craw added for strike appeal.
The most productive time for Holt came on the leading edge of the rising tide as the fish moved from deeper water into the shallows. "Basically what I did was adjust the bait to where the tide was and what cover was ahead," he added.
The field of 51 anglers included representatives of 46 states, the province of Ontario plus the national champions from Japan, South Africa, Italy and Zimbabwe. One angler from each of the federation's five geographical divisions advanced to the Classic. Filling out the Classic roster is the sport's top 40 pros.
The following anglers representing their respective divisions will represent the federation Aug. 2-4 at the Classic set for the Louisiana Delta. Holt (Southern), John Semken (Western), Pete Ponds (Central), Jim Johnson (Northern) and Harry Charcalis (Eastern). Semken was also the overall runner-up with 21 pounds.
The BC Powder Daily Big Bass awards were claimed by Holt with a largemouth weighing 3 pounds, 13 ounces. Others winners included Trent Loukas, Amarillo, Texas, with a 3-pound, 6-ounce fish and Dan Finkral of Norfolk, Neb., with his 3-pound, 15-ounce catch. Each angler received $500 for their catches.
The B.A.S.S. Federation is a grass-roots organization of bass clubs whose members plan, serve, endorse, lobby and support conservation efforts, community service projects and youth programs. The global network of 51 federations and 2,800 clubs provides a critical lifeline from national ideas to widespread implementation and action.
Sponsors of the 2001 B.A.S.S. Federation Championship include: Rangerâ Boats, RangerTrailâ Trailers, Mercuryâ Outboards, Chevroletâ Trucks, Humminbirdâ/Zercom Marine, Flowmasterâ Exhaust Systems, Pennzoil Marineâ, MotorGuideâ Trolling Motors, Quantumâ Rods and Reels, GMAC Insurance, Gore-Texâ Outerwear, First USA Visa Card, Worldwaters.com, Berkleyâ Trileneâ, AC Delco, Berkleyâ Powerbaitâ, Eagle Clawâ Fishhooks, Long John Silver's Restaurants, Kumho Tires, Armstrong Industrial Handtools, Mobile Sports Commission, the City of Mobile and the State of Alabama.
B.A.S.S. Web site: http://www.bassmaster.com.
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