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TEAM TOURNAMENT
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| Date: | | May 29, 2011 |
| Region: | | 2011 Fun-n-Sun |
| Tournament: | | Fun-n-Sun Bass Open |
| Tournament Trail: | | 2011 Fun-n-Sun Bass Open |
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| Wilcox & Velasco among the last to weigh for a 1st place finish at Bass Champs on Cedar Creek |
| By: Patty Lenderman |
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Big wins, come-from-behind finishes, humungous payouts at the 2011 Skeeter Bass Champs North Region Championship on Cedar Creek September 17-18. Bill Wilcox and Hugo Velasco took the win and was awarded the Grand Prize Skeeter ZX20 powered by Yamaha SHO 225 and even more sponsor bonuses!
It was the second of four championships for Skeeter Bass Champs anglers, and every team who qualified from any of the regions is eligible to fish every championship. The convoy converged on Cedar Creek fishing for the top two day weight to earn the crown of Champions.
As the final weigh in commenced, top weights kept getting higher. The father & son team of Corey & Craig Waldrop had come in with a phenomenal sack, bringing them from their 20th place position on day 1 to lead the tournament with 34.92 lbs. With very few teams left to weigh, they were called in to take the polygraph test. While the test was being run, an even bigger two day weight hit the scales.
Bill Wilcox and Hugo Velasco took Carolina rigs and deep crank baits to a ridge on the South end to start their weekend. “We sat the boat in 22’, and casted up to 12-15’. We had five fish in the boat within an hour and a half.” Sticking with their plan, they were able to cull one more time go give them an 18.17 lb day 1 limit, putting them in 2nd place going into day 2. “The second day we did pretty much the same thing, but found a pattern that put us on a shell bed. That was the key. We probably caught three limits of fish on day 2, and culled several times.” Their two day total was 35.86 lbs, overtaking the top weights for a 1st place win! Bass Champs presented them with the Skeeter ZX20 powered by a Yamaha SHO 225 motor, and they also received the $500 Fun N Sun bonus as well as $200 from Sure Life. The team would like to thank Fun N Sun, Mike Carlson Motor Company, Kicker Fish, Dobbins Rods, Pro Rule, Chevron and Taylor Oil Co.
The Waldrops finished in 2nd place with their 34.92 lb two day weight, winning a check for $2,500. “We had 40 or 50 brush piles located to hit this weekend – the problem was, everyone else seemed to know about them too!” Scrambling for a secondary plan, they went to points using EZ football head jigs. They managed a nice kicker the first day, around five pounds, but their total landed them a 20th place position going into day 2. They had a lot of ground to make up for. “We needed to be more efficient the final day. We looked for secluded spots.” By noon they got on a pattern based on bait movement. “The key was to locate the bait fish. If the bait fish were there, we would catch them. Also, it didn’t do any good to stay more than 5 or 10 minutes in each spot. Make about 6 casts apiece and move to the next point.” They caught a variety of fish including hybrids. “We had a lot of fun, and the hybrids really kept our adrenalin running. We ended up breaking off on three good fish, and it may have cost us the tournament. The main thing is we are just happy to be out there. Dad and I fish together, and I am really grateful for the time we get to spend together. Bass Champs runs a fantastic trail for the weekend angler. They have an amazing format and do a great job running it.” They would also like to thank Custom Angle Rods Hot Rod Crankin Series as an integral piece of their arsenal.
3rd place winners Dale Boren & Jody Holubek also started out from behind on day 1. “It was really tough for us on Saturday,” Jody explained. “We couldn’t figure the fish out. We were getting mad and frustrated, and just quit talking to each other. Dale suggested that we go flip the trees with jigs.” That worked out well for them, boating two 6 pounders in five casts. “We lost our fifth fish 12” from the net and only ended up with four keepers by the end of the day.” The final day, they headed to the dam throwing white buzz baits. This tactic yielded them a limit by 9:30. “After that we went back to the trees we fished the first day and was able to cull up one time with a 4 pounder.” Their two day total hit 33.92 lbs, winning a 3rd place check for $2,000. In addition, they were the highest Skeeter qualified team so doubled their winnings to $4,000. They also won the Dodge Ram Truck bonus, giving them free entries into any Bass Champs tournament in the next 12 months.
Tournament Statistics:
Total Entries: 125 teams
Total Collected: $32,500
Total Payback (C&P): $74,395
Payback Percentage: 229%
Next stop will be the East Region Championship on Sam Rayburn October 1-2, then wrapping up the season with the final Championship event October 8-9 on Falcon Lake. |
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