TRAVIS BOUNDS TOPS THE FIELD AT CLEARLAKE

Friday we had the convenient check in at Clearlake Bait & Tackle and several teams showed up to sign-up and receive their boat number for the following morning’s event. Several anglers made purchases in the store once they learned what the hot baits were that were catching bass. Several anglers came in to show us Optimum Baits pink Furbit the Frogs that were in their bag while others showed off Berkley’s Chigger Craws that they were anxious to try during the tournament.  Purchases were made in hopes of having the right baits to land the winning limit and also to have a chance to win in the Sponsor Tackle Store Drawings during the Awards Ceremony on Saturday evening. The morning started out cool at 4 AM in the garage of Clearlake Bait & Tackle for the other anglers to sign up. Doughnuts and coffee were enjoyed by several anglers as they waited in line to receive their boat number then off to have their boat checked prior to the start of their day of fishing. Before 6 AM the boats were getting staged as to the order they were to go out. Boat number 74 was drawn to be the first boat out in the Big Boat Division.  Once all the boats were checked and safe light approached, the Small Boat Division was released followed by the Big Boats as the anglers were headed to their first stop to catch their bass. Before noon we had a team call and say their electrical system in their boat was not working and they asked if they could weigh in early to keep their bass alive. By 12:30 the team of Lyle and Jerimiah Valador were the first to weigh in. Jerimiah caught their largest bass weighing 7.97 pounds and it turned out to be the Second Place Big Fish of the tournament. Even with hours left to fish and coming in early, they managed to have a limit weighing 24.77 pounds, which gave them Tenth Place overall. My hats off to this father and son team from Ukiah for thinking about the bass and doing their best to keep them alive until they were able to get to the scales! For their shorter day on the water, they took home $585.00 in winnings. Congratulations and thank you for keeping those bass alive which were released back into the lake! A father and son team who fish the Delta/ Wine Region, John and Travis Bounds from Roseville outdid the rest of the field when Travis topped the scales with the winning weigh on Clearlake! He fished the north end of the lake using chatter baits for their limit, which weighed 28.84 pounds. Travis was all smiles when he had his photo taken with his First Place trophy and walked away with $2885.00 in winnings. Congratulations guys and nice work Travis! Second Place went to the team of Mike Park of Yuba City and Chris Park of Wheatland who had a nice limit weighing 27.77 pounds which were caught on weightless worms. Their largest bass weighed 6.24 pounds, not enough to give them any Big Fish money but they did win Option money for paying into them, giving them winnings of $1635.00 to take home with their trophies. Nice teamwork guys! Coming to the scales with 27.65 pounds and the Third Place Big Fish weighing in at 7.86 pounds was the team of Jake Arbuckle and Nick Guadagnola, both from Escalon. They told the crowd they sight fished around Konocti for their limit. They took home $1215.00 in winnings for Third Place and paying into all the options. Team Vigil, Jason and Victor both from Ukiah weighed in 27.33 pounds for their limit of bass that were anchored by the Fourth Place Big Fish weighing 7.17 pounds. They came in Fourth Place at this tournament which gave them a nice payday of $1055.00 in winnings for their time on the water. Sweet! Fifth Place went to the team of Edison Hicks and his partner Reggie Vaughn both from Sacramento came to the scales with a nice limit weighing 26.44 pounds. All their bass were nearly all the same size and weight. This gave them winnings of $635.00 for their efforts. The Big Fish of the tournament was caught by Tim Rhyme and netted by his girl friend Leslie Munoz, both from Reno, Nevada. This beauty weighed 9.20 pounds and added to their limit, was 25.60 pounds and gave them winnings of $1195.00 for Sixth Place, First Big Fish and option money. Teamwork really pays off! Congratulations and we look forward to seeing you at the next BBT tournament. Fifth Big Fish was caught by Tim Little and weighed 7.16 pounds. Tim fished this event alone as his partner Wes Stevener was away attending a special event. Tim brought to the scales a nice limit weighing 21.50 pounds and took home $85.00 for his Fifth Big Fish of the tournament. Nice work Tim!

LENG VANG AND THOMAS VANG WIN FIRST PLACE
IN THE SMALL BOAT DIVISION ON CLEARLAKE
 
Leng and Thomas Vang, both from Elk Grove came to the scales with the largest weight in the Small Boat Division and took the First Place win where they were to receive the First Place trophies, however they left before the Awards Ceremony so we will give them their “Kudos”, winning trophies when we see them at the next tournament. They opted to keep their money with the Big Boat Division in hopes to place in the top winning positions combined. This was not the case for them at this event so they did not receive any winning money. Second Place in the Small Boat Division was the team of Cloed Origenes and his partner Steve Goltiao both from San Jose who had 18.28 pounds for their five bass. They took home $295.00 in winnings for separating their money for First Place winnings in their division. Third Place in the Small Boat Division took home $60 for the Option money as they were the only team to pay into it so they won their own money back! 51-Fifty Energy Drinks and Emerald Premium Nuts were handed out to anglers and even the Fish & Game Officers during the tournament and the Awards Ceremony. These refreshments were an added bonus to people who just wanted something to quench their thirst and get a small bite to eat! The Irwin Lenox Award went to the team of Chris Drake and Curtis Pray both from Elk Grove. The “Mystery Weight” drawn was 13.17 pounds and this team had the weight closest to it without going over the projected weight of 10.19 pounds. They were fishing in the Small Boat Division and happy to receive their prize as they were present to receive it! Bob and Bret Fergerson were happy to accept their Twenty-Twenty Eye Surrender Sunglasses for taking Twentieth Place in this event. They were all smiles when they held their new pair of sunglasses for their photo moment! Boat numbers 24 and 31 were drawn however they were not present to accept their Wear It Campaign life vest so it will be awarded to another angler at the TOC. In the Sponsor Tackle Store receipt program, a receipt however the angler was not present to win so another receipt was drawn and Kevin Ryan was awarded for the Cull Often Award as he was present to win the Optimum Baits Swim Bait Package that included Top Of The Line, Baby Line Through, Double Diamonds, Diamond Heads and AA Swim Tails. Boomerang Tool was awarded to Kevin Ryan as another one of his receipts again was drawn for this prize. Boat numbers 42 and 2 were drawn for the Wacky Award however neither team was present to win this sponsor gift bag containing Sinister Wacky Worms, M & B Tool and Who-Be-Do Jigs so this will be awarded at the TOC. Sponsor Tackle Store Receipts Program – If you purchase tackle valued at $20 or more from our Sponsor Tackle Stores or go online to make purchases through the Bait Barn website, Optimum Baits and ima websites, you will receive a discount for being a member of the BBT. Keep your receipt and write your name and phone number on the back of it then place it in the bucket, which is at every tournament check-in. You will have opportunities to win prizes during the Awards Ceremony after each weigh-in. You MUST be present to win. At the close of the Awards Ceremony, all receipts drawn are placed back into the bucket for more chances to have them drawn at future events in addition at the TOC. If you are not present and your name is called, you forfeit your prize and it is donated to the TOC. If you happen to win money during a tournament and you leave before receiving it, you will have to meet up with your tournament director as winnings are not sent through the mail. Remember to support the sponsors who are supporting you in bass fishing whenever you can. A list of our sponsors is below and is also located on the Sponsors page of the Best Bass Tournaments website www.bestbasstournaments.com  Thank you for coming out and supporting the Best Bass Tournaments. We appreciate each one of you and look forward to seeing you again at our next tournament. If every angler would ask one friend to join and fish the BBT, you will have additional anglers to compete against and have more opportunities to win larger paybacks. Let your friends know that they will also be eligible to win prizes in addition to saving money on fishing tackle when making purchases through our Sponsor Tackle Stores. I would like to thank my staff for a job well done at this tournament JD Mc Millian, Jon DeVries, Matt Moreau, Kevin Ryan, Rich Reeser
Peter Kaprielian and also to Kevin’s girl friend Kathy Pope.

Best Bass Tournaments would like to personally thank the sponsors who are supporting us and the anglers alike: Emerald Premium Snacks, Berkley, Abu Garcia, Lowrance, Bait Barn, The Fishing Instructor, Yakima Baits, Technology Integrators, Hildebrandt, Poe’s Plugs, Timber Tiger, Ima, Optimum Baits, Hooked on Adventures, General Tires, Irwin – Lenox and Helly Hansen, Eye Surrender Sunglasses, Out of Bounds, Gowans Printing, AGS Apparel, Sinister Wacky Worms, M & B Wacky Tool, Who-Be-Do Jigs, Port of Subs, Fish Hound, 51- Fifty Energy Drinks,  Adelaide Inn, Oroville’s  Best Value Inn & Suites, Central Valley Sportsmen’s Boat & RV Show. Best Bass Tournaments sponsor tackle stores: Bait Barn/ Waterford, Mel Cotton’s Sporting Goods/ San Jose, Walton Pond/ San Leandro, Escalon Bait & Tackle/ Escalon, Guns, Fishing & Other Stuff/ Dixon, Coyote Bait & Tackle/ Coyote, CA, Clear Lake Bait & Tackle/ Lakeport, C & C Marine/ Modesto and Sacramento, Jim’s Pro Tackle/ Paso Robles.   If your company would like to be a sponsor of the Best Bass Tournaments, please contact Randy Pringle at www.bestbasstournaments.com or call 209-543-6260.   Our next tournament in the Delta/ Wine Region is on the Delta – launching out of Russo’s Marina on June 16th. This tournament is the first of our six hour tournaments, which goes into effect on June 15th through September 15th, Fish & Game Regulations. We will be holding our check in from 4 PM to 6 PM on Friday evening in the office at Russo’s Marina for anyone who wishes to sign up the night before or again on Saturday morning from 4 AM. We look forward to seeing you there.  
Thank you, Randy and Sheri Pringle