DUSTIN TACKER AND DAVID PEARL WIN THE BBT OPENER IN THE NORTHERN REGION ON BERRYESSA
 
The weather for the Best Bass Tournaments Northern Region Opener was perfect, sunny and warm after the brisk early morning temperatures rose on Lake Berryessa. As the day progressed, it felt like a hot summer day. For many anglers, this was a disadvantage with catching bass. Some teams came to the scales with nice limits while others struggled to catch fish. Several teams had come to the scales with ten pounds or less while others blanked. A few anglers said they had more photo opportunities with the wild life than they did with putting fish in the livewell. This was not the case for the team of Dustin Tacker from Roseville and David Pearl from Oakland who came to the scales with the winning weight of the tournament. They had a nice bass weighing 4.61 pounds, their largest fish in the bag, which gave them Fifth Place in Big Fish in addition to the other four bass that weight a total of 19.58 pounds for the win. David mentioned that Dustin bought his boat so they teamed up for the season to fish together with the BBT. He went on to tell the crowd that they caught their bass in deep water using jigs. For the hours they spend fishing this event, they took home $2,410.00 in winnings for paying into all the options. Congratulations guys! Taking Second Place was the team of Jeff Asturias from Livermore and his partner Dan Sweat from Pleasant Hill who had a nice limit of bass weighing 18.22 pounds anchored by the Fourth Place Big Fish of the tournament that weighed 4.71 pounds. They told the spectators they fished deep in the north end of the lake using spinner baits for their limit. They took home $1,475.00 in winnings. Sweet! Ryan German and Josh Rueblin from Fairfield caught their five fish limit in the west end of the lake fishing slow with the drop shot technique. They weighed in 17.64 pounds for their limit. Their largest bass weighed 4.50 pounds just a little shy to win big fish money. They took home $835.00 in winnings. Nice work guys! Fourth Place went to the team of Wes Stevener of Meadow Vista – owner of Eye Surrender Sunglasses, one of the sponsors of Best Bass Tournaments and his partner Tim Little from Lakeport. This team came in with a limit weighing 16.63 pounds to the scales which included the Second Place Big Fish of the tournament weighing 5.29 pounds. They took home $965.00 for their efforts on Berryessa. Rounding out the top five, was the team of Aaron Britt of Yuba City and his partner Kevin Cornwell from Sacramento. Their limit weighed 16.13 pounds and their largest bass was 3.42 pounds. They took home $300.00 for a nice day of fishing the lake. 
 
        CHRISS CABODI AND RUSS OLSON TAKE FIRST PLACE IN SMALL BOAT DIVISION

The team of Chriss Cabodi from Roseville and Russ Olson from Orangevale had three bass weighing in at 8.44 pounds. We are uncertain to what techniques and baits were used to catch their bass, what colors of baits were used, where these bass were caught, what the depth was because this team left before any information could be taken down. Chriss and Russ will receive their First Place trophies at the next event they fish. Congratulations guys for taking First Place in the Small Boat Division. Honorable mentions go to the following teams: The big fish of the tournament was caught by Joe Pomilia of Redwood City that weighed 5.73 pounds. It was a tough day for this team as they only caught two bass. Their total weight was 9.33 pounds. Joe said he caught the big fish in twenty-two feet of water using a swimbait. That big fish gave Joe a nice payday of $640.00 to go along with his Big Fish trophy! Steve Gee landed the Third Place Big Fish of the tournament weighing 4.80 pounds and took home $215.00. The weight for the three bass they brought to the scales was 10.05 pounds. Nice team work to Steve and his partner Todd Iwamoto! Twenty – Twenty Eye Surrender Sunglasses was to be awarded to the Twentieth Place team however they were not present to receive their sunglasses, which was a $60 value per pair to be given out. They will be set aside for the TOC and given out in October. Thirtieth Place was a Comfortroll Recessed Pedal which was given away to the team of David Zachgo of Sacramento and his partner Justin Doren of Marysville, who were present to receive their Sponsor Gift. Fortieth Place went to the team of Joe Paez from Provo, Utah and Rickey Paez of Yuba City. They took home some Sponsor Products. Wear It Campaign - a life vest valued at $139.00 was awarded to boat #40, Alex Vlasache as he was present when his number was drawn. This “Wear It” campaign came on board with the BBT to get the word out about wearing life vests while fishing. Remember, you MUST wear your life vest every time you start and run your big motor during the tournament or you will be disqualified. It is also recommended to “wear it” every time you get in your boat, whether you are fishing a tournament or just out having fun. Irwin – Lenox Tools Target Weight Award will be given out at the TOC as the winners were not present to receive these nice sponsor prizes. The Target Award will be a random drawn number to the team who can come closest in weight without going over, will win this award at the event. John Bounds, owner of Out Of Bounds – one of our sponsors of the BBT gave me a card for a boat detail valued at $500.00 to be handed out during the Awards Ceremony to the team who placed in the middle of the field. This team, who was present to except this award, was Brian Richards and Bobby Burgess. They were happy when their boat #11 was drawn to receive it and will have the boat detailed soon! Sponsor Tackle Store receipts were drawn for The Wacky Award – Who Be Do Jigs, Sinister Wacky Worms and M & B Wacky Tool which was given to Kevin Evans, who was present to win these items and it just so happens that his partner’s name was drawn a little while later. Doyle Mc Ewen was happy to receive his Cull Often prize which had Optimum Baits, Swim Bait package which included their Top of the Line, Baby Line Through, Double Diamonds, Diamond Heads and AA Swim Tails. Many of the teams enjoyed a cold drink of 51-Fifty Energy Drink while they attended the Awards Ceremony. 51-Fifty is one of our newest sponsors for the BBT. There were regular and also sugar-free drinks available, which I could not tell the difference between the two as they have no after taste. You must be PRESENT to win any prizes during the Awards Ceremony at every BBT event you fish or your prizes will be forfeited and given out at the TOC. If you happen to win cash and are not present to receive it, you must meet up with your tournament director as money is not sent in 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 also is located on the Sponsors page of the Best Bass Tournaments website, www.bestbasstournaments.com If you purchase $20.00 or more at one of 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 by being a member of the BBT. Once you make a $20.00 or more purchase, save your receipt and write your name and phone number on it then drop it into the bucket at the tournament. You will have the opportunity to win prizes during the Awards Ceremony at each event. 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, the teams would have additional anglers to compete against, so ask your friends if they would like to fish a fun event while competing for money and prizes in addition to saving 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, Kevin Ryan, Rich Reeser, Pat Mateo, Zane Wiley and JD MC Millian. You all did a fantastic job making this tournament run like a well oiled machine! My hat is off to every one of you! 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, Eye Surrender Sunglasses, Out of Bounds, Gowans Printing, AGS Apparel, Wear It – Campaign, Irwin – Lenox, Helly Hansen, 51-Fifty Energy Drink, Sinister Wacky Worms, M & B Wacky Tool, Who-Be-Do Jigs, 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 Northern Region is at Lake Oroville on April 7th. We look forward to seeing you there.  
Thank you, Randy and Sheri Pringle