January 12, 2003 Lake Berryessa, CA
Luman and Baumann Win Berryessa

Luman and Baumann
	King's Big Bass
Results

As we drove north on Interstate 5, I wondered if the weather person's prediction was right. Heavy clouds wind to 10 mph and rain off and on all day. Right now the wind was light and you could see a few stars. I was keeping my fingers crossed!

We arrived at Markley Cove a bit past 05:00 and the parking lot and office was full of awaiting anglers. We quickly had things set up for registration. As the anglers signed-up they were given sample packs of Yamamoto baits and bags of RoboWorm products. Mike Brakebill of RoboWorm sent a few new colors that had been previously available to RoboWorm pro staff. Mike said the new colors had been created specifically for these Northern California lakes and he wanted the anglers' comments. The California Foothills Division seemed to be field-testing RoboWorms new colors! The new colors will be available at your local tackle shops the end of this month!

A total of 37 teams showed up to out guess the bass and Mother Nature. Marcel Colin drew number 24 to be the first boat out. Boat 24 through 4 would weigh-in at 3:00 p.m. and teams 5 through 23 at 3:15 p.m. As we all motored wakeless through the 5 mph zone to the mouth of Markley Cove, where we would blast off. You could see the fog creeping mysteriously up and over the face of Montecello Dam and hovering across the surface of Lake Berryessa. An eerily yet beautiful sight as the planing bass boats disappeared into the haze. Would make a perfect beginning to a "Twighlight Zone" episode!

The clouds got worse, the wind picked up a bit. Then the wind calmed and the cloud cover settled a bit. A steady overcast and barely a breeze became the norm for the day. And it held through to weigh-in. The teams arrived right on time and limits were the rule of the day. The majority of the weights were in the 8 to 9 pound range. That was until Cliff King and Eric Parra, winners of our Folsom Lake event, came to the scales and asked for TWO bags. Their four fish in one bag weighed-in at 6.94 then when you add the 9.01 largemouth in the other bag their limit totaled 15.95. They looked to have another win in the bag! But Rod Luman and Loyd Baumann would have somthing to say about that! They too asked to two bags at the scales. We weighed their big largemouth first.......7.89! Throw in their other four fish and they overtook 1st place with a 16.88 pound 5 fish limit! Once all were accounted for Rod and Loyd were in fact Champions of the 2nd event in the California Foothills Division on Lake Berryessa. They received $1360 for 1st place and 84 Lumber sponsored plaques along with $175 of option money. Loyd also received a tackle assortment courtesy of the Fishin' Depot and Russ Graves, a team set of EZ-Cul-RZ floating rope culling system and the powdered fish attractant Craw-Cane for his 7.89 2nd Big Bass. Cliff King and Eric Parra held on to 2nd place for their awesome 15.95 limit. They received $680 for 2nd place, 84 Lumber sponsored plaques and $105 in option money. Cliff king's 9.01 Big Bass of the event netted him $360 and a $260 Tactical Assault Revolver Rod Pro Series 8' flippin' Stik. If his 9.01 largemouth holds on as the Biggest Bass of the Year in the Foothills Division he will receive an Ultra-Linings spray-on bedliner from Ultra Truck Works in Elk Grove courtesy of Jesse Angeles. Steve Thurmon and Terry Honkanen weighed in a 10.54 limit good for 3rd place, $585, 84 Lumber sponsored plaques and $70 in option money. Fourth place,$450, and 84 Lumber sponsored plaques were award to Fil Torres ad Ryan Ollenberger for their 10.53 limit. Ron Brown, George Umberbger and Randy Marshall, Greg McCosker tied for 5th place for their 10.34 limits. Each team got $340 and one 84 Lumber sponsored plaque, had to split the plaques between them. Lou Turold and Dan Eckhart's 5 fish weighed in at 9.65 a was good for 7th place and $255. Our Lucky S.O.B. (Son of a Bass) one spot out of the money side pot, $170, went to Rick Winger and Todd Storm for their 9.37 limit. Of the 37 teams 29 weighed in limits.

After the awards I had a few gift certificates to give out. Tom Sams was the winner of the Sunny's Electric Marine trolling motor tune-up certificate valued at $125. Ryan White and Phil Clark each won a $50 84 Lumber gift certificate. And Mike VanWagner and Mike Moad each won a $25 gift certificate from Just Fishin' in Rancho Cordova courtesy of David Yates. Once all was said and done, it was a good event and some great fishing. It was then that Mother Nature decided to bless us with the down pour as if she had planed it that way.

I would like to thank the friendly staff of Markley Cove for always making us welcome. Thanks as well to my brother Dan Davis, my nephew Jerame Davis and Ron Herrin for the great job they do at registration and weigh-in. And THANKS to our national sponsors BassCat, Mercury, MotorGuide, Yamamoto, Lowrance, Hambys, Competitive Edge and Bass West magazine. Also a BIG thanks to our local and divisional sponsors 84 Lumber, Just Fishin' Boats, Tactical Assault Revolver Rods, Ultra Truck Works, RoboWorm, EZ-Cul-Rz, Craw-Cane and Sacramento Pro Tackle. Everyone here helps to make our division fun and enjoyable. Our next event is at Folsom Lake on February 16th out of Brown's Ravine. Once again registration will be at the IHOP in Folsom. If you have any questions please e-mail me at 481terry@msn.com. See you at Folsom Lake!