Angler's Choice "The Largest Team Bass Fishing Trail in America"

By John J. Reidler (John is sponsored by Cannon Express “Custom Built Rods” and Cannon Express Weigh-in-Facilities)

Lake Level: 610.5 slight release, 606 full pool
Temp: 80 degrees warming to 85 in main lake
Water color: Slight Stain all over the lake
Conditions: Cloudy, breezy and cool 60 degrees to start 78 at weigh-in

Don Carrow and Ron Seabaugh get win
Lonnie Franklin and Bob Peneston take 2nd
David Junk, Steve Cook 3rd place

Cool temperatures and a slight breeze greeted the Mark Twain, Angler’s Choice division Saturday morning as the fishermen headed out with a 6:00 a.m. start. The fishing sure wasn’t much hotter than the temperature with only the team of Don Carrow and Ron Seabaugh finding a five fish limit. The fishing may be cool but the angler of the year standing points race is heating up. The top five points leaders from last month have found the results of this tournament bringing big changes in the standings. Dale and Earl Carver dropped from first place to fifth place after not showing up for this tournament. Bob Peneston and Lonnie Franklin are now leading the pack with 419.42 points. Don Carrow and Ron Seabaugh are hot on their trail with 417.22 and John and Debbie Reidler are in third place with 395.02 points. Mike and Jonathan Wear moved up to fourth place with 341.43 points. The division points leaders will be competing against the other 13 North division points leaders for an additional $2,500.00 cash, $1,000.00 worth of Competitive Edge tackle and a Gary Yamamoto package which includes a $500.00 certificate for baits during the Regionals at Dale Hollow Lake in November. Besides the opportunity to win three fully rigged Bass Cat Boats the additional play-off money and prizes has the anglers inspired.
Don Carrow and Ron Seabaugh were able to put together the only five fish limit of the tournament. The 10.26 lb. bag came intermittently throughout the day. The last keeper came with 20 minutes left on a Crok-O-Gator Salt Stick in Smoke Purple. Fishing Shell Branch and main lake points with Crok-O-Gator tubes and the salt stick the two fishermen found the fish in 10 to 15 feet of water. “The fishing was slow” said Don, “we didn’t really catch that many shorts either”. Don and Ron are from Imperial, MO and are sponsored by Twin City Marina and Crok-O-Gator Baits.
Lonnie Franklin of Mexico, MO and Bob Peneston from Fulton, MO accomplished what they were hoping to do this tournament and that is to move up to first place in the angler of the year standings point race. With two fish the Residential Aid workers at the MO School for the Deaf landed the big bass of the day weighing in at 3.75 lbs. The fish came from the South Fork of the lake 20 minutes into the tournament day on a buzz bait. They moved to the Middle Fork area of the lake to catch the second keeper on a Texas rigged, Pumpkin lizard. The two fish second place sack weighed 5.48 lbs.
David Junk and Steve Cook , both from Quincy Illinois caught headed down to dam to catch their fish on a Green Gamemaster, ½ ounce jig. The two fisherman concentrated in the 15 foot depth zone and the 3.70 lbs. fish was enough to get them third place. David is sponsored by Gamemasters of Quincy Ill, Falcon Rods and Yamaha.

The next Angler’s Choice, Mark Twain Division is August 7th. Come to the non-mandatory pre meeting held at South Fork Resort at 7:pm the evening before the tournament day. $100.00 is given away at each meeting and each new member receives an attendance bag of Competitive Fishing Tackle and a subscription to the quarterly Bass West Magazine. For more information check out the Cannon Express website at www.cannonxpress.com.
Angler’s Choice is sponsored by Bass Cat Boats, Mercury Motors, Motorguide, Bass West Magazine, Competitive Edge Tackle, Solar Bat Sunglasses, Rejuvenade, Wilson Trophy’s and the Mark Twain Division is sponsored additionally by Croc-O-Gator Baits, Cannon Express “Custom Built Rods” and Skyview Rehab Construction Company. Skyview gave the $100.00 attendance prize money away at the non-mandatory pre meeting. Call for details on the meeting place next month.