Central Florida Bass Anglers

The September 8^th tournament at Astor on the St. John’s River was going to be fished on a level playing field. Very few, if any, of our club members ever venture that far down, North, on the River. We may be found wandering around Lake Monroe, but you really must want to go to Astor to find yourself there. North of Astor is massive Lake George, with its reputation of huge waves and south is the entrance to Lake Dexter and Lake Woodruff. Dexter/Woodruff seemed to be the most popular place in begin for most of our anglers. Many teams practiced for this event and several spent the night in the Astor area. The extra time really paid off for Robert Jones/Don Infinger. They had been itching for a win this year and with the help of a hard to find hole, they got their first win of the season.

The pair traveled about 5 miles south after out safe light takeoff. Along the west bank is a hard to spot canal that leads to a pocket lake about 50 acres in size. The water was clearer than the river and required light line to entice the wary bass that lived there. This is where Don/Robert began casting. The team threw flukes in different hues but settled on a bluish backed, pearl model as their favorite. Robert said that they caught several limits of 1 ½ lb fish but they would need more than that to win a CFBA event. At about 9:00 the big one hit. Don skittered the fluke across a pad field and nailed the tournaments biggest bass, a 6.61. Had it not been for the lunker, victory would have had to wait. Their best 5 weighted 12.40. Great job!

Dave Gadzak/Greg Biesecker practiced 3 days on the River and had a great game plan. They had 2 producing patterns. One, the least effective, was flipping stretches of deeper water along the main river channel. The primary pattern was to flip and pitch craws in the deepest part of the channel in Dexter. That area also held some fish that could be caught on top water toads. They began their day in the Dexter location. This spot featured water that was about a foot deeper than the surrounding water. They had 2-3 keepers when Greg had a huge strike on the toad, right at the boat. That fish went straight through the thick hydrilla and popped 50 lb braid! After the shock had worn off, the team kept throwing. Then lightning struck again. This time Greg set the hook on a freight train while flipping and POP!, another 50 lb break-off. Either of those fish would have propelled the team to their first win. Instead, they brought in 10.08 and claimed 2^nd. Note: In the last 5 events, this team has 3, 3^rd’s and a second place finish.

Paul Guimarin Sr. & Jr. grabbed 3^rd place with a limit that weighed 8.86. They threw flukes and went through 4 bags of them. I can attest to the fact, their deck was covered in baits with teeth marks on them. The watermelon, black fleck edition paid the most dividends. They would cast and skitter the baits along the surface to get the most strikes. Paul Sr. said they were culling by 8:00. They did the most damage in the area just north of the Dexter/Woodruff canal. Their finish marks their 3^rd money event of the year.

Dennis and Steve Galassi ran North to start their day. I believe they were the only boat to do so. They traveled to Little Lake George and caught 2 nice keepers there on top water prop baits. They left that location and moved to Dexter later in the day and picked up their remaining 2 keepers on soft plastics. They were fishing in the same vicinity of the Guimarins, near the entrance to the Dexter /Woodruff canal. The 4 weighed 8.54 and gave the brothers 4^th place.

The Angler of the Year race was clinched by the team of John Ricketson/Chip Dover with their 8^th place finish Saturday. If they pay an entry fee they will win for the year. The team has 1650 points. The next money positions are hotly contested. Dennis & Steve Galassi are in Second with 1500 and Dave/Gadzak/Greg Biesecker moved into 3^rd with 1480. Paul & Paul Guimarin are in 4^th with 1475. Stan King/Steve Horney are in 5^th with 1455. That means only 9 places separate 2^nd and 5th with one event to go.

Notes: The River looked pretty healthy to me, even after a long hot summer…Only 2 fish died, not bad for 90 degree water… I got to pet 2 manatee’s, I think it’s pretty cool to touch a wild animal…….. Paul Frauenhoffer had an unfortunate event take place Saturday. It seems that a particularly vicious bass grabbed Paul’s worm and jerked the G.Loomis/Chronarch out of his hands and into the water. Before he or Fay could retrieve the rod/reel, the fish took off. If anyone spots a Loomis torpedo speeding past them in Woodruff, please call Paul………Courtesy Anglers had a tournament Saturday out of Crows Bluff….25 boats, 2 limits, 11.94 won it, 5^th had 3.31 lb…Last points tournament of 2007 is next, Harris Chain, Buzzard Beach. I’ll miss it, gonna go to BFL Regional at Clarks Hill in Georgia.

Just a comparison….CFBA 20 boats, 46 fish, 89.35 total lbs., avg. weight/boat 4.47lb, 4 zero’s Courtesy Anglers 25 boats, 25 fish, 53.23 total lbs., avg. weight/boat 2.13 lb, 14 zero’s and the most amazing statistic: NO DQ’s

Chip