2012 Stren Team Series Championship on Pickwick-Day 3 Results: Apr 14, 2012
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2012 Fishers Of Men NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
PRESENTED BY PFLUEGER
Mike Smith and Brian Jordan Cruise to Victory at the FOM “Stren Team Series” $125,000.00 Pickwick Lake National Championship
By: Frank Evans, Senior Writer
4/14/11, Florence, AL… Young Mike Smith and Brian Jordan just missed a national championship title two years ago at Guntersville; however, today their dreams came true as they blew away all competition by nearly seven pounds to become the 2012 FOM “Stren Team Series” National Champions. The Tennessee East boys netted catches of 22.69, 20.41, and 19.73, today, thus claiming the title with 62.63 lbs. The ecstatic new champs will now be towing home a brand new Skeeter 21FX, powered by the strong-running 250 hp, Yamaha, V MAX, 4.2 liter Super High Output, V6 outboard and other amenities that lift its value to $72,000.00, $250.00 for their Day-1, 7.45 lbs, 2nd Big Fish, and a good share of Bonus Bucks money, along with their good-looking Championship plaques. Brian was surprised to see his Dad come up on the stage for the weighin after driving down from East Tennessee earlier today. Congratulations are in order for the well-deserved new champs, in finding a couple areas out of 43,000 acres, which held good fish, and milking them for three days then, knowing what to use and when to move.
Brian and Mike worked Strike King, 6-XDs in Green Gizzard Shad, along 15 to 17 foot channel ledges near the Indian Creek and Second Creek areas, where stripers and bass congregated early each day. They wanted to thank Dwayne Wilson of Dixie Custom Rods. His sensitive blades helped the two feel the rocky bottom. As the baits encountered resistance, Mike and Brian would ease up, then rip the 6-XDs away and the big bass couldn’t resist. Though a few other baits produced some bass, it was the big Strike King, deep-diving 6-XDs that brought the bacon to the boat.
Our 2nd place finishers had only 5 1/2 hours to fish each day as they locked through to Wilson. Once there, Chase and Bryan Reeves slowly worked texas-rigged, Paca Craws (Net Baits) and Grn/Pumkin, Zoom, Critter Craws amid the rock and gravel on the flats up from the dam in 6 to 8 feet of water. Once locked back into Pickwick, Bryan and Chase tossed Strike King, Chartreuse Shad colored swimbaits in the rocky waters around the tailraces to collect several nice bass during the three days of the tournament. The AL-NW boys boated 18.23, 17.28, and 18.41, respectively.
Moving up from 6th to finish 3rd overall with 53.92, are Casey Martin and Eric Johnson. Eric and Casey, AL-NE, also locked through to Wilson where they cast Mega Bass hard jerkbaits and Reaction Innovations, Skinny Dippers attached to Alabama-type rigs in 8 to 12 feet of water.
Chris Hunt and Bee Patrick, AL-NW, worked water close to the ramp each day in order to collect 17.12, 19.02, and 15.61 lbs and take 4th place. Their 51.75 fell for Zoom green-pumpkin finesse worms on “Casting Lures of Florence” shaky head jigs and Strike King 2.5, square-billed, Sexy Shad crankbaits.
North Carolina Piedmont anglers, Steve Singleton and A L Needham took 5th place with 50.54. Their main tool used to boat 16.84, 16.59, and 17.11 were worms on shaky head jigs knotted to 8 lbs test line. Steve and A L won the Day 3, $250.00, 2nd BF Award for their 5.57 lbs bass. Not bad for a team who had never been to Pickwick before the 3 days of practice!
The 5.58 lbs, Day 3, $500.00, 1st Big Fish Award went to Larry and Shawn Salyers, LA-NC, who stated they flipped jigs to brush in 4 to 5 ft of water to net 25 to 30 fish each day.
We want to thank Pflueger, Presenting Sponsor, along with event hosts, Debbie Wilson and Suzie Shoemaker with Florence/Lauderdale Tourism, and our special speaker, FLW Pro Mark Rose. We also, want to thank the Florence City Park Police. Sgt. Randy Lee, Patrolman Mike Richie, and Frazier Anderson have been on the job round-the-clock helping any way they can and each, as friendly as ever one could be.
We want to take this opportunity to thank all the fine companies that make Fishers of Men possible. Primary Sponsors: Skeeter Boats, Yamaha Outboards, Stren, Pflueger Fishing, Markel American Insurance Company, Nestor Hosiery, Strike King Lure Company, Power Pole. Presenting Sponsors: Marshall’s Marine, Helly Hansen Outdoor Gear/Sporting Goods, Keelshield, Buckeye Lures, Jacobs Glass. Official Sponsors: Solar Bat, Duckett Fishing, Berkley Fishing Products, FibroTex, HydroWave and Outdoor Specialty Products, (Rejuvenade "Next Generation"®).
