Maxwell's Win Opener By Eighth Ounce On Geist!

(Geist Res – Fishers, In)

The Fishers of Men Indiana North Division kicked off the season with its first of five scheduled events on Geist Reservoir in Fishers on April 17th. The group started off the season with its traditional Friday night meeting at Trinity Church East Fishers just a mile away from the Olio Road launch. The Midwest Regional Team Director Carl Parks of Illinois joined the group welcoming new Indiana North Division director Shawn Hamrick. Parks shared his excitement with Hamrick taking over the reins as the new north division director and his focus will not be just on fishing but the mission of Fishers of Men. Fishers of Men is the largest Christian based bass fishing circuit in the United States with a focus to introducing Jesus to fishermen and their families and to invite them into a relationship with Him, through bass fishing tournaments. Campus Pastor Mike Schultz of Trinity Church East Fishers shared with the group of anglers on Friday night, “many times we consider ourselves fishers and not the fish. In life we are enticed by the lures of the world getting us caught in addictions leading to sin and destruction.” Schutz shared when we are caught like a bass we often struggle to shake free from the grips of the lure. The redeeming grace of God, his love and forgiveness is what sets us all free. The meeting was concluded with the tournament rules being covered by North Division director Hamrick and prayer.

On Saturday morning seven teams throughout Indiana and the team of Parks and Freeman from Illinois headed out from the Olio Road ramp battling cold temps of just forty degrees at sunrise. The morning started out overcast for the duration of the first three hours but turned to a partly sunny day near sixty.  The day concluded with weight in at four with the team of Sam Maxwell and Ron Maxwell coming to the scales with five fish weighing 12.63 pounds taking first place. The team of Mikael Robbin and Gary Straber came in second with five bass as well being edged out with 12.50 pounds. Cousins Austin Graber and Darlynn Graber rounded out the top three with three bass at 7.08 pounds. Austin Graber also took home big bass honors hauling in a 4.16 pound large mouth. The Indiana North Division will hold its second tournament on Lake Shafer in Monticello on May 8th.

Place	Team	Members	# Fish	Big Fish	Gross	Penalty	Net Wt	Points
1	27356	Sam Maxwell Ron Maxwell	5	0	12.63	0	12.63	150
2	27384	Garrick Straber Mikael Robbins	5	0	12.5	0	12.5	149
3	27360	Austin Graber Darlynn Graber	3	4.16	7.08	0	7.08	148
4	27362	Al Hopkins Dan Miller	2	0	5.78	0	5.78	147
5	27383	Aaron Himes Wyatt Badgley	1	0	2.93	0	2.93	146
6	27359	McCallister "Cal" Clouser Laramie Clouser	0	0	0	0	0	145
7	27361	Carl Parks Lance Freeman	0	0	0	0	0	145
8	27358	Rusty Low Terry McWilliams	0	0	0	0	0	145
1st Place (12.63) Sam Maxwell & Ron Maxwell 2nd Place (12.50) Garrick Straber & Mikael Robbins Mikael Robbins & Garrick Straber Austin Graber 4.16 Big Bass Austin Graber & Darlynn Graber