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 Real Time Tournament Results |
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Landry and McFarlain
In order to fish the tournament that is becoming known as "the tournament with a heart", a contestant must get their annual or retirement income directly from employment or engaged in the exploration, production and or servicing oil and gas wells. Spouses or dependents of eligible participants may fish only with that person. The team fills out a registration form, agrees to the tournament rules and is screened to be sure they are eligible. Each team pays an entrance fee.
All participants in the tournament are subject to a polygraph test. The tests not only assure that the integrity of the tournament is maintained but also that the safety rules are followed. The top winners each day are given a polygraph as are several others picked at random from a list determined by tournament officials. Only after all polygraphs have been given are the official standings announced, checks cut and handed out.
Spring rains in the lake area has brought the lake level to near pool stage at 171 feet mean sea level. A warming weather trend the week of the tournament, with nighttime lows in the 50's and daytime highs in the 70's continued to warm the water. Surface temperatures ranged in the high 50's to 64 degrees, prompting bass to the shallow spawning areas. Anglers found the waters near calm as they began fishing at 7 a.m. The morning cloud cover dissipated by 10 a.m. leaving anglers fishing under mostly sunny skies with southwest winds that would build to 10-15 mph by the weigh-in time. It was a comfortable 75 degrees as teams began bringing their catches to the three weigh stations at Cypress Bend Marina. A total of 1,648 fish were brought in by 427 teams weighing 3,757 pounds. Day 1 resulted with less than a 0.01 mortality rate. 19 dead fish were brought to the scales.
Less than six pounds separated the 50th place team from the leaders. With predicated warmer weather and mild winds predicted for Day 2, favorable springtime fishing conditions, the deficit could easily be made up by one big bite or a stumble by the leaders. Day 1 standings
Big Bass Day 1
Day2 Recap Anglers faced Southwest winds as their day began under blue bird skies Saturday, blowing 10-15 mph. As the morning progressed the wind switched slowly to the west and then from the north by weigh in time. It was 83 degrees as teams began to report to the scales. Day 1 leaders Sepulvado and Dean were in the first flight for the day and were one of the first to the scales. The leaders hoisted another 5-fish limit to the digital scales, this one weighing 13.35 pounds. Their two day total set the mark to beat. Herr and Laroux faltered from their previous weight also. They brought in a small 5-fish limit weighing 10.5 pounds. The top two teams were not the only ones who would falter. Not one of the top ten teams of day 1 would make the top 50 weights of day 2. The most dramatic jump in the standings from day 1 to day 2 came when Barnes and Robbins brought in their 24.75 pound 5-fish catch. They were in 180th place on Day 1 with 9.35 pounds and catapulted to the big stringer of the day, anchored by the big bass of the tournament at 10.64 pounds. They would end up 3rd in the final standings. Minutes after the first 10 pound fish was placed safely in the live release barge Jarrod Primeaux and wife Tracey brought in their catch, anchored by a 10.54 fish. Five limits over 20 pounds crossed the scales including Mike Gray and John Turner's 23.24 pound creel, anchored by 5th big bass of the day weighing 7.96 pounds. Lynn Hitt and Ted Price claimed 3rd for the day with 21.4 pounds while Ryan Landry and Scott McFarlain took home checks for 4th spot with 21.21 pounds. They were the most excited of the top six for the day as their day's catch, combined with their 14th place weight of day 1 placed them ahead on the leader board by over 3.5 pounds. Daniel Curtis and Terry Theriot brought in 20.2 pounds to take 5th for the day. Andre Ballard and Robert Green brought in an even 20 pound 5-fish bag to round out the top six. Slightly less weight was brought to the scales on day two, 3,681 pounds. All but one fish was returned to the lake for better than a 99.99% release on day 2. For the complete standings list visit the TOBI website at: http:// www.tobibass.com/ Day 2 Standings
Big Bass Day 2
Final Standings
"I received many compliments about the quality of the tournament from the anglers," said TOBI Board of Directors President Jimmie Moore. "Credit goes to the anglers, sponsors, directors and volunteers who make it possible." "The record turnout this year is due partly to it being the first oilfield tournament of the year," explained Moore who has headed the board for several years. "It's also the tournament's benefit charity that the anglers and sponsors have come onboard. It's a blessing to be able to do good for the children and their families at the Texas Children's Hospital." Moore heads the executive board, committee members and advisors who plan and do the yearly affair. Over 50 volunteers, many whose work behind the scenes make it happen, work almost year-round for the event. In addition to the cash donation TOBI members hold a Christmas visit to the patients of the pediatric dialysis unit and give gifts to patients and their siblings. Each year they hold a fishing day where they take young patients out for a day of fishing, some for the first time in their life. In addition to the benefit to the Children's Hospital from the tournament, the fishermen of the TOBI help local businesses and local tax revenues. One group also benefitting was the junior class of Negreet High School. They earned money for their prom by carrying the 3 + tons of bass from the weigh station to the live release boats. "This is our home on Toledo Bend and we have no plans of going elsewhere," Moore told members of local government, chamber of commerce members and business owners who attended the Thursday press conference. "We will hopefully conduct ourselves as good neighbors and be as welcome when the tournament leaves as when we arrived." TOBI donated $1,000 to the lake restocking program An unusual event for a bass tournament occurred at the beginning of Saturday evening's festivities. Richard Porter and his fishing partner Stephanie Ysasaga were called up to the stage. "You are my fishing partner for this tournament," Porter said to Ysasaga when they were on stage. "Will you be my fishing partner for life?" A hug and kiss told of her acceptance. Tournament staff presented her with a veil and flowers. The engaged couple, from Oklahoma City then walked under crossed fishing poles provided by committee members. Porter, who has been a TOBI committee member or volunteer every year of the TOBI said that the date had not been set yet but would be two years away. When asked if the ceremony would be at a TOBI tournament, Porter only smiled. Skeeter Boats again donated the grand door prize to the TOBI. The Skeeter Demo Team, headed by Captain Steve Crowell, was on hand to give demonstration rides in bass and bay boats to contestants and the public. Sales Manager John Presley of Jasper's Dawson Marine was on hand with display boats. they targeted fish in 4-6 feet of water around hydrilla. They used Texas rigged-Senko baits, with 3/16 ounce weights, in dips and ditches. The technique had produced but 9 pounds, the biggest fish 2 ½ pounds, on the opening day but they felt the area held big fish. They returned to their spot Saturday and had several fish in the boat when they hit the mother load at around 1 o'clock. "I spotted two big fish on a nest," said Barns. "I made repeated pitches to the clear spot with a Yum white crawfish bait on a 3/16 ounce jig head. It must have been 12 or so casts before I saw he had it. I set the hook and brought in the 6 ½ pound male. After unhooking her I went for the female." It again took repeated pitches to get the female to take and hold the crawfish but when it did he set the hook and the fight was on. "Rick didn't even notice I had the net tangled in his rod tip," said Robbins. "He was too busy fighting the fish. But I managed to untangle it and net the bass." The 10.64 pound bass was not only a personal best for Barns but the tournament big bass. It anchored the largest stringer of the tournament. They earned $1,500 for Big Bass on Day 2, $1,500 for best stringer of day 2, a check for $900 for third place overall and the plaque award for Big Bass of the tournament. The duo has been fishing for 8 years together in TOBI events and it was their best finish ever. Gear of choice included Shimano rods and reels spooled with 12 and 14 - pound test Pline. "She's my partner when I fish the TOBI," said Jarrod Primeaux of his wife Tracy, winners of the second big bass on day 2, with a 10.54 pound lunker. "She did a great job netting the bass." Jarrod's biggest bass ever bit a ½ ounce Rat-L-Trap, burnt orange in color with gold bars on it, at 7:30 a.m. in 4 feet of water in a mid lake area near grass. He was using a Castaway rod and Academy Sports H20 reel spooled with 12-pound test Suffix line. He captained their Allison boat, powered by Mercury motor. His father Kenneth was also fishing the TOBI. "He's had a pole in his hands since age 3," said the proud father. Second big bass earned the couple $1,000 and helped them place in 4th place for day 2. Henry Childress' big bass on day two weighed 9.55 pounds and was third big bass on Day 2 and third big bass of the tournament. His big bite came at 12:30 p.m. while using a weightless Zoom Brush hog, in watermelon red flake, in 4 feet of water in Bison. He wrestled the large bass to the boat using a Kisler rod and Ambassador reel, spooled with 17-pound test Stren line. His partner Chris Sexton netted the bass and shared the $800 check for the catch.  |
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