Atwell and Moore win last Fishers of Men 2008 Contest
By Donald Gervais (dongerv@yahoo.com)

Cypress Bend Marina - Robert Moore and David Atwell captured the final event of the 2008 season of the Fishers of Men (FOM) East Texas trail on May 17 with a five-fish limit weighing 16.82 pounds. Travis Killough, 15-years of age, took the big bass honors with an 8.79 pound Toledo Bend lunker. Gary Baker and Jason Dew claimed the Team of the Year title.

An early morning nip in the air greeted the 24 teams who competed in the final event of the 2008 FOM trail. A cold front that had passed through the area dropped temperatures into the 60's overnight. The sun would pop in and out from between the clouds before noon, afterwards a cloud cover remained. Although the air temperature would heat up to 70 degrees by the 3 p.m. weigh time, anglers didn't find a hot bite on the water. Sixteen five fish limits would be carried to the scales, the majority made up of small swimmers.

Moore and Atwell were one of the first in line at the marina pavilion. Their bag contained a 5.56 pound fish and set the marks for the others. They waited anxiously as teams lifted their sacks to the scales trying to surpass 16.82 pounds.

Rodney Howard, circuit director, is shown with Robert Moore (center) and David Atwell, winners of the May 17 Fishers of Men, East Texas, team tournament held on Toledo Bend. They had a five-fish limit weighing 16.82 pounds. See story for their winning ways.

Big bass slipped to the team of Larry Dickenson and Dawson Schnautz whose 15.76 pound creel included a 5.95 pound fish and one just shy of 5 pounds. They would hold the top bass for a short while.

Gary Babb and Chris Honeycutt hoisted their bag to the digital scales and took the big fish spot. Their 15.74 pound catch was anchored by a 6.84 pound fish, placing them in 3rd.

Babb and Honeywell slipped one spot in the standings and lost big bass rights when the father and son team of Douglas and Travis Killough followed. Travis proudly placed his big fish first on the scales. The 8.79 pound sow was the best ever catch for the Kountze High School freshman. The team's total of 15.98 pounds placed them in second place.

Travis Killough (center) uses two hands to show his best ever bass (8.79 pounds) that took big bass at the final tournament of the 2008 season of the Fishers of Men team trail held May 17 at Toledo Bend Reservoir. Douglas Killough (far right) and tournament director Rodney Howard show part of the father and son runner up catch that weighed 15.98 pounds.

One other challenge came towards the end of the weigh in when Jeremy Burge and Steve Rhea brought a solid sack to weigh master and tournament director Rodney Howard. Their total of 15.42 pounds placed them in 5th place.

Team of the year anglers Baker and Dew, who led the point race by 17 points over two teams tied for second going into the final leg of the season race, managed to place 6th with their catch of 14.41 pounds.

Taking home the 7th place and last team to claim a check were Will Lloyd and Stephen Burgay for their 13.7 pounds of bass.

"This was the lowest turnout of the year," said Howard. "The nearly $5 a gallon cost for gas is taking its toll and was a deciding factor for many who chose not to fish the last event with us."

Larry Dickenson (left) and Dawson Schnautz (right) with Rodney Howard (center), tournament director, show the catch that earned them third place in the fifth and final tournament of the Fishers of Men, East Texas team tournament 2008 season. See story for how the duo caught their keepers which included two at the 5-pound mark.

The top 26 teams of the East Texas circuit advance to the regional event, not yet announced by the national office of the FOM. The team of the year gets an automatic by to the national event, it too not announced. The top 25 teams of each regional contest will advance to the national championship.

Fishing and Christian fellowship are the trademarks of the FOM. Each fishing day is preceded by a registration meeting and an evening meal. 100 people partook of last supper of the season, eats provided by D'Lish catering of Woodville, one of the tournament sponsors.

"We presented Dino Howe, a tournament staff member and soldier stationed at Fort Polk, with some gifts in appreciation for his work with us," added Howard. "He is headed to Okinawa for three years and we wish him and his family the best."

Gary Baker (left) and Jason Dew claimed 6th place in the final event of the 2008 season of the Fishers of Men, East Texas, team tournament, held May 17 on Toledo Bend Reservoir. The finish gave them the points to claim the season team championship title.

Howard said that the circuit and he would return in 2009. Publication date for the 2009 season is to be sometime in September and would be made available on their website at: http://www.fomntt.com/division.php?id=46 and be made available to the Lake Caster. See the FOM East Texas site for the full season standings and full tournament results.

Major Sponsors of the FOM include: Triton boats, Mercury Marine, All Star Rods, Strike King Lure Company, Reese Marine, Shakespeare, XTools and Pflueger.

Winning Ways

"We were both surprised our weight was enough to win today," said co-winner Atwell, of Woodville, who captained his Triton boat, powered by a Yamaha outboard. "At this time of the year 20 pound stringers are usually needed, but we'll take it."

It was the best finish for the team, fishing in their first year in the circuit, as they targeted fish in the northern Texas area of the lake in depths of 11-13 around grass. They reported catching 20 fish during the day with the best bite coming before midday. A "light" Carolina- rigged trick worm, fished with a ¼ ounce weight and a 24 inch leader produced. They used several colors of worms including redbug, green pumpkin and watermelon.

Rods and reels combinations included All Star/Abu Garcia and Castaway rods and Abu and Shimano reels. Berkeley Big Game line, green-colored was spooled on the reels.

The winning duo had located fish the prior weekend, in sunny conditions, close to grass edges. They reported that surface temperature had dropped to 73 and with the cloud cover the fish were not holding along the edges as before but were scattered and harder to locate.

"I have to give credit to Mike Holmes, Mr. Blitz for the hooks and tackle we used to take the win," said Moore of Spurge. "A big thanks to him."

There was a tone of pride as the elder Killough spoke of the day's fishing of the #2 team. He had after all put a pole in his son's hands at age 3 and witnessed Travis' best ever catch.

"He definitely put the whopping on me today," said the elder Killough. "Travis caught the two biggest fish we had and now has claim to catching he biggest bass in the family."

The runners up also went to Texas areas in the northern reaches of the lake, targeting fish located on ridges along the river channel in depths of 7-8 feet. A ½ ounce football head jig tipped with a Gary Yamamoto Twin Tail, in green pumpkin, accounted for their limit. The big fish bit at 10 a.m. They managed 8 keepers through the day with the bite pretty much over after 11:30 a.m.

Gear for the team, fishing for the second year in the FOM circuit, included Castaway rods and Quantum reels, spooled with 20 pound Segar Fluorocarbon line. They reached their spots with a Ranger boat,powered b aYamaha outboard.The father and son,who qualified, plan to make it to the regional.

Several baits accounted for the five fish catch of third place anglers Dickenson and Schnautz. Pop-R's, wacky rigged red bug trick worms and watermelon/pearl colored frogs were used in shallow water (2-10 feet) around pepper grass in mid Lake Texas areas.

Tackle for the Conroe team, fishing their 3rd year in the circuit, included Kistler rods and Shimano reels spooled with 12 -pound test Vanish line and 15-pound test Big Game green line. Schnautz captained his Bass Cat boat, powered by a Mercury motor.

"Hard work and lots of time on the water," is what team of the year member Dew credits for the success they have had on the water in 2008. The hard work resulted in two runner up , a top 5 and the worst, a 14th place finish over the season.

The team, brothers-in-law, can easily be mistaken as kin in appearance, right down to their goatees. They have fished together for 15 years. This was their 5th season in FOM and finished 2nd, 3rd and 4th in prior season point races.

Dew, a forestry worker with Temple Inland, is from Pineland. He piloted his Ranger boat, powered by a Yamaha motor this year. Baker is owner of Terrill Petroleum of Hemphill, which sponsors the team. They will definitely fish the regional and divisional contests they added.

NOTE: Congratulations to the season qualifiers and good luck in the regional and national contests. Kudos goes to Rodney and his team for executing an excellent circuit. Thanks to all the anglers for the praise and comments about the Lake Caster. Let the staff know what you like and don't like. Sorry we can't get the GPS points of the winners.