Tournament Reports September 2011

Drew Benton (right), of Panama City, Fla., and Micheal Smith, of Laurel Hill, Fla., had a better than 5-lb. average in the July 31 tournament at Lake Seminole. Despite hot weather and water temperature, they managed to catch a limit of largemouths that weighed 27.41 pounds.

Many tournament trails are dormant in August, but several trails kept right on fishing. The most impressive tournament results that Georgia anglers would likely be interested in came from the July 31 Media Bass event at Lake Seminole. Drew Benton and Michael Smith weighed in five fish that went 27.41 pounds.

“They located a school and had been on them for three weeks,” said Wes Meadows, tournament director. “They caught them deep cranking hydrilla in 14 to 18 feet of water.”

The team broke off on several other bass that they said could have given them a limit weighing 35 pounds.

Many Seminole anglers have been cranking Strike King’s 6 XD, but Wes said crankbait selection doesn’t matter after the first one hits.

“It’s all about triggering the first one. You can catch them on anything after that,” said Wes.

Up until the July 31 tournament, Media Bass’ winning weights at Seminole had been averaging 26 to 28 pounds. However, since the July 31 event, the fishing has turned poor. Traditionally, the early fall months are some of the toughest ones on Seminole.

The top four in the Aug. 21 ABA-AFT District 96 event at Clarks Hill were (from left) Phillip Anderson, Kent Walker, Brandon Cobb and Randy Gillespie. Phillip’s first-place bag weighed 12.78 pounds and came from up the lake while he fished crankbaits and worms in 10-foot deep brushpiles.