The decision to move this months tournament to Lake Kissimmee worked out for the best as twenty-six teams arrived at Overstreet Landings launch ramp to find a much better lake level than Miami-Garcia. The check-in procedure was a little different as the teams tried to keep the social-distancing mandates from FWC. President Karl and V-P President Buddy did their best to inform each team as to the new weigh-in procedures and time check without the need for a formal pre-launch meeting prior to the start. Most of the club got the message of the change in location in their e-mail or on the website but some had a problem just getting to the ramp, like Raymond whose truck brakes went out, and some of our members are having some unexpected medical conditions, like Jimmy Blount, Dave Tripp, Al Wells and Charlie Rigby. We are all hoping everything will look better for them before the next tournament. Daybreak came and Fred Reid and Jimmy Haggerty called out the boat numbers to start the tournament day. The club will have to check the record books as there were several fish brought to the scales over the eight pound mark and a new Big Bass record will certainly be set today.
First place was easily taken by Matt Hinman and Gary Hinman, who traveled to West Lake Toho and came back with an impressive five bass limit weighing in at 27.81 pounds. Their megabag was capped off by two giant bass that were equally impressive. Gary Hinman bested his brother with a 9.67 pounder which set a new record for Club Big Bass of the Year followed closely by Matt's 9.56 pounder which was also better than the previously set record. They reported that swim jigs was the weapon of choice in the hydrilla grass fields of West Lake Toho. This is the third heaviest bag ever to be weighed in a Space Coast Bass Finatics club tournament. CONGRATGULATIONS !
Brian Wical and Junior Solis claimed second place by weighing in a five fish limit at 21.41 pounds, which also included two heavy weigh bass. The heaviest being 9.00 pounds would also have set a new club big bass record, except for that other megabag of heavy weights that came in today. They claimed that throwing a chatter bait over the hydrilla grass was their presentation also in West Lake Toho.
Third place goes to Mike Neal and Justin Sonnier who also traveled to West Lake Toho to bring back 20.69 pounds. Their limit was anchored by a nice 6.09 pounder and another five and a half pounder which seemed very common on Sunday. They reported that a spinner bait was their best weapon in taking most of their bass.
Don Hinman and Ken Winter came in fourth place with 19.23 pounds and also fished in West Lake Toho, to claim the tournament sponsor gift certificates from Strike Zone of Melbourne. Brian Cole and (alt) Mike Marino claimed the small creel award also from Shawn Mecchella of Strike Zone, with a huge Lake Kissimmee bass weighing 2.16 pounds.
The fish survival rate was much better as there were only three dead fish at the weigh-in this month, which is a big improvement over last month. We will be fishing West Lake Toho next month on the 31st out of the City Ramp next to Big Toho Marine. BE THERE !
