Space Coast Bass Finatics held their third tournament of the season at Ralph Chisholm Park on East Lake Toho and there were many challenges to overcome before the day was over. The first seemed to be just to find the launch ramp after which finding a place to dock your boat without getting your feet wet was next. Finding fish in the lake or its adjoining lakes and canals proved to be just as tough. The club history on this body of water has been one of small fish, low weights, changing conditions, windy weather and down right dangerous conditions. The weather was great for us as we started the day off with a nice cool morning with some variable winds and then a nice warm up as the day ended. The club did add two new or almost new teams as Mark and Tyler Williams returned from last year and Dave Tripp (partner TBD) became our twenty-seventh and twenty-eight teams to sign up this year which means we only have two spaces available for the year to become the thirty team club we wanted to be. President Bill was doing double duty as VP William Flood is undergoing some medical treatment and probably will be out for a couple of months. There seemed to be a lot of alternates fishing with us this month, seven in all, but maybe it was because of East Lake Toho's pass results. We still fielded twenty-seven teams which is another milestone for the club. Bill then sent everyone out with a reminder for good sportsmanship and to be extra careful in the connecting canals between the lakes. The weigh-in began precisely at three pm with the help of Matt Byrd on the golden rule measuring fish and checking for dead fish also Mike Calloway was working the camera so that we can get those big limits on the web site for all to see.
First place goes to Brian Davidson and Vince Verzi who literally went from worst to first, rebounding from last months mechanical breakdown on Cypress Lake, by posting a limit weighing 11.36 pounds and claiming top honors for the day. What a come back! Their success came on speed worms and swim baits on the outside of the reed lines and they moved all around the lake to find their winning limit.
Mike Calloway (without partner William Flood) used skinny dippers and some flukes to bag a limit weighing 11.17 pounds to claim second place. Fishing inside the buggy whips around the flat pads and grass proved to be the right choice. His only complaint was not having anyone to net the fish or take to all day.
Matt Hinman and (alt.) Rodney Glunt took third place by the slimmest of margins with a limit weighing 11.10 pounds . They reported that flippin the heavy grass mats inside the buggy whips and throwing swim jigs accounted for their limit.
Clayton and Gary Clark scored a fourth place finish with a limit weighing 10.21 pounds and received a $ 50.00 dollar gift certificate from our friends at Strike Zone of Melbourne. This brings them into a tie for AOY points race with Brian Cole and Erick Pickton who finished right behind them with 9.99 pounds.
Jack Berry and Jimmy Blount rounded out the top six with a limit of 9.30 pounds and included the tournament Big Bass weighing 3.87 pounds which Jack caught using a speed worm as usual.
Small Creel was supposed to go to Buddy Perry and (alt) Rich Patterson, then it went to Cass Castiglioni and George Ragusin, then it went to Mark Williams and (alt) Anthony Courtney then it was finally claimed by Jennifer and Lloyd Hamilton who stayed to the end of the weigh-in and won. This is why you should stay to the end of the tournament, to win prizes, congratulate the winners and get the last words from President Bill. A special thanks from the President for the help at the tournament form Matt Byrd and Mike Calloway and we will see you at the next tournament on December 16th at Miami-Garcia in Fellsmere.
