Space Coast Bass Finatics traveled to Sebring Florida to visit the renowned big bass factory at Lake Istokpoga only to find that the very people who are tasked to take care of the condition of our lakes, have again destroyed the lakes water grasses. This created a lake of suspended dirty water and silt surrounded by brown buggy whips and dead floating stems. This is perfect for hanging up your lures and hooks and aggravating bass fisherman. The arrival of twenty-four teams was greeted at the launch ramp with a hour and a half passing rain storm which ended just as daylight was breaking. Everything was made much better as soon as Jennifer and Lloyd arrived with boxes full of doughnuts and muffins to get the morning off too a better start.
President Karl and V-P Buddy worked all thru the pouring rain to get the teams into and out of the launch ramp quickly and easily with as little congestion as possible. The president, Karl, then held a short meeting to go over the safety concerns, lake conditions, weigh-in procedure, time check and a reminder that all fish must be released beyond the end of the boardwalk by 100 yards, the penalty for not doing it will be that your boat will be the last to leave the ramp at the next tournament. It was also mandatory for the bass exemptions we received to fish that lake. The weigh-in also introduced our new SCBF club banner and tournament sponsor sign, namely, Shawn Mecchella of Strike Zone of Melbourne, which look good on our website and tournament pictures. The officers are always looking to improve the club so be sure to voice your opinion and make suggestions to make things better for the future of the club.

William Flood and his alternate partner, Andrew Nelson ,a past club member, claimed first place with a limit weighing 15.81 pounds, easily out classing the field of twenty-three teams. Their bag included nothing but fish three pounds or better as their big bass weighed only 3.42 pounds. They said that the fish were holding in the lily pads and sometimes in the open water between pads and were hitting a senko fished slowly. William said he just thought of what his missing partner would do (Mike Calloway) and did that was their pattern to success but I think it was information from his alternate partner who pre-fished that made the difference.

Second place was taken by Jimmy Blount and Jack Berry who bounced back from a disappointing showing last month to weigh in a nice limit at 12.05 pounds with no dead fish penalty. Their bib bass tipped the scales at 3.13 pounds followed by four more in the two and a half pound range. They used their trademark speed worms to catch all their bass around the reeds and pads in the lake. Luckily they did not hit anything with their boat in this lake!

Fred Reid and Jimmy Haggerty took home third place with five fish weighing 11.43 pounds. Their limit was topped off with a nice 5.24 pound big bass which claimed the Big Bass of the tournament by a mere 0.12 pounds. They reported that their best bait of the day was a junebug paddle tail speed worm and like everyone else they fished mostly pads. This tournament moves them into second place on the AOY points race only four points behind Cliff Semonski and Keith Braun who came kin fifth place.

Fourth place was taken by Bob Barnette and Tom Southwick with a 10.17 pound limit and a 5.12 pound big bass even with the one pound dead fish penalty. If they had stayed around at the weigh-in, they would have received a $50.00 gift certificate donated by Shawn Mecchella of Strike Zone of Melbourne, our tournament sponsor.

The fight for small creel was a tight one with four possible entries. Wayne Smith had one for 1.75 pounds, but Jennifer beat that with a 1.36 pounder. until Mike Hampton weighed in his 1.23 pounder. All of which were then beat out by Justin Neal and Justin Sonnier with their 1.21 pound Lake Istokpoga large mouth bass. They claimed the two each $10.00 gift certificate again donate by Shawn Mecchella. Good Job !

This was a tough day on the lake but there were some nice fish weighed in along with eight limits and a total of six-one bass and only five dead fish.
We also have cut down the number of teams who have caught a limit at each of the tournament so far to only four teams.

Lake Cypress will be the next tournament out of the only ramp there, so be ready for tight parking and no facilities on December 15th.

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Submitted by Mike Hampton on