It was May 31, 2015. It was Garcia. There were lots of mosquitoes at the boat ramp in the morning. Skegs impacted bottom and fence posts. Gelcoat was scared. It seemed like everyone except for me caught a 4+ pounder and amassed over 15 pounds in a 5 fish limit or at least had a story about missed opportunities and loud swearing. Clyde and Ramond Taylor of Palm Bay reigned supreme with 5 fish for 16.94 pounds. Bob Barnette of Port St. John and Tom Southwick of Cocoa Beach were a close second with 5 fish for 16.53 pounds. Dwayne Haga and Dave Metzler took 3rd with an 8.30 pound big bass from Haga and 5 fish totaling 16.05. Hinman/Sparkling earned the small creel prize of a can of Red Bull and a can of mixed nuts with 2 fish for 3.98 pounds. It was donated by the club. In other words, Mike Hampton funded it. What a guy, that club president! You should consider voting for him again next year!
One all time club record fell at this event and one was tied. The record for most fish weighed in a 1 day event was tied at 83 with the original mark being set on April 28, 2002 at Garcia. The total weight record for a 1 day event was eclipsed. It was 201.03 lbs and also set at Garcia back on April 28, 2002. Now it's 219.12 pounds. Nobody caught a limit over 17 pounds, but half the boats had over 13 pounds.
If you're wondering why there's no photo of 2nd place, it's because Barnette/Southwick didn't want to stress their fish further for the photo. They opted instead to release them back into the lake ASAP after weighing them. Mike Calloway wanted you to know he tried!
It wasn't very windy for a change.
Air Temperature: lower 70s to upper 80s
Water Temperature: upper 80s (Calloway noted the temperature range between 86-92)
Conditions: cloudy with a thunderstorm that stayed north and west of the lake with an E wind building from 5 to 15 throughout the day
The winners reported catching their fish using the following tricks:
- 1st Place: junebug colored 10" worms and some kind of swimbaits
- 2nd Place: black & blue worms (uncharacteristically not trick worms)
- 3rd Place & Big Bass: flipping junebug colored Berkley Havoc Pit Bosses
Raymond Taylor (left) and Clyde Taylor with 16.94 pounds of Garcia bass for 1st place at our tournament on May 31, 2015. (Photo by Mike Calloway)
Dave Metzler (left) and Dwayne Haga with 16.05 pounds of Garcia bass for 3rd place at our tournament on May 31, 2015. (Photo by Mike Calloway)
Dwayne Haga his 8.30 pound Garcia Big Bass at our tournament on May 31, 2015. (Photo by Mike Calloway)
Gary Hinman with a 7.82 pound Garcia bass on May 31, 2015. (Photo by Mike Calloway)
Mike Calloway (left) and Cliff Semonski with 15.68 pounds of Garcia bass on May 31, 2015.
Greg Fisher (left) and Gary Hinman with 15.21 pounds of Garcia bass on May 31, 2015. (Photo by Mike Calloway)
Mike Neal (left) and Justin Neal with 15.02 pounds of Garcia bass on May 31, 2015. (Photo by Mike Calloway)
Wayne Smith (left) and Alan Elder with 12.40 pounds of Garcia bass on May 31, 2015. (Photo by Mike Calloway)
BJ Biles (left) and Jackie Barber with 10.82 pounds of Garcia bass on May 31, 2015. (Photo by Mike Calloway)