The LERA Bass Club held its final regular season tournament on July 31st at East Lake Tohopekaliga. The summertime heat was oppressive and the fish were mostly uncooperative, but as always seems to be the case, some of the competitors figured out how to catch them. Mike Calloway of Titusville, fishing with two handicaps, brought the only 5 fish limit of the tournament to the scales to win the event with a total of 11.48 pounds. This win is even more impressive because he fished without a partner and invited a fellow club member to fish out of his boat as a competing team. Calloway's catch included a 3.94 pounder that edged out two other competitors by a tenth of a pound or less to take big bass honors for the tournament. Second place was earned by the team of Larry Cruce of Titusville and Tim Iler of Port St. John who weighed 4 fish for a total of 10.56 pounds. Third place went to Bob Barnette of Port St. John and Dwayne Haga of Titusville with 4 fish for 7.72 pounds.

On June 6, 2011, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission approved a long term black bass management plan aimed at making Florida the undisputed bass fishing capital of the world. There are some interesting aspects to this plan that include hatchery and stocking activities as well as habitat management and a new TrophyCatch angler recognition program that documents and rewards anglers for releasing bass over 8 pounds with special categories for fish over 12 pounds. You can read all about this new plan at the FWC Website.

Eleven teams ventured onto the Kissimmee Chain to compete in the LERA Bass Club's June 26th tournament out of Whaley's Landing on Lake Tohopekaliga. Larry Cruce of Titusville and Tim Iler of Port St. John continued their hot streak in dominating fashion weighing a 5 fish limit that totaled 22.46 pounds to win the event. They had 2 fish over 6 pounds and one in the five pound class. This marks the fourth win out of the last five tournaments for the team and all but seals up their third seasonal points championship with the club.

Eric Amos and Gary Brill, both from Titusville, weighed a five fish limit of 16.49 pounds to finish second. Mike Calloway of Titusville and Jim Folks of Melbourne took third with 15.52 pounds.

The LERA Bass Club's May 22, 2011 tournament launched out of Overstreet ramp on Lake Kissimmee. The team of Larry Cruce of Titusville and Tim Iler of Port St. John brought 5 fish to the scales that weighed a hefty 16.84 pounds to claim first place. Their bag was anchored by Iler's 7.01 pound giant which took Big Bass for the event. Second place was earned by the Titusville tandem of Eric Amos and Gary Brill who sacked a 5 fish limit weighing a stout 14.50 pounds. Third place was captured by Jimmy Blount of Rockledge and Richard Boogaerts of Cocoa who's 5 fish weighed a total of 11.91 pounds.

The LERA Bass Club's April 17th tournament at the Harris Chain launched out of Lake Eustis. The team of Bob Barnette of Port St. John and Dwayne Haga of Titusville won the event in record fashion. Their five fish total of 23.49 pounds was the heaviest ever weighed at a LERA Bass Club tournament on the Harris Chain. Their creel was anchored by two seven pounders with Barnette's 7.37 pound fish also taking Big Bass honors for the tournament. Tim Iler of Port St. John and Dave Mitchell of Mims earned a second place finish with a stout 15.57 pounds. Mike Calloway of Titusville and Jim Folks of Melbourne took 3rd with 13.93 pounds.

Former LERA Bass Club dominator, Jim Folks, won the March 26, 2011 BFL tournament on the Harris Chain. His 23-11 topped the 119 boat field earning him $4,271. Congratulations Jim!

Current LERA Bass Club member, Mike Calloway, finished 6th on the coangler side with 10-3 taking home $392 for his efforts. Good work Mike!

Check out the full results at the FLW website.

Foggy mornings and low water conditions at Lake Okeechobee did not dampen the spirits of the anglers or the bass during the LERA Bass Club March 26-27 tournament out of Harney Pond Canal. Larry Cruce of Titusville, who was fishing without a partner, sacked a two day total of 34.50 pounds of bass to win the tournament. In the process, Larry set the LERA Bass Club's all-time single day record for a solo angler with 19.95 pounds on the second day. Second place was earned by the team of Steven Clark of Melbourne and Dan Newman of Satellite Beach who had an impressive two day total of 32.61 pounds. They had the heaviest single day bag of the tournament at a stout 20.22 pounds including 3 fish over 5 pounds. Third place was captured by Alan Elder of Melbourne and Wayne Smith of Palm Bay who bagged a two day total of 26.23 pounds. Big bass honors on the first day went to Steven Clark with a 5.78 pound swamp donkey. Tony Ciavarella of Melbourne took big bass on the second day with a 6.56 pound bucket mouth that narrowly edged out Mike Calloway and Larry Cruce by less than half of a pound.

Our February 2011 tournament was held at the Miami-Garcia Impoundment on 27th. The fish were in an aggressive mood and nine of the ten competing teams took advantage using their skills to bring tournament limits of five fish to the scales. Larry Cruce of Titusville and Tim Iler of Port St. John totaled 19.02 pounds to win the tournament. Alan Elder of Melbourne and Wayne Smith of Palm Bay took second with a total of 14.15 pounds. Jimmy Blount of Rockledge and Richard Boogaerts of Cocoa finished a close third with 14.03 pounds. A total of six fish over four pounds where weighed with a solid 5.25 pounder earning Larry big bass of the day.

Current LERA Bass Club member Jimmy Blount finished 7th on the Co-angler side of the 2/12/2011 BFL Gator Division event on Lake Okeechobee with 14 pounds 10 ounces. Just behind him was former LERA Bass Club member Jackie Barber with 13-10 which earned him 11th place. On the Boater side, former LERA Bass Club member Jim Folks finished 32nd with 14-08. Check out the full results at the FLW website.

LERA Bass Club's January 30, 2011 tournament at Lake Cypress started amidst an eerie dense fog that slowly dissipated from east to west until after 10 am. The team of Bob Barnette of Port St. John and Dwayne Haga of Titusville slipped through the fog to their fishing hole to catch the event's only 5 fish limit totaling 17.28 pounds and win the tournament. Their catch included a massive 9.04 pound bucket mouth Dwayne caught on a carolina rig that took big bass honors for the tournament and raised the bar he set earlier in the season for Big Bass of the Year. Dwayne's fish is the largest ever weighed at any LERA Bass Club event launching from Lake Cypress in the history of the club. Second place was earned by the team of Alan Elder of Melbourne and Wayne Smith of Palm Bay who brought 3 fish to the scales weighing a total of 10.59 pounds. Larry Cruce of Titusville and Tim Iler of Port St. John finished 3rd with 2 fish weighing 4.34 pounds.