Bryan Bass Club
Tournament Reports


Archive of 1999 Reports


Somerville

Bryan Bass Club - December 11-12, 1999

Conditions: Brisk south wind, cool morning with drizzle, warm afternoon, water temperature lower 60's, muddy clarity. 17 members and guests participating. The club launched at Overlook park by the dam.

Results: David Crowson took first with a five-fish limit of 19.70 lbs. David fished as a guest this time and plans to rejoin next month. He last fished with us in 1997 when his name and first place were legend. Todd Carnes placed a close second with 17.96 lbs, followed by Jimmy Vann at third with 15.80 lbs. Art Wilson caught a nice 6.86 to claim the big bass pot.

Patterns: David fished jerk baits in shallow cover. Todd fished rip rap and structure near the dam. Jimmy fished hard wood and stumps. Art fished a copper colored rat-l-trap in shallow cover.

Sam Rayburn

Bryan Bass Club - November 13-14, 1999

Conditions: Dense fog through mid-morning, cool nights, warm autumn days, water temperature lower 70's, slightly stained clarity. 14 members and guests participating. The club launched at Mills Creek park on the southeast end.

Results: Mark Beckman took first with 13.73 lbs. Dan Phifer placed second with 12.28 lbs, followed by Sam Fling at third with 11.00 lbs. Mark caught a nice 7.30 to claim the big bass pot.

Patterns: Mark fished Rat-l-traps along grass lines on the south end. Dan fished a main lake hump with red-bug colored wacky worm rigs. Sam also threw a smokey joe Rat-l-trap on the south end.

picture of Mark's big bass Mark's big bass came on his last cast for the day right before weigh-in. We'll miss Mark in 2000. He moved to a new job in Colorado.

(Click on picture for larger image)





Livingston

Bryan Bass Club - October 09-10, 1999

Conditions: Clear weather, water temperature upper 70's, slightly stained to muddy clarity. 14 members and guests participating. The club launched at Lakeside Marina near the 190 bridge.

Results: Sam Fling took first with 11.48 lbs. Bill Rule placed second with 10.72 lbs, followed by Gerald May at third with 7.72 lbs.

Patterns: Sam pitched a black-emerald Zoom brush-hog at reeds and hyacinths in mid-lake coves. Bill fished watermelon-seed centipede carolina-rigs and wacky worms at boat docks south near the dam. Gerald flipped shallow wood cover in a large mid-lake cove with a Zoom brush-hog.

Livingston

Bryan Bass Club - September 11-12, 1999

Conditions: Clear weather, water temperature upper 70's, slightly stained to muddy clarity. 12 members and 2 guests participating. The club launched at Lakeside Marina near the 190 bridge.

Results: Bill Ray (guest of Bill Rule) took first with 9.94 lbs. Sam Fling placed second with 8.98, followed by Bill Rule at third with 7.09 lbs.

Patterns: Bill and Bill fished carolina rigs and wacky worms south near the dam. Sam flipped shallow cover in mid-lake coves with a black-emerald Zoom brush-hog.

Sam Rayburn

Bryan Bass Club - August 14-15, 1999

Conditions: The water clarity was clear. The water temperature was 91. The weather was fair. Twelve members and two guests fished. The club launched at the Cassels Boykin county ramp, north of the bridge.

Results: Larry Glover claimed first place with 11.86 pounds on Sunday. Clyde Wilkerson took second with a consistent 8.50 weight. Todd Carnes finished third with his 7.10 pounds catch from Saturday.

Patterns: Larry fished a plain ol' Texas-rig worm, just "beating the banks" around pockets of water hyacinths not far from the launch. Clyde fished main lake points south using a carolina rig. Todd fished wacky and big worms in 18-24 feet of water near the Buck Bay area.

Toledo Bend

Bryan Bass Club - July 17-18, 1999

Conditions: The water clarity was stained in creeks, otherwise clear. The water temperature was 85. The weather was fair. Nineteen members and guests fished.

Results: Ray Rippstein claimed first place with 11.32 pounds. Gerald May took second with 7.50, edging Bill Rule at third with 7.36 pounds. Members also fishing in Anglers Choice and BASS Federation tournaments there said Ray did well for fishing conditions over this weekend.

Patterns: Ray fished a Toledo Tackle bandit-style red-bug-green-flake (like cranapple) colored worm Texas rigged with a 1/8oz weight. He pitched into scattered grass in open water near 10-15 foot drop offs in crowded waters with lots of other boats. Bill fished a watermelon worm using a similar pattern way back in a creek. Ray and Bill fished south of the bridge. Gerald fished north of the bridge.

Livingston

Bryan Bass Club - June 19-20, 1999

Conditions: The water clarity was muddy up river, stained mid-lake. The water temperature was 79. The weather was fair. Twenty members or guests fished.

Results: Newly returned member Bill Rule took top honors again with an 11.31 five-bass limit. Also, new members Dan Phifer took second with three at 10.12 and Jimmy Vann third with an 8.62 weight. Looks like great days for some of this year's newcomers, plus Dan took first place in the BASS Federation tournament there Saturday under tough fishing conditions.

Patterns: Bill fished a watermelon colored wacky-rigged centipede under main-lake boat docks, saying he covered nearly 50 docks catching seven fish. Dan threw a black-blue jig in the far back of a mid-lake creek. Jimmy pitched June-bug colored Zoom BrushHog plastic baits at stumps back in White Rock.

Limestone

Bryan Bass Club - May 01-02, 1999

Conditions - The lake level was normal. The club fished out of Running Branch Marina and Camp Ground on the lower end. Pretty Saturday and windy Sunday with an afternoon thunderstorm and water temperatures in the upper 70's, muddy clarity. Seventeen members fished.

Results - Bill Rule, a former member rejoining the club this month, finished his first welcome-back tournament catching limits both days with one good 'nuf for first place! His 11.98 weight on Sunday netted first. Jack Gressett took second with 10.77 pounds. Bob Barnes recovered from zip on Saturday to 9.22 pounds on Sunday for third place. No big bass over six pounds this time.

Patterns - Bill chunk'd spinners and pitch'd tube baits under docks covering lots of water for his limits. Jack stayed in Running Branch and found some concentrations of small bass with a few big 'uns mixed in. Bob used the same lower lake target pitchin' pattern both days with it working the second day but not the first. He said the only difference was he was fishing with a different partner the second day. Wind kept members off some main lake patterns. Lots of "little" bass biting.

Lake O' Pines

Bryan Bass Club - April 24-25, 1999

Conditions - The lake level appeared close to normal, having dropped a foot or so the past week. The club fished out of Tejas Motel on the lower lake not far from Brushy Creek Park. Hot sunny Saturday and partly cloudy Sunday with water temperatures in the 70's and stained clarity. This was a "draw" tournament with seventeen members fishing. Members commented that LOP and Palestine tie for "stumps everywhere just under the water line". Fortunately, there were no trolling motor casualties, no mangled props, and no holes punched in a boat this month at LOP like last month on Palestine.

Results - Warren Colwell, a young new member, finished in first place with 15.36 pounds. His draw partner, Todd Carnes another young member, finished second with 15.13 pounds. "Team youngster" really thumped the ol' timers at this one. Jimmy Vann was third with 13.32 pounds. Pat Baker, fishing without a draw partner, had big bass at 6.07 pounds.

Patterns - Warren and Todd fished wacky worms over structure near the dam rounding up limits of larger bass Sunday afternoon. Jimmy fished Alley using several baits to catch his limit. Spawning beds were noticeable with the dropping water level, many were too shallow now. Bass appeared to have moved away from recent spawn areas, smaller limits were caught in 5 to 8 foot water. Huge crappie were still inhaling spinner baits off main lake points.

Palestine

Bryan Bass Club - March 27-28, 1999

Conditions - The lake level was normal. The club fished out of Lake Palestine Motor Inn on mid-lake at Ledbetter. Windy conditions with water temperatures in the 70's and stained clarity. Sixteen members fished. Members commented about the number of stumps just below water line resulting in some equipment causalties.

Results - Gerald May finished in first place with 12.20 pounds. Clyde Wilkerson was second with 11.08, and Sam Fling was third with 10.96 pounds. Sam had big bass at 8.92 pounds.

Patterns - Gerald fished Saline Bay using spinners, rouges, and Strike King tubes in black/red-flake colors. Clyde used a lizard in Ledbetter and a carolina rig off points. Sam tried spinners in Flat Creek and Kickapoo.

Conroe

Bryan Bass Club - February 27-28, 1999

Conditions - The lake level was normal. The club fished out of April Plaza Marina on the south end, doubling up with the 409/713 regional B.A.S.S. Federation tournament on Saturday. Cool mornings and mild afternoons with an occasional thunder storm, and water temperatures in the low to mid 60's and stained clarity. Seventeen members and three guests fished. Conroe is regulated with a 16 inch minimum rule.

Results - Jimmy Vann finished in first place with a 20.28 limit. Pat Baker was second with 13.80, and Todd Carnes was third with 12.09 pounds. Pat had big bass at 8.60 pounds. Seven fish over six pounds were weighed and released.

Patterns - Jimmy bounced a trout-colored 'trap off stumps to trigger strikes. He said it would get hung up sometimes doing that but worth the effort. Pat fished a black-blue-red jig and Todd a june-bug lizard. Conroe's week-end fishing pressure was noticeable on the lake and at the ramp.

A few of the Conroe bass, pictured and released (click on any pic for larger image).
 
 darlene jerry Pat
Darlene Jerry Pat
     
dan ray mark
Dan Ray Mark


Falcon

Bryan Bass Club - January 16-17, 1999

Conditions - The lake level was way down but not completely below the state park ramp. The club fished out of the county ramp at Zapata on the north end. Cool mornings and mild afternoons but heavy fog all morning on Sunday, with water temperatures in upper-50's or low-60's and stained clarity. Twelve members fished.

Results - Bobby Barnes finished in first place with a 15.91 limit. Clyde Wilkerson was second with 12.43, and Todd Carnes' guest Bill Pearcy was third with 11.76. Bill had big bass at 6.49 pounds.

Patterns - Bobby fished watermelon red-flake french-fries around tree tops and carolina rigged lizards in a small channel leading to a shallow flat on the south end. Clyde fished a similar pattern. Bill and Todd fished lizards next to timber in the middle of a large mid-lake cove.

A few of the Falcon bass, pictured and released (click on any pic for larger image).
 
sam ray clyde
Sam Ray Clyde
     
darlene bob ken
Darlene Bob Ken



This page was updated on February 28, 2002.

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