Bryan Bass Club Archive Tournament Reports

Archive 2002 Reports

above - Sam Fling winning the club's kickoff tournament in beautiful weather at Falcon Lake in south west Texas

Falcon Lake

Bryan Bass Club - January 19-20, 2002

Conditions: A warmer Saturday morning started with fog but cleared by increasing winds before noon. Sunday started clearer but cooler in the 40's warming to the mid-70's. The water level was 259.5 and dropping, with water temperatures around 65 degrees and clarity slightly muddy from previous windy days. The club launched at the county ramp in Zapata with 13 members and guests fishing.

Results: Sam Fling took first place with 12.45 lbs on Saturday. Gerald May had second with 10.52 lbs on Sunday. Bob Barnes finished third with 9.46 on Saturday. Ray Rippstein caught a 7.55 lb big-bass on Sunday.

Patterns: Sam and Gerald threw a texas-rig 8" junebug color mag lizard in shallow cover. Bob used a white SOB spinner bait also in shallow cover. Ray used a texas-rig black with metallic-blue laminate 6" lizard on 4-8 ft deep hardwood. All four were fishing different pockets from the front to the back of Salinillas. A few scattered bass were just starting to feed shallow with this week's brief warming trend. A special thanks to Larry and Barbara Bridgeman (Falcon Lake Tackle) for arranging our Mexico fishing licenses and boat permits and for recommending Beacon Lodge after our regular motel Oso Blanco Lodge told us they were booked with a state convention when we called early December.

Here are some pictures of the bigger bass caught during the tournament below:

(click on any photo to open larger images in a separate browser window)

above - Dan on Saturday	above - Ray on Saturday	above - Pat Fisher on Saturday	above - Bob on Saturday
		above - Sam on Sunday
above - Ray with big bass on Sunday	above - Charlie Fling on Sunday	above - Gerald on Sunday

(click on any photo to open larger image in a separate browser window)

Other adventures during the fantastic annual road trip to Falcon Lake below:

above - unloading after the long drive down, Bob selects a straw hat for the hot January weather in south Texas, Pat shows us his better side	above - Sam's unloaded into his lakefront room and ready to go scout out the lake	above - Dan getting ready to pull the travel cover off Ray's boat
above - the boys go try the Beacon Lodge ramp and almost get stuck first thing	above - Sam and his son Charlie wait beside Dan in Ray's boat while others get launched at the Zapata county ramp	above - Dan works a plastic lizard slowly for that first bite of this calm, warm and sunny south Texas day
above - no partying at night for these guys, evenings bring social time to set up boats for the next day, re-tie tackle, and discuss how the bass are biting	above - Bob finishes a quick check of his prop with young Luke's help	above - Bob tows Ray in just before weigh-in on Sunday after he spun a hub on his prop coming in to the cove

(click on any photo to open larger images in a separate browser window)

Lake Conroe

Bryan Bass Club - February 23-24, 2002

Conditions: Nice days with a bit of wind and short-sleeve temperatures by afternoon. The water level was at normal pool, water temperatures ranged between 55 to 65 degrees from main lake to backs of coves, and water clarity was muddy. The club launched at April Plaza with 19 members and guests fishing. Some members also competed in the B.A.S.S. Federation South East Region tournament on Saturday.

Results: Todd Carnes finished in first place with 9.70 lbs on Saturday. Jack Gressett was second with 6.53 lbs. Art Wilson was third with 5.85 lbs. Todd won the over-6 big bass pot with a 6.58 lb beauty.

Patterns: Todd said he pitched to hard wood in 3 to 5 foot water using a watermelon-candy color Zoom lizard. Jack said he used a red bud color Zoom lizard on a carolina-rig. Art said he threw a red shad color worm in 7 foot water.

(click on any photo to open larger image in a separate browser window)

Jack Gressett paused for a picture

Sam Rayburn

Bryan Bass Club - March 09-10, 2002

Conditions: An hour after daybreak Saturday, howling north winds hammered the main lake then settled into moderate north east winds on Sunday. The water level was just over normal pool. Water temperatures and clarity ranged from 70 degrees clear in creeks to 55 degrees stained main lake while the stinging spray that swirled off huge wave tops seemed much colder. Water clarity was clear creeks, stained main lake. Anticipating a frontal weekend, 18 members or guests launched in wind-protected Monterrey Park just north of 147.

Results: John Hale caught 5 bass weighing 11.61 lbs on Sunday for first place. Larry Glover caught 9.64 lbs for second and Sam Fling finished third with 7.95 lbs. Pat Baker won the over-6 big bass pot with a 7.77 lb beauty on Saturday.

Patterns: John's short wind buffeted trips to two coves south of the 147 bridge paid off. His bass attacked a spinner-bait and a 3/16 oz weight Texas rig watermelon-red Zoom Baby Brush Hog pitched shallow into wind blown willows and bean bushes. Larry focused on the Hog Pen area using red-bug color Zoom wacky worms and Texas rig lizards. Sam kept his Ranger in the area near the launch using a watermelon-chartreuse color Zoom lizard. Pat threw a carolina rigged watermelon Lake Fork ring worm near a cypress tree in the bend of a creek to bring in the big bass.

Some of the boys posed at the Monterrey Park ramp for some pictures of their larger bass before releasing the rest of their catch:

(click on any photo to open larger images in a separate browser window)

Above - John with a bass on Saturday	Above - Gerald with a bass on Saturday	Above - Sam with a bass on Saturday	Above - Mike with some bass on Sunday

Above - John with some bass on Sunday	Above - Ray with some bass on Sunday	Above - Larry with some bass on Sunday	Above - Clyde with some bass on Sunday

Toledo Bend

Bryan Bass Club - April 20-21, 2002

Conditions: Beautiful weather with stained 69 degree water at just above normal pool. Twenty members and guests fished, some launching in Housen Bay and some in Lowes Creek with the South East Texas B.A.S.S. Federation on Saturday.

Results: Gerald May took first place with 12.70 lbs on Sunday. Sam Fling had second with 12.23 lbs on Sunday. Bob Barnes finished third with 11.38 lbs on Saturday. Bill Rule won the over-6 big bass pot with a 7.10 lb bass.

Patterns: Gerald probed 6-8 foot water off wind-blown secondary points with a christmas-tree color Yamamoto Senko. Sam said he concentrated on sandy main-lake points between Housen and Six Mile using a chartreuse blue-back colored deep running crank bait. Bill said he had just cast a carolina rig onto a main lake hump and paused several seconds to answer nature's call when his big bass interrupted his break.

Weigh-in at the Fling's is right next to the water. The boys weighed their catch in plastic bags and quickly posed for these pictures with their larger bass while preparing to put them back into the lake at the Fling's docks:

(click on any photo to open larger image in a separate browser window)

Above: Bob with some bass on Saturday	Above: Sam with a bass on Saturday	Above: Sam with some bass on Sunday	Above: Larry with some bass on Sunday

Above: Mike with some bass on Sunday	Above: Jerry (a former member) with some bass on Sunday	Above: Jack with a bass on Sunday	Above: Gerald with some bass on Sunday

			Later, when we reviewed the club pictures at the meeting, Sam and Gerald wondered why their smaller weight bass appeared larger than Bill's 7.1 lb bass.
Above: Another picture of some of Gerald's winning bass	Above: Bill with big bass	Above: Another shot of Bill's big bass

Limestone

Bryan Bass Club - May 4-5, 2002

Conditions: Overcast mornings, partly cloudy afternoons, occasional sprinkles, with muddy 72 degree water at near normal pool. Twenty-two members and guests fished the tournament launching near the BRA facility at the dam.

Results: Todd Carnes showed 'em how it's done with a first place 16.7 lb limit on Saturday. Sam Fling followed with a second place limit weighing 15.5 lbs. Bobby Barnes's 13.2 lb limit finished third. John Hale captured the over-6 big bass pot with a 7.2 lb bass.

Patterns: Todd simply said he fished shallow with a black-blue tube bait. Sam and Bob said they were flipping into large thick areas of flooded willow brush on main lake areas just north of the Running Branch cove and just north of the power lines using black-emerald color Zoom Baby Brush Hogs. John caught his big bass on a boat dock brush pile in 6-8 foot water using a pumpkinseed chartreuse-tail lizard.

Some of the boys stopped for pictures before releasing their bass:

(click on any photo to open larger image in a separate browser window)

Above: Clyde with one of his bass	Above: Larry with a couple of his bass	Above: John with one of his bass	Above: Gerald with a couple of his bass

Above: Ray with a couple of his bass	Above: Todd with a couple of his bass	Above: Bob with a couple of his bass	Above: Ray with one of his bass on Sunday

(click on any photo to open larger images in a separate browser window)

Livingston

Bryan Bass Club - June 8-9, 2002

Conditions: Calm mornings but the wind picked up in the afternoons. Average Livingston muddy water under typical summer conditions at near normal pool. Twelve members fished the tournament, launching at Waterwood along with the 56 contestants in the regional South East B.A.S.S. Federation tournament held on Saturday.

Results: Jimmy Vann caught 9.11 lbs to finish first place in the club and third place in the South East Federation on Saturday. Mike James had 5.33 lbs to take second. Mark Beckman finished third with 5.02 lbs. No over-six big bass this time.

Patterns: Zoom brush hogs or lizards in green colors or greens dipped in chartreuse picked up the few bass caught. Some came by forcing the bait to fall into and under thick grass patches in coves north of the 190 bridge, while others came from around boat docks down south. Few keeper bass were caught on either day.

Toledo Bend

Bryan Bass Club - July 13-14, 2002

Conditions: Partly cloudy, mild south wind, hot and humid. Stained water clarity at near normal pool with surface temperatures in low to mid 80's. Fifteen members and guests fished the tournament, launching at Fling Point in Housen Bay.

Results: Mark Beckman brought in 12.92 lbs on Sunday to finish in first place. Bob Barnes caught three nice bass on Saturday weighing 11.39 for second. Sam Fling finished third with 6.71 lbs. Mark's 6.71 lb bass claimed the over-six big bass pot.

Patterns: Mark used 10" Zoom Ol' Monster worms on a ledge in 17'-25' water in the main lake. Bob was slow-rolling a 1 oz tandem willow blade spinner bait in 14' water along the edge of grass lines in Six Mile. Sam was using a craw worm on the edge of a creek channel in Housen Bay.

(click on any photo to open larger image in a separate browser window)

Above: Bob with a couple of his bass	Above: Sam's cat	Above: Mark with a couple of his bass

Sam Rayburn

Bryan Bass Club - August 03-04, 2002

Conditions: Calm, hot, humid, 98 degree days. Stained water clarity, three feet low, with surface temperatures near 86 degrees. Sixteen members and guests fished the tournament, launching at Mill Creek.

Results: Charlie Thomas caught two bass on Saturday weighing in at 10.37 lbs for first place. Sam Fling had four bass at 9.60 lbs on Sunday for second. Chris Mitchel caught two bass at 8.18 lbs for third. Charlie's 8.93 lb bass claimed the over-six big bass pot.

Patterns: Charlie used a grasshopper color Lake Fork Products ring worm with two big weights to punch it through shallow matted grass in 6' water. Sam pitched a plum-apple color Zoom worm in pockets on the edges of grass mats in 6'-10' depths. Chris flipped a watermelon seed color Zoom wacky worm into openings in shallow grass in 3'-4' water. All fished the south end of the lake.

(click on any photo to open larger image in a separate browser window)

Above: Charlie with one of his bass	Above: Mike James with a couple of his bass	Above: Bill Rule with a couple of his bass	Above: Mark with one of his bass

Toledo Bend

Bryan Bass Club - September 21-22, 2002

Conditions: Light winds and partly cloudy on Saturday, strong north east gusting wind and clear skies on Sunday, water and air temperatures in the upper 80's, stained water clarity, five feet low. Eighteen members and two guests fished the club tournament, launching at Alpine Marina along with South East Texas B.A.S.S. Federation.

Results: Bill Rule caught a five bass limit on Sunday weighing 11.08 lbs for first place. Clyde Wilkerson caught one bass on Sunday weighing 9.15 lb and that weight was good enough for second place. Gerald May also had one big bass weighing 6.57 lb on Sunday to finish third. Clyde's 9.15 lb bass claimed the over-six big bass pot.

Patterns: Bill fished grassy areas in Patroon and boat docks around Frontier Park on Sunday, flipping a watermelon-seed color Denny Brauer tube with a 1/8oz weight . Clyde fished the Louisianna side across the lake from Alpine Marina to escape the wind. He tied into his big bass on Sunday using a watermelon lizard on a carolina rig in about 20' water. Gerald was casting a light-weight mojo rig with a plum-apple colored Zoom worm toward inside edges of shallow hydrilla and eel grass in the back of a small wind-swept main lake pocket in Indian Mound when his large bass picked up on Sunday morning. Weekend fishing conditions were unusual, 27 of the 64 participants in the Federation tournament on Saturday did not catch a keeper, and only two limits were weighed in.

(click on any photo to open larger images in a separate browser window)

Above: Gerald with one of his bass	Above: Clyde with his big bass	Above: Sherran with one of her bass	Above: Jimmy with a couple of his bass

Above: Ray with one of his bass

Limestone

Bryan Bass Club - October 12-13, 2002

Conditions: Light winds and overcast on Saturday, then strong north gusting wind on Sunday, water and air temperatures in the 70's, stained water clarity, two feet low. Twenty-two members and guests fished the club tournament, launching at BRA Park #1 at the dam along with South East Texas B.A.S.S. Federation.

Results: Lake local Don Gregg caught a five-bass limit on Sunday weighing 14.44 lbs for first place. Gerald May took second place with 13.10 lbs on Saturday. Gerald's making a determined end-of-year push to overtake Sam Fling for club angler of the year. New member Mike Henley had a 12.76 lb five-bass limit on Saturday for third place in our club and, get this folks, first place in his very first South East Texas B.A.S.S Federation tournament. Bill Rule had a 6.80 lb bass on Saturday that claimed the club's over-six big bass pot and also a big bass in Federation. Way to go, Mike and Bill.

Patterns: Don fished shallow less-than-three-foot water in the back of a creek flat using a Zara Spook and a quarter ounce chartreuse-white color spinner bait. Gerald fished out on the edges of grass lines using a quarter ounce Terminator double-willow white color spinner bait. Mike fished creek channel bends using an arkansas-shiner color Zoom fluke and a 3/8 ounce white color spinner bait. Bill caught his big bass using a black-blue color tube jig with lighter Berkley line to fish the bases of large trees in fifteen foot open water.

Stillhouse Hollow

Bryan Bass Club - November 16-17, 2002

Conditions: Brisk winds from the north on Saturday then south on Sunday, water temperatures in the 60's with air temperatures starting in the 30's rising to the 60's, stained water clarity up river and clear at the dam, normal pool. Nineteen members and guests fished the club tournament, launching mid-lake at Union Grove Park.

Results: Ray Rippstein caught four largemouth bass on Saturday weighing 7.70 lbs for first place. Clyde Wilkerson also caught four keepers on Saturday for 7.60 lbs to claim second. Sam Fling had two keepers on Saturday, one pretty good size, for 6.75 lbs to finish third. No one had a bass over six pounds to claim the big bass pot this time.

Patterns: Ray used a 3/8 oz chartreuse/white Stanley spinner bait in 4-5 foot water around timber past the bridge. He said it was pure luck, not pattern, catching three keeper bass in three casts off one lay down. Clyde used a watermelon color carolina rig and a crank-bait around grass edges in a bowl shaped cove. Sam used a black-emerald color Zoom Baby Brush Hog pitching next to deep trees up river. All reported catching many undersize bass.

(click on any photo to open larger image in a separate browser window)

Above: Sam with one of his bass	Above: Don with several	Above: Mike James with one of his bass	Above: Bill Ray's nice Stillhouse smallmouth

Limestone

Bryan Bass Club - December 07-08, 2002

Conditions: Mild cool partly sunny conditions, water temperatures in the 50's with air temperatures starting in the 50's rising to the 70's, stained water clarity, normal pool. Eighteen members and guests fished the club tournament, launching at BRA Park #1 at the dam.

Results: Mike Henley finished first with a 17.12 lbs limit on Saturday. Also with limits on Saturday, Todd Carnes caught 16.76 lbs for second and Sam Fling 14.05 for third. Todd had a 6.04 lb bass to claim the over-six big bass pot.

Patterns: Mike fished the 4 foot drop-off edge of a creek channel with a 3/8oz white color Horizon spinner bait and a weightless arkansas-shiner color fluke. Todd flipped a black-blue color tube bait into scattered beds of pepper grass for his bites. Sam fished the edges of deeper reeds and several old private boat ramps using a 3/8oz chartreuse-white color Stanley spinner bait and a black-emerald color Zoom baby brush hog.

(click on any photo to open larger image in a separate browser window)

Above Bill Ray with one of his bass	Above Don with one of his bass	Above: Gerald with a couple of his bass	Above: Sam with a couple of his bass

Above John with one of his bass	Above: Bob with a couple of his bass	Above: Mike Henley with a couple of his bass	Above Jack with his bass

Above: Todd with a couple of his bass

Return to BBC Home Page