Swindle Captures Third Spot at Bassmaster American

Lake Wylie, N.C. (July 31, 2006) – North Carolina’s Lake Wylie was the host of the second Bassmaster Major tournament this year, as the world’s best anglers competed for a $250,000 prize.

The ‘Bassmaster American’ honored the life and accomplishments of Bryan Kerchal, the only Federation Nation member ever to win a Bassmaster Classic. Kerchal won the Classic in 1994, after finishing last the year before. This past weekend’s tournament memorialized Kerchal, as his young life was cut short in a plane crash a mere five months after he won the Classic.

Fifty-five anglers fished Lake Wylie Thursday and Friday in grueling conditions. No ‘Angler of the Year’ points were on the line, but the prize money was worth the effort. With the heat index over 100-degrees and the fish hard to find, the field of 55 anglers was cut to 12 after Friday’s weigh-in. Weights were cleared and the top 12 fished a six-hole course on Saturday, and it was anybody’s to win. Three Lucky Craft pros, Gerald Swindle, Kelly Jordon, and Takahiro Omori made the top 12 and fished on Saturday.

After an exciting weigh-in on Saturday afternoon, the top 12 were again paired down to the super six, who would fish the course again for a chance at the big money prize. Swindle was the only Lucky Craft Pro to fish the six-hole course for a second time, as he sat in second place going into Sunday’s final day of competition.

Swindle knew it wasn’t the number of fish he could catch, but the quality fish that would make the difference.

“I fished shallow and stuck to my game plan this week,” Swindle said. “I threw a Lucky Craft G-splash, and flipped a trick-worm and a Senko on docks. I just didn’t get many bites. I knew I would probably only get the opportunity to catch five keepers a day, and that’s about how it turned out. It was probably the most mentally grueling tournament I have ever fished.”

After bringing in 10 pounds and 7 ounces on Saturday, Swindle had his work cut out for him to take home the trophy.

“I felt like I was in the zone,” Swindle continued. “When I get that way, though, I don’t eat or drink. I was trying to throw in little cracks and I was just staying so incredibly focused, it wore me down more than ever.”

Swindle had a great tournament, but after breaking one off on Sunday, came up a little short of the top spot, finishing third overall.

“I felt like I fished a winning tournament, I just didn’t get the winning prize,” Swindle said. “It’s hard to except when you fish as hard as I did.

“It’s been a good week, but I am very disappointed. I’m not going to stop until I win one, and every time, I get really close. It’s just very frustrating. I try and find something positive out of each experience, but being so close and not bringing home a win is frustrating.”

Swindle has been close to bringing home that first win many times. He is looking forward to the next Elite Series event on the Potomac River in Maryland, and hopes to find success there.

“We have the Angler of the Year points standings to think about going into the Potomac,” Swindle added. “I’m going to get very involved in that, and just keep my focus. I’ve fished several events there and have caught them pretty well in the past. I’m looking forward to it.”

 

It was so close this weekend for Lucky Craft’s Takahiro Omori. It wasn’t looking good for the Japan native after Thursday’s weigh-in, but Omori worked extremely hard and made the top 12 cut on Friday, allowing him to fish the six-hole course Saturday for a chance at the quarter million dollars.

“I did have a good tournament here this weekend,” Omori said. “Two years ago, I had the best tournament of my career here, when I won the Classic. The area I was fishing was near where I won that tournament, only this time, it had a lot more pressure. I was fishing some lay downs and points, and throwing a crankbait.”

Omori won the coveted title of Bassmaster Classic Champion on Lake Wylie in 2004, and was a favorite on the lake this weekend. However, after a tough three days, Omori tied Jason Quinn for the sixth and last spot to fish on Sunday. In a tied situation, the spot goes to the pro with the most angler of the year points – and that pro was Jason Quinn. Omori missed the super six by a mere ounce.

“It was a very close tournament,” Omori said. “I figured out where all the fish were, but it was a little too late.”

Even though Omori had success on this lake in the past, he felt it fished a lot different this time around.

“The water a few years ago, at the Classic, was a lot higher and muddier,” Omori explained. “The water was clearer this week, which doesn’t really suit my style of fishing. Because we were on a six-hole course, it forced me to fish differently today and I had to fish hard to bring in five. It was really hard. Probably the toughest course I’ve ever fished, partly because of the time of year and all the boat traffic.”

Omori finished day three tied for sixth with 8 pounds, 6 ounces and will be looking for a different turnout on the Potomac.

“I’ve fished many tournaments on the Potomac, and have done very well in the past. I’m looking forward to it.”

Finishing in tenth was Lucky Craft’s Kelly Jordon, who missed the super six cut by a few ounces. After a respectable two-day weight Thursday and Friday, Jordon was excited to fish the six-hole course, but found it harder than expected.

“The tournament itself was a lot tougher than practice for me,” Jordon began. “I was happy with the first day, and made the cut on Friday, which was a big deal. That’s what I was hoping to do, but I really thought the course would be a lot better today (Saturday). The fish just didn’t bite very well.”

Jordon had a little trouble Saturday keeping him out of the super six.

“A lot of guys lost fish this week, but I didn’t lose a fish until today,” Jordon said. “Today I lost three and they were the three biggest bites I had. If I had landed them, I’d probably be up there in second place. I’d still be 3 pounds or so out of the lead, but I’d be fishing tomorrow. It’s a tough break, but that’s fishing.”

Jordon would have loved to be fishing on Sunday, but feels that the week overall was a success.

“Anytime you can come in and make a cut, the weekend is good,” Jordon added. “I have a top 10 out of it. I fished hard and had the bites to be really competitive today, but that’s just the way it goes.”

Jordon will also travel to Maryland and fish the Potomac for one of the last Elite Series events of the year, and is looking forward to it.

“I’ve fished the Potomac before, and I’ve done fairly well on that lake,” Jordon concluded. “I’m not the greatest tidal fisherman in the world, though. You have to fish the tides up there and I don’t have that completely dialed in yet. However, there is a lot of grass up there with a lot of fish in it. The key to that place isn’t just catching them, but catching the good ones. I was there last June, and caught probably 30 keepers a day, but the 4-pounders are hard to find. It’s going to be even tougher in August, from what I hear. I’m just going to go up there and go fishing, and I’m looking forward to it.”

>>> Marty Stone

Lucky Craft’s Marty Stone is on a roll, after finishing the last tournament in New York in 18th and this weekend in 20th. The beginning of Stone’s year didn’t go as he expected, but he feels he is now on his way back up the ladder.
North Carolina fishing is tough and grueling, which is exactly how Stone likes it.

“Practice was what I call typical, North Carolina fishing, which I love,” Stone said. “It’s tough and unique, but you can find a pattern. In the history of my tournament fishing, I usually do well when it’s tough.”

Stone knows a lot about N.C. lakes and put his knowledge to good use this weekend.

“The hotter it gets in N.C., the more shallow the fish go,” Stone explained. “Somewhere around the third week of June, we lose water quality in our lakes, meaning the oxygen gets depleted out deep and the fish come closer to shore. I’m not saying there aren’t fish out there, but I’m not good at looking for them – and I also know they are headed back to the bank looking for fresh water.

“You’re going to find fresh water in the backs of creeks, runoffs and rivers. There are also areas where afternoon showers have caused the water to run in the lakes and rejuvenate it. That’s what brings these fish back shallow. This lake was no different. You had to cover a lot of water to find the fish.”

Stone almost made the cut to 12, after a two-day total of 19 pounds, 4 ounces, but feels good to again be in the top 20.

“I knew if I could make the cut, I could be in contention to win; and I almost did,” Stone said. “The first day of the tournament is the one that got me. I probably caught thirty fish, but never had an opportunity for a big fish. I never lost or missed anything that would have hurt me in this tournament, so it’s bitter sweet for me. I only missed the cut by 11 or 12 ounces. This is the cleanest tournament I’ve fished all year. It makes me feel good to know that I am back in the groove.”

With Stone back in the swing of things, he is looking forward to fishing on the Potomac River. He has fished there a lot and knows it could shape up to be another tough tournament.

“I’ve been going there since the mid-90s,” Stone concluded. “When I was up there a while back, I took notice of the Potomac, and it is in the best shape I’ve seen it in years. The grass is healthy and it’s everywhere. The fish also looked really big and healthy. I think a 12 to 14 pound bag is going to be average. It’s going to take 15 to 18 pounds to be really special. It wouldn’t surprise me if everyone has a limit the first day. Ounces are going to separate who is getting paid and who is going home.”

California native, Skeet Reese, had a strong first day, bringing in a five fish limit and a 12-pound bag. However, on day two of the tournament, Reese couldn’t get the bites he needed and came in with three fish and 4 pounds, 4 ounces; not enough to make the top 12 cut.

“In practice, the majority of my fish were in two feet of water or less and I was targeting bluegill beds,” Reese explained. “All I had to do was throw the Lucky Craft Gunfish (in Clear Laser Ghost) out there and the fish would choke it. It seemed a little too easy.

“But today, things just didn’t materialize for me. I know they dropped the water levels in the lake, and that hurt my fishing more than anything. When they took out six inches of water, the fish pulled out and went to deeper wood, lay downs and docks. I just didn’t key in on fishing those enough. I kept trying to chase those fish right up on the bank. I had areas in practice and the first day of the tournament where there were a lot of fish, but I pulled in there today and they were gone.”

Lake Wylie is a fairly big lake, but Reese felt as if it fished a bit smaller than normal.

“The lake fished smaller because of the six-hole course (off limits during the first two days of competition), but also because a lot of guys figured out the bluegill pattern,” Reese said. “I think they figured it out later in practice, because the first two days, I didn’t see any guys running any of the water I ran. The first day of the tournament, however, I could tell I wasn’t the first boat to go through the pockets. So I know I shared those fish with people.” Reese, along with the other Elite pros, has two more series tournaments before the end of the season. He has many goals in mind going into the Potomac. “I’m a little nervous about the Potomac, because I know if I can get a top 50 there, I’m pretty much locked into the Classic,” Reese concluded. “That’s my immediate goal, because I need to get it done before Table Rock. When we go there, a lot of hearts are going to get broken. It’s going to be really tough there, so I need to get it done in Maryland. After securing a Classic spot, my next goal is to finish in the top 12 and get myself back up in the points standings. My last two tour events on the Potomac have gone pretty well, but you never know what it will do this time around.”

Provided by Cox Group

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