AC Pro Staffer Dearal Rodgers at Table Rock

Just got off the phone with Dearal and he said practice for almost everyone was a wash today. Water temps around 39-40 degree’s, and fish are very lethargic. he is going out all day again on Monday and will call with a report that hopefully has some fish in it!!!!

Greene Boat and Motor Lake Norman TOP 5

Very competitive tournament, just check out this list below:

1. Kevin Toler and Rodney Lambert 5 fish 16.72 2nd BF 5.38 $1564
2. Donald Hinson and Troy Jackson 5 fish 14.62 $865
3. Thomas Vickers and Brian Huskins 5 fish 14.43 $550
4. Cliff Kirby and Alfrred Keisling 5 fish 14.37 $375
5. Rob Digh and Marcos Muellicelli 5 fish 13.53 $220

FLW Tour Heads to Table Rock this Week

We have three Pro Staffers heading out to Table Rock this week-Dearal Rodgers, Brian Travis, and Brent Long. We will be talking to all three this week as they get ready for the 2nd big Tour event this year. Dearal seemed very confident after having a strong finish last year, so it should be interesting. We will talk to Dearal Tonight on AC Radio to get an early update as practice continues…………

Check Out The New BRIAN TRAVIS FROGTAPE RIG!!

Santee Bass Open Insight

As many of you already know, the Santee Bass Open on April 24th is much more than just about throwing a charity tournament-its about restoring Santee to a level that hasn’t been seen in quite some time. This is a letter sent to the DNR about some of those issue’s that we thought you would enjoy:

Chris:

I realize there are serious considerations on each side of the table to controlling invasive and non native grasses. I also understand that it is not only South Carolina, but most states that face these issues. Whatever is decided, I ask that the panel consider a few key points.

1. The eradication of all vegetation that we witnessed in the late 90’s -2007 is unacceptable to our environment. Whether boaters, skiers, fishermen, outdoorsmen, or hunters, creating an “underwater desert” should be avoided at all costs. This was a huge natural resource blunder that take Santee Cooper many years from which it can recover.

2.Complete coverage of our lakes by any submerged aquatic vegetation should be avoided at all costs.

3.A common warning in grass carp literature is “unless total elimination of submersed aquatic vegetation can be tolerated, grass carp stocking should is not recommended”*.

4.”Lake Yale is another large Florida lake (surface area approximately 1,635 ha) where grass carp were used in an attempt to control hydrilla. Initially, the carp were stocked at low levels (approximately 7/ha or 3/acre) but additional stocking brought that density to approximately 17/ha (7/acre) where the consumption rate of the carp exceeded the growth rate of the submersed vegetation. The final result was the complete elimination of submersed and emergent vegetation (primarily grasses) for several years.**”

So even 7 grass carp/submersed vegetated acre resulted in the complete elimination of submersed and emergent vegetation, creating an underwater desert like we witnessed on Santee Cooper lakes system.

5. “It took 4 to 5 years of intense electro-fishing and other carp removal strategies to bring carp densities to a level where revegetation efforts once again established littoral vegetation. The cost of these efforts was high and would suggest that current technologies for grass carp removal are not cost-effective or practical. Thus, the large lake case histories show a similar trend to the pond and lake studies listed above. Some large lakes experienced total elimination of submersed aquatic vegetation, some had no reduction in aquatic plants and there was limited evidence that some level of temporary hydrilla control can be achieved while maintaining other species of submersed aquatic vegetation. ***”

6. There are no easy answers to this problem. What is the proper way to proceed? I can’t answer that directly, other than we need to proceed with caution so we avoid, at all costs, another colossal Natural Resource error that we experienced over the past decade by creating an underwater desert again.

I remain,

Jesse N. Williams III

*, **, and *** were all taken from http://myfwc.com/docs/WildlifeHabitats/InvasivePlants_HydMgtChlngs06.pdf , pp 12-14. This was a significant panel of water specialist and aquatic weed managers held in Florida that I believe you are very aware.

2010 Bassmaster Classic Champion Kevin VanDam coming to Warriors On The Water!!

Just to inform you that we are indeed going to have BASS Pro and Classic Champion Kevin Van Dam in for the Wednesday night Icebreaker on Ft. Bragg at the Sports USA.  He will be giving out autographed cards and talking with the troops and fishermen.  Van Dam just won his third Bass Master Classic this past weekend on Lay Lake, Al.  He received $500,000 for first place!  We are very fortunate to have a Classic Champion to attend our opening night that we call “The Icebreaker”.

Wednesday night will be a night of fun for the Military Men and Women who attend as well as for our volunteers and fishermen. We expect over 400 people to be in attendance at the Icebreaker.  We will have guest speakers from the Military representing all branches whose troops are fishing the event.  The fishermen will be paired up with their Military counterparts and get to talk over their plans how they are going to win the big event on Friday.

Thursday will be the VIP day where we take sponsors, fishermen and volunteers out to the bases of Ft. Bragg and Pope AFB to meet the Military Men and Women.

Friday, be there extra early to see 150 plus boats on the water with yellow ribbons on the front and the American flag flying proudly on the back of each boat.  Come and witness a grand start off by tournament director David Blanton and his staff.  But be sure to stop by and visit Camp David and fill up on hot coffee, donuts, bagels and other goodies put together by Laura Riley and her staff.  New Hope Ramp at Jordan Lake looks like a city all lit up and all this starting at “0 dark thirty” before the take off at approximately 7:00 AM. Bob Cunningham and his crew will have just a few hours to ensure that all 150 boats are in the water and all boaters and their troops are accounted for!  What I have just described is at least six months of meetings trying to get everything and everyone off with out a hitch!!!  We will also have Dominos from Sanford to feed volunteers and media for lunch and then Texas Roadhouse of Fayetteville will feed everyone for dinner.  There will be a stage set up from FLW ready for the first team to make it’s way across starting at 2:00 PM.  When it’s all over, the WOW committee starts planning for the next year! WOW……

To all Media concerned, please email me ASAP to let me know which days you plan to attend.  I have to know to get you on the base for Wednesday night.  For the tournament day, I will have you your own personal media boat to take you around on the lake to interview and take pictures of the troops with their fishermen.  I have to know so that I can get the boaters lined up now.

Thank you,

Hal Abshire

Warriors on the Water

2009 Co-Angler AOY Dearal Rodgers ready to take next step in FLW Tour on Table Rock Lake

The FLW Tour tournament on Missouri’s Table Rock Lake is shaping up very much like the one last year – cold, maybe even more so!!

CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL ARTICLE

New Deep Creek Lures Tournament Trail fills gaps in calendar for North Carolina anglers – first tournament March 6 on Shearon Harris

“When NBC folded a lot of guys on our pro staff and other anglers were looking for a trail to follow,” said Marie Turner, president of Deep Creek Lures in Rougemont, N.C. “They approached us to start a new trail, so we did.”

CLICK HERE TO READ FULL ARTICLE

Weather could break just right for the Tommy Shaw Memorial on Clarks Hill

“Tommy Shaw had the first marina on the lake and he loved to fish. There were not many people that he didn’t like,” said Larry Gilpin president of the Clark Hill Committee which conducts most of the tournaments held on the lake which is officially named Lake Thurmond.
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Georgia Southern University Collegiate Series Results

Georgia Southern University is hosting their own collegiate bass series this spring. We had our first event at Lake Seminole this past weekend. We had four schools compete with 11 teams in total. The represented schools were Georgia Southern, Southern Poly Tech, Valdosta, and ABAC. Top three finishers were the team of Wesley Maples and Lee Little from GSU with 9.76 lbs. 2nd place went to Jed Thigpen and Will Shurling from GSU also with 9.76 lbs. 3rd was held up with a Valdosta brothers Tyler and John Suddarth with 5.66 lbs. Wesley Maples ended up winning the tournament due to his big fish of 6.71 lbs. First place prize was a $250 check and a big fish prize of 2 $50 gift certificates for Big Bear Rods. Please feel free to email me for pi

Go to www.georgiasouthernbass.com for more information!!