Clear Lake Night 8/25/07 – 5th St. Ramp
Pick Team Tournament
Santa Clara Bass Busters held its 8th tournament of the year, our second night event of the season at Clear Lake with a 5 fish team limit. The Bass Busters had 14 boats for 28 anglers show for the team pick-your-partner event. Our members were met with sunny skies with temps ranging from mid 90s at launch to lows in the 50s in the night. Winds ranged from mostly 10-20 mph throughout the tournament, water temps ranged from 78-81 and our night tournament was preceding a full moon. With the gradually slowing bite happening at Clear Lake, our anglers overcame the hurdle with most teams having limits and several notable standout weights.
First place distinctions went to Ron Shikashio (B) and Marshall Smith (NB) who weighed in a limit of 28.63 lbs anchored by Marshall’s 8.70 bruiser, which also took Big Fish honors. The two reported starting off at Henderson and filling out their limit on dropshot and jigs there. Later the team took their pattern around the lake targeting steeper rocky walls and points in the South end of the lake in Jago Bay. Ron had a feeling the fishing was going to go well after picking out a backlash early in the night, feeling a fish on the end of his line, and proceeded to land it by hand. There’s not denying the “Purple” boat is on a good fishing streak right now. Marshall also told me personally for him “This was the best night of fishing ever”. Fantastic work, fellas!
Second place honors went to Joe Alvarez (B) and Miguel Villavicencio (NB) who weighed in 24.70 lbs. Their pattern was similar, applied in an area called Bass Alley. Miguel reported targeting a stretch of rock wall which produced their better fish. The two used dropshotted 4” brown worms, Spook Jr., blades, and double-wide Beavers. Right on, guys!
Third place credits go to Jeff Hawkins (B) and Tyler Linscott (NB), who both finished in the top 3 at last seasons Clear Lake night tourney. The pairing produced a 23.03 lb limit caught around the Soda Bay and Henderson Point parts of the lake. Senkos, double-wide Beavers, and poppers accounted for their fish. Well done!
Landing in fourth place were Jon Hagan (B) and, perspective member (still), Ryan S. (NB) with 21.34 lbs. They worked frogs in Konocti for their early limit and later caught fish with jig, lipless cranks, and other plastics throughout the night in and around Jones Bay, Rattlesnake, and the Oaks.
In fifth place with 17.99 lbs were Michael Chen (B) and girlfriend, Sandy Sueoka (NB), who employed, deep cranks, football jigged plastics, shakey head worms, and texas rigged 10” power worms on rockpiles near Hwy 20 and in the Rattlesnake Arm, and rock walls on Henderson, Soda, and Shag Rock.
Taking sixth place were Spiro Stamos (B) and Adam Kern (NB), with 16.88 lbs. They (mostly Adam) accounted for their fish on mostly jigs. Adding to his tale of catching an 8.59 lber (good for 2nd Big Fish) at Henderson Point, Adam told the club his shoulders were also sore from carrying Spiro all night long. Too funny, guys!
Rene Duzac (B) and John Fernandes (NB) landed in seventh place with a 16.25 lb limit. They threw spooks and Big Unit worms for their limit. They found most of their success in the south portion of the lake.
Eighth place had Tony “Dawg” Leyva (B) and Joe Heylen (NB) bring back 13.40 lbs to the scales. They targeted depths of 20-30 feet for their quarry.
Britt Brittain (B) and Jon Wagman (NB) finished in ninth place with 13.19 lbs tossing 10” worms at Shag Rock and Soda Bay.
In tenth place, Rob Nelson (B) and Glenn Hayashimoto (NB) weighed-in 13.15 lbs. The duo ran south and used Big Unit worms.
Eleventh place found Kyle Mulhair (NB) and guest, Steve L. (B), with a 12.36 lbs limit. They chose to target shallower fish with Senkos. In twelfth place were Mo Martinez (B) and Lloyd “Rooster” Bebilone (NB) with a final weight of 11.45 lbs for 4 fish. They caught their fish using frogs and Senkos.Francisco “Sego” Segoviano (B) and guest, Debra (NB) landed thirteenth with 11.02 lbs. Sego reported that the team used spinnerbaits and citing the midnight special being the hot color.Prespective member, Brian V. (B), and newly inducted member, Bon Gotuaco (NB) paired up to fish and brought in a respectable 10.63 lbs for 3 fish good for fourteenth. The reported catching their fish on jigs.During our weigh-in and debriefing it was obvious our members were exhausted, yet excited, after staying up for the night and doing battle with Clear Lake’s wind and largemouth. As usual, Clear Lake produced some nice bags for our teams and made for a fun time. Also of note, this tournament also served as our last event for qualifying for the Northern California Club Classic, which is proving to be an event people look forward to and set their sites on to qualify for and represent the Club. Our top 6 boater and 6 non-boater qualifying anglers (6 teams) will have a chance to represent the Santa Clara BassBusters on the CA Delta against other bass clubs throughout California. Our next meeting will be September 6th at IHOP starting at 7:30pm. Our next tournament will be a draw individual event on the California Delta out of Holland Marina. As a reminder, if you can’t make it to the club meeting and you plan to fish our next tournament and get into the Big Fish pool, let someone know ahead of time whether you plan to fish or not.
