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Brandon Card’s Post Seminole Report
Brandon Card breaks down his 56th place performance at Lake Seminole. A solid day one pattern was disrupted by a couple of bed fish that didn’t want to cooperate.
Brett Hite Claims His First Bassmaster Elite Series Victory
BAINBRIDGE, Ga. — Brett Hite is 1-for-1.
Sunday, Hite won the first Bassmaster Elite Series event in which he competed, the Dick Cepek Tires Bassmaster Elite at Lake Seminole presented by Hardee’s.
The Phoenix, Ariz., pro’s name is now alongside Derek Remitz’s in the history books as the only Elite Series rookies who have walked away with the trophy in their debut events.
Hite’s prize was $100,000 and an automatic berth in the 2015 Bassmaster Classic on Lake Hartwell in South Carolina.
“I’m pretty excited because Lake Hartwell is one of my favorite lakes,” Hite said. “Going into this season, getting to the Classic on Lake Hartwell was a goal. But I’m still going into the rest of the season by putting my head down and practicing hard and fishing hard.”
With a four-day total of 97 pounds, 10 ounces, Hite’s margin of victory was a whopping 13-0 over the runner-up, Todd Faircloth of Jasper, Texas, who posted a total of 84-10.
Ending up in third at 80-9 was Mark Davis of Mount Ida, Ark. Fourth place was taken by the 2004 Classic champion, Takahiro Omori of Emory, Texas, with 78-4. Finishing fifth was Kevin Short of Mayflower, Ark., with 76-6.
To take his win, Hite targeted hefty female prespawners staging along stretches of grassy banks. With his boat positioned in 6 to 8 feet of water, he was close enough to the bank to have been able to cast and hit it. He cast to the edge of the grass.
The fact that these spots replenished daily, and that he managed the use of those spots well, were keys to his daily weights: 24-11 on Day 1, which was good for fourth place; 20-11 on Day 2, when he took the lead; 26-5 on Day 3 when he led the field again, then 25-15 on Day 4.
The icing on his final day was hooking into a 7-13.
“I set the hook, and I was thinking, ‘Man, I hope this isn’t a tree.’ Then I saw my line coming toward me. It was the biggest fish I’d caught all week, and it came at the right time. It was pretty special,” he said. “I just knew that was the dagger.”
Hite achieved his hefty final-round weight despite a short competition day. A heavy storm front approaching the lake prompted Bassmaster officials to bring the 12 finalists off the water at 1 p.m. ET instead of 3:45.
Hite’s go-to lure all four days was a Z-Man ChatterBait, a bladed swim jig, in 3/8- and 1/2-ounce sizes depending on whether the grass was low or high in the water column. He said he caught most of his bass on the green pumpkin color, but he also used black-and-blue version in the morning or to give the bass something new to look at.
His trailer was usually a 4 1/2-inch swimming Gary Yamamoto Senko trailer in either green pumpkin with a dyed chartreuse tail, or in black-and-blue.
Although technically a Bassmaster Elite Series rookie, Hite has a 13-year history of competing in major tournaments. His Sunday victory was No. 2 for him in as many months; he won in Florida last month on another circuit.
Hite’s 2015 Classic qualification is his third. He competed in the 2000 Classic, qualifying through what was then the Western Invitational series and again in 2004 through the Top 150 tour before the Elite Series was created in 2006.
“The Classic is the biggest tournament in the world,” he said. “And the time period of the Classic (February) is when I excel, during the prespawn. I’m looking forward to it.”
Bonuses earned at the Lake Seminole event include:
* Carhartt Big Bass of the tournament, worth $1,000 plus another $500 for wearing Carhartt apparel: Bernie Schultz for his 10-10 on Day 1.
* Berkley Heavyweight Award of $500 for the best five-fish limit: Shaw Grigsby for his 30-5 on Day 1.
* Toyota’s $1,000 bonus to the leader in the Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year points race: Brett Hite
* Livingston Lures Leader Award of $500 for heading up the leaderboard on the second day: Brett Hite.
* Power-Pole Captain’s Cash Award of $1,000 to the highest finisher equipped with Power-Poles: Faircloth
* Rigid Industries Jackpot award of $250 daily to the angler eligible for the bonus who brought in 25 pounds or more in one day: Day 1, Kevin Short (25-9); Day 2, Justin Lucas (25-9); Day 3, Hite (26-5); and Day 4, Hite (25-15).
The local host of the Elite event was the Bainbridge-Decatur County Chamber of Commerce (http://www.bainbridgegachamber.com).
The Bassmasters TV show featuring the Lake Seminole event will air from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. ET, Sunday, March 20 on ESPN2. The episode will reair on ESPN2 from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. ET on Sunday, April 13, and again on The Outdoor Channel on Monday, May 12.
The Elite Series heads next to the St. Johns River out of Palatka, Fla., with takeoffs and weigh-ins at Riverfront Park in downtown Palatka. The competition days are Thursday-Sunday, March 20-23.
2014 Bassmaster Elite Series Official Sponsors: Toyota, Bass Pro Shops, Berkley, Evan Williams Bourbon, Humminbird, Mercury, Minn Kota, Nitro Boats, Skeeter Boats, Triton Boats, Yamaha
2014 Bassmaster Elite Series Supporting Sponsors: Booyah, Carhartt, Diet Mountain Dew, Livingston Lures, Lowrance, Plano, Power-Pole, Rigid Industries, Shimano
About B.A.S.S.
B.A.S.S. is the worldwide authority on bass fishing and keeper of the culture of the sport. Headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., the 500,000-member organization’s fully integrated media platforms include the industry’s leading magazines (Bassmaster and B.A.S.S. Times), website (Bassmaster.com), television show (The Bassmasters on ESPN2), social media programs and events. For more than 45 years, B.A.S.S. has been dedicated to access, conservation and youth fishing.
The Bassmaster Tournament Trail includes the most prestigious events at each level of competition, including the Bassmaster Elite Series, Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Open Series presented by Allstate, B.A.S.S. Nation events, Carhartt Bassmaster College Series, Bassmaster High School Series, Toyota Bonus Bucks Bassmaster Team Championship and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the GEICO Bassmaster Classic presented by Diet Mountain Dew and GoPro.
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Media Contact: Cara Clark, 205-313-0955, cclark@bassmaster.com, or Dave Precht, 205-313-0931, dprecht@bassmaster.com.
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Bugs and Windshields at Seminole
Tommy Biffle stepped off the weigh-in stage Friday afternoon at the Bassmaster Elite on Lake Seminole feeling like the victim of lyrics found in George Jones’ legendary 1980 country classic.
After catching 23-pounds the first day, and vaulting him to the Top 10 on the leaderboard, it was as though these southwest Georgia waters had suddenly stopped loving Biffle — leaving the Oklahoma pro with a pale 6-pounds on Day Two, and sending him plummeting down the leaderboard.
By no means was Biffle alone in a feeling of love gone wrong. Shaw Grigsby caught a mind-boggling 30-pound limit on Day One to take the lead, only to catch 12-pounds on Day Two. Local favorite and well-liked JTodd Tucker, who has been fishing Seminole since kindergarten, only managed 8-pounds yesterday after a very respectable 18-pound limit to end the first day of competition.
This tournament has been the ultimate scenario of sometimes you’re the windshield, and sometimes you’re the bug, and the worst part is, it’s hard for the best anglers in the world to fully understand why. “I’ll be honest, I’m not fishing like I like to fish, what I’m doing out there isn’t really my style, I’m casting a worm around, but on the first day of the tournament I got three really big bites doing it, and on the second day, I just never got a single big bite,” said Biffle. “I think on Saturday I may just grab a flippin’ stick and go fish the way I like to.”
“Thursday was one of four days in my 30 years as a pro that I’ve caught a 30-pound limit, so I didn’t think I could repeat it,” admitted Grigsby. “But I’ll go out there Saturday and do my best to catch another 30-pound bag. I’m just blessed to be a professional angler.”
Being a professional angler is certainly enviable to many, but for those who play the game, it’s a never-ending emotional roller coaster. Greg Hackney’s amusement park ride soared upward on Day Two with a 23-pound limit Friday after a dismal Day One that netted him just 5 total pounds. “I fished the same stuff Friday that I did on Thursday, but with far less wind, I was able to fish a whole lot slower,” explained Hackney, who’s paying less attention to spawning bass than many of his competitors, and instead, winding a Strike King Rage Blade and a Red Eye Shad on a large spooled Quantum EXO 200 reels.
JTodd Tucker knows better than anybody that this lake can quickly give back in the same way that it takes away. And so over a hamburger steak covered in brown gravy and grilled onions at Big Jim’s Oyster Bar on Friday evening, the local pro spoke with soft tones of wisdom rich optimism for Saturday. “Dad and I have never ever just gone out and tried to catch a 12 or 14-pond limit on this lake the entire time I’ve lived here because we know how many 25 and 30 pound limits swim here,” he explained.
It’s a go big or go home mentality here at Seminole. Be the windshield or be the bug. But heed the humility and wisdom of Greg Hackney even after he weighed-in 23 pounds Friday. “If you don’t get humbled in this profession, you just ain’t played the game very long, ‘cause trust me, the bass don’t care one bit about your emotions.”
“Sometimes you’re the windshield. Sometimes you’re the bug. Sometimes it all comes together baby. Sometimes you’re just a fool in love.” from Mary Chapin Carpenter’s 1992 song “The Bug”.
Brett Hite Slams 26-Plus Pounds For Lake Seminole Lead — Again
BAINBRIDGE, Ga. — Lake Seminole bass fishing could not be setting up any better for Brett Hite: big prespawn bass traveling on “highways” to beds.
Knowing how to target prespawners is one of his main strengths, said the Phoenix, Ariz., pro who is a Bassmaster Elite Series rookie, but prefers to call himself “young veteran” as a tip of the hat to his almost 13 years competing in big-name tournaments.
Saturday, Hite proved his experience by repeating his Friday lead in the Dick Cepek Tires Bassmaster Elite at Lake Seminole presented by Hardee’s.
And what a lead. Heading into Sunday’s championship round, Hite had 9 pounds, 12 ounces over his closest threat, Mark Davis of Mount Ida, Ark.
Hite’s total for the event’s first three competition days was 71-11. A consistent Davis, with a tally of 61-15 — 20 pounds and change each of three days — reached second place, up from seventh.
Bernie Schultz of Gainesville, Fla., who had 61-10, dropped one tick from second into third place.
Likewise Kevin Short of Mayflower, Ark. He slipped from third to fourth. His total was 60-11.
Aaron Martens of Leeds, Ala., was one of several anglers who made a stunning leap up the leaderboard Saturday to land in the Top 12 and advance to Sunday’s championship round. Martens’ bag of 29-11, the day’s largest, moved him from 37th into fifth with a total of 60-0.
Other jumpers included 2004 Bassmaster Classic champ Takahiro Omori of Emory, Texas, who moved from 18th into seventh; Byron Velvick, 21st to ninth; Todd Faircloth, 23rd to 10th; and Andy Montgomery, 29th to 12th.
The dozen pros who made the cut will return Sunday to Lake Seminole to vie for the event’s first-place prize of $100,000 and an automatic berth in the 2015 Bassmaster Classic.
Only one rookie in Bassmaster Elite Series history — Derek Remitz — has won his debut event, but Hite appears to be headed toward making that two rookies.
“If I get six to eight bites tomorrow — if I actually catch those six to eight bites tomorrow — I’m going to have between 15 and 20 pounds. The fish I’m getting to bite are all big ones,” Hite said.
He explained that there was a large group of big, migrating females in his best area. And that Sunday’s weather forecast will help him catch them.
“The conditions — stormy weather and a little wind — are really looking good for me,” he said.
Hite noted that the three bass he put in his livewell Saturday morning were among the smallest he’d caught all week. But his pattern turned on in the afternoon, and he boated the prespawners until he ended with 26 pounds, 5 ounces.
Davis has been Mr. Consistency: Day 1 he had 21-0, Day 2 he weighed 20-13, and Day 3 came in at 20-2.
“It’s been steady. I had a chance today to have more than 20, but it didn’t work out,” Davis said, without elaborating.
Davis said he sight fished only on the first day, then abandoned that pattern. He said he turned to cranking, targeting prespawners and postspawners — bass moving to and from beds.
Davis said the timing of his catches has been different every day. Saturday the bite really turned on late, although he was reeling them in throughout the day.
Rain on Sunday should only improve the bite on Seminole, he predicted.
“I think all our weights are really going to be great tomorrow,” he said.
The biggest bass of the day were two 7-12s, one by Omori and one by Faircloth. But the 10-10 of Thursday by Schultz stood as the top candidate for the event’s Carhartt Big Bass bonus of up to $1,500.
Hite won Saturday’s $250 Rigid Industries Jackpot award for being the angler registered for the bonus who busted 25 pounds.
Shaw Grigsby’s 30-5 of Day 1 set the mark high for the Berkley Heavyweight award of $500. No one yet has bested Grigsby, although Martens came close on Saturday with his 29-11.
The pros will begin the final round at 7:30 a.m. on Sunday from Earle May Boat Basin, 100 Boat Basin Circle, Bainbridge, Ga. The weigh-in will begin at 4 p.m. at the same location.
The 11th annual Bainbridge River Town Days and the Bassmaster Elite Series Expo will continue Sunday. The festivals include kids activities, vendors, free concerts and the products of Elite Series sponsors. Fans can sign up for free demo rides in Nitro, Skeeter and Triton boats powered by Mercury Pro XS and Yamaha SHO engines.
There’s no admission charge to any Bassmaster event, and parking is free.
The local host of the Elite event is the Bainbridge-Decatur County Chamber of Commerce (http://www.bainbridgegachamber.com).
The Bassmasters TV show featuring the Lake Seminole event will air from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. ET, Sunday, March 20 on ESPN2. The episode will reair on ESPN2 from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. ET on Sunday, April 13, and again on The Outdoor Channel on Monday, May 12.
2014 Bassmaster Elite Series Official Sponsors: Toyota, Bass Pro Shops, Berkley, Evan Williams Bourbon, Humminbird, Mercury, Minn Kota, Nitro Boats, Skeeter Boats, Triton Boats, Yamaha
2014 Bassmaster Elite Series Supporting Sponsors: Booyah, Carhartt, Diet Mountain Dew, Livingston Lures, Lowrance, Plano, Power-Pole, Rigid Industries, Shimano
About B.A.S.S.
B.A.S.S. is the worldwide authority on bass fishing and keeper of the culture of the sport. Headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., the 500,000-member organization’s fully integrated media platforms include the industry’s leading magazines (Bassmaster and B.A.S.S. Times), website (Bassmaster.com), television show (The Bassmasters on ESPN2), social media programs and events. For more than 45 years, B.A.S.S. has been dedicated to access, conservation and youth fishing.
The Bassmaster Tournament Trail includes the most prestigious events at each level of competition, including the Bassmaster Elite Series, Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Open Series presented by Allstate, B.A.S.S. Nation events, Carhartt Bassmaster College Series, Bassmaster High School Series, Toyota Bonus Bucks Bassmaster Team Championship and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the GEICO Bassmaster Classic presented by Diet Mountain Dew and GoPro.
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Media Contact: Cara Clark, 205-313-0955, cclark@bassmaster.com, or Dave Precht, 205-313-0931, dprecht@bassmaster.com.
2014 Bassmaster Elite Series Lake Seminole Presented by Dick Cepek Tires & Wheels 3/13-3/16
Lake Seminole, Bainbridge, Ga.
(PROFESSIONAL) Standings Day 3
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Brett Hite Phoenix, AZ 15 71-11 100 $500.00
Day 1: 5 24-11 Day 2: 5 20-11 Day 3: 5 26-05
2. Mark Davis Mount Ida, AR 15 61-15 99
Day 1: 5 21-00 Day 2: 5 20-13 Day 3: 5 20-02
3. Bernie Schultz Gainesville, FL 15 61-10 98
Day 1: 5 26-14 Day 2: 5 17-10 Day 3: 5 17-02
4. Kevin Short Mayflower, AR 15 60-11 97
Day 1: 5 25-09 Day 2: 5 17-10 Day 3: 5 17-08
5. Aaron Martens Leeds, AL 15 60-00 96
Day 1: 5 17-05 Day 2: 5 13-00 Day 3: 5 29-11
6. Shaw Grigsby Jr. Gainesville, FL 15 59-03 95
Day 1: 5 30-05 Day 2: 5 12-05 Day 3: 5 16-09
7. Takahiro Omori Emory, TX 15 58-06 94
Day 1: 5 19-11 Day 2: 5 14-15 Day 3: 5 23-12
8. Justin Lucas Guntersville, AL 15 58-04 93
Day 1: 5 17-08 Day 2: 5 25-09 Day 3: 5 15-03
9. Byron Velvick Boenre, TX 14 58-03 92
Day 1: 5 16-07 Day 2: 4 17-04 Day 3: 5 24-08
10. Todd Faircloth Jasper, TX 15 56-15 91
Day 1: 5 20-15 Day 2: 5 12-04 Day 3: 5 23-12
11. Charlie Hartley Grove City, OH 15 56-00 90
Day 1: 5 19-07 Day 2: 5 16-01 Day 3: 5 20-08
12. Andy Montgomery Blacksburg, SC 15 54-14 89
Day 1: 5 15-10 Day 2: 5 15-11 Day 3: 5 23-09
13. Jared Lintner Arroyo Grande, CA 15 53-09 88 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 14-09 Day 2: 5 21-05 Day 3: 5 17-11
14. Jason Christie Park Hill, OK 15 53-06 87 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 14-05 Day 2: 5 18-05 Day 3: 5 20-12
15. Chad Morgenthaler Coulterville, IL 14 52-10 86 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 20-10 Day 2: 5 22-06 Day 3: 4 09-10
16. James Niggemeyer Van, TX 13 51-14 85 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 19-07 Day 2: 4 18-02 Day 3: 4 14-05
17. Alton Jones Lorena, TX 15 51-10 84 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 14-09 Day 2: 5 19-07 Day 3: 5 17-10
18. David Walker Sevierville, TN 15 51-09 83 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 21-04 Day 2: 5 12-05 Day 3: 5 18-00
19. Gerald Swindle Warrior, AL 15 50-13 82 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 16-15 Day 2: 5 18-02 Day 3: 5 15-12
20. Nate Wellman Newaygo, MI 15 50-11 81 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 15-05 Day 2: 5 21-05 Day 3: 5 14-01
21. Brandon Lester Fayetteville, TN 15 50-01 80 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 18-06 Day 2: 5 17-09 Day 3: 5 14-02
22. Randall Tharp Port Saint Joe, FL 15 50-00 79 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 17-00 Day 2: 5 20-07 Day 3: 5 12-09
23. Hank Cherry Jr Maiden, NC 14 49-13 78 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 23-03 Day 2: 5 14-10 Day 3: 4 12-00
24. Stephen Browning Hot Springs, AR 15 49-12 77 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 14-11 Day 2: 5 15-13 Day 3: 5 19-04
25. Morizo Shimizu Osaka JAPAN 14 49-09 76 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 19-02 Day 2: 5 17-06 Day 3: 4 13-01
26. Brian Snowden Reeds Spring, MO 15 48-14 75 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 20-03 Day 2: 5 14-07 Day 3: 5 14-04
27. Ott DeFoe Knoxville, TN 15 47-12 74 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 17-11 Day 2: 5 16-04 Day 3: 5 13-13
28. Bill Lowen Brookville, IN 15 46-07 73 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 13-03 Day 2: 5 16-15 Day 3: 5 16-05
29. Jacob Powroznik Port Haywood, VA 15 46-02 72 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 14-12 Day 2: 5 15-11 Day 3: 5 15-11
30. Matt Herren Trussville, AL 15 45-04 71 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 15-04 Day 2: 5 14-13 Day 3: 5 15-03
31. Clifford Pirch Payson, AZ 15 45-01 70 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 18-07 Day 2: 5 12-07 Day 3: 5 14-03
32. Kevin VanDam Kalamazoo, MI 15 45-00 69 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 17-09 Day 2: 5 14-08 Day 3: 5 12-15
33. Kotaro Kiriyama Moody, AL 15 44-02 68 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 12-03 Day 2: 5 15-13 Day 3: 5 16-02
34. Chris Lane Guntersville, AL 15 43-15 67 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 18-06 Day 2: 5 09-10 Day 3: 5 15-15
35. Skeet Reese Auburn, CA 15 43-15 66 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 16-07 Day 2: 5 11-01 Day 3: 5 16-07
36. Dean Rojas Lake Havasu City, AZ 15 43-08 65 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 18-09 Day 2: 5 13-04 Day 3: 5 11-11
37. Cliff Prince Palatka, FL 14 43-06 64 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 13-08 Day 2: 4 14-13 Day 3: 5 15-01
38. Greg Hackney Gonzales, LA 12 43-02 63 $10,000.00
Day 1: 2 05-00 Day 2: 5 23-15 Day 3: 5 14-03
39. Josh Bertrand Gilbert, AZ 13 42-11 62 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 17-08 Day 2: 5 13-10 Day 3: 3 11-09
40. Ish Monroe Hughson, CA 14 41-00 61 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 12-03 Day 2: 5 19-13 Day 3: 4 09-00
41. J Todd Tucker Moultrie, GA 10 40-10 60 $10,000.00
Day 1: 4 18-14 Day 2: 2 08-06 Day 3: 4 13-06
42. Mike Kernan Wylie, TX 13 40-06 59 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 14-08 Day 2: 5 16-08 Day 3: 3 09-06
43. Russ Lane Prattville, AL 13 40-02 58 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 12-08 Day 2: 5 17-15 Day 3: 3 09-11
44. Kelly Jordon Palestine, TX 12 39-12 57 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 15-05 Day 2: 4 17-10 Day 3: 3 06-13
45. Jeremy Starks Scott Depot, WV 13 38-12 56 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 16-00 Day 2: 4 12-11 Day 3: 4 10-01
46. Davy Hite Ninety Six, SC 14 37-10 55 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 18-08 Day 2: 5 10-11 Day 3: 4 08-07
47. Kelley Jaye Dadeville, AL 15 37-10 54 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 15-03 Day 2: 5 14-00 Day 3: 5 08-07
48. Tim Horton Muscle Shoals, AL 12 37-00 53 $10,000.00
Day 1: 4 10-07 Day 2: 5 17-04 Day 3: 3 09-05
49. Kurt Dove Del Rio, TX 13 36-13 52 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 17-00 Day 2: 5 10-04 Day 3: 3 09-09
50. Tommy Biffle Wagoner, OK 11 35-10 51 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 23-13 Day 2: 4 06-08 Day 3: 2 05-05
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Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 81 479 1503-02
2 59 428 1268-11
3 35 227 760-02
———————————-
175 1134 3531-15
Cliff Notes: Volume 14
Have you ever wondered what happens on Day 3 of an Elite Series tournament if you don’t make the cut.