Archive
Montgomery Bassmasters
2010
Two Club Schedules Include Special Events For 2010
January, 2010
Two bass fishing clubs announced their 2010 schedules this week and both include special events for the coming season. According to Don Newsome, secretary for the Montgomery Bass Masters, and Jody McRoberts, director of the Triple H Bass Club, their regular seasons will add open events for North Carolina anglers.
The Triple H Bass Club, a group that fishes on Sundays once a month, will add three charity events this year. Their regular schedule of eight events beginning February 28th at Jordan Lake, will end September 19th at Buggs Island. The group also fishes the Yadkin Chain, Philpot, Falls, and Smith Mountain lakes.
A charity event to raise funds for Girl Scout Troop 40853 for their Orlando trip will happen March 6th at High Rock Lake and the Southmont Access off Highway 8. Sixty percent of the $50 entry fee will be paid back in the 7 AM to 2:30 PM competition. For more information, contact McRoberts at 336-215-4402 or by email at jmcroberts@triad.rr.com. Information is also available on the club's web site at www.triplehbassclub.com . The group plans to host two other specials to be announced at a later date.
The Montgomery Bass Masters have included two popular events each season for a number of years now. While their regular season will begin February 20 at their home lake, Tillery, the group will take a break from monthly events to host the 4th Annual Spring Open on the same lake April 3rd. That event will blast off at 7 AM and weigh in at 3 PM. Their annual fall event will take place September 25th on Tillery and the Swift Island Access off Highway 24/27.
The group fishes a variety of lakes across the state during its eight-event season. A switch from the normal approach, the schedule includes a number of night competitions during the hottest months of the year. June, July, and August events will take place beginning in the evening.
For more information about the club and its two open events, contact tournament director Michael Maness at 910-571-0022. General information about the club can be found by contacting Newsome at 910-572-7695.
Both team's regular season events, special events, and club information can be found on the Fishbyte.Net Calendar and Forums.
Muddy, Cold Waters Make Montgomery Opener Tough
February 20, 2010
You wait all winter through cold and, sometimes, snowy days for that season bass opener knowing better days will come. Great expectations turned out to be wishful thinking for the Montgomery Bass Masters Saturday, when the club held its first event of the year on their home lake.
Tillery was giving up none of its bass, but the hometown anglers look far and wide from an 8 AM blastoff to 4 PM. Six boat teams drew a blank on waters that ranged from 34 degrees at the Swift Island ramps to upper 40's in a few spots.
“There weren't many places you could find water that wasn't muddy,” stated president, James Blue. “I had a couple bites all day long, but that was it.” Members reported fishing nearly every bait, strategy, and depth to no avail.
“We'll carry the money to our next event at Shearon Harris March 20th,” noted secretary, Don Newsome. “That'll give the guys something extra to shoot for.” The club is affiliated with the NC Bass Federation and FLW, TBF.
The Montgomery Bass Masters host one of the favorite spring events on Tillery annually. The 4th Annual Open Bass Tournament will be held on Tillery and the Swift Island Access area Saturday, April 03. The open event will run from 7 AM to 3 PM.
For more information about the club, contact Newsome at elizabeth91@northstate.net or call 910-572-7695.
2009
Montgomery Bassmasters Travel North To Take On Harris
by Don Newsome & Fishbyte Staff
March 7, 2009
Eight boats from the Montgomery Bassmasters Club took on Shearon Harris this past Saturday, March 7th, and one of the lucky fishermen found gold with a single cast. The 7 AM start saw temperatures of 52 degrees and water temp averages of 48. Across the state, various clubs enjoyed sunny weather and near-80 degree temperatures, a far cry from the snows some five days before.
At the 3 PM weigh in, it was one boat that took weight and Big Fish. “There were few keepers with the slot at Harris. No fish between 16” and 20” can be kept,” stated club member, Don Newsome. That makes the competition very tough and adds a twist to the usual approach, according to Newsome.
“Michael Maness was able to trick a 23 inch hawg weighing 7 pounds 5 ounces out of the water. He won tournament with one fish and also had Big Fish,” laughed Newsome. That monster beat out second and third place winners Wally Fields and James Blue. “Blue had three fish in slot, but none were good enough for weight, commented Newsome.
The Montgomery Bassmasters Club, directed by James Blue, with tournaments directed by Michael Maness, will be having an Open Tournament on Lake Tillery April 4th. If you would like to join the group that day, contact Don Newsome at 336-474-0023 for more information.
The next club tournament will be on Jordan Lake, Saturday, May 16th. The club is always looking for more members
Gooch Team Puts Up Record At Montgomery 3rd Annual Spring Open
April 4, 2009
The talk of the waters has to be Gooch... Greg and Bill that is. The father and son team scored back-to-back weekends of 30-plus pound bags, a hook over 34 last weekend and 37.09 pounds April 4 at the Montgomery Bassmasters 3rd Annual Spring Open Bass Tournament. Lake Tillery has given up its secrets to the pair, and anglers and spectators at weigh in witnessed the best.
“We didn't have any place special we went to,” stated son, Greg. “Actually, we caught some of them in the cove coming in from the main channel.” As so many have found recently, a combination of spinners in murky waters, a few well-chosen crank baits, and a jig or two seem to be what's making the fish move. “There still isn't a real pattern,” said father, Bill. “We just got lucky again,” he said modestly. Angler after angler stepped up and shook hands with the pair and plied them for tips. It would be some time before seeing such a weight again.
“I am really happy with the turnout and results today,” said Tournament Director, Michael Maness. “We had 34 boats hit the water at 7 AM and most of them had reasonably good luck. With the economy so bad, that's a great number on a Saturday with so many other competitions happening.” Montgomery Bassmasters, a 4-year-old club based in Troy, NC, has 13 members and growing. They began the open event shortly after forming. Prior to the club's start and several years before, the Uwharrie Bass Club existed in the county.
The West Montgomery Band, as they had done the weekend before at the Tri City Memorial Competition, showed up in the wee hours of the morning to send off the boats with a variety of songs and the Star Spangled Banner. Their Booster Club set up tents and grills to serve hot dogs and all the trimmings to anglers as they came back in. The Band is directed by Mr. Gary Graham. At the end of the day, Montgomery Bassmaster President James Blue presented Booster Lynn Davis with a donation in appreciation for the high school support.
“It's really a good thing when these teens turn out so early on their Saturday morning with their advisors,” commented Blue. “We really appreciate them helping to make this a community thing.”
Back to the Gooch family anglers and those who chased them through north winds that picked up throughout the day.... Besides heaviest catch, the pair also rang the Big Fish bell for the day (8.02 pounds), completing their school on Tillery for the weekend. Their 1st place literally netted them $578, while Big Fish added $340 to the string.
Second place winners were Roy Moore and Jodie Moore who captured 17.13 pounds and took home $306, a healthy day's pay for lake duty. Third place was nailed down by Daniel Cranford, Director of the ABA American Fishing Tour Division 14 and Tillery guide, Chip Campbell. They coaxed 15.04 pounds out of the waters. “I wouldn't have been able to do much,” said Cranford. “This is the guide here who found the spots to hit. I knew these guys would put on a great event and I wanted to be here.” The pair took home $170 and plenty of smiles after facing such stiff competition.
Just outside the paying spots were J.T. Marsh and Jimmy Marsh with 14.03 pounds in fourth, and Juston Weed and Matt Hanley with 13.13 pounds.
Montgomery Bassmasters, members of NC Bass Federation and FLW and TBF, moves on to Lake Jordan on May 5th. The club fishes mostly the Yadkin chain along with Shearon Harris, Jordan and Kerr Lake (Buggs). The club is looking to add more members. For more information, contact President James Blue or Tournament Director Michael Maness (910-571-0022). Information can also be found on the Fishbyte.net Calendar or Forums.
Montgomery Anglers Pull Midnight Shift on Tillery
June 13, 2009
They travel to lakes across the state in search of hungry bass and, when they come back home to fish, they throw a curve into the angling. The Montgomery Bassmasters gathered at Tillery's Swift Island Landing June 13. It wasn't the usual “safelight” blast off associated with most bass fishing competitions. The crew raced off at 6 PM and slid back to the docks at midnight.
The NC B.A.S.S. Federation and FLW-affiliated club, run by president James Blue, has an eight-event schedule that begins in early March and ends just after Labor Day. Besides the Yadkin Chain of rivers, members travel to Jordan and Shearon Harris. In April, the club sponsored the Third Annual Spring Open at Tillery, a competition anglers have put on their “must” list. Michael Maness oversees all tournaments in the schedule.
Competitors found the going tough Saturday night as eight members managed only fifteen small fish at weigh in. A newcomer to the group, Corey Smith, caught five of the bass while paired with Blue. Wally Fields scored Big Fish for the evening, netting a 2.07 pound bass.
According to club secretary, Don Newsome, fish were finicky and no pattern emerged throughout the event. “About the only thing we could piece together was the fact that most of the fish were caught at the same location by different anglers during the six hours,” Newsome commented. “I think we caught it on an off-night, but that's what fishing is.” Members did agree that the fish had moved to the main channel as water temperatures heat up.
The club moves to Badin Lake June 27 for another late-day competition. They will use the Alcoa Landing in the Town of Badin for that event. For more information about the club and complete schedule, contact James Blue at 910-572-7695 or visit the Fishbyte.net Forums and Calendar.
Montgomery Bassmaster Crew Goes Night Time
June 27, 2009
By Don Newsome & Fishbyte.net Staff
The Montgomery Bassmasters occasionally change things up in their schedule, and this past Saturday was just another twist on how to do things in bass-land. A small group of the club anglers pulled into the Lakemont Access Landing on Badin's north shores just before 6 PM with a plan to attack the local lake until midnight.
Although only six members from the group were able to make the event, those who showed came with no less enthusiasm. “It's all a good thing,” laughed Woody Maness. “They knew all the big fish would be chasing my line tonight anyway,” he joked. The small knot of boats pulled together just prior to blast off, where final jabs and jokes floated from boat to boat. Whether they'd compete against fifty or five others, it was fishing, and it was fun between these guys.
The competition did mean a new leader in the points race by the end of the evening. Although Wally Fields placed second on the night overall, his 8 pounds 8 ounces of bass gave him enough season points to steal the club lead away. He will go into the next evening event back on Badin, July 11, as the one to catch.
“It was hot early on,” stated Don Newsome, “but cooled down pretty quickly. It was really nice after dark... the kind of evening you like to be out on the water.” Newsome probably enjoyed the outing even more for reasons other than trying to win. He had been out on High Rock Lake all day competing in the NC Walmart Bass Fishing League event there, one of the toughest and longest competitions to come to the state. An evening on Badin with friends enjoying a more relaxed pace was probably just the right medicine for him.
Maness couldn't have agreed more with Newsome's assessment of the evening. Not only did he enjoy perfect fishing weather, Maness' 12 pounds 1 ounce of five bass took the evening's first place spot. It turned out his earlier joke about the big fish in the lake was true. He used Carolina and Texas rigs to lure in his winners. “Now that I've shown these guys how to fish in the evening, I'm ready for the next one,” teased Maness.
Although the anglers has a combined total of only 12 fish at the scales, their conservation efforts meant all were turned back to the lake in healthy condition.
For more information about the club and complete schedule, contact James Blue at 910-572-7695 or visit the Fishbyte.net Forums and Calendar.
Montgomery Bassmasters Finish After Hours
July 11, 2009
By Don Newsome and Fishbyte.net Staff
The Montgomery Bassmasters are getting so used to fishing in the dark, they returned to that habit once again this past weekend on Badin. Seven boats from the club slid into the waters at 6 PM from the Lakemont Access hoping that the cooler temps of evening would hold luck for them.
“There was no water flow in that lake tonight,” stated Don Newsome, one of the club's officers. “It slowed down bite.” Although that impacted early feeding, the bass began to stir later in the evening. That's when most anglers found keepers.
Wally Fields hung tough, as he came in with three fish with a combined weight of 7 pounds 9 ounces. He also had Big Fish at a weight of 3 pounds 4 ounces. James Blue, president of the club, finished second with three fish weighing 4 pounds 4 ounces. Fred Thompson came in third with 3 pounds 5 ounces. He just beat out Michael Spencer who brought 3 pounds 4 ounces to the scales.
“The rest of us? Well, we are not talking about our catch,” laughed Newsome.
The club has two more tournament in their year's schedule. The next event will happen at High Rock Lake August 8th. The club will finish up at Tuckertown September 5. The club is also sponsoring an Open Bass Tournament September 26th at Lake Tillery. The event will blast off from the Swift Island hwy. 24/27 ramp at 7 AM and fish until 3 PM. More information can be found in fliers being distributed by the club across the area in coming weeks. Information will also be posted on Fishbyte.net.
One Fish Is Biggest Fish Of Season For Blue
September 5, 2009
It all came down to one fish. After a season of keepers and events all over the state, the title for the Montgomery Bassmasters was decided by one bass. As anglers came into the last competition held on Tuckertown Reservoir last Saturday, only a single point stood between the leader and the second place angler. One bite and one keeper tipped all of that on its head.
The Montgomery Bassmasters, who call Troy and Montgomery County, NC its home territory, finished up an eight-event season dating back to a March 7th opener at Shearon Harris. The group has fished a variety of options, including two-day and “until midnight” outings. A highlight of the season was the 3rd Annual Spring Open in April. The club is also holding another open tournament Saturday, September 26th at Tillery's Swift Island Access from 7 AM to 3 PM. A fall and winter schedule will be announced within a couple weeks.
Coming into the Tuckertown tournament, angler Wally Fields held a one point advantage over fellow competitor James Blue, the club's president. The group uses a point system that awards points for participation, fish caught and overall event finish. Fields and Blue had been chasing each other all season and it was time to go all out.
Although Tuckertown has been producing bass better than most other lakes on the Yadkin Chain for weeks, trying to pull off a close race during summer fishing is never simple. Fields' lead got as slim as it could when he announced three fish caught and Blue reported four. Blue had picked up the single point and it all came down to which bag weighed the most for that day.
Fields' bag of three fish weighed 5 pounds 12 ounces on the scales. Blue had found the Big Fish for the day's event, a dark 3 pound 1 ounce winner. His other three fish weighed exactly what Fields' three weighed... 5 pounds 12 ounces. It was that single fish that vaulted Blue into the 2009 club championship position by a single point. An extra point for an extra fish and another point more than Fields for finishing one place ahead of him and the season was decided.
“It doesn't get any better than this and these two guys have really enjoyed the race,” stated Don Newsome, club secretary. Blue agreed. “Wally is a great sportsman and it would have been great if he had finished ahead of me,” noted Blue. “It was just one fish.”
Top competitors in the club will look forward to Bassmaster Regional showdowns in the next few weeks. Blue and Fields will be included and will compete again. For more information about the club, contact Newsome at 910-572-7695 or email him at elizabeth91@northstate.net.
Lake Tillery will be the scene of another great open bass tournament on September 26th thanks to the Montgomery Bassmasters group. The club sponsors a spring event as well and, this year, that activity drew a large field of boats. In previous years nearly fifty boats turned out for the competition. Registration will be at the Swift Island Wildlife Access on Highway 24/27 that morning prior to the 7 AM blast off from 5 AM to 6:45 AM. Weigh in is scheduled for 3 PM. Cost to join is $60 per boat with an additional, optional $10 Big Fish. The Big Fish pot will be a one hundred percent payout for one fish. A six-fish limit will be in force. “The event will pay out one place for every 10 boats in the field,” stated Don Newsome, secretary of the club. As an example, he cited an $800 payout if fifty boats show up. The competition would pay five spots in addition to the Big Fish with that size field. The payout breakdown for fifty boats is as follows. First pays $16 per boat that shows, second pays $8 per boat that shows, third pays $4 per boat that shows, fourth pays $2 per boat that shows, and fifth pays $1 per boat that shows. “This has been a great event the past two years and the bass fishing gets better late in September,” noted Newsome. “We expect most of the local anglers will attend and know a lot of out-of-towners will be there as well.” For more information about the event, contact Newsome at Don Newsome at 910-572-7695 or email him at elizabeth91@northstate.net. Fields Dominates At Montgomery Bassmaster Event The Montgomery Bassmasters club of Troy, NC was scheduled to go to Jordan Lake, November 14, for their monthly bass tournament. The group fishes a regular spring through early fall schedule that mirrors qualifying for the BASS Federation events, but then runs a series of winter months events. Lucky for Wally Fields, the runner-up in the season points race that ended earlier, the group decided to switch up and head for Shearon Harris. “Three days of rain and Jordan Lake had risen more than three feet and was awful muddy,” stated Don Newsome, club member and officer. “We decided to go to Shearon Harris the last minute.” That proved to be the perfect answer as Fields dragged in five keepers weighing into the high teens. His total bag weight was 18 pounds 3 ounces. “Three of his fish were over five pounds and his biggest fish was over six,” reported Newsome. “We had a great day, the weather was great and the fish were biting.” The Montgomery Bassmasters will report to Badin Lake and the Lakemont Wildlife Access on December 12th for their next tournament. They will sponsor an open bass tournament on April 3, 2010 on Lake Tillery. The group is part of the NC Bass Federation which will have its regional tournament on Lake Tillery April 30, and May 01, 2010. For more information about the club, contact Newsome at 910-572-7695 or email him at elizabeth91@northstate.net. Information is also available on the Fishbyte.net Forums and Calendar.
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