Antietam Bassmasters
**** Congratulations to **** ******** JIM Kline ******** 2007 MBF Man of the Year
Erie 09 By Bob
Once again Erie was not giving up big fish easy. With changing weather patterns the fishing patterns kept changing also. Curt and Bob started on the main lake. Curt found a few big fish early on the first day by cranking. That was the differance in the end. Curt built a 3lb. lead on day one. Mike Miller and Dave Lawrence also started on the main lake. But with trolling motor problems had to pull back to calmer waters. Mike held 2nd working tubes on grass lines in the bay. Marty Brunner was a run and gunner but had tournament lunker on the first day a 5lb. 9oz. smallmouth. Joe Hall and Ben Hynes found fish in bay with a quick window of good fishing when a cold front pushed in. Dick Hayden and Harold Gist found a senko pattern in the bay. Day 2 brought a whole differant game behind the cold front. Curt"hammermill" Anthony, finishing first with 27lbs. 9oz., started on the main lake but moved to the bay. Marty Brunner with his run and gun pattern took 2nd 25lbs. 3oz. Mike Miller even with no trolling motor ended up 3rd Staying with his tubes in the bay. Ben Hynes managed another good day in the bay took 4th. Bob Hassler was 5th. and Dick Hayden staying with his senkos came in 6th. |
Hammermill Anthony |
Lower Potomac-09 by Nick
| The second tournament take us to the Lower Potomac. We launched out of Leesylvania at 7:00 and fished until 3:oo. It was a very hot day and a tough bite. Most people were able to produce a limit of 5 fish though. Bob again was the man to beat landing a limit of 14 lbs. 10oz. Bob and Curt started on the on the rocks with several other club members. In the first hour Bob had 4 nice fish and Curt had 3 when the bite slowed. They decided to run north. Where Curt quickly got his limit and begin to cull using a pluse worm. Bob swiched to the worm and finished off his limit. Joe Hall came in second with 12 lbs. 130z. and TX. lunker of 5lb. 4oz. Joe and Nick ran south where they used chatterbaits and crankbaits. Both came back with limits. Mike Smith and Mike Miller started on the rocks. Mike S. got his limit coming in third with 10 lbs. 5oz. and Mike M. took fourth with 10 lbs. Jim Kline was forced to stay on the rocks with boat troubles. But did come fifth. Dick Hayden finished sixth with a limit. I found cranking to be the only thing that worked, and after talking to the guys,they all seemed to agree. The next tourney takes us to Lake Erie in hopes of landing big smallies |  |
Whites Ferry by Bob
The new year begins. Nothing like last year. The river was coming up and turning muddy. Only 5 keepers being caught showed how tough it can get at Whites. At the start it seemed like half the club ran up the other half went down. Some dropped off at the power plant to take advantage of the warm water discharge. Others ran up to get above the Moncacy. Marty Brunner ran as far Brunswick. He was able to come back with the winning fish and lunker. A 3lb. 8oz. smallmouth caught on a tube. He said he had to gently wake Joe Langlios from his morning nap to net the fish. By the end of the day all the boats seemed to be down river from the ramp looking for cleaner water. Ben Hynes found the 2nd place fish 2lb. 12oz. smallmouth, Mike Smith 3rd. with 2lb.3oz. smallmouth. Dick Hayden (4th) and Bob Hassler (5th) with largemouth caught on tubes. The day ended with Bob crying about the two that got away. Well on to the Lower Potomac. |  |
Year End Wrap Up
Ft. Hunter By Bob
| Ft. Hunter was a little differant this year. Some stayed with the old tried and true tube. Others changed up and went to crankbaits out on the flats. Mike Miller came in 1st. with 19lbs. 7oz. Swicthing to the crankbait early. He found two colors that worked and rotated them back and forth. Marty Brunner came in 2nd. with 18lbs. 1 oz. He had help from his boater Dave Lawrence. Dave had 17lbs. 7oz. and finished 3rd. Marty only had 2 fish when Dave gave him the secret crankbait. Ben Hynes also had to hold his partner. Ben had a limit early of 17lbs. 2oz. to come in 4th. Then had to hold of Dick Hayden who finised 5th. with 16lbs. 6oz. Curt Anthony finished 6th with 15lbs. 4oz. Curt's first fish of the day a 4lb. 4oz. smallmouth gave him lunker for the tournament. Curt also ended up being the SURVIVOR MAN. |  |
Big Slack By Bob
Everyone knows Big Slack can be tough. After a cold front even tougher. The field split in the morning. Some running up and some staying down. It seems the ones that stayed down made the right choice. Curt Anthony stayed down and got 2 early on a spinnerbait. One 1lb. 13oz. largemouth that would be lunker. He picked up another one late. That would give him the win. Jim Kline lost a couple early but managed to get one in the boat. That was enough for a 2nd . Joe Hall and Dave Lawrence tied for 3rd with one each. Harold Gist also had one fish to give him 5th place points. Not much to report on. But Good job for those who put keepers in the boat. |  |
Lower Potomac By Bob
It was a great day to fish the Lower Potomac. No wind, a few clouds and fog to start. Then turned into a sunny afternoon. We luanched out of Leesylvania. People head north and across the river. A few stayed to fish the rocks. They soon left. Bob Hassler had two quick fish and decided to work them until the tide started to move up north. The fog moved in and made him stay longer but by 8:30 the fog lifted and he had a limit on crankbaits and rattletraps. He then ran to a creek and fished rip-rap and docks. Using a wakebait and crankbaits to upgrade. At high tide he moved back to Leesylvania to catch the out going tide and continued to upgrade on crankbaits. He finshed with 12lbs. 5oz. Josh Fielder and Mike Miller (who finished 2nd and 6th ) ran north and worked their way back down river fishing grassbeds. Catching fish on frogs and crankbaits. Dave Lawrence finishing 3rd started at the mouth of Mattawomen. Also fishing the grass, with senkos, paddletail worms and frogs. Ben Hynes finished 4th fishing main river grass. Keying in on grass clumps with a stickbait. He lost a few "big girls" that would have moved him up. Curt Anthony finished 5th with lunker. (3lb. 9oz.) His first frog fish. Next tournament is the Upper Potomac.
Deep Creek By Bob
Another early start for Antietam. To beat the triathlon we started before daybreak. With the fog and darkness it was trolling motor only until safe light. Most started working down lake. Working the shore line with topwater. Harold Gist and Bob Hassler put 2 largemouth in the boat before everyone scatterd. They stayed with topwater. Harold showing Bob how it was done. Catching 3 keepers and several shorts. When that bite died they went to senkos. Dead sticking docks with some grass,clear water and a good drop. Late in the day Bob pulled a 2lb. smallie off a dock. Not to be out done Harold put his senko under the same dock and pulled a 2lb. 10oz. largemouth. That would tie Marty Brunner for Lunker. Curt Anthony (3rd place) and Mike Smith also went to senkos. Working grassbeds in 4 to 10 foot of water. Thier keeper fish coming before the fog had burned off. Mike Miller and Ben Hynes (4th and 5th place) found the tube bite worked best for them. it came on strong late in the day. Both wishing for just 30 more minutes. Next stop Lower Potomac. |  |
Rocky Gap By Bob
| No wind, No rain, No cold front not your normal Antietam Tournament. Even with the early start Lake Habeeb did not want to give up any big fish. But 40 minutes into it Ben Hynes had a limit and the winning weight. (4lbs.14oz.)Ben found a buzzbait to be the lure of choice. When the action started Mike "Milley" Miller dug deep in his tackle to find one. By the time he got it tied on he heard those now famous words "forget it Mike your out of it". Mike did finish 5th with. (1lb. 15oz.) Dave Lawrence once again came in 2nd. behind Ben. Dave went deep with a Carolina rig. Fishing 12 to 18 foot of water. 4 fish for Dave coming in at 4lbs. 10oz. and lunker. A 1lb.15oz. smallmouth. Conway Barnes fished hard all day and managed 3rd with 2 fish 2lbs. 8oz. I came in 4th with 2 fish also. (2lbs.3oz.)They came on a wake-bait. Curt Anthony and Harold Gist round out the points tied for 6th. at 1lb.14oz. It was a hot day at the Gap but not for fishing. As we drove away I could hear Dick Hayden saying "come on Fort Hunter". |  |
Erie By Bob
| Same Old Thunderbird but a differant Lake Erie. The main lake was slow and big fish were few and far between. So the bay was the place to be. Bob Hassler and Ben Hynes found fish in practice by dead sticking senkos in 1.5' to 3' of water. Curt Anthony and Mike Miller found the same pattern. Both boats ended up working the same area. Bob held the day one lead with 19lbs.7oz. and 5lb.3oz. lunker. While Joe Hall (fishing the bay) held 2nd with 17lbs.5oz. Both agreed that the bite in the last hour was a big key. Jim Kline despite boat problems had a solid day and was in 3rd with 16lbs. 14oz. fishing the wall. Day 2 the wind kicked up. Blowing down the bay. It made Bob and Ben's pattern tough. But Curt and Mike started out hot. Both getting quick limits. Jim said with the wind blowing out the shute he had to go with a heavier wieghted tube. Mid-morning the wind died for a short period. That was enough to seal the deal for Bob. He had a 2 day total of 35lbs. 8oz. and a 4lb.13oz. 2nd day lunker. With the strong start Curt moved in to 2nd with 33lbs.6oz. Jim had another solid day coming in 3rd with 31lbs. 7oz. Marty Brunner moved to 4th with 30lbs. 7oz. throwing tubes. while Joe Hall, who went bed fishing fell to 5th with 30lbs. 2oz. Ben Hynes took 6th with 27lbs.14oz. Great fishing guys!!! |
Erie winner with 5lb.3oz. lunker
2nd place |
Upper Bay By Bob
| Rub-a- dub-dub three men in a boat. But they (Conway Barnes,Ben(budda) Hynes and Mike Miller) still managed a 1st. and 4th. It was a good day for the rookies. Rookie Ben Hynes came in 1st. dead sticking senko's in the back of Middle River. He had a limit with 7lbs. 2oz. While Dave Lawrence was serving up lemonade baby 1 minus's in the Salt-Peter. He took 2nd. with 7lb.7ozs. Another rookie, Jerry (west) Lewis, in the same area was throwing flukes and came in 3rd. Conway Barnes finished 4th fighting trolling motor problems. Josh Fielder once again took lunker ( 3lb.10oz.) and a 5th. place. While Curt Anthony had four on spinnerbaits and wacky senkos. Also working the Middle River area. |
Upper Bay Winner |
White's Ferry By Nick
Nick 1st.
| Well the start of the season is finally here. We had a typical start to an Antietam Bassmasters tournament. Rain, Rain, Rain. Fortunately for us, it didn't last all day. At least the river levels were safe. We blasted off around seven, without Curt, I guess he drank a little too much the night before. Everyone headed up stream for the hot water, but some dropped off quickly. Marty and Nick the same idea, but compromised, sharing the same tree. With the Maryland side water being stained slightly more, some chose to stay on the Virginia side, even though it was slightly cooler. I guess everyone was pretty content with their location, I didn't notice much running around until the afternoon. Dave and I were unable to establish any type of pattern early on, but did manage to catch a few here and there. Later in the afternoon, we found an area thar seemed to be consistent and I was able to get a limit. Dave lost a few nice fish and finished out the day10th with 1lb.14ozs. My limit held up for the win with 10lb. 30zs. Josh in a close second with 9lb.14ozs. and lunker 3lb. 7ozs. It was a tough day for some, but everyone seemed to have a good time. Conway came in 3rd 9lb. 140zs. Bob 4th 8lb.11ozs. Harold 5th 8lb.9ozs. and Mike 6th with 7lb.130zs. Marty, Conway and Jerry jumped out to an early lead on the 3 Man Team with 12lb.50zs. While Conway and Harold were taken out of the Survivor field. We'll be headed to Dundee on the 27th. | Josh 2nd |
