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| FishTails |
Locals Win Federation Tournament At Moundsville
[July 29, 2002] - By Chris Lawrence
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| WVBF anglers were again greeted with Ohio River fog at the start
of the Moundsville event |
The Ohio River is a tough enough stretch of water without the added difficulty of fog, low current, and hot, humid
temperatures. However, such was the challenge greeting anglers of the fifth leg of the West Virginia Bass Federation
Buddy Trail in Moundsville, W.Va. July 21.
Typically when those conditions are present it pays to know the water. Local anglers are often able to adapt far
quicker than those who aren't as familiar. That was exactly the case for Ohio anglers Frank Olinski and Lou Zackey
who scored the win.
"We fish this stretch of the river quite a bit." Noted Zackey soon after weighing in seven keepers.
"We fished from the south end of Wheeling Island to the dam. It was just run and gun all day." Says partner
Olinski.
Both live just across the river from Wheeling and are well versed on the key spots visible and submerged in the
waterway. That knowledge proved vital as the morning fog kept many from reaching their planned destinations. Visibility
was limited to near zero for the first two hours of the morning-leaving a morning bite virtually nil for many who
had located fish.
"It really didn't hurt us." Said Olinski, "It was a little tough getting up there this morning,
but we knew exactly where we needed to be."
The tandem combined with a total weight of 10lbs-4oz on their seven fish. A 3lb-2oz big bass anchored the solid
stringer, but the team endured an eight-ounce penalty for two dead bass.
The penalty for Olinski and Zackey almost turned out to be costly as Lester Marsh and Alan Fluharty served as bridesmaids
for a second straight tournament.
"At least it wasn't by one-ounce this time." Laughed Marsh, referring to the single ounce that kept them
from winning the Buddy Trail tournament at Ravenswood two weeks earlier.
Marsh and Fluharty boated seven keepers totaling 9lbs-9oz. The Morgantown team stayed in the Moundsville pool fishing
near Wheeling most of the day and catching fish all day long.
"We got four before noon and three after noon." Says Fluharty. "We were catching them on tubes in
10 to 15 feet of water."
Unlike many others, father and son Robert and Robbie Fleshman used a different approach to land seven keepers good
enough for third place.
"We caught five largemouth in Sunfish Creek." Says the younger Fleshman, "Then we got a spot and
a smallmouth on the main river."
The Fleshman's fish all came early, never getting another keeper after 1:00. The duo used jigs and crankbaits to
find the fish in the creek for a total weight of 8lbs-6oz.
Rounding out the top five were John Burdette and Jim Summers in fourth place with seven fish totaling 7lbs-7oz.
Todd and Wes Lester captured fifth place with 6lbs-12oz. Tournament lunker honors went to Jim Merical and Ryan
Harman for a 3lb-7oz smallmouth.
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| Mickey Tacy with his 3lb - 4oz Ohio River largemouth. |
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| Jim Merical with his 3lb - 7oz smallmouth that captured the lunker
pot for he and teammate Ryan Harmon. |
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