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| FishTails |
Father and son team earn victory in the Capitol City
[June 3, 2003] - by Jim Matuga
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| The WVBF Buddy Trail returned to the state capitol city
of Charleston June 1, 2003. |
Tournament #4 of 6
Sunday June 1, 2003
Kanawha River
When the West Virginia BASS Federation scheduled a Buddy Trail tournament on the Kanawha River in Charleston this
year, many WVBF members in the Southern Division hoped that the turnout would be good enough to warrant the return
to Charleston in 2004.
Judging by the excellent show of support at Sunday's event - 82 teams - many Federation Anglers anticipated the
river would be a good venue. And from many of the comments heard at the weigh-in, most participants liked what
they saw.
The father/son team of Steve Marks and Brandon Marks, from Walton, West Virginia took home the honors of tournament
champion with 11 pounds 8oz. The victory moved the team in the year-to-date standings from 15th to 5th in the points
race.
Anthony Crumbliss and Gary Ross moved up from 3rd to 1st place in the YTD standings with their sixth place showing.
As the 2003 season moves into the closing two tournaments, the championship is wide open. Only 36 points separate
the top four teams. And only 58 points separate the top ten teams. There is a lot on the line - the top four teams
qualify for a direct berth into the 2003 WVBF State Championship.
Big fish honors were shared by the Marks team and the team of Tim Rhodes and Roy Headley. Both teams weighed in
a 3-9 smallmouth. "I had another fish that was bigger than that one get off right at the boat" said Headley.
That fish would have solidified a victory for their team. "But you know Tim has this thing against using nets"
Headley said jokingly. That's fishin'.
A total of 192 bass were caught with a total aggregate weight of 236 pounds - 3 ounces. Only 2 dead fish were weighed.
Smallmouth bass were the primary (58 percent) spieces caught. The average weight per bass was 1 pound 3 ounces.
The next WVBF Buddy Trail event will be Saturday, June 28, 2003 on the Ohio River in
Ravenswood, West Virginia.
Sunday June 1, 2003
Kanawha River
Statistics:
Hours fished: 9
Total Teams: 82
Total fish weighed: 192
Total Dead Fish: 2
Total Weight: 236lbs 3oz
Average Weight per bass: 1lb 3oz
Species: Largemouth - 68 Smallmouth - 111 Spotted - 13
Weather conditions: Mostly cloudy and overcast, with 10-15 mph winds most of the day, air temp in the mid-60s,
water surface temps in the low 60s. Gray overcast skies early followed by blue bird skies after 11:00 am. Very
strong current due to heavy rains.
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| Tim Rhodes (l) and Roy Headley with their 3-9 Kanawha
River smallmouth lunker. |
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