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| FishTails |
Collins captures WVBF State Championship
[Monday, October 24, 2005 - SUTTON LAKE]
By Jim Matuga
For James Collins, October 23, 2005 will be remembered for a while. For on that day, James, known by most of
his friends as "Jimbo," turned 34 years old. And on that day, he claimed the title of West Virginia BASS
Federation State Champion.
Collins, a Medical Laboratory Technician from Holden, WV, is a member of the Last Chance Bassmasters. He has been
fishing as long as he can remember and has qualified to fish the WVBF State Championship four times. He made the
state team last year.
And what a whirlwind month it has been. First, fishing The 2005 Citgo National Federation Mid-Atlantic Divisional
September 21-23 at Cobbosseeconte Lake, Winthrop, Maine. Then back to West Virginia for the WVBF 2005 Southern
Qualifier October 1-2 at Summersville Lake where Collins finished in 5th place with 8.08. Collins did manage three
practice days on Sutton prior to the Championship.
"I love this lake," said Collins. "I was able to put together a pattern that basically held up for
the past two days. I was targeting treetops in 2-8 feet of water. I caught my fish on the spinnerbait on Saturday.
My fish came on a chartreuse Senko today," Collins said. "I'd throw that Senko into the tree top and
I'd feel a little tick. Then I'd set the hook and the fight was on." "All of my fish came on spinnerbait,
Senko and jig," he said.
The water temperature at Sutton Saturday was 64 degrees and the weather was cold, rainy and windy, and on Sunday
the water temperature dropped to 60.
Collins said he fished mostly in the Holly and Elk Rivers. He trailed only Thomas Cooper of Kanawha River Bassmasters
at the end of first day. He jumped from 2nd to 1st with his day 2 limit.
What a fitting way to turn 34.
Collins is sponsored by Tri-State Gun and Pawn, Quantum, and Lowrance.
Lunker of the tournament was a 3.9 largemouth caught by Jody Green of Kanawha River Bassmasters. He caught the
big fish at 7:45 am Sunday on a buzzbait in shallow water.
Collins can be reached at jdc2@wvbass.com
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