By: Jim Hebert
“Jimmie Attuso & Tony Arceneaux
win at Toledo Bend”
What a weekend! We experienced dangerous storms all
around us with hail, wind and driving rain on Saturday. Sunday morning we woke up to 49 deg. temperatures
with wind gusting to 40 mph that had the trees bent over in all directions.
Those conditions led to a much smaller contingent of members fishing Sunday
morning with hopes of winning or placing in the tournament or perhaps landing a
fish of a lifetime. Others opted to sleep
late, pack up and head for home.
We met at the Gonzales Fire Department on April 4th
to plan this event on April 13th & 14th. Before the meeting got started we enjoyed a
delicious pork stew with rice, corn, bread and drinks all cooked up by Dirk
Anderson. Thank you Dirk, for cooking for the Club.
Mike opened the meeting and George signed up 18 boats to fish the two-day
Tournament on Toledo Bend. Dirk and Brandt volunteered to be weigh masters for
Saturday and George volunteered Chick and himself to be the weigh masters on
Sunday.
Terry signed up everyone for the “side pot” while Micha signed up members for
the optional Jackpot side bet.
After the business was complete we all cleaned up and left the meeting looking
forward to a good Tournament.
Some of the members arrived at Toledo Bend days in advance to pre-fish. Others arrived on Friday or even Saturday morning. We got there on Thursday in time to ride around on the Lake a little before rain clouds ran us back to the landing. We did get a day of fishing in on Friday so we had a game plan going into Saturday.
Saturday morning we experienced different conditions with the main one being the number of boats fishing our exact game plan. We spent the day fishing between rain showers and the other boats while catching a few fish too from 1 ft. of water to 20ft. of water. We had to take shelter about 1:00 PM while a big storm blew through. After that the wind picked up and we did our best to get our limit but it just didn’t happen for us. We would weigh 3 fish on Saturday that weighed 6.24#.
Everyone gathered at the weigh in site at 4 PM as
the storm clouds got darker and the wind got stronger. That’s when the “big one”
hit us with straight line winds, hail and rain that left everyone wet even
though we were under the Pavilion at San Miguel Park.
Dirk had the scale going as everyone brought their fish in to weigh. There were
some big stringers and Big Bass weighed by the members.
After the weigh in, Jimmie Attuso & Tony Arceneaux were leading with their fish totaling 18.26 lbs. They also had the Big Bass that weighed in at 6.8 lbs. If that fish can hold up through Sunday it will win Big Bass and the Jackpot too.
Second place was Murray & Ryan Alexander with 15.78 lbs.
Third place was held by Randy & Ryan Stephens with 14.50 Lbs. Ryan also had a large Bass caught that weighed in at 5.8 lbs. That fish also would have busted the Club’s jackpot if it hadn’t been topped by Tony’s Bass at 6.8 lbs.
Fast forward to Sunday Morning………we get up early with plans to fish. I can hear a “roar” coming from outside and a whistle coming from the window. We opened the front door and were met with the 49 deg. temps, 40 mph gusts and the trees swaying from side to side. For some reason we just didn’t feel like fishing in that kind of temps and wind. We had another cup of coffee and started packing up. When we drove away, it wasn’t toward the boat landing, but in the opposite direction. We were homeward bound and proud of it.
When 1:00 PM arrived, all the brave souls that fished that morning gathered at the pavilion to weigh their fish. George and Chick set the scale up and weighed them in. When all was said and done, George announced the winners.
First place and Big Bass went to the team of Jimmie
Attuso & Tony Arceneaux with a two day total of 30.23 lbs. Tony’s Bass held
up to win Big Bass, the side pot, the Club Jackpot and the additional
individual side bets as well.
Second place was won by Murray and Ryan Alexander with their two day total of
25.72 lbs.
Never underestimate Dirk Anderson & Brandt Fairchild as they came from
behind to take third place and keep their string of wins going. Their two day total was 19.46 lbs.
Congratulations to the winners of the Toledo Bend Tournament. Our next event will be on May 11th. For more information on the EASL Bass Club see the website at www.easlonline.org.
