Burgess scores victory on Harris Chain

ATHENS, Ala. – Jason L. Burgess won the third event in the Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Weekend Series, operated by American Bass Anglers, Florida Division 6 season, held March 24, 2012, on the Harris Chain of Lakes.

Running out of Hickory Point Recreational Facility near Tavares, the Lake Butler angler caught five bass going 18.67 pounds. While others concentrated on shallow weedy flats and grassy cover, Burgess went deep to win the Boater Division title.

“We started in a deep hole in a residential canal off Haines Creek,” Burgess revealed. “Every fish I caught came on a Carolina rig with a 10-inch Berkley Power Bait. I lost six fish, but I culled six times. This system has a lot of water.”

In second for the boaters, Chuck E. Pippin Jr. of Orlando brought in a five-bass tournament limit for 17.83 pounds with one 7.22-pound kicker. He fished flukes and skinny dippers in a foot of water or less, landing a total of 25 fish.

Right behind, Ronald Dow of Leesburg took third with five keepers at 17.67 pounds, including a 5.33-pound kicker. Ronnie J. Seets lll of Davenport finished fourth with five bass and 16.54 pounds. He improved his standing by catching an 8.65-pound bucketmouth that set the tournament lunker standard. In fifth for the boaters, Joseph C. Campbell Jr. of Crystal River landed a five-bass bag weighing 15.87 pounds capped by an 8-pound kicker.

In the Co-Angler Division, Nik C. Kayler of Apopka won with three bass at 14.01 pounds for a 4.67-pound average. He anchored his bag with a 7.52-pounder that took the division big bass title.

“We primarily focused on Big Lake Harris,” Kayler said. “We flipped pads and fished eelgrass. The big one hit a Yum Wooly Bully on a 1/2-ounce weight in about 18 inches of water. Early in the morning, I watched my boater catch a lot of fish. I was throwing the same thing, and couldn’t catch them. We left that spot and I started catching fish on Rat-L-Traps.”

In second for the co-anglers, Timothy Hibbs of Bradenton brought in a three-bass division limit for 10.20 pounds with a 6.42-pound kicker. Tom Mullins of Orlando caught three bass going 10.13 pounds, followed by Jimmy J. Adams of Sarasota in fourth place with three bass and 9.38 pounds. Rounding out the top five co-anglers, John L. Stahl of Wesley Chapel brought in a three-bass limit for 8.61 pounds.

For more information on this tournament, call Billy Benedetti at (256) 230-5632 or call ABA at (888) 203-6222. On line, see www.americanbassanglers.com.

-- John N. Felsher
 
About American Bass Anglers: The Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Weekend Series provides weekend anglers a professionally operated competitive tour with a path the world championship of bass fishing the Bassmaster Classic. American Bass Anglers commitment is to provide low cost, close to home tournaments for the weekend angler and at the same time offer each competitor an upward path for individual angler progression. For more information about American Bass Anglers and the American Fishing Tour, The Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Weekend Series or the American Couples Series, visit www.americanbassanglers.com.

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