Grike hits the rocks for Maryland wins

ATHENS, Ala. – Robert L. Grike found the winning spot during the Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Weekend Series, operated by American Bass Anglers, Maryland Division 21 tournament, held June 30, 2012, on the Potomac River.

Running out of Smallwood State Park landing near Marbury, the Dumfries, Va., angler caught five bass weighing 18.42 pounds with a 5.53-pound kicker. For the Boater Division victory, the 43-year-old angler took home a check for $3,472.

“I had one deep spot with some rock piles picked out, but by the time I got there, I saw someone catching a 5-pounder,” Grike said. “I caught a small limit where I went, but within a half-hour, they moved off and I moved onto that spot. I caught fish slowly all day long, but I caught my three biggest fish in a 20-minute period. I culled all day until about 1 p.m.

In second for the 96 boaters, Jason S. Law of Egg Harbor, N.J., brought in a five-bass division limit weighing 17.97 pounds. He anchored his bag with a 5.82-pound kicker that took the tournament big bass honors.

Otis Darnell of Linden, Va., took third place among the boaters with five bass and 16.37 pounds with a 4.93-pound average. Ricky T. Windsor of Huntingtown, Md., finished fourth with five bass and 16.23 pounds including a 4.79-pound kicker. Edward Dustin of Fredericksburg, Va., rounded out the top five boaters with a five-bass limit weighing 15.27 pounds including a 5.02-pound kicker.

In the Co-Angler Division, Cherif A. Zaher, 60, of Orangeville, Pa., won with three bass going 13.12 pounds. He anchored his bag with a 4.56-pound kicker to pocket a check for $1,674.

“My boater limited out fairly quickly on topwaters before I had anything in the boat,” Zaher explained. “I was pitching a swim jig and finally caught my limit. We changed spots and I started throwing a swimbait and upgraded a little. We started fishing a weedbed and started flipping mats with a centipede to connect with some really nice fish. I was culling all day long.”

Fakruddin Rahimi of Falls Church, Va., placed second among the co-anglers with a three-bass division limit weighing 10.10 pounds. Right behind, Joseph E. Tinsley of Charlotte Hall, Md., finished in third with three bass and 9.99 pounds including one 5.15-pounder. Darrin M. Wells of Woodbridge, Va., landed in fourth place with three bass at 9.80 pounds, followed by Chris A. Gepford of Sterling, Va., with three bass going 9.74 pounds.

For more information on this tournament, call Gary Conner at (256) 230-5627 or ABA at (888) 203-6222. On line, see www.americanbassanglers.com.
 
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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