Nichol Wins Big On Lanier

ATHENS, Ala. – Dave Nichol wins the Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Weekend Series, operated by American Bass Anglers, Georgia Division 8 championship tournament, held Sept 8-9, 2012.

Running out of Laurel Park, near Gainesville, Georgia, Dave Nichol, the hometown angler caught ten bass over the course of the two day championship. Day one had him in fifth place with a total 12.17 pounds but he came back on the second day with a heavy bag weighing 15.57 pounds and a total weight of 27.74 pounds for the win plus a payday for $3,356.

“I always fish down the lake, everybody knows that. I don’t even stop until I’m a mile below the bridge. I was fishing deep, the big spots that are 35-45 feet deep. I want to thank Rick Steckelberg; he takes such good care of me. I come up with these hair-brain ideas for baits, he doesn’t question me, and he brings them to me.”

In second, Matthew Wilbanks of Gainesville, GA, was in first place on day one with 13.90 pounds and 12.72 pounds on day two but it wasn’t enough to keep the title. He had 26.62 pounds for two day total worth $1,677 in his pocket.

“Both mornings I gambled and fished the north end and tried to get a big large-mouth. I caught one decent fish the first day but today I didn’t get them so I headed south after that, running gun-style fishing, spot-fished open water, and top water with fish head spin. Most of them came on fast- moving bait and I caught one at the end that helped boost me up to twelve pounds.”
 
Carl Hayes of Sharpsburg, GA, had two consistent days of fishing, on day one he weighed in with 12.73 pounds and added 12.91 pounds on day two for a total 25.64 pounds, enough to secure the third place among the boaters and a check for $1,121.

John Duvall of Madison, GA, may have finished in ninth place with a total weight of 16.90 pounds but he brings home the big fish title for his 7.27 pound lunker which earned him a check for $797.

In the Co-Angler Division, Tommy Smallwood of Gainesville, GA, wins first place for a payday worth $1,714 for his two day efforts. He had 6.36 pounds on day one and 7.13 pounds on day two for a total 13.49.

“I had two good anglers that I went with both days. The guy I went with on Saturday was a pretty smart guy and was a lot of help. We started up lake and I didn’t catch my fish until late. Today we went down to the dam and didn’t do any good so we came back to mid-lake and that’s where I caught two good ones.”

Brad Davis of Cleveland, GA finished in second with 11.78 pounds. He had a slow start on day one with only 1.76 pounds but came back with a vengeance on day two with 10.02 pounds anchored by a 4.59 pound kicker. His total weight of 11.78 pounds brings home a check for $856.

“I went south on Saturday and caught my fish on a jig. I went up river today and caught on a jig. That’s my go-to bait.”

Third of the co-anglers, William Sheffield of Hawkinsville, GA, was in the lead on day one with 7.47 pounds but didn’t keep it long enough. Day two just didn’t produce like the first but still had a total weight of 10.97 and a check for $571.

“On Saturday I caught three good large-mouths up the river using top water but the bite was a little bit tougher today so we went to the other end of the lake and I just couldn’t get on anything.”

David Logan of Ball Ground, GA, had two fish for a total weight of 6.19 pounds but one was big enough for the big fish title with a 4.66 pound lunker and a check for $175.

“I caught it around 11 o’clock on a baby brush hog. We were fishing the docks up in the back of six mile creek and we caught a lot of short ones but got one big keeper.”

For more information on this tournament, call Billy Benedetti, tournament manager, at (256) 230-5632 or ABA at (256) 232-0406. 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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