Roth Team starts strong at Military Bass Event
LAGRANGE, Ga. – Dillon and Rickey Roth started strong teams of anglers representing all the military services gathered on May 4, 2022, for the opening day of the 31st annual Military Team Bass Tournament, presented by American Bass Anglers and Caymas Boats.
Hosted by the city of LaGrange, Ga., the anglers fished West Point Lake. The Roths brought in a 5-bass daily tournament limit weighing 11.88 pounds to take the lead on the first day. They anchored their bag with a 3.14-pound kicker.
Right behind, Kenneth Ellis and John Howard also brought in five good bass for 11.64 to sit in second place. Their largest bass tipped the scales at 3.72 pounds, the third largest bass caught on the first day.
In third place going into Day 2, Larry Spencer alone found five keepers for 11.02 pounds. He padded the catch with a 2.88-pounder.
Jason Ray and Robert Hughes occupy the fourth place position after Day 1 with a 5-bass limit tallying 10.45 pounds. However, they lead the big bass competition with a 4.08-pound bucketmouth.
Taking the fifth spot on Day 1, Larry Gaines and Christopher Hyman brought in five keepers for 9.69 pounds. Their best bass weighed 3.58 pounds.
Holding sixth place, Randy and Douglas Ables caught five solid keepers for 9.46 pounds, including a 3.95-pounder, the second largest bass brought to the scales on Day 1. Kyle Kolthoff and Damon Denzin follow in seventh place with five bass and 9.31 pounds, anchored by a 3.39-pound kicker.
Arron Hickey and James Winters combined for eighth place after one day of competition with five bass at 9.18 pounds. Team Williams, Zachary and Jason, found five good bass weighing 9.15 pounds, including a 3.51-pound kicker.
Tommy Cooper and James Dudley sit in 10th place, tied with Hoyt Tidwell II and Michael McGill. Both teams brought in five bass weighing 9.14 pounds.
Launching at Pyne Road Mega Ramp, the tournament on West Point Lake continues through May 6. The public is invited to the weigh-ins.
Surrounded by deep forests and rolling fields, West Point Lake extends 35 miles along the Chattahoochee River spanning the border with Georgia and Alabama on the Alabama-Georgia state line. The lake offers the anglers 525 shoreline miles to fish.
In 1975, American Bass Anglers began as the Military Bass Anglers Association, an organization dedicated to providing bass anglers in the military an opportunity to compete in tournaments with other military members. The Military Team Bass Fishing Tournament began in 1991 as a way to promote fishing and camaraderie among all branches of the military. In 2000, Morris Sheehan bought MBAA, renamed it American Bass Anglers Inc., and relocated it to Athens, Ala.
This event brings all service branches together for a fun-filled week of competition and ultimate Service bragging rights. Any active duty Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, National Guard, Reserve or Coast Guard member can participate in these tournaments. Families of military members, honorably discharged veterans, Department of Defense civilians, military contractors and retired military members may also fish this event.
American Bass Anglers is sponsored by Caymas Boats, Mercury Marine, T-H Marine, Garmin Electronics, Power Pole, Lucas Oil, RT Outdoors, Sportsman Card, Optima Batteries, Hotel Planner.com, and LurePartsOnline.com.
About American Bass Anglers: American Bass Anglers is committed to providing low-cost, close-to-home tournaments for the weekend angler and, at the same time, offering each competitor an upward path for individual angler progression.
For more information about American Bass Anglers, the Open Series, the American Fishing Tour, the American Couples Series, the annual Military Team Bass Tournament, and the Top 150 Solo Tour, all presented by Caymas Boats, visit www.americanbassanglers.com or call (256) 232-0406
This story was written by ABA staff writer John N. Felsher. To submit articles of interest email info@americanbassanglers.com.
