Godsey Wins on Nickajack Lake
JASPER, Tenn. – Ryan H. Godsey took it all in the Boater Division in the American Bass Anglers Open Series, Presented by Caymas Boats, East Tennessee Division 4 third tournament of the season, held May 13, 2023, at Nickajack Lake.
Launching at Marion County Park ramp in Jasper, Tenn., Godsey from Chickamauga, Ga. brought in a 5-bass tournament limit for 18.21 pounds for the victory. He capped that catch with a 6.62-pound mossback to take the tournament lunker title.
“With the fog we had in the morning, I went shallow early,” Godsey revealed. “I wanted to get away from everyone, so I fished some docks. I caught one small keeper that I culled later in the day. Once the fog lifted, I ran to where I caught fish last year. I caught one fry guarder off a glide bait. Then, I caught the big fish off a bed that I spotted.”
“After I caught that big bass, I ran all the way up the river for my co-angler to catch a limit of spots,” Godsey added. “I caught two fish up there and fished my way back down slowly, culling a few fish out. This is my home lake and it feels good to win here.”
In second among the boaters, James A. Harris of Soddy Daisy, Tenn. also landed his 5-bass limit. He brought in 16.74 pounds with a 4.78-pound kicker.
“We got lucky and stumbled upon the fish first thing in the morning,” Harris stated. “I had a good morning, but the rest of the day was kind of slow. I had a decent end of the day. I caught one on a topwater bait on my first cast. We caught a few more on top and caught the rest of our fish cranking or dragging.”
Fishing his first ABA event ever, Asa H. Putnam from Tunnel Hill, Ga. placed third among the boaters with a 5-bass limit weighing 14.30 pounds.
“There wasn’t a lot of current moving or anything going on out in the river,” Putnam observed. “I put all the fast-moving baits down and threw a weightless Senko around the grass right off the riverbank. I also picked up one good one cranking around riprap near the dam. If feels good to do this well in my first event. I just wanted to go out and see what the series was like. I’m very pleased at how it turned out today.”
Joshua C. Beagan from Chickamauga, Ga. finished fourth with a 5-bass limit going 13.49 pounds. In fifth among the boaters, Randall R. Hillyer of Cookeville, Tenn. also found five keepers for 12.65 pounds with a 3.28-pound kicker.
In the Co-Angler Division, Roy “Yogi” Yother of Red Bank, Tenn. fished with James A. Harris and landed a 3-bass division limit to win with 11.35 pounds. That gave him a 3.78-pound average. He greatly improved his average by landing a 5.03-pounder that took the division big bass honors.
“When my boater caught one on top with his first cast, I had to pull out a topwater bait,” Yother recalled. “Then he started catching some on a crankbait. I put a Carolina rig on and that’s what how I caught my biggest fish. We were done by 9:30 a.m.”
In second for the co-anglers, Brian M. Haworth, also of Cookeville, Tenn. found three good keepers for 8.51 pounds. He anchored that sack with a 4.30-pound kicker.
Todd R. Mowery came up from Madison, Ala. to fish the lake. He finished third among the co-anglers with three bass going 7.83 pounds.
“I had a good day,” Mowery said. “I had three keepers in the boat by 7:30 a.m. I caught them on a Pop-R. I caught 15 bass with six keepers. I also caught fish on a wacky worm and a Speed Worm.”
In fourth place, Jerry W. Cornwell of Cleveland, Tenn. landed a limit of three bass to tally 6.85 pounds. Duane Parker from Calhoun, Ga. followed in fifth place among the co-anglers with a 3-bass limit weighing 6.59 pounds.
The division concludes the regular season at Lake Chickamauga on June 17, 2023. That event runs out of the Chester Frost ramp, located at 2277 Gold Point Circle North in Hixson, Tenn. The public is invited to attend the free weigh-in.
American Bass Anglers is sponsored by Caymas Boats, Mercury Marine, MotorGuide, T-H Marine, Power Pole, RT Outdoors, 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.
