Jeff Coble of Manson earned the final spot in the 2006 CITGO Bassmaster Classic, Feb. 24-26, at Lake Tohopekaliga, Fla., by winning the Jan. 19-21 ESPN Outdoors Bassmasters Series Championship.Coble and his fishing buddy, David Wright of Lexington, made the second-round cut that reduced the field of 50 anglers to the the top-12 fishermen.
Coble was the second-day leader; Wright was lurking in fourth place.
Failing to make the cut were Mike McDonald of Randleman, 15th, with 12-05 for $1,000; Will Petty of Charlotte, 25th, with 9-11 for $850; Pat Golden of High Point, 36th, with 5-07 for $750; and Denny Moore of Winterville, 49th, with 1-05 for $750.
More than 10 years ago, Coble and Wright formed a partnership whereupon they agreed to assist one another in their tournament endeavors by sharing information, practicing together, and forming pre-tournament strategies.
The sharing of information is legal in BASS events so long as both individuals are competing, but it’s not allowed during Classic competition.
“David and I have fished together for about 10 years,” Coble said. “We work together and split all of our prize money right down the middle.”
As a result, they’ll be sharing the $100,000 Coble received for first place and the $4,500 Wright received for placing fourth plus the $500 Wright earned for the biggest bass of Day 2, which weighed 6 pounds, 4 ounces.
But only Coble will fulfill every bass fisherman’s dream by going to the Classic.
In the non-boater Division, Bobby Gregory of Fuquay Varina finished 36th with 2-11 and Kevin Lynch of Claremont ranked 38th with 2-03. Each banked $375.
Six Federation anglers received Classic invitations at the Jan 11-13 BASS Federation Championship tournament at Florida. They are Joe Conway of Colorado Springs, Colo., winner of the Western Division; James Kennedy of Lacombe, La., winner of the Central Division; Bob Soley of Trenton, N.J., winner of the Mid-Atlantic Division; Joel St. Germain of Cumberland, R. I., winner of the Eastern Division; Jimmy Johnson of La Crosse, Wis., winner of the Northern Division; and Anre De Villiers of South Africa, winner of the Southern Division and the Federation Championship.
Shelby’s Bryan Thrift won the Jan. 4-7 Stren Series Southeast Division tournament at Lake Okeechobee, Fla., with a final-round haul of 36 pounds, 9 ounces and received a 519VX Ranger boat powered by a Yamaha or Evinrude outboard plus $10,000 in cash.
Thrift won two Stren Series events last year as a co-angler, one at Santee-Cooper, the other at Lake Eufaula.
In the Co-angler Division at Okeechobee, Mike Goodman of Nebo placed second with 20-13 and earned $4,000. Fred Hill of Roxboro ranked fourth with 15-14 and banked $2,500.
Lexington’s David Fritts placed fifth with 19 pounds, 7 ounces at the Jan. 18-21 Wal-Mart FLW Tour season opener at Lake Okeechobee, Fla., and earned $18,000.
Shinichi Fukae of Mineola, Texas, took the top prize of $100,000 with 28-09.
Rodney Sorrell of Stokesdale ranked eighth at the Jan. 26-28 CITGO Bassmaster Southern Tour event at Lake Okeechobee, Fla. Sorrell’s catch of 41-06 paid $4,350.
Chris Lane of Winter Haven, Fla., took the first-place prize of $71,000 with 54-12.
BASS TOURNAMENTS
Norman Winter Team Bass Championship
Lake Norman, Dec. 18
1. Matt Arey and Caja Ormand, 12.80, $680; 2. Shawn and Justin Foster, 11.60, $345; 3. Hank Cherry of Charlotte and Jerry Goble of Sherrills Ford, 10.70, $200; 4. Gary Michaud and Doc McDaniel, 10.40, $160; 5. Tony Shook of Claremont and Michael Fox, 10.25, $135; 6. Bryan Thrift of Shelby and Andy Montgomery of Grover, 9.95, $80.
Big fish: Jarrett and Terry Freeze with a 3.45-pound bass worth $400.
Lake Norman, Jan. 1
1. Gary Michaud and Doc McDaniel, 12.30, $850; 2. Brian and LeAndrea Walker, 12.05, $440; 3. Jamie McCrary and Jerry Stallings, 11.35, $200; 4. Roger Wood and Shane Lineberger, 10.85, $170; 5. Andy Montgomery of Grover and Louie Hull, 10.80, $130; 6. Kevin Toler and Rodney Lambert of Statesville, 10.10, $100.
Big fish: The Walkers with a 4.15-pound bass worth $540.
Lake Norman, Jan. 7
1. Kevin Toler and Rodney Lambert of Statesville, 14.95, $1,200; 2. Andy Montgomery of Grover and Louie Hull, 12.90, $600; 3. Jody Wright and Lester Elton, 12.70, $300; 4. Mike Smith and Rick Miller, 12.55, $205; 45. David Lynch of Mooresville and Doug Easton, 11.85, $165; 6. Roy Winkler of Charlotte and Chris Curtis of Concord, 11.40, $140; 7. David Snyder of Concord and Ed Markham of Statesville, 11.10, $85; 8. Steve Addington and Eddie Kirby of Dallas, 11.00, $75; 9. Kelly and Jeff Johnson, 10.30, $68.
Big fish: Winkler and Curtis with a 4.05-pound bass worth $710.
Lake Norman, Jan. 15
1. Kevin Toler and Rodney Lambert of Statesville, 16.10, $800; 2. Hank Cherry of Charlotte and Bobby Derek, 14.05, $400; 3. Keith Speece and Wendell Freland, 13.15, $240; 4. Robert Stiltner of Mt. Mourne, 12.60, $160; 5. Kenny Hoyle and Danny Lail, 12.60, $130; 6. Jarrett and Terry Freeze, 11.20, $90; 7. David Lynch of Mooresville and Richard Outlaw, 10.95, $60.
Big fish: Michael Smith and Brian Morgan with a 4.60-pound bass worth $470.
Lake Norman, Jan. 21
1. Jody Wright and Lester Elton, 13.25, $1,045; 2. Roger Day and Marty Sweeting, 12.55, $520; 3. Grant McPeters and Donnie Woody, 12.45, $270; 4. Kevin Langill and Steve Oliver, 11.90, $200; 5. Maurice Freeze and Rick Poplin, 11.90, $200; 6. Dave Snyder of Concord and Bryon O’Daniel,11.50, $120; 7. Brian and Alan Walker, 11.40, $80; 8. Matt Haywood of Iron Station and Billy Dumas of Mt. Holly, 10.95, $70; 9. Jim Witherspoon and Dale Goble, 10.95, $55.
Big fish: Todd Ingram and Mark Brown with a 5.00-pound bass worth $630.
CRAPPIE TOURNAMENTS
Southern Crappie Association
High Rock Lake, Jan. 14
1. Tom Sprouse of Advance and Steve Gentry of Winston-Salem, 12.22, $1,200; 2. David Swaringen and Lee Ford of Concord, 10.04, $535; 3. Harold and Heath Fesperman of China Grove, 9.93, $280; 4. Randy Pope of Hickory and Jerry Pruitt of Vale, 9.53, $235; 5. Robert Broughton and Tony Vick of Lancaster, S.C., 9.39 pounds, $205; 6. Bryant Parnell of Concord and Denny Potts of Mocksville, 9.05, $175; 7. Will Hinson of Cassett, S.C., and Shelbourne Bass of Camden, S.C., 8.78, $145; 8. Marc Danque of Chapin, S.C., 8.75, $130; 9. Bobby Whitlow of Clarksville, Va., and Ken East of Clover, Va., 8.49, $115; 109. John Broadway of Salisbury and Todd Reavis of Mocksville, 8.48, $85.
Big fish: Terry Stiller of Salisbury and Wesley Stokes of China Grove with a 2.45-pound crappie worth $312.
N.C. Crappie Team Tournaments
Badin Lake, Dec. 17
1. Walter Church of Midland and Greg Bentley of Kannapolis, 7.38, $236; 2. Ed Smith and Greg Kiser of Concord, 6.36, $100.
Big fish: Church and Bentley with a 1.70-pound crappie worth $39.
CATFISH TOURNAMENTS
N.C. Catfish Association Tournament Series
Lake Norman, Jan. 14
1. Kevin Custer of Statesville and Randy Boyles of Union Grove, 59.60, $500; 2. Chris Kerley of Troutman and Joe Montaigne of Statesville, 56.50, $300; 3. Tracy Setzer and Omar Edwards of Claremont, 39.65, $180.
Big fish: Kerley and Montaigne with a 22.75-pound catfish worth $140.
STRIPED BASS TOURNAMENTS
Tarheel Striper Club
High Rock Lake, Jan. 14
1. Scott Griffith of Concord and Steven Griffith of Richfield, 21.25, cash award and trophy; 2. Steve and Ralph Stephens of Sanford and Dru Carlile of Lexington, 13.70, cash award and trophy; 3. Bobby Garner of Badin Lake , Perry McLean of Hillsborough, and Jack Tart of Topsail, 12.95, cash award and trophy.
Big fish: The Stephenses and Carlile with a 13.70-pound striped bass worth $125.
Lake Norman Striper Swipers Winter Open
Lake Norman, Jan. 14
1. Ken Grant of Mooresville and Hung Le (Team Homsteader),15.07, $2,500. Also won big-fish award and NSBA event for $6,000 in total prize money; 2. David Clubb, 14.00, cash award.
LARGEMOUTH BASS SCHEDULE
2006 Norman Team
Spring Bass Championship
Contact: (828) 428-0601 or visit www.fishwithdj.com
All tournaments at Lake Norman Midway Marina
Saturday Trail: Feb. 18, March 25, April 8, April 29, May 13, May 20, May 27, June 10.
Sunday Trail: Feb. 26, March 5, March 19, April 2, April 23, May 7, May 21, June 4.
Championship: June 17-18 for top 15 teams from each trail. Times vary so check Web site.
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