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EVENTS UPDATE: 14.60 shatters WON BASS Delta record
BY RICH HOLLAND/WON Staff WriterPublished: Feb 09, 2010
NORTH CAL EVENTS
Stafford, Sternat come out on top at Delta
OAKLEY — A clash of the titans and a historic big fish catch made the WON BASS Nitro/Mercury Delta Invitational Feb. 5-6 a tournament to remember as Sean Stafford of Fairfield edge Robert Lee of Angel’s Camp for the overall title and $5,550 and Dublin’s Guyle Sternat took home $11,000 for obliterating the WON BASS Delta big fish record with a 14.60-pound largemouth bass.
A pro event had never been held on the Delta and reports of a tough bite and incoming El Niño storms kept the field to 62 boats. Those boats held some of the top bass fishing talent anywhere in the world and the worst weather skirted the Delta. Even better, the Delta bass were on the bite, especially on Saturday, the second day of competition.
Phil Burgess of Verman, who had the first day’s big bass with a 9.12, set the tone when he came to the scales with the heaviest stringer of the event, a whopping 24.47-pound bag stuffed with 6 and 7 pounders.
Both Robert Lee and Sean Stafford set themselves up well the first day of competition, posting 17.55 and 16.58 pounds respectively.
Lee was the first to weigh the second day and brought an impressive 20.52 pounds to the scales. But he interrupted an interview saying, “I want to see what Sean’s got.”
“I figure I needed 23 pounds,” Stafford told WON BASS Director and emcee Harvey Naslund as Rick Stone settled his five fish on the scale. The digital readout flirted with that number then clicked in at 22.47 pounds. Almost two pounds better than Lee, the weight put Stafford ahead for good with 39.05 pounds, helped in large part by the 8.51-pound bass Stafford topped off his stringer with.
•
GUYLE STERNAT’S record-shattering 14.60 Delta largemouth was worth
$10,000. Remember, you can win $10,000 by beating the record when WON
BASS comes to your favorite lake later in 2010. WON PHOTO BY RICH
HOLLAND
• DOES THE WORD BUCKETMOUTH come to mind when you check out this shot
of Guyle Sternat’s 14.60 Delta bass? WON PHOTO BY RICH HOLLAND
• NITRO/MERCURY DELTA INVITATIONAL CHAMP Sean Stafford had the big bass
he needed to overtake Robert Lee and win $5,500. WON PHOTO BY RICH
HOLLAND
Yet it was a much bigger bass that would soon set the weigh-in scene at Russo’s Marina abuzz. Guyle Sternat couldn’t hide the monster bass bulging in the weigh sack and he couldn’t hide his grin either.
The fish had to weigh more than the 14.08 caught by AAA Dave Watson in a previous WON BASS Delta event to win the $10,000 and it did so easily.
“Did you know you’d won the 10 grand when you caught the fish?” asked Naslund.
“You bet I did,” replied Sternat, who told WON he caught the fish on an Osprey swimbait.
Finishing third overall was first-day leader Jim LaRosa of Tracy. LaRosa said he had to contend with more boats the second day but still got in the fish, just not the bigger grade he needed. His 34.31 weight won $2,000.
Top finisher from the south was Dick Watson of Alta Loma, who managed to stay in the quality fish, both days weighing sacks over 16 pounds even though he said he had to work hard for a five-fish limit. He earned $1,200 for his 33.40 pounds.
Phil Burgess scored $2,750 for fifth place for his 33.19 weight (for six fish!) and his first day big fish.
Southern California’s Ricky Shabazz of Rialto said he’s committed to fishing the entire circuit and his sixth place finish has him in a great spot to contend for the Angler of the Year title. He weighed 31.01 pounds and took home $1000.
Ken Phillips of Antioch was in second place after the first day, but didn’t help his cause when he left a 3 pounder in the livewell on day two and only weighed 4 fish. It turned out the mistake didn’t cost him any money and only a couple points in the Western Classic qualifier standings. He took home $1,000 for 29.61 pounds.
Eighth place went to Mark Crutcher of Lakeport for 27.79 pounds, ninth place fell to Ed Schneider, Jr. of Stockton for 27.79 pounds, and 10th place was claimed by Paul Bailey of Willits with 26.44 pounds.
The top AAA was Frank Harris of Sacramento with 34.12 pounds. He fished with pros Mark Daniels and Robert Lee and took home $800.
Andy Manahl of Phoenix, who fishes the pro circuit in the South Region, is fishing the north events this year as a AAA in preparation for fishing the entire circuit next season. His decision paid off big as he won $500 for second place AAA and $600 for fourth in the Pro Option for a total of $1,100 (the Pro Option is open to both Pros and AAAs this year).
Jay Riggs, the third place AAA, got $450 for fifth in the pro option for a total of $850.
Next up on the WON BASS Pro Circuit is the Nitro/Mercury Lake Havasu Invitational March 19-20. For more information, contact Ashley Hartman at (949) 366-0030 ext 38, Harvey Naslund at HarveyWONBASS@aol.com or go to www.wonbass.com.
The Top 10 Pros in the WON BASS Nitro/Mercury Delta Invitational were:
Name, Hometown 2-day Total Payout
Weight (Place and Options)
Sean Stafford, Fairfield 39.05 $5,500
Robert Lee, Angels Camp 38.07 $3200
Jim LaRosa, Tracy 34.31 $2000
Dick Watson, Alta Loma 33.40 $1200
Phil Burgess, Verman 33.19 $2750
Ricky Shabazz, Rialto 31.01 $1000
Ken Phillips, Antioch 29.61 $1000
Mark Crutcher, Lakeport 27.79 $1000 Edward J. Schneider, Jr 27.64 $1,000
Paul Bailey, Willits 26.44 $1000
Additional Big Fish Payouts
Guy Sternat, Dublin, 14.60-pound largemouth won $1000 for Day Two big fish and $10,000 for breaking WON BASS Delta Pro-Am record
Dave Gliebe, Stockton 7.98 Day One $500
Mike Folkestad, Orange 6.58 Day One $300
Gary Robbins, Burbank 8.42 Day Two $300
TOP 10 AAA
Frank Harris, Sacramento 34.12 $800
Andy Manahl, Mesa AZ 32.50 $1,100
Jay Riggs, Rosamond 32.13 $850
Ron Smith 32.98 $350
Greg Rozycki, Berkeley 31.70 $300
Toua Yang, Sacramento 29.36 $300
Chris Ricci, Bend OR 28.08 $300
Terry Stark, Sacramento 27.41 $300
Brad Everett, Bakersfield 26.81 $300
John Bitting, Westminster 25.49 $300
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NORTH CAL EVENTS Stafford, Sternat come out on top at Delta OAKLEY — A clash of the titans and a historic big fish catch made the WON BASS Nitro/Mercury Delta Invitational Feb. 5-6 a tournament to remember as Sean Stafford of Fairfield edge Robert Lee of Angel’s Camp for the overall title and $5,550 and Dublin’s Guyle Sternat took home $11,000 for obliterating the WON BASS Delta big fish record with a 14.60-pound largemouth bass. A pro event had never been held on the Delta and reports of a tough bite and incoming El Niño storms kept the field to 62 boats. Those boats held some of the top bass fishing talent anywhere in the world and the worst weather skirted the Delta. Even better, the Delta bass were on the bite, especially on Saturday, the second day of competition. Phil Burgess of Verman, who had the first day’s big bass with a 9.12, set the tone when he came to the scales with the heaviest stringer of the event, a whopping 24.47-pound bag stuffed with 6 and 7 pounders. Both Robert Lee and Sean Stafford set themselves up well the first day of competition, posting 17.55 and 16.58 pounds respectively. Lee was the first to weigh the second day and brought an impressive 20.52 pounds to the scales. But he interrupted an interview saying, “I want to see what Sean’s got.” “I figure I needed 23 pounds,” Stafford told WON BASS Director and emcee Harvey Naslund as Rick Stone settled his five fish on the scale. The digital readout flirted with that number then clicked in at 22.47 pounds. Almost two pounds better than Lee, the weight put Stafford ahead for good with 39.05 pounds, helped in large part by the 8.51-pound bass Stafford topped off his stringer with. • GUYLE STERNAT’S record-shattering 14.60 Delta largemouth was worth $10,000. Remember, you can win $10,000 by beating the record when WON BASS comes to your favorite lake later in 2010. WON PHOTO BY RICH HOLLAND • DOES THE WORD BUCKETMOUTH come to mind when you check out this shot of Guyle Sternat’s 14.60 Delta bass? WON PHOTO BY RICH HOLLAND • NITRO/MERCURY DELTA INVITATIONAL CHAMP Sean Stafford had the big bass he needed to overtake Robert Lee and win $5,500. WON PHOTO BY RICH HOLLAND Yet it was a much bigger bass that would soon set the weigh-in scene at Russo’s Marina abuzz. Guyle Sternat couldn’t hide the monster bass bulging in the weigh sack and he couldn’t hide his grin either. The fish had to weigh more than the 14.08 caught by AAA Dave Watson in a previous WON BASS Delta event to win the $10,000 and it did so easily. “Did you know you’d won the 10 grand when you caught the fish?” asked Naslund. “You bet I did,” replied Sternat, who told WON he caught the fish on an Osprey swimbait. Finishing third overall was first-day leader Jim LaRosa of Tracy. LaRosa said he had to contend with more boats the second day but still got in the fish, just not the bigger grade he needed. His 34.31 weight won $2,000. Top finisher from the south was Dick Watson of Alta Loma, who managed to stay in the quality fish, both days weighing sacks over 16 pounds even though he said he had to work hard for a five-fish limit. He earned $1,200 for his 33.40 pounds. Phil Burgess scored $2,750 for fifth place for his 33.19 weight (for six fish!) and his first day big fish. Southern California’s Ricky Shabazz of Rialto said he’s committed to fishing the entire circuit and his sixth place finish has him in a great spot to contend for the Angler of the Year title. He weighed 31.01 pounds and took home $1000. Ken Phillips of Antioch was in second place after the first day, but didn’t help his cause when he left a 3 pounder in the livewell on day two and only weighed 4 fish. It turned out the mistake didn’t cost him any money and only a couple points in the Western Classic qualifier standings. He took home $1,000 for 29.61 pounds. Eighth place went to Mark Crutcher of Lakeport for 27.79 pounds, ninth place fell to Ed Schneider, Jr. of Stockton for 27.79 pounds, and 10th place was claimed by Paul Bailey of Willits with 26.44 pounds. The top AAA was Frank Harris of Sacramento with 34.12 pounds. He fished with pros Mark Daniels and Robert Lee and took home $800. Andy Manahl of Phoenix, who fishes the pro circuit in the South Region, is fishing the north events this year as a AAA in preparation for fishing the entire circuit next season. His decision paid off big as he won $500 for second place AAA and $600 for fourth in the Pro Option for a total of $1,100 (the Pro Option is open to both Pros and AAAs this year). Jay Riggs, the third place AAA, got $450 for fifth in the pro option for a total of $850. Next up on the WON BASS Pro Circuit is the Nitro/Mercury Lake Havasu Invitational March 19-20. For more information, contact Ashley Hartman at (949) 366-0030 ext 38, Harvey Naslund at HarveyWONBASS@aol.com or go to www.wonbass.com.The Top 10 Pros in the WON BASS Nitro/Mercury Delta Invitational were: Name, Hometown 2-day Total Payout Weight (Place and Options) Sean Stafford, Fairfield 39.05 $5,500 Robert Lee, Angels Camp 38.07 $3200 Jim LaRosa, Tracy 34.31 $2000 Dick Watson, Alta Loma 33.40 $1200 Phil Burgess, Verman 33.19 $2750 Ricky Shabazz, Rialto 31.01 $1000 Ken Phillips, Antioch 29.61 $1000 Mark Crutcher, Lakeport 27.79 $1000 Edward J. Schneider, Jr 27.64 $1,000 Paul Bailey, Willits 26.44 $1000 Additional Big Fish Payouts Guy Sternat, Dublin, 14.60-pound largemouth won $1000 for Day Two big fish and $10,000 for breaking WON BASS Delta Pro-Am record Dave Gliebe, Stockton 7.98 Day One $500 Mike Folkestad, Orange 6.58 Day One $300 Gary Robbins, Burbank 8.42 Day Two $300 TOP 10 AAA Frank Harris, Sacramento 34.12 $800 Andy Manahl, Mesa AZ 32.50 $1,100 Jay Riggs, Rosamond 32.13 $850 Ron Smith 32.98 $350 Greg Rozycki, Berkeley 31.70 $300 Toua Yang, Sacramento 29.36 $300 Chris Ricci, Bend OR 28.08 $300 Terry Stark, Sacramento 27.41 $300 Brad Everett, Bakersfield 26.81 $300 John Bitting, Westminster 25.49 $300 |
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