With two days of stiff competition in unseasonably cold weather and a deteriorating bite for everyone as each day of practice and competition passed, the new East Region Champions claimed the victory with today's 10.46 lbs limit combined to Day-one's catch of 13.93, for a two-day total of 24.39 lbs. Eric and Don patiently dropshoted 4 inch ROBO worms and dead-sticked wacky rigged green pumpkin Senkos in Beckys Creek and Bettys Creek, below Halesford Bridge, and Grimes Creek, about five or more miles above the bridge.
Virginia East angler, James Funk, took second place by tenaciously fishing three and a half-inch green pumpkin/watermelon seed, Northland Tackle Brush beaver baits up in the Blackwater River arm. James worked zero to eight feet of water up in Silver and Gills Creeks each day to garner 23.38 lbs of green fish. Although a few smaller bass fell for flukes and spinner baits, the hogs went for the jig. Competing alone, James caught nine fish, weighing 23.38lbs, which included Day one's 6.40 lbs, First BF and Day-two's, 4.80 lbs, Second BF.
Virginia West anglers, Wayne and Brian Myers, finished the tournament with 21.60 lbs and third place. The Day-1 catch came from upper Gills Creek by flipping five-inch Zoom Brush Hogs in and around boat docks, shoreline brush, and tree lay-downs. On Day-2, Wayne and Brian used the same tactics above the S-Curve in Bettys Creek, Beckys Creek, and near Coastal Shores Yacht Club. While not flipping brush hogs and shaky-head worms, Strike King, Series 3, Sexy Shad crankbaits worked well for them.
Don Wheeler and Joseph Reno Mayberry moved up three places to finish forth overall, with 20.49 lbs. The Lynchburg, VA teammates fished in 0 to 5 ft water depths from the S-curve up to Halesford Bridge. Using spinnerbaits and Dave's Tournament Tackle green pumpkin jigs tipped with Zoom Soft Chunks, the pair concentrated on main-lake rocky points and boat slips. Don said that fishing was slow and bites came sporadically throughout both practice and competition. Reno and Don want to thank Steve Camp for all of the hard work he does in making the Virginia East Division so successful.
Mike and Robert Red Fisher placed fifth using Spot Remover jigs and Zoom Finesse Worms, both in green pumpkin, above Halesford Bridge, near Happy Acres and Paradise Point on Day-1. Day-2, Mike and Red moved up to Harbor Ridge, picked up another 8.46 lbs and finished the tournament with 19.28 lbs.
Stephen Singleton and Wayne Needham, North Carolina Piedmont, netted $486.00 for today's 5.40 lbs 1st Big Fish.
The top Adult Junior team of Chris and Conner Harrison completed the event with 16.09 lbs and will be representing the VA E Division next April in the National Championship.
Ken and Deloris Shumate, NC Piedmont, bested all other Male Female teams with a two-day total of 12.05 lbs.
Reigning National Champs, all Division Points Champions, the top twenty from each of the five Regional Championships along with the top Male Female team and Adult Junior team will earn the opportunity to fish in the April 10 - 15, 2010, Fishers of Men $60,000.00 Lake Guntersville National Championship. Once there, a full field will fish the first two days, then the top twenty percent will go on to compete on the third and final day, where everyone will earn a check, except the first place team, which will take home a $40,000.00, fully rigged, 2010 Triton TR-20 with a Mercury 200hp motor.
During the post-season competition, total payouts, in prizes and cash, hover around $250,000.00.
The tournament was hosted by Debra Wier and Franklin County Tourism; the Franklin County Board of Supervisors, Halesford Baptist Church, Smith Mountain State Park employees, and Westlake Waterfront Inn.