DECATUR, Ala. (Nov. 6, 2010) - Pro Chad Aaron of Ethridge, Tenn., caught a five-bass limit weighing 15 pounds, 13 ounces Saturday to win the FLW American Fishing Series Invitational bass fishing tournament on Wheeler Lake with a three-day total of 15 bass weighing 52 pounds, 10 ounces. For his victory, Aaron earned $24,810 and a trip to the 2011 Forrest Wood Cup.
"Everything keyed around current," said Aaron, who notched his first FLW Outdoors victory. "I caught some in less than 3 feet of water, but most of them I caught in 14 to 20 (feet) on isolated rock piles I found with my electronics."
Aaron said some of his fish in the tournament fell for a Zara Spook, but his deep baits were green football-head jigs and a Lake Fork Tackle Flutter Spoon. Aaron said he discovered his pattern Wednesday afternoon.
"When I started fishing those isolated rock piles, I could pretty much call my shot and catch a 4-pounder," Aaron said.
After weighing 21-12 on the first day of competition, Aaron said he eased off of his fish on day two to save them for the final day of competition. Aaron weighed 15-1 on day two.
"They didn't bite as good today," Aaron said. "I only caught six good fish today when I was catching a lot more than that."
Rounding out the top five pros were:
2nd: Kevin Snider, Elizabethtown, Ky., 15 bass, 37-12, $10,633
3rd: Darryl Folse, Addis, La., 15 bass, 33-6, $5,671
4th: Pat Eichmann, Nancy, Ky., 15 bass, 30-12, $4,962
5th: Bill Chapman, Salt Rock, W.V., 15 bass, 30-9, $4,253
Aaron caught the biggest bass of the tournament in the Pro Division Thursday - a 5-pound, 10-ounce bass - that earned him the day's Big Bass award of $240.
Steve Gregg of Florissant, Mo., won the Co-angler Division and $9,486 and a trip to the 2011 Forrest Wood Cup, with a three-day total of 15 bass weighing 33 pounds, 1 ounce.
Rounding out the top five co-anglers were:
2nd: Andrew Luxon, Richmond, Ky., 15 bass, 30-14, $3,649
3rd: Anthony Goggins, Auburn, Ala., 15 bass, 28-9, $2,189
4th: Blase Frick, St. Louis, Mo., 15 bass, 26-15, $1,824
5th: Steve Harwood, Weaverville, N.C., 15 bass, 23-6, $1,459
Ken Gregory of Greenwood, Indiana, caught the biggest bass of the tournament in the Co-angler Division Friday - a 5-pound, 12-ounce bass - that earned him the day's Big Bass award of $150.
The top 50 pros and co-anglers from each of the FLW American Fishing Series divisions - Central, Northern, Southeast and Texas - qualified for the American Fishing Series Invitational.