Oacoma, S.D. — Wisconsin angler Bob Downey recalls the only other time he had been on Lake Francis Case was when he was about 8 years old and had fished off the pier at Cedar Shores Resort while on a family vacation.
Returning to the lake as a member of the Minnesota B.A.S.S. Nation state team, Downey caught a five-fish limit weighing 12 pounds, 8 ounces to set the pace today in the B.A.S.S. Nation Northern Divisional Championship out of Chamberlain/Oacoma, S.D. Fishing in his first divisional as a nonboater, the Cast-A-Ways Bassmasters club member caught his limit behind Michigan angler Ted Prisbe, a veteran divisional competitor who weighed in an 8-8 limit to move into fourth place.
The 25-year-old Downey said they were in the right place at the right time. “There were a lot of guys there so you had to move because the fish moved pretty quickly up there,” said Downey, a credit analyst for a surety agency. “The wind would change a lot in the area we were in and every time it changed it would reposition those fish. A lot of times they would come up and school, and we had to be quick to get in there and other times we were just kind of dragging around.”
Downey noted he caught all of his keeper smallmouth on three different lures. “I love to fish for largemouth up shallow, that is my strength, but smallmouth are my favorite fish to catch,” Downey said. “The way we were catching them today, I am comfortable doing that.
“We have smallmouth back home but I have never fished smallmouth in a reservoir, which is what I would consider this,” Downey said. “I know it is a river (an impounded section of the Missouri), but I have never fished for them in a reservoir-type situation like this.” Downey mentioned the way he caught his fish today is similar to what he has done in the past on natural lakes with off-colored water.
If Downey finishes as the top angler on his Minnesota team, he will earn a berth in the B.A.S.S. Nation Championship (BNC). Other state leaders bidding for BNC berths include Prisbe of Michigan; David Junk, Illinois; Chip Swindell, Indiana; Nate Brown, Iowa; Stan Dodson, Ohio; Eric Storms, South Dakota; and Jason Sosebee, Wisconsin.
The Minnesota squad leads the team competition after Day 1 with 46 pounds, 15 ounces. Wisconsin is in the runner-up spot with 36-14.
The Northern Divisional contestants will take off Thursday for the second day of competition at 6:45 a.m. CT at Cedar Shore Resort, 1500 Shoreline Drive, Oacoma, S.D. 57365. The weigh-in will be held at the same location at 2:45 p.m. CT.
B.A.S.S. Nation Northern Divisional
8/28/2013 - 8/30/2013
Lake Francis Case - Cedar Shore - Chamberlain, S.D.
STANDINGS ANGLER DAY 1
Today's Activity Accumulative
Name City, State # Fish # Live Lbs - Oz # Fish # Live Lbs - Oz PTS
1 Bob Downey Hudson, WI 5 5 12-8 5 5 12- 8 0
2 Eric Storms Winner, SD 5 5 9-10 5 5 9-10 0
3 Stan Dodson Mineral Wells, WV 5 5 8-13 5 5 8-13 0
4 Ted Prisbe Harsens Island, MI 5 5 8-8 5 5 8-8 0
5 Jeff Bostic Cassopolis, MI 5 5 8-3 5 5 8-3 0
6 Jason Sosebee Eau Claire, WI 5 5 7-8 5 5 7-8 0
7 David Junk Quincy, IL 5 5 7-5 5 5 7-5 0
8 Jim Severson Rice, MN 5 5 6-13 5 5 6-13 0
9 Wayne Lindgren Minneapolis, MN 4 3 6-8 4 3 6-8 0
10 Rick Sawyer Columbia City, IN 4 4 6-6 4 4 6-6 0
11 Phillip Rummel Mount Vernon, OH 4 4 6-5 4 4 6- 5 0
12 Leray Anderson Crofton, NE 3 3 5-13 3 3 5-13 0
13 James Maisenbacher Hudson, IL 4 4 5-10 4 4 5-10 0
14 Mike Mattis Hudson, WI 3 3 5-10 3 3 5-10 0
15 Rick Mahoney Winner, SD 4 4 5-4 4 4 5-4 0
16 Brent Haimes Elgin, MN 4 4 5-3 4 4 5- 3 0
17 Michael Griffin Ottawa, IL 3 2 4-9 3 2 4-9 0
18 Nate Brown Muscatine, WI 3 3 4-1 3 3 4-1 0
19 Andrew Nitchals Willmar, MN 2 2 4-0 2 2 4-0 0
19 Ben Potaracke La Crosse, WI 2 2 4-0 2 2 4-0 0
21 Jim Barczak Osceola, WI 2 2 3-14 2 2 3-14 0
22 Dan Krzoska La Crescent, MN 3 3 3-9 3 3 3-9 0
23 Joseph Sestak Tabor, SD 2 2 3-9 2 2 3- 9 0
24 Dennis Lothspeich Brainerd, MN 2 2 3-3 2 2 3-3 0
25 Jesse Reynolds Muscatine, IA 2 2 3-2 2 2 3-2 0
26 Pete Cherkas Des Moines, IA 3 3 3-1 3 3 3-1 0
26 Kevin Fassbind Cottage Grove, WI 3 3 3-1 3 3 3-1 0
28 Brian Mailot Columbus, OH 2 2 3-1 2 2 3-1 0
29 Dan Hamdorf Lowden, IA 3 3 2-15 3 3 2-15 0
30 Fernando Lobato Sparta, WI 2 2 2-14 2 2 2-14 0
31 Dan Parker Guttenburg, IA 1 1 2-12 1 1 2-12 0
32 Greg Heindselman Lewistown, MO 2 2 2-9 2 2 2-9 0
33 Ron Cherkas Grimes, IA 2 2 2-8 2 2 2-8 0
3 3Chip Swindell Bluffton, IN 2 2 2-8 2 2 2-8 0
35 Chuck Steinbauer Brainerd, MN 2 2 2-7 2 2 2-7 0
36 Tom Kiefer Oak Grove, MN 2 2 2-6 2 2 2-6 0
37 Robert Reinbold Timber Lake, SD 1 1 2-5 1 1 2-5 0
38 Guy Knudson Zimmerman, MN 2 2 2-4 2 2 2- 4 0
39 Mark Goetsch Gibraltar, MI 2 2 2-1 2 2 2- 1 0
39 Ron Nutter Newark, OH 2 2 2-1 2 2 2- 1 0
41 Nathan Gray Columbus, IN 1 1 2-0 1 1 2-0 0
42 Monty Fralick Martin, SD 1 1 1-14 1 1 1-14 0
43 Brady Farrell Fort Atkinson, WI 1 1 1-12 1 1 1-12 0
44 Andy Hriber Lakeville, MN 1 1 1-11 1 1 1-11 0
44 Jerry Koller Paragon, IN 1 1 1-11 1 1 1-11 0
46 Gary A Kotlark Flushing, MI 1 1 1-10 1 1 1-10 0
46 Troy Lee Star Prairie, WI 1 1 1-10 1 1 1-10 0
48 Todd Thompson Heath, OH 1 1 1-9 1 1 1-9 0
49 Doug Rowse Elgin, NE 1 1 1-8 1 1 1-8 0
50 Jimmy Johnson La Crosse, WI 1 1 1-7 1 1 1-7 0
51 Al Evans Urbana, OH 1 1 1-5 1 1 1-5 0
51 Ian MacDonald Chicago, IL 1 1 1-5 1 1 1-5 0
53 Jeff Crowley Flint, MI 1 1 1-4 1 1 1-4 0
54 Tony Flories Tinley Park, IL 1 1 1-3 1 1 1- 3 0
55 James Roth Independence, IA 1 1 1-2 1 1 1-2 0
56 Wess Larabee Newcastle, WY 1 1 1-1 1 1 1-1 0
57 Nick Kelley Oak Hill, OH 1 1 1-0 1 1 1-0 0
57Trevor Kettles Waukee, IA 1 1 1-0 1 1 1-0 0
59 Scott Moon Beech Grove, IN 1 1 0-15 1 1 0-15 0
59 Thomas Worm New London, WI 1 1 0-15 1 1 0-15 0
61 Charles Cross Columbus, IN 1 1 0-14 1 1 0-14 0
61 Keith Faber Rock Valley, IA 1 1 0-14 1 1 0-14 0
61 Mike Kujawski North Branch, MI 1 1 0-14 1 1 0-14 0
61 Steve Strope Orchard, NE 1 1 0-14 1 1 0-14 0
65 Ron Eicher Clarksville, IN 1 1 0-12 1 1 0-12 0
66 Chad Richardson Bangor, WI 1 1 0-10 1 1 0-10 0
67 Al Ansell Moose Lake , MN 0 0 0-0 0 0 0-0 0
67 Bob Bayless Indianapolis, IN 0 0 0-0 0 0 0-0 0
67 Craig Bolden Battle Creek, MI 0 0 0-0 0 0 0-0 0
67 Jeff Brown Wentworth, SD 0 0 0-0 0 0 0-0 0
67 Vaughn Capasso MARENGO, IL 0 0 0-0 0 0 0-0 0
67 Dean Capra Blaine, MN 0 0 0-0 0 0 0- 0 0
67 Bill Cusano Kingsville, OH 0 0 0-0 0 0 0-0 0
67 David Dupin Salem, IN 0 0 0-0 0 0 0-0 0
67 Bob Garman Center Point, IA 0 0 0-0 0 0 0- 0 0
67 Luis Gonzalez Round Lake Beach, I 0 0 0-0 0 0 0- 0 0
67 Tim Hartman Effingham, IL 0 0 0-0 0 0 0-0 0
67 Harry Heins Monona, IA 0 0 0-0 0 0 0-0 0
67 Aaron Hochstedler Greentown, IN 0 0 0-0 0 0 0-0 0
67 Jeff Hooker Battle Creek, MI 0 0 0-0 0 0 0-0 0
67 Brad Kippenbrock Huntingburg, IN 0 0 0-0 0 0 0-0 0
67 Scott Lakey Portage, MI 0 0 0-0 0 0 0-0 0
67 Nick Leonard Cincinnati, OH 0 0 0-0 0 0 0- 0 0
67 Terry McWilliams Greenfield, IN 0 0 0-0 0 0 0- 0 0
67 Kent Miller Byron, MI 0 0 0-0 0 0 0- 0 0
67 Rick Nesbitt Springfield, OH 0 0 0-0 0 0 0-0 0
67 Kevin Rebouche Frankfort, IL 0 0 0-0 0 0 0-0 0
67 Brian Roberts Mulberry, IN 0 0 0-0 0 0 0-0 0
67 Danny Ryan Cleves, OH 0 0 0-0 0 0 0-0 0
67 Greg Seitz Raymond, IA 0 0 0-0 0 0 0-0 0
67 Troy Sitar Lawrence, MI 0 0 0-0 0 0 0- 0 0
67 Bill Skowronski Hennepin, IL 0 0 0-0 0 0 0-0 0
67 Brian Tutko Streator, IL 0 0 0-0 0 0 0-0 0
67 Cliff Van Beek Canistota, SD 0 0 0-0 0 0 0-0 0
67 Brian Vogelsang Zanes Field, OH 0 0 0-0 0 0 0- 0 0
67 Tom E Williams Center Point, IA 0 0 0-0 0 0 0-0 0
BIG BASS TOTALS
Day Name City,State Lbs-Oz Day # Fish # Live Lbs-Oz # Limits
1 Bob Downey Hudson, WI 3- 4 1 148 146 221- 7 8
2 0 0 0- 0 0
3 0 0 0- 0 0
Team Standings Day 1
Team #Fish #Live Lbs-Oz
1 MINNESOTA 29 28 46-15
2 WISCONSIN 25 25 36-14
3 SOUTH DAKOTA 20 20 32-12
4 MICHIGAN 19 19 28-14
5 OHIO 16 16 24- 2
6 ILLINOIS 16 15 22- 9
7 IOWA 16 16 20- 9
8 INDIANA 7 7 8-12