GREENSBORO, N.C. - Using a strategy he dubbed "the baby pattern," Bassmaster Elite Series pro Fred Roumbanis of Auburn, Calif., won the Bassmaster American, topping runner-up Brian Snowden of Reeds Spring, Mo., by nearly 5 pounds through the bass fishing tournament's final two days on Lake Townsend.
He's not the first: Roumbanis became the latest in a long line of anglers to win a big tournament within days of the birth of a child. That list includes 2006 tournament winners Preston Clark of Palatka, Fla., and Dave Wolak of Wake Forest, N.C., the defending champion of the Bassmaster American.
"I feel like I had that baby thing going on," Roumbanis said, laughing. "The baby mojo."
Snowden finished second with 17 pounds, 3 ounces; Ish Monroe of Hughson, Calif., finished third with 11 pounds, 6 ounces; John Murray of Phoenix finished fourth with 9 pounds, 1 ounce; Mark Tucker of Saint Louis, Mo., was fifth with 6 pounds, 9 ounces; and Mike McClelland of Bella Vista, Ark., was sixth with 5 pounds, 14 ounces.
The tournament started at High Rock Lake, and Roumbanis barely made the top 12 cut after two days. Once the action moved to Townsend and the 12 qualifying anglers had their weights zeroed, the 28-year-old Californian was in the zone.
In compiling his two-day total of 17 pounds, 3 ounces, Snowden was the only angler to put a limit in the livewell both days at Townsend. But even his Sunday-best catch of 8 pounds, 3 ounces was not nearly enough to overtake Roumbanis.
"I just couldn't get the big bites I needed," said Snowden, a 34-year-old who now has three second-place finishes in BASS events.
Also helping Roumbanis was the fact that the 1,500-acre Townsend, a water supply reservoir, reminded him of the small lakes he grew up fishing in California.
"These places fish more sporadically, and that's just my style," said Roumbanis, whose Sunday catch of four bass weighed 7 pounds, 4 ounces.
Roumbanis caught six of his seven keepers at Townsend by drop-shotting a 4-inch, margarita mutilator-colored Roboworm to target pre-spawn fish. He caught the other on an Easy Strike chatter bait.
He said he was confident heading out Sunday morning with the big lead.
"I knew if I stayed calm, focused on finesse fishing and fished smart and somewhat methodically, I was going to get bites and catch fish," Roumbanis said. "And that's what I did."
2007 Bassmaster American 5/17-5/20
High Rock Lake, Greensboro NC.
(BOATER) Standings Day 4
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Fred Roumbanis Auburn, CA 7 21-14 0 0
Day 1: 4 11-09 Day 2: 4 16-11 Day 3: 3 14-10 Day 4: 4 07-04
2. Brian Snowden Reeds Spring, MO 10 17-03 0 0
Day 1: 5 18-10 Day 2: 5 21-09 Day 3: 5 09-00 Day 4: 5 08-03
3. Ishama Monroe Hughson, CA 4 11-06 0 0
Day 1: 5 11-12 Day 2: 5 17-03 Day 3: 2 04-15 Day 4: 2 06-07
4. John Murray Phoenix, AZ 4 09-01 0 0
Day 1: 4 14-01 Day 2: 5 19-08 Day 3: 2 02-13 Day 4: 2 06-04
5. Mark Tucker Saint Louis, MO 4 06-09 0 0
Day 1: 5 13-14 Day 2: 5 14-02 Day 3: 3 05-09 Day 4: 1 01-00
6. Mike McClelland Bella Vista, AR 4 05-14 0 0
Day 1: 5 18-07 Day 2: 5 11-14 Day 3: 4 05-14 Day 4: 0 00-00
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Big Bass
Day
1 Mike McClelland Bella Vista, AR 06-09 $1000
2 Fred Roumbanis Auburn, CA 06-06 $1000
3 Fred Roumbanis Auburn, CA 06-03 $1000
4 John Murray Phoenix, AZ 04-13 $1000 Big BASS
Mike McClelland Bella Vista, AR 06-09 $0 Big Bag
Day
1 Edwin Evers Talala, OK 19-08 $1000
2 Dean Rojas Grand Saline, TX 21-09 $1000
2 Brian Snowden Reeds Spring, MO 21-09 $1000
3 Fred Roumbanis Auburn, CA 14-10 $1000
4 Brian Snowden Reeds Spring, MO 08-03 $1000 Big Bag
Dean Rojas Grand Saline, TX 21-09 $8000
Brian Snowden Reeds Spring, MO 21-09 $8000
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Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 38 224 588-15
2 37 217 558-06
3 1 27 53-13
4 1 14 29-02
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77 482 1230-04