IUKA, Miss. (Oct. 1, 2018) – Local pro Jason Lambert of Michie, Tennessee, won the Bass Fishing League (BFL) Mississippi Division tournament on Pickwick Lake Sunday with a two-day cumulative catch of 10 bass weighing 32 pounds, 10 ounces. For his efforts, Lambert won $9,086.
“The fish are all over the place. I started and ended shallow both days and caught some deep fish in between,” said Lambert, who earned his third career win on Pickwick Lake in BFL competition. “It’s hard to get a big fish out deep – they’re mostly just limit-fillers.
“Up shallow I threw a (Bone-colored 6th Sense Mad Dog 130) topwater, focusing on hydrilla in 5 to 6 feet of water on the lower end of the lake,” Lambert continued. “I pitched it to the outside edge of the grass line. Some fish were schooling, but most were on that outside edge.”
Around 10 a.m., Lambert headed out deep to fish main-lake ledges that were 25 feet down.
“The only way I could catch them was long-lining a (Lavender Citrus-colored 6th Sense Cloud 9 Series C20) crankbait,” said Lambert. “I think I weighed four fish deep Saturday, and two on Sunday.
“I spent more time shallow Sunday. There was a high school tournament on the lower end Saturday, so that stuff was a lot more pressured,” said Lambert. “I caught my biggest fish yesterday morning – about a 5-pounder – fishing the grass line with a Castaic Jerky J with a ½-ounce head.”
Lambert said he caught eight keepers Saturday, and an additional 10 on Sunday.
“My Garmin electronics were the key for me. You’ve got to able to find them when you’re idling around out there looking for schools,” said Lambert.
The top 10 boaters finished the tournament in:
1st: Jason Lambert, Michie, Tenn., 10 bass, 32-10, $7,086 + $2,000 Ranger Cup Bonus
2nd: Roger Stegall, Iuka, Miss., 10 bass, 30-12, $3,293
3rd: Michael Wooley, Booneville, Miss., 10 bass, 29-9, $2,295
4th: Jimmy Washam, Covington, Tenn., 10 bass, 28-15, $1,537
5th: Cal Clark, Pulaski, Tenn., 10 bass, 27-13, $1,317
6th: Lloyd Pickett Jr., Bartlett, Tenn., 10 bass, 27-7, $1,207
7th: Nathan Martin, Sheffield, Ala., eight bass, 26-5, $1,098
8th: Christopher Whitehead, Tupelo, Miss., 10 bass, 25-2, $988
9th: Kyle Glasgow, Guin, Ala., 10 bass, 24-9, $878
10th: Charles Watts, Corinth, Miss., nine bass, 24-1, $768
Brent Anderson of Kingston Springs, Tennessee, caught a bass weighing 6 pounds, 6 ounces – the heaviest of the event in the Boater Division. The catch earned him the Boater Big Bass award of $945. David Ward of Morris, Alabama, caught a two-day total of eight bass weighing 20 pounds, 1 ounces, to win the Co-angler Division and $3,287.
The top 10 co-anglers were:
1st: David Ward, Morris, Ala., eight bass , 20-1, $3,287
2nd: Farley Fondren, Maben, Miss., seven bass, 19-7, $1,844
3rd: Alan Dutton, Meridian, Miss., six bass, 18-7, $1,146
4th: Chris Bowers, Brandon, Miss., six bass, 18-5, $767
5th: Ron Renfrow, Corinth, Miss., six bass, 17-12, $657
6th: Keith Whipple, Iuka, Miss., eight bass, 17-6, $603
7th: Taylor Odom, Flowood, Miss., six bass, 16-15, $548
8th: Alex Kinglsey, Fulton, Miss., six bass, 15-5, $493
9th: Joel Ross, Brandon, Miss., six bass , 13-15, $438
10th: Matthew Berry, Florence, Ala., six bass, 13-12, $384
Michael Graham of Hattiesburg, Mississippi, caught the largest bass in the Co-angler Division – a fish weighing 5 pounds, 8 ounces – and earned the Co-angler Big Bass award of $465.