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BRAY & WILSON
CAPTURE NOR-CAL TITLE AT CAMANCHE
By: Tim Paes
Saturday, February 1, 2003
Lake Camanche, CA
Saturday marked the second
stop on our 2003 Pro-Am Tournament Trail. The event took place at
beautiful Lake Camanche in the
Sierra Nevada foothills. Seventy-one anglers showed up to fish the event
under chilly weather conditions. Chris Cantwell, Marina Services Manager,
at the lake had the café open with complimentary coffee and danishes for
the anglers.
Anglers were anticipating an
exciting tournament, as the prefish for many had been very good.
Pre-tournament predictions called for a winning weight in the 17-18 lb
range. Camanche holds large numbers of quality spotted, smallmouth and
largemouth bass. The lake charges a fishing access fee with the proceeds
going to fish plants in the lake. Last year alone, Camanche planted over
$15,000 in Florida strain black bass.
The tournament was delayed a
short time as tournament officials waited for the fog to clear to a safe
level. Once conditions were deemed safe, the contestants were blasted off
one by one for their assault on the lake.
The fishing was a little
tougher then it had been during prefish, however the anglers still brought
in several solid 5 fish limits to the scales. Twenty-nine of the
thirty-seven boats brought in 5 fish limits. One hundred and sixty-four
bass were weighed in, totaling 407 lbs. That equaled an awesome 2.48 lb
average per fish! This proves Camanche takes care of its fishery. How many
lakes can you go to in February and catch numbers of fish that average 2
½ lbs!
 Murphy’s
Pro, Butch Bray and his partner, Ron Wilson, of Modesto, took the title
with their 5 fish limit that weighed 16.16 lbs. Bray reported catching
fish on jigs and worms with Loomis rods, Shimano reels and P-Line. Their
success came from brown V&V jigs with purple Super Pork along with
Keeper 1050 worms that were dropshotted and shaken on dartheads. The
anglers fished the narrows and dredge piles in the river, where they keyed
on broken chunk rock in 30 to 40 feet of water. For their 1st
place finish, Bray took home $2,329 while Wilson won $845 for a team total
of $3,174.
Second place went to Modesto
Pro, Anthony Pimentel and his partner, Allen Burk, of Escalon. Pimentel
and Burk brought in a 15.90 lb 5 fish limit. Pimentel, who is sponsored by
Stratos Boats, Bob’s Marine, Thermo Oil Batteries and Keeper Custom
Worms, reported catching their fish on Yum green pumpkin gitzits and
Keeper 1050 worms. Pimentel used Cuda line on Diawa reels and St. Croix
rods to put his fish in the boat. The anglers keyed on chunk rock in the
river and main lake in depths of 10 to 30 feet to secure their second
place limit. Burk took big fish in the am division with his 4.78 lb lunker
that fell victim to the gitzit. Pimentel won $1,723 while Burk took home
$767 for a team total of $2,490. 
Fresno Pro, Todd Hayes and his
partner Jeff Whited, of Vallecito, finished 3rd with a 5 fish
limit that tipped the scales at 14.90 lbs. Hayes took big fish for the
event with his 4.82 lb toad that came on a Roboworm that was dropshotted
on Power Pro braid with a Yo-Zuri fluorocarbon leader with Shimano reels
and a Lamiglass rods. Hayes, who is sponsored by Ed’s Marine and
Bassducer Baits, reported that their fish came on swimbaits, brown
Bassducer jigs with a Yamamoto cinnamon blk/purple trailer and dropshotted
worms. The pair keyed on chunk rock in the narrows to catch their limit.
Hayes took home $1,409 while Whited earned $412 for a team total $1,821.
Rounding out the top 5 in 4th
place was Atwater Pro John Myers and his partner Mike Bugarin, of Turlock.
Myers and Bugarin weighed in a 14.56 lb 5 fish limit that netted Myers
$525 and Bugarin $227. Ione Pro, Bob Haag and his partner Bob Arpoika; of
Oakdale finished 5th with a 5 fish limit that weighed 14.44
lbs. Haag took home $315 while Arpoika earned $116.
The Angler of the Year
point’s race in the Pro Division saw Copperopolis Pro Joe Bruce move
into 1st place with 212 points followed by John Myers with 204.
In the Am Division, Mike Bugarin holds onto 1st place with 217
points followed by Allen Burk and Ron Wilson
 with
212 points.
Special thanks goes to our
tournament trail sponsors, Stratos Boats and Evinrude Outboards. Because
of their support, Nor-Cal & 100% Bass will be awarding a fully rigged
Stratos/Evinrude prize package at their pro-am championship tournament.
Don’t miss your opportunity to feel the ride and power of this boat and
motor combination!
Thanks also to our official
rod sponsor, St Croix, for supporting our anglers and awarding
their quality built rods to our top finishers at the championship.
Nor-Cal also thanks our event
sponsor at Camanche, Stratos Boats, along with Chris Cantwell
and Camanche Recreation for hosting our event.
Nor-Cal Bass Tournament Trail
sponsors are: Stratos Boats, Evinrude Outboards, Bob’s Marine, St
Croix Rods, Pradco Brand Baits, PMZ Realty, Autolife Sporting Goods,
Escalon Bait & Tackle, Tom’s Truck Repair, Tracy Oasis Marina, Del
Taco, Thermo Oil Batteries, Super Pork, Fishin Musician Worms, Keeper
Custom Worms, Predator Worms, McClure Painting & Plastering and
Hildebrand’s Auto Repair.
The next stop on our 2003
Pro-Am Tournament Trail takes place at New Melones Reservoir on March
8, 2003. Mandatory check in for this event will take place from 4:00 to
5:00 a.m. on the morning of the tournament. Lake headquarters for check-in
will be Glory Hole Sports. Visit our website, www.nor-calbass.com,
or call (209) 634-8754 for more information.
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