BRUCE & McEWEN TAKE KICK-OFF EVENT AT McCLURE

Saturday, January 8, 2005
Lake McClure, CA

By: Tim Paes

Nor-Cal Bass kicked off their 2005 season just one day after Sheriff’s officials had closed down Lake McClure because of 6-foot rollers in the canyon.

Anglers began arriving for morning check-in, not sure there was going to be a tournament nor sure they wanted to launch their boats after what they had witnessed the previous day.

But as projected, the tournament would take place as the weather, though threatening, had eased enough to kick-off the 2005 season.

The bite during pre-fish had been inconsistent for many of the competitors. Anglers reported good days followed by days with only small fish intermixed with days they couldn’t catch a limit of keeper bass.

Pre tournament inconsistency and the fact the lake was rising several feet a day, because of the storm that had blanketed Northern California, left everybody guessing what the day would hold for the normally predictable Lake McClure.

A normal January on McClure would see five-fish limits for nearly the whole field. However this was no normal January on McClure, as just slightly over 50% of the field was able to catch a five-fish limit. Finding quality fish was no easy task either as the competitors brought just five fish over 3 pounds to the scale. The tournament saw 146 bass come to the scales weighing 214 pounds.

Figuring out McClure on this tough day was Copperopolis pro Joe Bruce and his partner, Dave McEwen of Fresno. Bruce and McEwen brought in a 13.24-pound five-fish limit. Bruce’s 7.68-pound lunker anchored the pair’s weight and took Big Fish for the event.

That lunker bass fell victim to a chartreuse and purple DD22 crankbait. Beside the crankbait, the anglers also caught fish dropshotting Keeper Custom worms. The pair fished 6-20 feet deep, keying on island tops in the main lake and Temperance.

Bruce thanked Bob’s Marine and his family for their support as he accepted $2,170 for his 1^st place finish. McEwen took home $870 for a team total of $3,040.

Waterford pro Jason Remmers and partner Matt Pesin, of Coulterville, finished 2^nd with a 10.74-pound five-fish limit.

Remmers and Pesin keyed on creek channels in Cottonwood Creek, fishing 20-25 feet deep. The pair fished homemade brown jigs and dropshotted Prism Shad Robo Worms to catch their fish.

For their solid performance Remmers took home $1,170, while Pesin earned $635 for a team total of $1,805.

Finishing 3^rd with a five-fish limit that tipped the scales at 9.46 pounds was Murphy’s Pro Val Garringer and partner Dave Wickstrom, of Atwater. The pairs weight was anchored by Wickstrom’s 4.30-pound lunker that took Big Fish honors in the Am Division.

Garringer and Wickstrom fished creek channels and the flats surrounding them in Horseshoe to catch their fish. The pair used white spinnerbaits on suspended fish near the surface and jigs tipped with green pumpkin Jeff’s Crawler spider jigs in 35 feet of water.

For their 3^rd place finish, Garringer took home $1,290 while Wickstrom earned $670 for a team total of $1,960.

Rounding out the top five in fourth place was Fresno Pro Chet Elia and partner Shon McKinney, of Manteca. Elia and McKinney brought in an 8.54-pound five-fish limit. The pairs weight earned Elia $840 while McKinney took home $210 for a team total of $1,050.

Fifth place went to Hughson Pro Dan Sexton and his partner Brian Ruthman, of Oakdale. Sexton and Ruthman brought in a five-fish limit that tipped the scales at 8.52-pounds. Sexton took home $475 while Ruthman earned $160 for a team total of $635.

Back for 2005 is the Bob’s Marine Pro Rookie Bonus Cash and the Thompson Chevrolet Pro Rookie Point’s Race.

The Bob’s Marine Pro Bonus Cash awards $100 to the highest finishing pro at each event, who is fishing in their first season as a Nor-Cal pro. The bonus cash at Lake McClure went to 3^rd place pro Val Garringer.

The Thompson Chevrolet Pro Rookie Point’s Race tracks the same anglers throughout the season and awards $250 at the end of the year to the points leader. Garringer starts the season out in 1^st place in this race followed closely by Fresno’s Chet Elia.

Thompson Chevrolet is also offering special pricing on new vehicle purchases through their dealership in Patterson for all Nor-Cal members. If you’re in the market for a new vehicle, shop around and then come to Thompson and see what Nor-Cal pricing can save you!

Special thanks goes to our tournament trail sponsors, Stratos Boats, Mercury Outboards, Minn Kota, Hummingbird and Thermo Oil Batteries. Because of their support, Nor-Cal Bass will be awarding a fully rigged Stratos/Mercury prize package at their Pro Championship tournament. Visit Bob’s Marine to take a look at this great boat and motor combination!

Thanks to our official rod sponsor, St Croix, for supporting our anglers and awarding their quality built rods at the 2005 Pro  Championship.

Thanks goes out to Lake McClure Marina for hosting our weigh-in and allowing us the use of their grounds for morning check-in and the awards ceremony in the afternoon.

Our next Pro-Am event takes place at New Melones on February 19, 2005. Check-in will take place at Glory Hole Sports. Mandatory check-in time will take place from 4:00 – 5:00 am on the morning of the event.

Nor-Cal Bass Tournament Trail sponsors are: Stratos Boats, Mercury Outboards, Bob’s Marine, St Croix Rods, Thompson Chevrolet, Minn Kota, Hummingbird, Autolife Sporting Goods, Escalon Bait & Tackle, Tom’s Truck Repair, Tracy Oasis Marina, Thermo Oil Batteries, Super Pork, Keeper Custom Worms.

For more information on our tournament trail, visit our website, www.nor-calbass.com, or call (209) 505-4239.