It has been said many times that ‘absence’ makes the heart grow fonder… The group of sixteen Basscontenders found that statement to be absolutely true at Lake Skinner when they met for competition and camaraderie after the long absence from Bass Club competition. This was it… the way we always remembered it and the reason we all belong to a bass club. On this particular weekend it also seemed like the absence made the bass grow bigger as well… Not just one but two back to back CBC club records for the biggest five fish sacks of Skinner Slugs found their way to the scales on day one and certainly not be undermined on day two as well. Oh man what a great tournament and a great time everybody shared together.
The Skinner two day team tournament, compelled two anglers to set their own styles aside and work together to bag their best five fish, so at the end of the day it truly all came down to teamwork with one big bag. With overcast skies it was setting up to be a perfect weekend of bass fishing… and about as close you could ask to perfect it certainly was. Basscontenders welcomes our newest guest angler joining the gang.. Miguel Lizzaraga fishing with Big Ed in the blue Champion. Miguel has never fished a bass tournament before in a group like this.. he learned a new board game called ‘culling’.. Miguel said he never really liked board games much until the Lake Skinner tournament. Looks like he is hooked now and is itching to continue playing his new favorite board game called ‘culling.’
The best part of this weekend tournament was the time spent with friends both on and off the water.. The campground at Indian Oaks was extremely accommodating. They came down to check on us and make sure we had everything we needed. We had a gorgeous group camping spot with water and electricity. A huge Basscontender thank you to Johnny’s lovely girlfriend Gina who made the BEST shrimp and fish ceviche we have ever had… OMG it was mostly responsible for the testosterone fluids that had fellas hugging each other.. Big Johnson she is a definite keeper look forward to the ceremony? We had an amazing time at the campground with barbecue carne asada tortillas and the most outstanding guacamole ever prepared from scratch by Chef Derrick Yoshinaga… and there was plenty of suds and foamy stuff to go around. Not only that… they had a friken pond that was loaded with bass.. Johnny won the frog derby on three consecutive casts. Old and new friendships were kindled at the campground and camp fire.. even a contest on which two duos are most likely to stay together after the derby? Not sure whats up with toungue and the mouth pic? Please vote for only one couple.. the votes will be tallied at the next club meeting.
When the dust settled and the fat lady sang on day one the team of Derrick Yoshinaga and Joe Nava crushed an all-time big bag record bringing in a five fish limit of 29.49 pounds of Skinner slugs with Joe Nava’s big fish anchor at 8.30 pounds. Holy Mowley said Derrick.. it was only five minuts into the fishing that Joe said “I got one” is was a six pounder. Derrick got the fish into the livewell and as he was walking to the front to keep fishing joe yells out… “I got another one”.. Derrick looks back and Joe is bent his reel screeming drag another six pound Lobina. Finally Derrick was able to make a couple casts and you guessed it… “I got another one” joe said and this was the big girl 8.3lbs for the big fish of the derby. Derrick said it all happened in 15-20 minutes they had a thirty pound bag. Both Derrick and Joe were so friken happy you could hear them accross the entire lake laughing and crying like little school girls.. I mean young men lol. Every dog has his day and on day one it was Derrick and Joe!
… And then there was Day 2… for the second time in club history another old record shattered for the biggest bag of former all-time five fish limit brought to the scales but this time it was Conrad Apodaca Jr and Alfred ‘The assassin’ Vasquez bringing 27.24 lbs of Skinner Slugs to the weigh-in anchored by the day two Big Fish award 6.86lbs caught by angler Alfred Vasquez. Are you kidding me… it was like Ali vs Frazier a rope a dope fight to the finish where two heavy weight contenders went mno-a-mano and after the dust settled it was the team of Apodaca/Vasquez that were left victorious. What a friken weekend and what a friken fishery. Check out the day one and day two battles below… it was a slug fest and a good ol fashion ass whipping went on because the California Bass Contenders put the wood to the fish in the Showdown at Skinner. Congratulations to third place Dave Mendez and Conrad Senior.. on day two Mendez slayed ’em with a 21.45 sack of slugs.. great job Dave!
CLICK ON ANY IMAGE ABOVE OR BELOW TO VIEW IN FULL SIZE RICH CORINTHIAN LEATHER!
1st Place: DS Roboworm grn pmkn/flipping craws deep in the tulles main lake
2nd Place: Split shot red craw/DS Robo/Flipping tulles main lake
3rd Place: Ika watermelon spillway/DS robo dark colors tulles
4th Place: Senko grn pmkn flyline/Ika grn/DS mm3 main lake
Day1 heavy overcast/drizzle all day flat calm morning 5-8mph west wind
Day2 medium overcast calm morning 8-10mph west wind
Water clarity main lake 6-12′ clean green/ Coves 4-6′ dark green
Water temp Day1 68-72/Day 2 70-73
Place/Name/Day1/Day2/Weight1/Wieght2(Total)
1) Conrad Apodaca Jr/Alfred Vasquez. 5/5 18.48/27.24 (45.72)
2) Derrick Yoshinaga/Joe Nava 5/5 29.49/14.37 (43.86)
3) David Mendez/Conrad Apodaca Sr 5/5 17.42/21.45 (38.64)
4) Big Ed Cazares/Miguel Lizzaraga 5/5 16.88/15.38 (32.26)
5) Steve Meza/Chris Graciano 5/5 13.88/13.07 (26.45)
6) Johnny Abyad/Tom Creasey 5/5 15.10/11.22 (26.32)
7) Mark Chadeayne/frank Schwamborn 5/1 16.31/3.02 (19.38)
8) Gary Crouse/Mark Whitney 5/1 14.10/3.61 (14.71)
Big Fish Day 1: ‘Smokin’ Joe Nava (8.30lbs)
Big Fish Day 2: Alfred ‘The Assassin’ Vasquez (6.86lbs)
Next meeting: Wednesday June 2, 2021 @ Meza HVAC shop
Next derby: Saturday June 19, 2021 @ Lake Hodges
See you on the water: Big Ed!
