Falardeau Wins at Chickamauga
Soddy Daisy, TN - On June 17, 2023, Dillon Falardeau emerged victorious in the Boater Division of the American Bass Anglers Open Series, East Tennessee Division 4 tournament, presented by Caymas Boats. Held at Lake Chickamauga, this marked Falardeau's second win of the season.
Launching from Chester Frost in Soddy Daisy, TN, Falardeau, hailing from Hixson, TN, showcased his angling prowess by securing a 5-bass tournament limit weighing 22.90 pounds. Notably, his catch included a 5.67-pound largemouth.
Reflecting on his winning strategy, Falardeau shared, "To achieve the winning limit, I employed several techniques. Initially, I targeted fish in the grass using topwater lures, which yielded numerous catches. As the morning progressed, I transitioned to flipping the grass with a 1-ounce weight and a brush hog. Eventually, I concluded the day by fishing offshore. My limit comprised one catch from topwater, two from punching the grass, and the final two from offshore locations."
Among the boaters, Banks Shaw of Harrison, TN secured the second position by also attaining a 5-bass limit. Shaw's catch weighed 20.46 pounds, and he landed a 5.87-pound kicker fish.
Shaw revealed, "I dedicated the entire day to fishing offshore, persistently searching for fish in depths ranging from 20 to 40 feet. Despite using a variety of baits, I found it challenging to entice the fish to bite. I exhausted all bait options at my disposal capable of reaching sufficient depths to trigger a response."
Ethan Seitz of Hixson, TN secured the third position, amassing a total weight of 18.63 pounds with his 5-fish limit, which included a notable 5.58-pound lunker.
Elaborating on his strategy, Seitz said, "The morning bite was not favorable for me, so I relocated to a spot where a school of fish had previously been sighted. Unfortunately, we managed to coax only one bite from that area. Consequently, we departed for approximately an hour before returning and capturing one or two more fish. We repeated this rotation throughout the day. Remarkably, in the last 30 minutes, I managed to hook one of my larger fish."
Justin Freeman of Dayton, TN claimed the fourth spot, amassing a total weight of 15.30 pounds from his 5-fish catch. Jeff Knight of Cleveland, TN secured the fifth position, registering a total weight of 14.16 pounds from his 5-fish limit.
In the Co-Angler Division, Duane Parker of Calhoun, GA celebrated his first-ever victory after multiple second-place finishes. Parker's catch consisted of a 3-fish limit weighing 11.06 pounds, including a noteworthy 4.77-pound big fish.
Commenting on his approach, Parker shared, "Throughout the day, we exclusively fished offshore, with my focus centered on maintaining contact with the bottom. I employed a Texas rigged worm and a wobble head, which proved effective in enticing the fish to bite," stated Parker.
Taking the second position among the co-anglers was Todd Mowry from Madison, AL. Mowry managed to secure three quality keepers, totaling 8.48 pounds.
Describing his successful strategy, Mowry explained, "I achieved my limit by employing a brush hog on a Carolina rig, complemented by a finesse worm on a drop shot. I targeted depths ranging from 15 to 20 feet of water."
Jerry Cornwell, hailing from Cleveland, TN, clinched the third position among the co-anglers, recording a limit of three fish weighing 7.66 pounds.
Securing the fourth spot was Tim Godsey of Chickamauga, GA, who reeled in a limit of three bass, totaling 7.55 pounds. Lynn Spears from Athens, TN, rounded out the top five co-anglers, having caught a 3-bass limit weighing 6.69 pounds.
The competition at Lake Chickamauga will conclude the season on September 16-17, 2023, with the two-day Divisional Championship. Notably, the points awarded for this event will be doubled. The tournament will be based at Chester Frost Park and Landing in Soddy Daisy, TN. The public is invited to attend the free weigh-in.
American Bass Anglers is sponsored by Caymas Boats, Mercury Marine, MotorGuide, T-H Marine, Power Pole, RT Outdoors, Optima Batteries, Hotel Planner.com and LurePartsOnline.com.
About American Bass Anglers: American Bass Anglers is committed to providing low-cost, close-to-home tournaments for the weekend angler and, at the same time, offering each competitor an upward path for individual angler progression.
For more information about American Bass Anglers, the Open Series, the American Fishing Tour, the American Couples Series, the annual Military Team Bass Tournament, and the Top 150 Solo Tour, all presented by Caymas Boats, visit www.americanbassanglers.com or call (256) 232-0406.
