Banks Shaw of Harrison TN managed to haul in a bag of 28.10lbs on what turned out to be a great day to fish and take the win. He also had a 6.96 in that bag to give him Big Bass honors as well. For his efforts he received $1400.00 for the win and $100.00 both prizes in cash along with the trophy and plaque for each Weather forecast was for the possibility of severe weather but it held off for the trip home after the tournament. It ended up partly cloudy with five to ten on the winds although the creeks were muddy from the storms on Friday afternoon the guys managed to find fish that were willing to bite.
“I ran down the lake and stayed on the ledges all day and it was a grind as I only caught seven or eight keepers all day but they were the right bites to get. I caught my fish on a crankbait and a shaky head, but one of my key fish came off a Daimiki Rig”
Danny Hall of Elijay GA gets in the money for the second week in a row by getting Second Place in the tournament and getting $900.00 cash and a plaque for his hard work. Danny brought in a bag of 20.92lbs of healthy Chickamauga bass.
“I caught my fish on the ledges early throwing a worm and fishing that little minnow. When that bite slowed down this afternoon, I went to the docks using a Senko and managed to catch a few more key fish to add to my bag. The colors I used most today were green pumpkin and black and blue”
Chickamauga Lake as many anglers know by now, the lake boasts the state record largemouth which was caught by angler Gabe Keen in 2015 and weighed 15.20-pounds. With several years of stocking Florida-strain bass and great vegetation, Chickamauga was a growing favor to deliver a record-breaker, and it did just that. The fish was estimated to be 12 years old, and as expected was a hybrid from the Florida stockings. Another amazing statistic recorded at Chickamauga is a one-day, 5-fish tournament limit that weighed a whopping 44.31 pounds. That’s only 13 ounces from the national record! So there is no doubt this is an incredible bass lake. It’s got it all: moving water, great structure, Florida-strained, monstrous fish. I would encourage any angler looking for a good place to fish to try and plan an outing to this reservoir as soon as possible.
TWRA fisheries biologist Mike Jolley has confirmed that the stocking program, the vegetation, and a strong, high-protein forage base of gizzard and threadfin shad provide the perfect formula for an excellent bass fishery. Jolley said it seems bass production is good most years with exceptional spawns occurring during the years there are more spring floods.
Fed by the Tennessee River, the lake has a current, so fishing down-current points and ledges can be high-percentage places to pinpoint fish with deep-running crankbaits, grubs, plastic worms and Carolina rigged plastic baits. As expected, growth rates of fish are incredible, and you can catch nice ones just about anywhere on this fabulous waterway. The City of Dayton, TN has gone all out to promote tournament fishing in the region, and anglers visiting the area are definitely pleased with visits. In fact, a TWRA survey indicates a 99.7 percent angler approval rating.
About American Bass Anglers
American Bass Anglers, committed to providing low-cost, close-to-home tournaments, offers an exciting platform for individual angler progression. With the support of industry-leading companies, ABA continues to advance the sport of bass fishing.
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About American Bass Anglers: American Bass Anglers is dedicated to organizing affordable, local tournaments for weekend anglers while offering opportunities for individual angler advancement. To learn more about American Bass Anglers, including the Team Series, American Fishing Tour, American Couples Series, annual Military Team Bass Tournament, ABA Team Series, Top 150 Solo Tour, and Professional League, all presented by Caymas Boats, please visit www.americanbassanglers.com or call (256) 232-0406
