JOSEPH DURLING AND ANTHONY CRIVELLI WIN SEASON OPENER FOR THE DELTA WINE REGION ON BERRYESSA
Weather conditions for the Berryessa season opener for the Delta Wine Region was forecasted to be a very windy day however Mother Nature was in the anglers favor, taking away the gusty winds we experienced on Friday and giving us only breezy conditions on Saturday! With that being said, the lake offered many anglers advantages to catching limits during the tournament. Many anglers were optimistic that the wind would die down on Saturday as they planned their strategies.
Friday afternoon sigh-ups began at 4 PM in the BBT trailer by the store at Pleasure Cove Marina. Many anglers were pre-fishing and decided to check in for the tournament when they were done battling the wind on the lake.
Saturday morning as the anglers came up to check in, they enjoyed coffee and doughnuts prior to the “blast off”. The hot coffee warmed them up as the early morning temperatures were nearly freezing however as the early morning hours were behind us the temperature climbed into the mid 70’s by the afternoon and we had forgotten about our numb fingers and toes as we enjoyed the sun being present during the weigh-in. While the last of the anglers were signing up, Dan Sweat, one of our Anglers of the Year in the 2012 season drew number 12 to be our first boat out in the Big Boat Division at the blast off, after the Small Boat Division was released.
JD, one of our BBT staff members, hung all the sponsors banners on the pop-ups, sat up the weigh-in station, tables and tournament equipment then before we knew it, the anglers we coming up to the scales to weigh in their bass.
Coming to the scales with the winning weight of the tournament was the team of Joseph Durling from Santa Rosa and Anthony Crivelli of Point Reyes Station with a five fish limit weighing 21.10 pounds! Their largest bass took Second Big Fish, weighing in at 6.35 pounds. They told the crowd they caught their bass fishing A-Rigs and jigs on the points in the north end of the lake. They took home $3,290 and two nice First Place trophies for their win. Congratulations guys!
Second Place went to the team of Kris Sisto from Cottonwood and his partner Robert Thornton from Auburn who had a limit weighing 20.62 pounds anchored with the First Place Big Fish of the tournament. Robert caught this beauty weighing 7.72 pounds! This team also fished the north end of the lake using Swim baits and jigs for their bass. They took home $2,405 and Second Place trophies to show their family and friends. Robert took home his nice First Place Big Fish trophy to place on his wall of fame! Sweet!
Third Place was the Brad and Brad Team! Brad Ford from Fairfield and Brad Saurage from Roseville also had a five fish limit that they caught on swim baits in the north end of the lake. Their limit weighed 19.62 pounds with their largest bass weighing 5.38 pounds, not enough for big fish money but added to their weight giving them $965.00 to take home. Nice!
Branden Tames from El Dorado Hills and his partner Bill Curtsinger from Elk Grove came to the scales with their limit weighing 19.34 pounds anchored by their largest bass weighing 4.80 pounds. They took home winnings totaling $680 for Fourth Place in this event.
Rounding out the top five in the Big Boat Division for Fifth Place was the team of Andrew Stanz and Darren Vieira both from Martinez who caught their limit weighing 19.27 pounds with their largest bass weighing 5.43 pounds. This team took home $295.00 for their day of fishing the lake.
DAVID ZACHGO AND TERRY HOLLEN TAKE FIRST PLACE
IN THE SMALL BOAT DIVISION AT BERRYESSA
First Place in the Small Boat Division went to the team of David Zachgo from Plumas Lake and his partner Terry Hollen from Marysville who came to the scales with a five fish limit weighing 15.12 pounds. Their largest bass weighed 3.70 pounds. They told the crowd they fished the main lake drop shotting bed fish to catch their limit. They each received Sponsor Gift Bags full of products for their win. Congratulations guys and enjoy showing off your trophies for your win!
Honorable mentions: the Fourth Place Big Fish was caught by the team of Michael Ryland of Citrus Heights and Scott Jeter of Granite Bay that weighed 5.79 pounds and gave them winnings of $180. Their overall weight was 14.17 pounds for four bass.
Fifth Place Big Fish was caught by the team of David Pham and Terry Yeh both from Campbell. They had a limit weighing 14.30 pounds and their largest bass weighed 5.56 pounds, giving them $90 for their Fifth Place Big Fish win.
The 20/20 Eye Surrender Sunglass Award went to the team of Sean Kimble from San Ramon and his partner Lonnie Owen from Galt for placing in Twentieth Place in this event. They were both present to receive their sponsor sunglasses from Eye Surrender. Their weight was 15.14 pounds for five bass.
The Mystery Weight for the Irwin – Lenox Tools Award was to go to the team who was closest without going over 13.62 pounds however the team weighing in 13.38 pounds left prior to the Awards Ceremony and forfeited their prize so it has been donated to go to the TOC in October.
Out Of Bounds Speed and Marine donated a four battery boat package to be awarded at this tournament and John Bounds was there to present this prize. Boat number 11 was drawn first however they were not present so John said to draw another number – Boat number 26 was present to receive this nice prize and were happy to be handed the certificate for their four batteries.
The Wear It California life jacket campaign donated life jackets to be given out at each BBT tournament and several boat numbers 82, 42, 75 and 61 were drawn before we had a winner - Boat number 47 was present to receive the life jacket!
Congratulations to all the winners of this tournament and thank you to all the anglers who stayed for the Awards Ceremony to support your fellow anglers.
If you are not present when your boat number is drawn or your name is called, you forfeit your prize and it is donated to the TOC as you MUST be there to win prizes. If you happen to win money during a tournament and you leave before receiving it, you will have to meet up with your tournament director as winnings are not sent through the mail.
Sponsor Tackle Store Receipts Program – If you purchase tackle valued at $20 OR MORE from our Sponsor Tackle Stores or go online to make purchases through the Optimum Baits and ima websites, you will receive a discount for being a member of the BBT. Keep your receipt and write your name and phone number on the back of it then place it in the bucket, which is at every tournament check-in. You will have opportunities to win prizes during the Awards Ceremony after each weigh-in. Remember you MUST be present to win. At the close of the Awards Ceremony, all receipts drawn are placed back into the bucket for more chances to have them drawn at future events in addition at the TOC. If you are not present and your name is called, you forfeit your prize and it is donated to the TOC.
Remember to support the sponsors who are supporting you in bass fishing whenever you can. A list of our sponsors is below and is also located on the Sponsors page of the Best Bass Tournaments website www.bestbasstournaments.com
Thank you for coming out and supporting the Best Bass Tournaments. It was great to see familiar faces and meet new anglers who will be fishing the BBT this season! We appreciate each one of you. If every angler would ask one friend to join and fish the BBT, you will have additional anglers to compete against and have more opportunities to win larger paybacks. Let your friends know that they will also be eligible to win prizes in addition to saving money on fishing tackle when making purchases through our Sponsor Tackle Stores.
Best Bass Tournaments would like to personally thank the sponsors who are supporting us and the anglers alike: Emerald Premium Snacks, Berkley, Abu Garcia, Lowrance, The Fishing Instructor, Yakima Baits, Technology Integrators, Hildebrandt, Poe’s Plugs, Timber Tiger, Ima, Optimum Baits, KLGD Graphics, Hooked on Adventures, Continental Tires, Irwin – Lenox and Helly Hansen, Eye Surrender Sunglasses, Out of Bounds Speed & Marine, AGS Apparel, Port of Subs, Oroville’s Best Value Inn & Suites, Clearlake Cottages, Applebee’s – Oroville, Central Valley Sportsmen’s Boat & RV Show.
Best Bass Tournaments sponsor tackle stores:
Mel Cotton’s Sporting Goods/ San Jose, Walton Pond/ San Leandro, Guns, Fishing & Other Stuff/ Dixon, Coyote Bait & Tackle/ Coyote, CA, Clearlake Bait & Tackle/ Clearlake, Clearlake Outdoors/ Lakeport, Tracy Oasis Marina/ Tracy, CA, C & C Marine/ Modesto and Sacramento, Jim’s Pro Tackle/ Paso Robles, Bait Barn/ Waterford
If your company would like to be a sponsor of the Best Bass Tournaments, please contact Randy Pringle at www.bestbasstournaments.com or call 209-543-6260.
We would like to thank our Delta Wine Region Staff - JD Mc Millian, Kenny and Kody Cramer, Kevin Ryan and Rich Reeser for a great job helping the anglers in the morning, during the weigh-in, at the Awards Ceremony and placing all the BBT merchandise back into the trailer once the Awards Ceremony was completed. You all are an asset to the BBT and our tournaments could not run efficiently without each and every one of you!
Our next tournament in the Delta Wine Region will be on April 20th, launching out of Russo’s Marina on the Delta. If you boat over from another launch site, we will have BBT staff on the dock for you to get your boat compartments checked AFTER you check in on Saturday morning. If you check in on Friday afternoon from 4PM to 6 PM at Russo’s Marina, you will receive your boat number and you will not need to come back up into the office to check in on Saturday – just have your boat number present to show our BBT staff. All your boat compartments, not just your live wells must be opened.
We look forward to seeing you at our next event!
Randy and Sheri Pringle