The Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Weekend Series, operated by American Bass Anglers, is down to the nitty gritty to determine the amateur qualifier to the Classic. After four one-day events, each of the 20 divisions has a two-day divisional championship. The top anglers advance to four Regional Championships, which finish Oct. 15. The top 40 from each fish the 2011 Championships on Lake Santee Cooper, where the winner of the four-day event secures a big check and a berth to the Classic.
Johnson, of Shreveport, La., won the Lake Sam Rayburn event Sept. 24-25 by nearly seven pounds, totaling 34.57 over two days to earn $3,753. Johnson had 13.64 on Day One to stand in fourth then busted the event open with the eventâs largest bag by far, 20.93. His largest fish was 5.52.
Coming from behind, Jackson won the Lake Okeechobee event on Sept. 17-18 with a total of 37.63. From San Mateo, Fla., Jackson landed a 6.70 kicker in his Day Two 19.85 that gave him the win over Raymond Trudeau of Saint Cloud by .55 of a pound.
Evans led Missouri Division 16 championship on Lake of the Ozarks, Sept. 24-25, wire to wire, catching 34.38 pounds to win by five pounds. The Eads, Tenn., angler said he found a spring or hole in the back of a creek to catch 16.40 on Day One then had his second leading stringer at 17.98 fishing a school off a point to win $3,015.
Miller started in third place then climbed to the top on Lake Martin with a Day Two bag of 12.13, giving him 22.97 and the victory by less than one pound. Miller, who lives in Eclectic, caught his biggest fish on a Spook, including his 3.36 kicker, and $3,115.
Dudley was fourth after Day One but closed strong, anchoring the Sandusky eventâs biggest bag of 21.32 with a 4.84-pounder. The 43-year-old from Dublin, Ohio, who was fishing small baits to finicky fish, totaled 38.44 to win on Lake Erie Sept. 10-11.
Fishing Oneida Lake for the second time, the North East, Pa., angler solved it Sept. 10-11 by catching 28.82 pounds, including the biggest bag on Day Two at 14.77. He said his mother bet him $500 he wouldnât win, and his father said it’s “coming out of her personal account.â
Whitehead threw the tacklebox at Lake Guntersville bass and hauled in 33.28 pounds to win the title Sept. 10-11 and collect $3,771. The Robbinsville, N.C., angler had 17.68 pounds using jerkbaits and crankbaits on Day One then used frogs to seal the deal with 15.60, winning by two pounds.
Carter, of Loganville, Ga., took a 3.5-pound victory after totaling 23.66 on Lake Oconee Sept. 10-11. He had a 4.2 lunker in bags of 13.24 and 10.42 that earned him $3,165.
Fishing for the first time on the Red River, the Houma angler won $3,108 after bags of 8.65 and 10.60 gave him 19.25 and the victory by just over a quarter pound. He focused on moving current and had to go to Plan B when a boat was on his spot on Day Two.
Trent Menees hit the pads to take the Lake Tawakoni event Sept. 3 that was cut to one day because of Tropical Storm Lee. The Saginaw angler had a 6.27 lunker in his bag of 16.12 he caught off one pad field with a creek channel running alongside. He earned $3,307.
In scorching temps that made limits tough, the 64-year-old Conway angler won his third Arkansas tournament in a row, catching 22.87 to almost double the nearest competitor. The veteran of dozens of B.A.S.S. events earned $2,421 with the win Aug. 27-28 on Lake Ouachita.
Mansfield topped the field on Kentucky Lake, Aug. 27-28, with a huge second day. The McKenzie, Tenn., angler had a 6.13-pound kicker in his 26.11-pound bag to total 35.23 and walk away with $3,028 and a bonus from Triton Boats.
Fishing on his home water of High Rock Lake, the Lexington angler totaled 35.73 pounds Aug. 27-28 to win by five pounds. With a 4.89 kicker, he followed his Day One leading 20.10 with 15.63.
Gunn, of Savannah, Ga., was consistent on Clarks Hill Lake Aug. 27-28, opening with 12.06 pounds on Day One to stand in second. He caught a 4.68-pounder to anchor his 14.44 bag to total 26.50 and edge James Rampey of Liberty, S.C., who had 25.95.
The Nashville angler figured out Kentucky Lake, catching 32.24 pounds from ditches off the main river. He started with a bang, 19.56 that was the eventâs largest bag, and cruised home with $4,132 after edging Chase Hunnell of Ashland City, Tenn., who had 31.64.
The 46-year-old from Greensboro, N.C., was the only angler to break double digits on both days of the Aug. 20-21 event on Kerr Lake near Boydton. He followed an 11.88-pound bag with 15.27 to win by four pounds on his home lake.
McMurtury, of Abbeville, S.C., reacts after winning the 2010 Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Weekend Series championship.
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