Rodbenders Classic     November 4th & 5th

The 4th annual Rodbenders Classic is in the books, and as the experts say anything can happen. The weather on Thursday & Friday (Pre Fish) was 25 degrees at 7am,  with fog blanketing the lake and blue bird skies was good for most anglers, but the Saturday & Sunday were  just the opposite. Rain and Clouds set the stage for a rough 2 days of fishing. Mike Morie used his (old reliable) white ALROD buzz bait to catch 3 keepers and lead day 1 with 11 pounds 14.5 ounces. Mike also had Day 1 1st place big bass. On Sunday, Mike went back to the same cove and caught 2 more keepers to lock up 1st Place. In second place was Keith Marchesi, Keith caught 3 keepers on Saturday and was shut out on Sunday but his 9 pounds 3 ounces was enough to hold on to 2nd Place. Keith also had Day 1 2nd place big bass with a 3 pound 12 ounce fish. He used watermelon candy brush hogs dipped in chartreuse. 3rd Place went to Tom Jurkowski (Gray Ghost). Tom used his carolina rigged baby brush hog to boat 3 keepers on Day 1 but also got shut out on day 2. Tom's weight of 7 pounds 4 1/2 ounces was good for 3rd. 4th Place went to Mike Long, with a first day total of 4 pounds 4 ounces  and 1 keeper on Sunday of 2 pounds 1/2 ounces. His total weight of 6 pounds 4 1/2 ounces was good for 4th place. Mike Clasen (aka Backlash) boated big bass for day 2 and weighed in 2 fish to move from a last place tie and jump into 5th Place. ONE HELL OF A DAY 2, NOT BAD FOR A GUY WHO DIDN'T GET A BITE ON THE FIRST DAY. Larry (back of the boat) Beck finished 6th, Chuck (the bald headed _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ) finished 7th and Thom (Gomer) White rounded out the top eight. 

A Special THANKS to Mark Schild, Al & Claire Wood for their help with the cooking.

LAKE OF THE OZARKS                      
NOVEMBER 4TH & 5TH     DAY 1         DAY 2    TOTAL FINAL
NAME BIG BASS WEIGHT # of FISH Weight  Place   BIG BASS WEIGHT # of FISH Weight    WEIGHT POSITION
KEITH WILLIAMS             1 2lbs 3.5ozs   2lbs 3.5ozs 13
MIKE LONG   2 4lbs 14.0ozs 6     1 2lbs 0.5ozs   6lbs 14.5ozs 4
MIKE MORIE 4lbs 7.0 ozs 3 11lbs 15.0ozs 1   2lbs 13.5ozs 2 4lbs 14.5ozs   16lbs 13.5ozs 1
CHUCK HILLEMANN   2 4lbs 10.5ozs 5           4lbs 10.5ozs 7
TOM BOHANNON                      
LARRY BECK   2 4lbs 13.0ozs 4           4lbs 13.0ozs 6
DOUG BOSWELL   1 0lbs 15.0ozs 11     1 2lbs 2.5ozs   3lbs 1.5ozs 10
JOE ANDERSON                      
JOHN HARIG                      
BILL BAY (SR)                      
TOM JURKOWSKI   3 7lbs 4.5ozs 3           7lbs 4.5ozs 3
MIKE HABERSTROH   1 0lbs 15.0ozs 11           0lbs 15.0ozs 15
KEN KING                      
KEITH MARCHESI 3lbs 12.0 ozs 3 9lbs 3.0ozs 2           9lbs 3.0ozs 2
LONNIE MORIE                      
MIKE CLASEN           3lbs 3.0ozs 2 5lbs 6.5ozs   5lbs 6.5ozs 5
DEVIN SCHILD                      
WAYNE DICK                      
TOM KING             1 2lbs 5.5ozs   2lbs 5.5ozs 12
BILL BAY (JR)   1 2lbs 1.5ozs 10           2lbs 1.5ozs 14
LARRY THOMAS 3lbs 8.0 ozs 1 3lbs 8.0ozs 5           3lbs 8.0ozs 9
THOM WHITE   3 4lbs 2.5ozs 7           4lbs 2.5ozs 8
CRAIG NEYENS   1 2lbs 10.0ozs 9