Falls Lake – July 17th
The latest event within the Five County Bassmasters’ tournament trail unfolded on Falls Lake, NC. With positive results from past club visits on this lake it was predicted that this event could be one of the best on record. Unfortunately, the fish had other plans for the anglers. Met with breezy conditions and approaching storms from the west, the conditions seemed a bit favorable for the anglers as they started their day, however it proved to be much the opposite, with only a few of the 16” minimum length largemouth bass brought to the scales. Somewhat adding a little insult to injury, the anglers were also greeted with heavy rains as they loaded their boats and made their way to the weigh-in area.
Mike Brinchek and Andy Evans earned the top spot with a catch of 7.89lbs, including the lunker for the event that weighed 4.43lbs. Brinchek and Evans stated that their fish came on jigs fished around heavy cover. That same cover interfered with several other possible keepers throughout the day as the fish would wrap the anglers up and eventually break off. With their confidence down due to the lost fish, they were pleasantly surprised to find that their competition struggled as well.
Second place was filled by Ed Collier and Fred Bass with 4.50lbs. Collier and Bass fished Carolina-rigged soft plastics on offshore structure to entice their catch.
There has been a shake up in the point standings, with Andy Evans now assuming the lead followed by Tim Gardner and Jeff Narron, both tied for the second position. Tim Little has fallen from the top spot down to the fourth position with Mike Brinchek rounding out the top five. Now beyond the half-way point of the season, they Angler Of The Year chase is far from settled. The choice of upcoming event locations can play a pivotal role in the game, especially in respect to angler confidence.
The next event for the Five County Bassmasters will take place on Lake Gaston. See the “Upcoming Events” page for more details.
“It is obvious that “The Bite” was not turned on for this trip, but history has shown that Falls Lake can produce some very large limits during this time of the year. Timing was a key element in this visit for the club, as a whole. The stars didn’t all align correctly for this event, but it could be totally different the next time. It’s just how the fishing game unfolds. I encourage everyone to not give up on Falls Lake for future club events.” – Jeff Narron