Southern Open debuts at Lake Eufaula
2004 CITGO Bassmaster Southern Open — Eufaula, Ala.
BASS anglers have visited the 45,000-acre reservoir located on the Georgia-Alabama border 14 times over the past 35 years. Situated 85 miles southwest of Montgomery, Lake Eufaula is one of the South's most famous bass waters. Local expert Bobby Padgett of Columbus, Ga., helped write some of the impoundment's impressive history with a 77-pound, 9-ounce catch during a Bassmaster Eastern Invitational event in 1996
The Bassmaster Tournament Trail visited Lake Eufaula twice in the past year. Last March, venerable pro Denny Brauer won the four-day CITGO Bassmaster Tour stop with 76 pounds, 14 ounces in a nail-biting finish that left him just ahead of Tour rookie Bink Desaro of Idaho. Last fall, Missouri's Shane Voyles won the Southern Open there with 36-5 for three days of fishing.
So what awaits this year's Southern Open field when they invade Lake Eufaula in search of the bass needed to win the $50,000 top prize?
"Eufaula for some reason has been a little bit slower than normal this year," said Alabama's Tim Horton, the 2000 BASS Angler of the Year and runner-up to Voyles last fall. "But getting toward to the end of September a lot of the bait will already be starting to migrate towards the backs of the creeks.
"Just as it was won last year, there will be a lot of fish caught in the backs of creeks and pockets. Depending on how cool it starts to get early, there could be a pretty good topwater bite going. I foresee shallow-running crankbaits in the back thirds of the creeks being the main factor.
"I think probably 12 pounds a day will win. Even a great lake like Lake Eufaula, for whatever reason, when you get into the August-September time period it's tough anywhere you go. The fish are just in between and they're not really aggressive. When it cools down into October and November it gets a lot better, but for whatever reason this time period is really tough.
"Of course, it only took 12 pounds a day to win when we were there last year and that was November when it was good. It could take as little as 10 pounds a day. I would look for locals like Bobby Padgett to do real well. They know where to go to at least catch a couple of fish. So they could have an advantage."
Last fall, Voyles' winning strategy involved pitching a jig around large fallen trees on steep banks in a hidden slough. He slowly worked the deep ends almost vertically when the bass were suspended and largely inactive. He also scored by swimming the jig during the times when the bass were shallow and feeding in more shallow water.
Reigning CITGO Bassmaster Angler of the Year and longtime Eufaula visitor Gerald Swindle shared Horton's overall assessment. Because there is no off-limits period for Open tournaments, anglers through the region have been keeping a close eye on the lake over the past month.
"I just left from down there and from what I saw the fishing's going to be horrible," he said while driving home from the lake. "You can dress it up and put some parentheses around, but the word is 'horrible.'
"I think it's going to be a very low-weight tournament. I just don't see it being very good at all. It seems like Eufaula goes into a funk or some sort of weird deal every September and October. We were a little later last year and it was still tough.
"I can't see it being any better. I figure catching five fish a day three days in a row is going to be a very tough task. It seems like there will be some fish caught deep. The problem is if you do a lot of probing around out there you could go hours without a bite or pull up on a brush pile and catch two or three big ones. And that is probably going to be the key to somebody winning. It's going to be one of those deals where there's going to be 40 people fishing deep and there's only going to be one or two catch them."
Daily weigh-ins will begin at 2:30 p.m. at Lakepoint State Park Marina and are free to the public. Anglers will launch daily at 6:15 a.m.
Sponsors of the CITGO Bassmaster Open series presented by Busch Beer include CITGO Petroleum Corp., Busch Beer, Purolator, Triton Boats, Mercury Marine, Berkley, Abu Garcia, Lowrance Electronics, Flowmaster Exhaust Systems, MotorGuide, Bass Pro Shops, and BankOne.
Local Sponsors include Eufaula/Barbour County Chamber of Commerce.
EUFAULA BOATERNORIO TANABE, TOKYO 153 AL RYAN ANAYA, WARRIOR TODD ARY, BIRMINGHAM A B BATTLES, SOUTHSIDE FRED BLAND, BIRMINGHAM JAMES BLANTON, EIGHT MILE CODY BRANSTETTER, HAYNEVILLE HOBSON BRYAN, TUSCALOOSA COBY CARDEN, SHELBY JOHNNY CARR, GULF SHORES KENNETH CHAMBERS, VINEMONT MIKE COX, HUNTSVILLE KEN DODSON, ASHVILLE BOYD DUCKETT, DEMOPOLIS TERRY GOGGANS, FORT PAYNE EDWARD GUICE, DECATUR CHAD HALL, PINSON RICKIE HARP, COTTONDALE MATTHEW HERREN, TRUSSVILLE LARRY HOPSON, HAMILTON JAMES HORTON, CENTREVILLE TIM HORTON, TUSCUMBIA RANDY HOWELL, SPRINGVILLE GARY HOWINGTON, GADSDEN BILL HUNTLEY, ATHENS TOMMY JACQUES, WETUMPKA TROY JENS, BROWNSBORO BRANNON JONES, HOPE HULL STEPHEN KENNEDY, AUBURN HIROSHI KOJIMA, ATHENS RUSSELL LANE, PRATTVILLE FELTON LANGLEY, LAFAYETTE RICHARD LEIGEBER, CULLMAN KYLE MABREY, BIRMINGHAM JEROMEY MASON, COLUMBIANA JIMMY MASON, ROGERSVILLE TIM MCCORMICK, FAIRHOPE DERRICK MILLIRONS, SEALE HARRY MOORE, VALLEY DON OSWALT, MC CALLA DAVID PARSONS, DOTHAN BART PAYNE, DORA LEE PITTS, GAYLESVILLE GREG PUGH, CULLMAN RONNIE RAY, PHENIX CITY MARK RIZK, ARAB ROGER SCHOFIELD, KILLEN JEFF SHELTON, HANCEVILLE GERALD SWINDLE, HAYDEN RANDY WEATHERFORD, MILLBROOK WARREN WYMAN, CALERA AR STEPHEN BROWNING, HOT SPRINGS LUCY MIZE, BEN LOMOND RICK PIERCE, MOUNTAIN HOME MARK ROSE, MARION K F SHORT, MAYFLOWER SCOTT SUGGS, ALEXANDER MIKE WURM, HOT SPRINGS FL JAMES CHARLESWORTH, SAINT CLOUD PRESTON CLARK, PALATKA ROBERT DECKER, CLERMONT CECIL DOUBERLY, LAKELAND CHUCK ECONOMOU, REDINGTON SHORES DANIEL FLETCHER, GREEN COVE SPRINGS MATT FRIER, LIVE OAK LARRY GAINES, VALPARAISO DOUG GILLEY, WINTER SPRINGS MICHAEL GOUGH, GAINESVILLE V A HODGES, MOORE HAVEN TONY HOGAN, PENSACOLA CHRIS LANE, WINTER HAVEN GREGORY MACLEAN, OKEECHOBEE SCOTT MARTIN, CLEWISTON ROBERT MILEY, MIAMI GENE MORTON, JENSEN BEACH STEVE NAAS, INVERNESS RICH PATTERSON, ORLANDO PATRICK PIERCE, JACKSONVILLE CHARLES PIPPIN, ORLANDO MICHAEL PRINDLE, TALLAHASSEE WALT REYNOLDS, CLEWISTON STEPHEN ROBY, PENSACOLA BERNARD SCHULTZ, GAINESVILLE TERRY SCROGGINS, PALATKA TERRY SEGRAVES, KISSIMMEE MARK SHEPARD, LABELLE WALTER SWAFFORD, WINTER GARDEN SUMIYUKI TAKANO, ORLANDO CRAIG TAYLOR, TALLAHASSEE JESUS VILLEGAS, MIAMI A J WILLEQUER, EUSTIS JIM WILLIAMS, WINTER SPRINGS JOHN WINDHAM, LAKE WORTH CHARLIE YOUNGERS, OVIEDO GA RICHARD BARHAM, RICHMOND HILL DANNY BISHOP, BUCHANAN EVAN BOUTWELL, ASHBURN JODY CORDELL, NORCROSS JOHN CURRY, NORCROSS MICHAEL ECHOLS, ATHENS TOM HAMLIN, LIZELLA PAUL HANLEY, HULL KENNY HOLLOWAY, EATONTON MICHAEL JOHNSON, TALKING ROCK LARRY JONES, ACWORTH DANNY KIRK, BARTOW JOHN KITCHENS, ATLANTA TIMOTHY LITTLE, AWORTH ROBERT MCCARDLE, MARIETTA SHANE MEERS, ROME BRAD MORLEY, NEWNAN SKIP MUNDY, CUSSETA JIM MURRAY, ARABI ERIC NETHERY, ACWORTH ROBERT PADGETT, COLUMBUS DAVID POLLARD, CARROLLTON CURTIS REEVES, RIVERDALE ROBERT RICHARDSON, PALMETTO BRENDAN SMITH, KENNESAW J T TUCKER, MOULTRIE RODNEY VICE, CHATSWORTH IL CHAD MORGENTHALER, COULTERVILLE JOHN MORRIS, ROBINSON IN GEORGE BROWN, MARTINSVILLE JOHN GRAY, NOBLESVILLE T W LORING, LAWRENCEBURG DOUGLAS LUBS, INDIANAPOLIS MIKE RENFRO, GREENFIELD JOHN VALLES, EDINBURGH KY MARK MENENDEZ, PADUCAH LA ROGER BOLER, SLIDELL JIM DILLARD, WEST MONROE GREG HACKNEY, GONZALES GENE PIZZ0LATO, BAKER MI MARCEL VEENSTRA, BRIGHTON MO RICK CLUNN, AVA SHANE VOYLES, BLUE SPRINGS MS JASON CORDELL, PELAHATCHIE SHANNON DENSON, BRANDON DAVID DOVE, STEENS PAUL ELIAS, PACHUTA DARRELL HUNTER, JACKSON JEFF MAGEE, MENDENHALL SCOTT MCGEHEE, MADISON TOMMY MCKNIGHT, KOSCIUSKO KEN MURPHY, MERIDIAN BOBBY MYERS, BROOKHAVEN KEITH OTT, WAVELAND JAMES PHILLIPS, GREENWOOD PETE PONDS, MADISON DANNY WALDEN, COLUMBUS LANCE WALKER, COLDWATER NC CHRIS BAUMGARDNER, GASTONIA GERALD BECK, LEXINGTON SCOTT BROWNING, FRANKLIN DAVID COOKE, MOORESVILLE GUY EAKER, CHERRYVILLE DAVID FRITTS, LEXINGTON MICHAEL GOODMAN, NEBO ALEX ORMAND, KINGS MOUNTAIN MARTY STONE, LINDEN JEFFREY THOMAS, BROADWAY MARTY WALKER, MORAVIAN FALLS RON WOLFARTH, LOCUST OH BRENT BRODERICK, OREGONIA JAY GILLFILLAN, RIDGEWAY CHARLIE HARTLEY, GROVE CITY DENNIS MAGOTO, WAYNESVILLE BILL SMITH, POWELL BRAD WALL, CLARKSVILLE OK KEN KEIRSEY, OWASSO DAVID SMITH, DEL CITY SC KEITH ASHLEY, GREENVILLE TODD AUTEN, LAKE WYLIE RYAN BOWMAN, SENECA MICHAEL DELVISCO, GREER DAVY HITE, PROSPERITY WAYNE JEFFCOAT, CHAPIN MICKEY PHIPPS, COLUMBIA VINCENT RENEW, NORTH AUGUSTA RAY SEDGWICK, CROSS MARK SMITH, GREENVILLE JOHNNY URBON, CLINTON TN CHAD BAKER, PINEY FLATS BRIAN BEATTY, MOUNT JULIET JAMES BUTLER, CLARKSVILLE JEFF HAINES, BARTLETT DWAYNE HORTON, KNOXVILLE PAUL KELTNER, COLUMBIA JAY KENDRICK, OOLTEWAH EDMUND LILLY, BLUFF CITY PRESTON MORRIS, SOMERVILLE THOMAS O'BRYANT, DRUMMONDS BOBBY SCHARBER, PULASKI ASHLEY STANFORD, LAWRENCEBURG TOMMY STILES, MC MINNVILLE JACK WADE, KNOXVILLE DAVID WALKER, SEVIERVILLE JIMMY WATSON, SPRINGFIELD VA JOHN CREWS, JETERSVILLE MICHAEL HALL, ANNANDALE JOE LEONARD, BRISTOL RICHARD MORRIS, LANEXA WV GREG JARRETT, SISSONVILLE JEREMY STARKS, CHARLESTON DANIEL WELCH, NEW MARTINSVILLE
EUFAULA NON-BOATER
AL JONATHAN BARNETTE, JASPER MIKE BIRGE, FLORALA JAMES BLOUNT, DOTHAN TOMMY BRYANT, OPELIKA KIMBERLEE STRIKER, CULLMAN JOHN DAVIS, ATMORE GLENN DEAL, HEADLAND JONATHAN DENTON, DECATUR BRADLEY DORTCH, ATMORE DAVE ELDER, TUSCALOOSA T R FULLER, AUBURN ROGER GEAN, HUNTSVILLE DONNIE GIBSON, WHATLEY RANDAL HARRIS, HUNTSVILLE DAVID HERNANDEZ, BIRMINGHAM DARRELL HIGH, OPELIKA JAMES HILL, OZARK JOHNNY HORNBUCKLE, HUNTSVILLE RICKY HORNBUCKLE, HUNTSVILLE DENNIS HORNE, Pelham MIKE JOHNSON, MADISON DAVID KILGORE, JASPER THOMAS KING, AUBURN FRANKY LOCKE, TONEY BILL LOGSDON, OZARK MIKE MCPHERSON, EUFAULA CHRIS MILLIGAN, DECATUR JAMES MYRICK, THOMASTON JASON NIXON, WETUMPKA JEROME OBRYANT, CARROLLTON JON OLIVER, HODGES JOHN PATE, GRANT KEITH PHILIPS, CALERA JOHN POLLARD, ECLECTIC HARRY POTTS, OZARK JOE POWELL, HUNTSVILLE JONATHAN REAMES, STERRETT RUSS RITTER, LEXINGTON JOHNNY ROUSE, WARRIOR STEVE STINSON, HUNTSVILLE TY STORY, MONTGOMERY SHAWN STRIKER, CULLMAN WALTER STRINGER, TALLASSEE TOMMY SWINDLE, CLEVELAND JOHN THORNTON, RUSSELLVILLE MICHAEL THROWER, WETUMPKA CHUCK THURLOW, AUBURN JAMES WALKER, ANDALUSIA ROBB WILLIAMS, CALERA TIMOTHY WINDHAM, JACKSON FELIX WINDSOR, MONTGOMERY TIM WINDSOR, PRATTVILLE AR ARNOLD COONS, SHERWOOD FL KENTARO AMAGAL, NEW PORT RICHEY JASON BAYES, LAKELAND STEPHEN BOYD, CLERMONT JEFFREY BROOKS, BOCA RATON JOHN COX, DEBARY GENE CROSSWAY, CALLAHAN KENNETH CRUMPLER, MARIANNA HINTON DAY, LAUREL HILL VINSON DEMPS, TALLAHASSEE ANGIE DOUTHIT, CLEWISTON TIM EZELL, KEY WEST JAMES GLOVER, CRESTVIEW JOSH GUESS, DELAND GENE GUTHRIE, COCOA DAVID HAGENS, BRADENTON THOMAS HENDERSON, ROSELAND ROBERT KIMBROUGH, VERO BEACH PHILLIP LEE, DELTONA RAY LEWIS, SUMMERFIELD CRAIG MATHEWS, NORTH FORT MYERS TIM MATTHEWS, PANAMA CITY CLIFF MCMILLAN, TALLAHASSEE CRAIG PARKER, TALLAHASSEE Clifton Peltier, TALLAHASSEE RICHARD PERSSON, MIAMI WAYNE POMEROY, WEST PALM BEACH Carl Rains, LYNN HAVEN DON RICE, LAUDERHILL FRED RIGDON, BELLEVIEW BRIAN RODRIGUEZ, ORLANDO EMRE SARIHAN, DEERFIELD BEACH WALTER STANKIEWICZ, GENEVA CLINT STERLING, Oakland TODD WAGMAN, WINTER GARDEN RON WARREN, OCKLAWAHA RANDY WEBB, CHRISTMAS DENNIS WOOD, PORT SAINT LUCIE F W WOODLEY, KISSIMMEE KENNETH YOUNG, MAITLAND GA ED AMOS, CHATSWORTH PETER BABBINI, KENNESAW JIM BARCLAY, ACWORTH ROB BOSWELL, WINDER JOHN BRYAN, CARROLLTON KENNY BRYAN, CARROLLTON LYLE BURNS, BOSTWICK KEITH CARPENTER, CAVE SPRING JASON DAFFIN, COLUMBUS JAMES DAVIS, STATHAM W T DAVIS, SNELLVILLE JIMMY DUDLEY, LAKE CITY JEFFREY ELLIS, ACWORTH HORACE FOSTER, RIVERDALE EDWARD FYE, FAYETTEVILLE JEFFREY GRAHAM, AUGUSTA TIMOTHY GREGORY, Dalton SAM HARRIS, BOGART KIRK HORTON, VALDOSTA SCOTT JENKINS, FRANKLIN JAMES KELLEY, PEACHTREE CITY DAVID KENT, LUMPKIN FRANK KERNS, GORDON STEPHEN KING, COLUMBUS TONY KING, MACON GREGORY KROPAT, SHARPSBURG JIM LOVELACE, LEESBURG SCOTT MASSEY, DALLAS TIM MCTYRE, POWDER SPRINGS WAYNE MORGAN, TIFTON ROGER MORROW, GRIFFIN MATTHEW PARKER, WHITESBURG JOHN PETTIT, CALHOUN TREVOR PRINCE, MORGANTOWN JAMES REGISTER, CUSSETA DAVID REUWER, ELLERSLIE MIKE ROBINSON, ACWORTH CRAIG RYCROFT, COCHRAN ALTON SHIVER, COLUMBUS ROBERT SLATON, MARIETTA DENNIS SMITH, EVANS JIM SMITH, BOWERSVILLE COLIN STOKES, ATLANTA JON STORY, LAGRANGE GEORGE WILLIAMS, PEMBROKE JASON YAWN, LAGRANGE IL ANTHONY BALDING, WATERLOO STEVE HERRINGTON, INGLESIDE JOHN HUDZINSKI, ROCKFORD JAMES Madsen, BATAVIA BOB MAREK, Chicago ALLEN RIX, MARION IN KEVIN BLANCH, MUNCIE JAMES LAMB, GREENWOOD DAVID PHELPS, NEW SALISBURY KY DONALD BRAY, BEAVER DAM ED BURNETT, LOUISVILLE DALLAS CARTER, BOWLING GREEN LARRY CUNDIFF, DUNNVILLE TIM LANHAM, LOUISVILLE MIKE PICKETT, BRANDENBURG LES UNDERWOOD, LOUISVILLE JEFF WALKER, GAMALIEL DAVID WALLACE, BROOKS LA BRADLEY RODRIGUE, PIERRE PART BILLY YELVERTON, BATON ROUGE MN MICHAEL TATE, OSAGE MO BERNARD GRAM, KANSAS CITY MS JIMMY BRUMFIELD, MADISON JERRY GORDON, WIGGINS SUSAN GREGORY, LONG BEACH LYVON KENNARD, STARKVILLE MATTHEW LEAVELL, VICKSBURG LOUIS MANATA, COLUMBIA WILLIAM RUSSELL, COLUMBUS JERRY SAVAGE, COLUMBUS JOE SHACKELFORD, AMORY NC TERRY CHAPMAN, CORNELIUS ALEX DANIEL, Fuquay Varina MIKE JACKSON, CLINTON GEORGE LAMBETH, THOMASVILLE RODNEY MICHAEL, EAGLE SPRINGS D MILLER, HIGH POINT MIKE WINCHESTER, BRYSON CITY NJ STEVEN GLASSON, ANDOVER OH TODD DAVIDSON, CARLISLE GARY GARREN, LEBANON TOM JEROME, PICKERINGTON ROBERT WEHRLY, LIMA PA ALAN WEISS, GREENSBURG SC WADE GROOMS, BONNEAU CARLTON LEMMOND, BARNWELL CLINT PACK, GABLE BILLY SCHWACH, CHARLESTON JAMES SMOAK, RIDGELAND HOWARD STEPHENS, CHAPIN JOEL WARWICK, BEAUFORT
TN BRIAN ANDERSON, SPRINGFIELD CHRIS BRASWELL, SPRINGFIELD LARRY BRYANT, GOODLETTSVILLE DOW COX, JONESBOROUGH JOSH DEES, CLEVELAND DAVID EDEN, ADAMS HERMAN GARNER, MARYVILLE DARRELL HILLE, SPRINGFIELD JEFFERY HILTON, GRAY ALAN PATTERSON, KINGSPORT CLAUDE ROBISON, LOUDON R G ROSE, KNOXVILLE JIMMY RUSSELL, WOODLAWN BILL TERRELL, MEMPHIS JOHN WELLS, NASHVILLE VA TIMOTHY HARTZELL, MANASSAS FRANK MCPHERSON, GLOUCESTER
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