ESPN Opens

What's at stake
$490,745 in total prize money, plus five berths into the CITGO Bassmaster Classic on Lake Tohopekaliga in Kissimmee, Fla., Feb.24-26, 2006.

Telecast
Saturday, Feb. 11, 2006, on ESPN2 at 10 a.m. EST

The Pros Said It
"The conditions couldn't have gotten any worse for me. It was warm and cloudy and now it's colder and tougher. I'm going to try and win by staying consistent and looking for five decent fish." — John Murray, who won the 2003 Open Championship and is looking for a Classic berth, 41, Phoenix, Ariz.

"It's really tough. If you listen to the dock talk, it's going to be a tough tournament. For a river system to be good at this time of year, it's got to be clear with a current and the current is just too slow right now. I'm going to keep my head down and fish hard." — Stephen Browning, a 2006 Elite Series angler who qualified through for the championship from the CITGO Bassmaster Southern Opens, 39, Hot Springs, Ark.

"I've had three good days of fishing and the weather and water suit my style. With these fish, I'm going to make them eat my bait instead of trying to feed them." — Mark Menendez, who fought a life-threatening case of viral meningitis but came back to win the first CITGO Bassmaster Southern Open event in 2005, 41, Paducah, Ky.

"I believe anglers will fish two patterns: Up the river, looking for spotted bass in clearer water; and a lower pattern going into creeks looking for largemouth. I need this for the Classic, so for me, it's all or nothing." — Brett Hite, who qualified through the CITGO Bassmaster Western Opens, 27, Phoenix, Ariz.

The Strategy
Murray: The 2006 CITGO Bassmaster Elite Series angler is going deep for big, spotted bass in the main current of the river.

Browning: He's practiced on both the main river as well as the backwater and for the tournament, will throw a variety of baits including spinnerbaits and crankbaits in water 8 feet deep or less.

Menendez: He's covering a lot of water and moving fast, looking for active fish. The 2006 CITGO Bassmaster Elite Series angler will throw crankbaits in search of the "meanest spotted bass in the world."

Hite: Like the others, he's throwing crankbaits, and quickly flipping and pitching. He'll also use a few finesse-style baits in water 10 feet deep or less.

Location and Field
CITGO Bassmaster Open Championship
Alabama River
Prattville, Ala.
Dec. 1-4, 2005

Field
90 boaters, 90 non-boaters
Cut to top 10 after Day 2
Cut to top 5 after Day 3

Launch
1844 Cooters Pond Road
Prattville, Ala. 36066
6:15 a.m.

Weigh-in
1844 Cooters Pond Road
Prattville, Ala. 36066
2:30 p.m.

Background
Previous BASS events
2004, CITGO Bassmaster Elite 50
2003, Alabama Showdown
1982, CITGO Bassmaster Classic
1981, CITGO Bassmaster Classic

Previous winners on lake
43-10, Mark Davis, 2004
29-09, Kenyon Hill, 2003
32-08, Paul Elias, 1982
35-02, Stanley Mitchell, 1981

Heaviest winning sack
43-10, Mark Davis, 2004

Lowest winning sack
29-09, Kenyon Hill, 2003

Weather
Temperature
65 degrees

Lake level
39.79 feet above mean sea level

Local sponsors
Local sponsors include the Prattville Area Chamber of Commerce.

Bassmaster Open Series sponsors
CITGO Petroleum Corp., Toyota, Busch Beer, Purolator, Triton Boats, Mercury Marine, Berkley, Lowrance Electronics, MotorGuide, Bass Pro Shops and Cialis (tadalafil).

Boaters
Alabama

Howell, Randy, Springville
Kennedy, Steve, Auburn
Kiriyama, Kotaro, Moody
Philips, Keith, Calera
Pollard, John, Eclectic
Rizk, Mark, Arab

Arkansas

Browning, Stephen, Hot Springs
Garrett, Doug, Cabot
McClelland, Mike, Bella Vista
Rook, Scott, Little Rock

Arizona

Colby, Ron, Page
Hite, Brett, Phoenix
Murray, John, Phoenix

California

Cassettari, Ken, Alamo
Davis, Jim, San Jose
Howell, Gary, Stockton
Hurtado, Vince, Waterford
Karshner, Mick, Fresno
Lintner, Jared, Arroyo Grande
Martin, Chad, Sacramento
Reese, Jimmy, Ukiah
Roumbanis, Fred, Auburn
Shabazz, Ricky, Rialto
Thompson, Zachary, Orinda

Canada

Bondy, Jon, Windsor
Desforges, Mike, Burlington
Wetzel, Lawren, Sharon

Connecticut

Brodeur, Ken, Niantic
Hawthorne, Ryan, Mansfield
Rodrigues, Joey, Danbury
Florida

Lane, Chris, Winter Haven
Scroggins, Terry, Palatka
Georgia

Hamlin, Tom, Lizella
Hartley, Lee, Buford
Johnson, Michael, Talking Roc
Jones, Larry, Acworth
Lesesne, Johnny, Blue Ridge
Nethery, Eric, Acworth
Illinois

Merkin, Doc, Downers Grove

Japan

Fukae, Shinichi, Osaka

Kentucky

Menendez, Mark, Paducah
Smith, William, Somerset

Louisiana

Chachere, Tony, Opelousas
Connella, Jeff, Bentley
Dowling, Craig, Many
Guidry, Jeremy, Opelousas
Humphreys, Homer, Minden
Picou, Conrad, Carencro

Maryland

Riley, Justin, Woodbine
Schwenkbeck, Darrin, Silver Spring

Missouri

Brauer, Chad, Osage Beach
Seger, Doc, Reeds Springs

Mississippi

Magee, Jeff, Mendenhall
Pace, Cliff, Petal
Ponds, Pete, Madison
North Carolina

Eaker, Guy, Cherryville
Langill, Kevin, Terrell
Myers, Britt, Mt. Holly
Sorrell, Rodney, Stokesdale

New Jersey
Salmon, Jess, Milford

New York
Meckes, Dean, Clayton

Ohio

Allen, Ed, Lakeview
Clapper, Steven, Lima
Fabian, Jamie, Pleasant City
Norman, Jami, Sunbury
Scalish, Frank, Cleveland Heights

Oklahoma

Butcher, Terry, Talala
Cook, Ken, Lawton
Hallman, Brad, Norman
Kriet, Jeff, Ardmore
Smith, Dave, Del City

Pennsylvania

Chaffo, John, Pittsburgh
Hirosky, Paul, Guys Mills
South Carolina

Auten, Todd, Lake Wylie
Quinn, Jason, York

Tennessee

Kendrick, Jay, Ooltewah
O'Bryant, Thomas, Cedar Grove

Texas

Buchanan, Jeff, Lufkin
Dearman, Randy, Onalaska
Ferguson, Paul, Arp
Klein, Gary, Weatherford
Martin, Tommy, Hemphill
Matsubu, Ben, Hemphil
Omori, Takahiro, Emory
Reed, Matt, Madisonville
Wharton, David, Sam Rayburn

Virginia

Daves, Chris, Hopewell
Dove, Kurt, Warrenton
Morris, Rick, Lanexa

Washington
Minderman, Sean, Spokane

Non-Boaters

Alabama

Blount, James , Dothan
Dortch, Bradley , Bay Minette
Graham, Jeff , Gardendale
Graziano, Steve , Phenix City
Harris, Steve , Calera
Moore, Frelon , Albertville
Morris, Clay , Jackson
Nixon, Jason , Wetumpka
Nunnelly, Terry , Ohatchee
Pate, John , Grant
Williams, Robb , Calera
Windham, Tim , Jackson

Arkansas

Gift, Bill , Alix
Maxwell, Glenn , Crossett

Arizona

Southard, Lewis , Chandler

California

Bagay, Rommel , Concord
Burke, Scott , Oakdale
Farage, Jack , Discovery Bay
Haraguchi, Gary , Brentwood
Lizama, Kirk , Oakdale
Meyer, Cody , Grass Valley
Morris, Gary , Tracy
Pinkerton, Clarence , Lakehead
Pratt, Tony , Paso Robles
Sniffen, Greig , Campbell
Spinney, Rick , Manteca
Wells, Ralph , Castaic
Zaldain, Chris , San Jose

Florida

Anderson, James , Miami
Chandler, Stanley , Niceville
Fair, Matt , High Springs
Lee, Phillip , Deltona
Osborne, Russ , Orlando
Pomeroy, Wayne , Wellington

Georgia

Burkhalter, Allen , Columbus
Wood, Jesse , Bowdon

Japan

Maeda, Hideki , Sakai-City Osaka

Kentucky

Underwood, Les , Louisville
Williams, Bill , Corbin

Louisiana

Bonner, Bill , Natchitoches
Bourque, Nathan , Prairieville

Massachusetts

Morrissette, David , South Hadley

Maryland

Kline, Jim , Hagerstown
Mathews, Jim , Cumberland
Muir, Donald , Nottingham
Sanders, William , Baltimore

Maine

Staszewski, Jim , West Gardiner

Michigan

Green, Travis , Grand Blanc
Reminga, Dave , Grand Rapids

Missouri

Jones, Matthew , Spokane

Mississippi

Aycock, Mike , Bay Springs
Banks, Austin , Madison
Jones, Teb , Hattiesburg

North Carolina

Madden, Royce , High Point

New Jersey

Brinster, Steven , Highland Lakes

New York

Beekman, William , East Quogue
Bunt, Steven , Wallkill
Daddio, Matthew , Mahopac
Hovanec, David , Unionville
Schmitt, Michael , Poughkeepsie

Ohio

Clemence, Christopher , Maple Htgs
Leonard, Shawn , Obetz
Ritzenthaler, Joe , Sandusky
Smith, Del , Castalia

Pennsylvania

Gavek, Tim , Sayre
Hansen, Carl , Nottingham
Langille, William , Tafton

South Carolina

Heath, Chris , North Augusta

Tennessee

Cox, Dow , Jonesborough
Girt, Kevin , Savannah

Texas

Anderson, Bennie , Grand Prairie
Bates, Ronny , La Porte
Beck, Ray , Beaumont
Brown, Dell , Arlington
Buchanan, Buck , Flint
Coble, Adrian , Brookeland
Darragh, Scott , Dallas
Durham, Harry , Houston
Harvey, Rusty , Nederland
Kayda, David , Crosby
Kelly, David , Ft Worth
Lee, Joe , Desoto
Merrifield, Brian , Athens
Mixon, Joel , Arlington
Perkins, Dean , Cedar Park
Rhoden, Allen , Huntsville
Smith, Jeff , Richmond
Wisenbaker, Mike , Jourdanton

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