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Virginia’s Crews Bests Reese by Ounce in Bassmaster Elite Series Opener on California Delta

Category: press release

 Mar 14th, 2010 by OutdoorsFIRST 

Modified Mar 14th, 2010 at 12:00 AM

The equivalent, for an angler, to Lebron James swishing a last-second three-pointer is to land a 5-pounder on the last cast.  John Crews of Salem, Va., executed that feat on the California Delta in the grandest of fashions Sunday to score victory at the Duel in the Delta, the Bassmaster Elite Series season-opener.

John Crews moments after hearing Greg Hackney’s weight. (Photo Courtesy of BASS)

That fish added just enough weight to Crews’ four-day total of 72 pounds, 6 ounces, to best Skeet Reese of Auburn, Calif., by the slimmest of margins.  Reese (72-5) was visibly shaken.  Crews wasn’t.

“This is just unbelievable,” said Crews, 31.  “When it’s your time, it’s just your time.  I knew I was on the fish to win and I never have had that feeling before.  I’m almost speechless.”

Fans can catch extended analysis on Bassmaster.com and ESPN2 will recap the entire competition on the Sunday, March 28, edition of The Bassmasters at 10:30 a.m. ET. The episode will air again Saturday, April 17, at 10 a.m. ET.

Crews certainly seemed to have a horseshoe in his back pocket this weekend.  But ultimately, Crews identified an area that many of his Elite brethren overlooked. His success can be directly tied to identifying an area that was immune to the changing conditions that plagued many on the Delta this week.

Case in point: Crews weighed his heaviest limits on Friday and Sunday.  The conditions on those days were on total opposite ends of the spectrum with Sunday producing blue-bird skies while Friday rain, wind and frigid conditions prevailed.

The four-time Bassmaster Classic qualifier concentrated on a dead-end slough that held deep, thick hydrilla in 4 to 8 feet of water depth.  He worked the flipping stick slowly and methodically.  As with most of the competitors this week, patience was a virtue for Crews as keeper bites were few and far between.

But when he got one, he made it count.  He primarily used a sweet beaver through the first three rounds of competition but switched to a Gambler BB Cricket on the final day.  The move paid off as Crews brought the only 20-plus pound limit – actually 20-8 – to the scales on Sunday.

“I found that area the first day of practice and actually only got one bite in there,” said Crews, who took his first BASS victory Sunday.  “But there was something that looked right there.  The water was deeper and the fish weren’t moving.  And they were kept off the bank because of the boat traffic.  The bite wasn’t tide-dependent and I knew it could be a winning area if I executed.”

The victory is sweet redemption after an “atrocious” beginning to the 2009 Elite season.  Though he missed out on qualifying for the 2010 Classic, Crews finally felt he was starting to put something together late last year.  Mentally, he said, he was in a good place and he was able to extend the good vibes into this week.  Now, his confidence is soaring.

“Right now, I’m in such a good place with my fishing,” said Crews.  “I don’t know how I will do at Clear Lake (the next Elite event) but I know I have a chance of winning.  And that feels good.”

Reese is no stranger to just missing out on victory – he lost the 2007 Classic by mere ounces — but even with his unfavorable luck, the sting of losing by one ounce was evident.  Like Crews, Reese was able to piece together solid days throughout the event while other anglers were all over the map.

Reese fished two areas Sunday and switched up his bait choice – a chigger craw, creature bait and chatterbait.  He explored new water in the morning that led to little success.  But then he moved to his primary area – a long run from the launch location – and was able to put together 18 pounds, 12 ounces, a weight he thought was good enough to claim his fourth BASS victory.

Reese wanted nothing more than to claim victory in front of the vibrant homestate final-day crowd of 5,900, but it wasn’t in the cards.

“I’m speechless right now,” said Reese, the 2007 Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year.  “I had a great week overall but I hate finishing second.  I really hate it.  All you can hope for is to keep positioning yourself to get the victory and they will come.”

Still, Reese, who is at the top of his game, has his eyes on a larger prize.  Reese earned valuable Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year points and his top nemesis, Kevin VanDam – who has scored the last two AOYs – stumbled a bit here and the season promises to be a back-and-forth battle between the two titans.

It was Saturday leader Greg Hackney of Gonzales, La., who opened the door for Crews and Reese.  After a tremendous 25-plus pound limit Saturday, Hackney stumbled Sunday, failing to catch a limit.

“I had two on that could have made the difference,” said Hackney, the 2004 Rookie of the Year.  “But that’s on me.”

In fourth was Mike Iaconelli of Pittsgrove, N.J., with 70-4.  Rounding out the top five was Shaw Grigsby of Gainesville, Fla., with 63-11.

The next event for Elite Series anglers is the Golden State Shootout on fish-factory Clear Lake on March 18-21.  The Lakeport, Calif.-based event set then-BASS records in 2007 and with warming conditions promises to be another shootout.  The Elite Series is comprised of eight regular-season events and the Bassmaster Elite Series Postseason.

Elite anglers were competing on the California Delta for a $100,000 first-place prize, points toward qualifying for the Bassmaster Elite Series postseason and 2011 Bassmaster Classic.

Stockton, the state’s 13th largest city and seat of San Joaquin County, is situated on the San Joaquin Delta Waterway – also known as the California Delta because the area forms a triangle with the three points being Sacramento, Stockton and Pittsburg, Calif. The Delta encompasses 1,000 miles of navigable, fishable water in a labyrinth of sloughs, canals, channels and islands, one factor that makes tournament fishing there so tough – and so good.

Bassmaster Elite Series Official Sponsors: Toyota, Berkley, Evan Williams Bourbon, Humminbird, Mercury, Minn Kota, Skeeter and Yamaha.

Bassmaster Elite Series Supporting Sponsors: Lowrance and Triton Boats

About BASS

For more than 40 years, BASS has served as the authority on bass fishing.  The organization advances the sport through advocacy, outreach and its expansive tournament structure while championing efforts to connect directly with the passionate community of bass anglers through its Bassmaster media vehicles.

 

As the flagship offering of ESPN Outdoors, the Bassmaster brand and its considerable multimedia platforms are guided by a mission to serve all fishing fans. Through its industry-leading publications Bassmaster Magazine, BASS Times and Fishing Tackle Retailer; comprehensive Web properties in Bassmaster.com, BASSInsider.com, ESPNOutdoors.com and ESPN360.com, and ESPN2 television programming, Bassmaster provides rich, leading-edge content true to the lifestyle.

 

BASS oversees the prestigious Bassmaster Tournament Trail, which includes the Bassmaster Elite Series, Bassmaster Opens, BASS Federation Nation and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the Bassmaster Classic.

 

BASS offers an array of services to its more than 500,000 members while spearheading progressive, positive change on issues related to conservation and water access. The organization is headquartered in Celebration, Fla.

 

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TROKAR DUEL IN THE DELTA- FINAL STANDINGS

 

2010 Stockton, CA 3/11-3/14

California Delta, Stockton  CA.

(PROFESSIONAL) Standings Day 4

 

   Angler                   Hometown              No./lbs-oz  Pts   Total $$$

 

1.  John Crews             Salem, VA               18  72-06  305 $101,000.00

  Day 1: 4   15-02     Day 2: 5   21-13     Day 3: 4   14-15     Day 4: 5   20-08 

2.  Skeet Reese            Auburn, CA              20  72-05  295  $25,000.00

  Day 1: 5   15-01     Day 2: 5   18-13     Day 3: 5   18-12     Day 4: 5   19-11  

3.  Greg Hackney           Gonzales, LA            19  70-04  295  $20,500.00

  Day 1: 5   14-14     Day 2: 5   17-00     Day 3: 5   25-07     Day 4: 4   12-15 

4.  Michael Iaconelli      Pitts Grove, NJ         20  67-12  285  $15,500.00

  Day 1: 5   14-00     Day 2: 5   25-12     Day 3: 5   14-14     Day 4: 5   13-02 

5.  Shaw E Grigsby         Gainesville, FL         17  63-11  280  $14,000.00

  Day 1: 5   14-08     Day 2: 5   18-14     Day 3: 3   12-06     Day 4: 4   17-15 

6.  Stephen Browning       Hot Springs, AR         16  62-15  286  $13,500.00

  Day 1: 5   21-11     Day 2: 5   23-09     Day 3: 1   00-13     Day 4: 5   16-14 

7.  James Niggemeyer       Van, TX                 16  58-13  272  $13,000.00

  Day 1: 1   02-08     Day 2: 5   18-09     Day 3: 5   21-06     Day 4: 5   16-06 

8.  Dustin Wilks           Rocky Mount, NC         19  56-00  268  $12,500.00

  Day 1: 5   14-11     Day 2: 5   14-06     Day 3: 5   16-11     Day 4: 4   10-04 

9.  Rick Clunn             Ava, MO                 18  55-10  264  $12,000.00

  Day 1: 4   09-13     Day 2: 5   18-15     Day 3: 4   15-00     Day 4: 5   11-14 

10. Denny Brauer           Camdenton, MO           17  47-14  260  $11,500.00

  Day 1: 5   12-05     Day 2: 5   17-01     Day 3: 5   11-10     Day 4: 2   06-14 

11. Gary Klein             Weatherford, TX         14  47-03  257  $11,000.00

  Day 1: 5   13-09     Day 2: 5   21-10     Day 3: 3   09-00     Day 4: 1   03-00 

12. Zell Rowland           Austin, TX              11  41-08  254  $10,500.00

  Day 1: 2   05-07     Day 2: 5   23-04     Day 3: 4   12-13     Day 4: 0   00-00 

BIG BASS OF TOURNAMENT

     Greg Hackney             Gonzales, LA        08-10        $500.00

     Greg Vinson              Wetumpka, AL        08-10        $500.00

BERKLEY HEAVYWEIGHT OF TOURN

     Michael Iaconelli        Pitts Grove, NJ     25-12        $500.00

 

———————————————————————–

Totals

Day   #Limits    #Fish      Weight

 1        30       289       738-08

 2        55       375      1079-04

 3        17       163       461-11

 4         6        45       149-07

———————————-

         108       872      2428-14

 

TOYOTA TUNDRA BASSMASTER ANGLER OF THE YEAR STANDINGS

 

2010 Duel in the Delta – Stockton, CA Pro Points After California Delta, Stockton, Calif.  Ending 03-14-2010, Day 4

——————————————-

Place  Name               St            Pts

——————————————-

  1 John Crews            Va.           305

  2 Skeet Reese           Calif.        295

  2 Greg Hackney          La.           295

  4 Stephen Browning      Ark.          286

  5 Michael Iaconelli     N.J.          285

  6 Shaw Grigsby          Fla.          280

  7 James Niggemeyer      Texas         272

  8 Dustin Wilks          N.C.          268

  9 Rick Clunn            Mo.           264

 10 Denny Brauer          Mo.           260

 11 Gary Klein            Texas         257

 12 Zell Rowland          Texas         254

 13 Greg Vinson           Ala.          251

 14 Derek Remitz          Ala.          248

 15 Kevin Short           Ark.          245

 16 Jeff Kriet            Okla.         243

 17 J Todd Tucker         Ga.           241

 18 Mark Davis            Ark.          239

 19 Peter Thliveros       Fla.          237

 20 Dave Wolak            N.C.          235

 21 Scott Rook            Ark.          233

 22 Bradley Hallman       Okla.         231

 23 Dean Rojas            Ariz.         229

 24 Guy Eaker             N.C.          227

 25 Edwin Evers           Okla.         225

 26 Alton Jones           Texas         223

 27 Bill Lowen            Ohio          221

 28 Paul Elias            Miss.         219

 29 Kevin VanDam          Mich.         217

 30 Mark Tucker           Mo.           215

 31 Todd Faircloth        Texas         213

 32 Steve Kennedy         Ala.          211

 33 Clark Reehm           Ark.          209

 34 Jeff Connella         La.           207

 35 Kotaro Kiriyama       Ala.          205

 36 Jason Quinn           S.C.          203

 37 Russ Lane             Ala.          201

 38 Kevin Wirth           Ky.           199

 39 Pat Golden            N.C.          197

 40 Brian Snowden         Mo.           195

 41 Pete Ponds            Miss.         193

 42 Matt Herren           Ala.          191

 43 Vince Fulks           Okla.         189

 44 John Murray           Ariz.         187

 45 Jami Fralick          S.D.          185

 46 Chad Griffin          Texas         183

 47 Mike McClelland       Ark.          181

 48 Dennis Tietje         La.           179

 49 Ish Monroe            Calif.        177

 50 Bradley Roy           Ky.           175

 51 Cliff Pace            Miss.         173

 52 Kelly Jordon          Texas         171

 53 Wade Grooms           S.C.          169

 54 Aaron Martens         Ala.          167

 55 Gerald Swindle        Ala.          165

 56 Grant Goldbeck        Md.           163

 57 Matt Greenblatt       Fla.          161

 58 Bobby Lane            Fla.          159

 59 Casey Ashley          S.C.          157

 60 Jared Lintner         Calif.        155

 61 Rick Morris           Va.           153

 62 Marty Robinson        S.C.          151

 63 Brent Chapman         Kan.          149

 64 Billy McCaghren       Ark.          147

 65 Timmy Horton          Ala.          145

 66 Kenyon Hill           Okla.         143

 67 Britt Myers           S.C.          141

 68 Morizo Shimizu        Japan         139

 69 Mark Burgess          Mass.         137

 70 Yusuke Miyazaki       Texas         135

 71 Takahiro Omori        Texas         133

 72 Terry Scroggins       Fla.          131

 73 Terry Butcher         Okla.         129

 74 David Smith           Okla.         127

 75 Charlie Hartley       Ohio          125

 76 Marty Stone           N.C.          123

 77 Matt Reed             Texas         121

 78 Cliff Crochet         La.           119

 79 Chris Lane            Ala.          117

 80 Scott Ashmore         Okla.         115

 81 Byron Haseotes        Mass.         113

 82 Byron Velvick         Texas         111

 83 Randy Howell          Ala.          109

 84 Tommy Biffle          Okla.         107

 85 Fred Roumbanis        Okla.         105

 86 Mark Tyler            Okla.         103

 87 Jason Williamson      S.C.          101

 88 Boyd Duckett          Ala.           99

 89 Davy Hite             S.C.           97

 90 Mark Menendez         Ky.            95

 91 Bernie Schultz        Fla.           93

 92 Jeremy Starks         W.Va.          91

 93 Keith Poche           Ala.            0

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