Pikes Peak Bass Masters: CBN-TBF Reports!

Matt Massey wins CBN STQT in Grand style!

Posted by federation on June 13, 2013

Matt Massey (DBM) wins the Colorado Bass Nation State Team Qualifying Tournament at Grand Lake O’Cherokees, OK.   Matt reports that his primary lure for this event was a Red 2.5 crank bait by Lucky Craft cast to points and flats with a rocky bottom. Matt landed a three day total weight of 49.55 pounds of bass on this highly pressured but consistently productive Northeast Oklahoma bass factory.     

Brad Bennett (RMBC) stays near the top in 2nd place with a total weight of 45.98 pounds. Brad worked a green-pumpkin finesse trick worm in 6-10 feet of water to land his bass.     

Third Place was secured by Scott Sheldon (CBC) who landed the final day’s Big Bass, and the largest of the whole event, a 5.17 pound largemouth that anchored his 44.60 pound total weight.     

This event seats the Colorado Bass Nation State Team, and the Top Six finishers at this event qualify as boaters for the 2014 BASS Nation Western Divisional and will include the CBN Rookie of the Year Nate Caldwell (CBC) who finished in 6th place overall in his first CBN STQT with 36.80 pounds. The rest of the State Team will be filled out with places 7-13, who qualify as non-boaters and alternate, and will include another rookie fishing his first STQT, Jeremiah Hofstetter (DBM,) who landed in 9th overall with 36.16 pounds of Grand Lake bass. The reigning Colorado Bass Nation Champion, Ed McCaw (SWCB), coming off a Colorado win at the 2013 Western Divisional at Clear Lake, CA, qualifies yet again for the State Team and finished in 12th place overall. The CBN President reported that everyone weighed in bass at this event, so there were no zero’s. The Colorado Bass Nation thanks Martin Landing Resort at Monkey Island for hosting this year’s STQT and all the State Supporters who provided prizes and fundraising items for the Colorado Bass Nation.

The top 13 standings after the Final Day are:

Qualifying as Boaters

1st Place: Matt Massey (DBM) 49.55

2nd Place: Brad Bennett (RMBC) 45.98

3rd Place: Scott Sheldon (CBC) 44.60

4th Place: Lance Tillotson (DBM) 40.11

5th Place: Chris Domkowski (PPBM) 37.68

6th Place: Nate Caldwell (CBC) 36.80 *Rookie of the Year!*

Qualifying as Non-boaters

7th Place: Jeff Colwell (SWCB) 36.75

8th Place: Larry Triplett (RMBM) 36.56

9th Place: Jeremiah Hofstetter (DBM) 36.16

10th Place: John Gardner (SWCB) 35.55

11th Place: Trevor Scott (CBC) 35.43

12th Place: Ed McCaw (SWCB) 34.91

Official Alternate

13th Place: Mark Faber (SWCB) 34.80

Steve Way gets his first

Divisional win!......Finally!  

Well, it appears that good things do come to those that wait....and wait....and wait!  Finally, Mr. Steve Way of the Springs Bassmasters and definitely one of the top 10 in the State of Colorado for bass fishing, comes away with the title of Colorado representative to the National event! 

After many years of coming "oh so close," Steve finally put it together enough to take the checkered flag.  He fished hard on this last day of the TBF SW-Divisional event at Lake Havasu.  He fished like he knew he needed to do, but still had lots of hardships throughout the day.  Steve had produced 7 bites on the "frog" and only caught 2.  He managed to get just as many bites on a "Flipping bait" and lost 5!

Steve thought that the day was going to end as the other attempts at winning one of these Divisional events had ended for him.  He had fish get off at the boat more times today than he can ever remember happening to him.  Was it going to end like the times before with him reaching out to grab the crown, only to have it ripped away by a broken line or a smart fish getting some good leverage on his bait and tossing it over his head.  Not this time!

Steve managed only 4 fish today, but they weighed 12+ pounds!  He just knew  that he had fell short again by not finishing his limit, but had no idea that Matt Massey was having a "Steve day" also somewhere on the lake.  The only difference being that Matt only brought in 3 fish, which at this level is leaving the door too wide open, so Steve stepped on through!

This is Steve's first Divisional win and it has been a long time coming!  He is at the doorstep of winning the "Living the Dream" package and will be my horse in that race.  Stay tuned for more details on when and where Steve gets to chase his dream!

Congrats to you Steve, from the Pikes Peak Bassmasters!

Gentzel and Limmer

at TBF

South Western Divisional!

Both Todd and Troy have a good idea what they want to do in an attempt to win their titles at this weeks South Western Divisional Championship on Lake Havasu!  They have to get by some really good Colorado fishermen to reach the titles, but both say they can do it!

Stay tuned for updates starting tonight on what is going down out on the desert lake!

Update!---Wednesday morning

Gentzel is boat #21 and Limmer is #29, both 3rd flight for this mornings launch!  Gentzel is planning an attack on a stretch he believes he may be able to get close to twenty pounds out of tomorrow, providing his partner agrees with the strategy and "fishes with him instead of against him."  Limmer is more at the mercy of his boater, to a point, but will be getting his share of the time and hopes to put together a big weight himself.  They will be getting me information at the end of each weigh-in.

"Go get em' boys!"

Update!--Day #1--Wednesday May 1st!

Matt Massey leads after Day 1 with 12+.  The weather turned atrocious with winds around 25-30+ mph sustained and gusts to 40 mph. 

Todd had the misfortune of what he calls a silly "Rookie mistake."  He attempted the swing of a late fish (guessed to be about 2 lbs) instead of waiting for the Co-angler to get the net into the water and it came off.  He ended up weighing only 4 fish for a total of 9+ lbs and is sitting in the middle of the pack heading into tomorrow.  Winds are to remain the same, so it should be interesting to see what transpires!

Troy is right there behind Mr. Gentzel and is also hoping to get to waters that were unfishable for him today by the weather and the time used by the other contestant going to his own spots.  He to lost what was guesstimated by his Boater as a 5-6 lber on its way to the boat.  Those type of boo boos can crush you mentally throughout the day and into tomorrow.  Shake it off guys!

Both are in good spirits and believe they are still sitting well in the mix.  They most likely learned another thing or two about fishing at the next level, as we all do every time we take this step.  Mistakes need to be kept to a minimum, or rather to nothing, in order to get through to the top position in an event like this, so they both need to "get to work" and take back a little lost ground from today.  More tomorrow night!

Update!--Day #2--Thursday May 2nd!

The TBF South Western Divisional is cancelled for today because of winds, I would suppose.  That leaves our guys "one day to catch up to Matt Massey."  That could be a blessing if our boys can get one of those big bags they know are active out there.  Those lost fish of yesterday, for both Todd and Troy, loom bigger today than it did yesterday.  They got to get past the mental part of those losses and get to work tomorrow chasing the big uns!  Could be one giant come back and a very exciting finish!  Go get em' boys!

Update!--Day #3--Friday (Final Day) May 3rd!

The day started off with a slight breeze that never developed into anything for our guys to worry about...kind of.  The wind was the nemesis of our anglers over two days because of it's strength.  Now, it was because of the lack of wind that our guys had to work their butts off as the fish tightened up and wouldn't come out in the sun to play!

Todd went for the win, as he said he was going to do......which also means he was willing to lose bad in trying to do that.  That is a big part of this game..."You must be prepared to lose in order to win."  He only weighed 3 fish today, 3 fish that weighed in at 9+ pounds!  The right type of fish, just not enough of them.  Dang it!  Todd's catch put him in 3rd place overall for the Colorado team.  Matt Massey was in 1st for two days and fell to second as he was over taken by a really good southern Colorado fisherman in his own right...Steve Way!  Steve wins the boater slot for this upcoming National event!  Massey wins the Co-Angler spot but......Hmmmm?  Is that Massey's style?......To be in the back of someone else's boat............I don't think so.  Maybe he gives the chance to attend the National event to someone that has never been there yet.  Maybe he gives it to the 3rd place guy.....That be Mr. Gentzel!  We'll have to wait and see!

Troy struggled a bit today and ended up in 7th on the team.  I believe they said only one Colorado guy brought in a limit today, which shows how tough it was out there. 

Wow!  What a neat finish and still the possibility of our guy going to the Nationals!  Great work guys!  Be prepared to tell us lots of stories when you return.

Colorado BASS High School

Championship gets winners!

The B.A.S.S. High School Championship took place on April 28th at Pueblo Reservoir!  Both first and second place teams move on to the National High School Championships--to be announced!

Josh Villa and his team mate, Bailey Smith (shortest guy in pic is Frank Villa....Both pics, actually!...lol), took first place honors, while Ryan Wood (this years BASS Western Divisional Champion...not to brag about how good Colorado is!), and his team mate, Adam Deakin, took the Runner up honors.  The last second fish caught by Ryan Wood (literally 30 seconds left in the event when he hooked up and water skied the fish into the boat as time expired) not only was Big Bass of the day, but also qualified their team to fish at the National High School event coming up!  Talk about fishing to the very end!

Great job to all 4 boys! 

Ed McCaw and Ryan Wood

win Western Divisional titles

for Colorado!

Ryan Wood has been fishing for bass in Colorado ever since he was 10 years old.  Now, he has won the Western Division title and is sure to be one of the more feared members of the Colorado BASS Nation in the years to come!

Way to go Ryan!  Get those pens out!  We need you to autograph our hats! 

Ryan Wood BASS Nation link!

Ed McCaw did what he usually does in most important events....fishes incredibly well! Congrats to our Colorado representative at the 2013 National event in Russellville, AR!

Greg Gizzi goes to

TBF National Championship

April 8th-13th!  

Greg Gizzi, one of Colorado's best bass fishermen, is set to compete at the TBF National event to be held at Grand Lake, OK!  Greg is not a member of the Pikes Peak Bass Masters, but he is part of the Bass anglers family here in Colorado.  Greg is a member of the Fountain Valley Bass Club in southern Colorado.  All that make it to this level could use everyone's well wishes at such an extremely tough physical and mentally draining event!

Good Luck, Greg!   Bring home a title to Colorado!

Pikes Peak Bass Masters

Todd Gentzel and Troy Limmer

qualify for the

TBF Divisional Championship!

Todd Gentzel and Troy Limmer teamed up to take on some of the states best anglers and walked away with a second place finish and a slot on the TBF Colorado State Team!

Todd and Troy, the only members of the Pikes Peak Bass Masters that made the team, will represent our club at the TBF Western Divisional Championships come next April 29th-May 3rd, 2013 at Lake Havasu, AZ. 

They should be hitting the lake close to full spawn and they stand a great chance at becoming the National contenders from the Colorado team! 

"Go get em, boys!" 

Frank Villa takes

2012 Western Divisional title for Colorado! 

With 50 mph gusts and sestained 35 mph winds on almost every day of the event, fireman and family man, Frank Villa, made the best of his boater draws, made the best out of every situation that came up, made the right choices throughout the event, fished his way into the Colorado National contender record books, and into his destiny of being crowned the Colorado representative to the National event set for Oct. 20th, 2012 on Lake Wheeler in Alabama!

Frank overcame strong boaters to pull his limits behind them and lead the event for the Colorado team,"wire to wire!"  Not easy at all with some of the best in the entire west on the Colorado team chasing after his tail end!  A great win for Frank and even more of a win for Colorado, as Frank couldn't be a better personality to represent Colorado at the Nationals......even if we had to hand pick him!

From all of the Pikes Peak Bassmasters...."Go get em' Frank!"

 Colorado wins

B.A.S.S. Western Division

Championship!

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Colorado put together the best team effort ever experienced by a 12 man Colorado BASS team and put a hurtin' of over 30 lbs on the rest of the 10 states attending the Divisional tournament at Navajo Reservoir, NM. for the win.  Considering that Colorado has only won the title twice, once in 1990 and 2011, it is really a big deal to the state members of the Colorado B.A.S.S. Federation!

Unlike the first time in 1990, B.A.S.S. has stepped up to the plate and is "the only circuit offering a boat valued at $37,000 waiting for the champions" at the Divisional event.  What a really big deal for the state members of this team!  With potentially that kind of money going to the state team members, including the youth contenders parents, that could mean up to $2,000 for each member!  How sweet is that! 

If you are not a member of a B.A.S.S. club, you are "missing the boat," as they say! 

Congrats to Ed McCaw, the top finisher for Colorado at the Divisional and headed to the National event as Colorado's representative!  

Get er' done, Ed!

visit the;   Durango Herold

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Conway

takes pole position for

 2012 B.A.S.S.

Colorado State Team!

Joe Conway of Colorado Springs, CO, a member of the Pikes Peak Bassmasters, put together a big final Day 3 weight (17.95), after stumbling on Day 1 (4.32 lbs), to slam the door on the rest of the field and win the 2012 B.A.S.S. Colorado State Qualifier Tournament at Missouri's Truman Reservoir.  Conway will lead the 12 man 2012 team into the Western Divisional Championship in May next year at the Flaming Gorge in Wyoming.

Also making the team from the Pikes Peak Bassmasters was Chris Dombkowski, who overcame massive boat troubles on Day 2 to maintain his and his non-boater competitors chances on making the team and then he did just that! 

Congrats to both on making the 2012 Colorado State Team!