Tough fishing conditions met most anglers at the inaugural CBAF tournament the weekend of Oct. 29. While anglers enjoyed mild temperatures, calm water and blue bird skies, the post frontal conditions made for a feast or famine outcome. Prior to blast-off anglers were met by the CBAF registration staff which provided plenty of hot coffee, fresh doughnuts and an extremely well organized and speedy sign-in process. A smooth, no wait boat launch was followed by the national anthem and a flawless two flight blast-off.
As boats returned past the check-in boat at day’s end, it was clear the fishing had been tough. Most anglers in the first flight reported no bites with a few boats managing 1 fish. As the second flight made their way back to the host launch, it looked as if the anglers bringing in one or two nice fish might do well in the money. The weigh-in crowd let out a roar when the father-son team of John and Ryan Harper came to the scales with a 4 fish limit weighing 12.69 lbs. anchored by a 8.49 monster. Good for first place and nice check, the Harper team was happy to have landed the big one on a swim bait right under the boat on a short line… but in relatively deep water. The fish had followed the bait to the boat and struck within in John’s sight… a scramble to get the net and land the fish followed. Together with 3 smaller fish taken mostly on drop shots, the Harpers become the winners of the first CBAF tournament of the 2005-2006 season.
In second place with two fish weighing 8.09 lbs was the team of Stan Jones and David Permenter. Their bag was helped by the event’s second big bass of the day weighing 5.29 lbs which was also taken on a swim bait in deep water. In third was the husband-wife team of Jim and Mary Howell with 2.46 lbs. followed by Armando Luzuriaga and Jimmy Ghiorso in fourth with 2.28 lbs. and Paul Baker and Phil Hill with 1.39 lbs.
All anglers felt like winners after being treated to a spectacular after tournament awards ceremony and barbeque hosted by the Lake Done Pedro Baptist Church. Plates mounding with tri-tip steak, all kinds of side dishes and miles of desserts made for an awesome finish to an already great first tournament.
