HEAD OF ISLAND – On an evening many thought would produce a slim numbers of teams competing in last week’s Wednesday Evening Bass Tournament out of Canal Bank Club, 37 boats turned out to pit their skills against one another.
After a 30-minute delay because of the inclement weather and the weigh-in time extended to 8:45 p.m., the team of Corey Wheat and ex-Pittsburgh Steeler Bay Tuggle worked a frog to catch their five-bass limit that weighed 6.76 pounds and garnered the total weight win.
Wheat and Tuggle earned a $401 check for their first-place haul.
A black and blue lunker lure paid off for the second place team of Bernard Sheets and Thomas McCrystal. Although the anglers only boated three bass, their big one weighed 3.12 pounds, took second place in the Big Bass competition and bumped up their total weight to 5.92 pounds. The payday for their efforts was $327.
There was a tie for third place between the teams of Gerald and Jason Cryer and Chuck Dufour and Jeff Bullion. Both teams had a five-fish limit that weighed in at 5.60 pounds, so the Big Bass of each stringer was used to break the tie. The Cryers’ big fish weighed 1.46 pounds, while Dufour’s and Bullion’s 1.30 pounds. The Cryers took home a check for $194, with the fourth place team earning $155.
Another five-bass limit came in from the team of Kevin Lapeyrouse and Todd Rabalais that weighed 5.42 pounds, earning the duo fifth-place honors and a pay off of $117.
Terry Gautreau and Ronnie Halker teamed up for the top Big Bass that weighed 3.56 pounds. One more keeper gave them 4.62 pounds total for sixth place and a combined check for $221. Rounding out the payout spots was the team of Murray and Ryan Alexander, with three keepers that weighed in at 4.02 pounds and a check for $65.
Subway Sandwiches and RTS Boat Supply sponsored the post-tournament meal.
The tournament takes place each Wednesday, with boats leaving Canal Bank Club at 5 p.m. The tournament entry fee is $40 per team.
