If you’ve payed any attention to the NCAA Men’s Basketball Championship, you’d know that the term March Madness has held true to it’s name. From blowout victories to wire-to-wire wins, the madness that happens in the month of March never disappoints. The Kissimmee Bass Series experienced it’s own kind of March Madness with a big bass bonanza on March 22nd.
Chad Schroeder holds up his 10.75-pound Big Bass.
The 76 teams that launched from the shores of Camp Mack couldn’t have realized the big bass shootout that would eventually take place at the 2:30 weigh-in as they idled out of the canal. There were five bass that weighed better than 8 pounds, seven bass that weighed over 9 pounds, and three bass that hit the double digit mark at greater than 10 pounds! What’s better is teams are only allowed one bass over the 22-inch mark by tournament rule, as opposed to the state law of one fish over 22 inches per person.
Wayne Yohn and James ‘JW’ Watkins pulled out their second win in as many events. Yohn and Watkins anchored their 27.80-pound winning limit with an 8.90-pound lunker. Arnie Lane and Scott Paul caught a 9.35-pound lunker to anchor their 25.35 pound limit, earning them a second place finish. Third place went to Keith Albritton and Norm Soash for their 23.35-pound bag. Their largest fish weighed 8.30 pounds. Fourth place was awarded to James Pearson and Jeff Crandon as they weighed a 23.10-pound bag. The duo also earned the side pot for the second largest bass brought to the scales, a 10.70-pound lunker. Troy Olivier and Mike Bedienbaugh nabbed the final spot in the Top 5 as they weighed a 22.40-pound bag. The fifth place team anchored their catch with a 10.20-pound lunker.
Big Bas of the day was awarded to Chad Schroeder as he and teammate Martin Dukes weighed a 10.75-pound hawg.
“I caught her with less than 10 minutes to go,” stated Schroeder. “We made it back to weigh-in with seconds to spare, literally. We pushed the envelope and it paid off.”
The Kissimmee Bass Series holds their events at Camp Mack on the fourth Sunday of each month. Next month’s derby will take place over 2 days of competition as the trail holds their Spring Fling event, April 25th and 26th. More information can be found on the Event Calendar.
