Up until last month, the reigning Team of the Year champions for the Bay Area Bassmasters, Jeff Crandon and Dan Richardson, hadn’t secured a victory all season. They had finished no higher than second place until the club’s event last month at the Rodman Reservoir.
The world’s largest B.A.S.S. Nation ‘buddy’ team trail traveled to the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes for their September tournament, where Crandon and Richardson aimed for another victory. The duo hit their target as they weighed an 18.65-pound, five-bass limit to top the 36-boat field by 1/10th of a pound, winning their second tournament in as many events.
Bob Grosso and Lonnie Cornett finished in second place with an 18.55-pound, five-bass limit and anchored their bag with a 6.10-pound kicker.
Greg Shamblin and Newt Hill finished in third place with a 17.50-pound, five-bass limit, but won the Big Bass award with Hill’s 8.55-pound TrophyCatch.
Casey Gonzalez and Eugene Terkoski finished in fourth place with a 16.15-pound, five-bass limit, followed by Chuck Pons and Mark Rees in fifth place with 15.25 pounds.
With one event left in the season, the Team of the Year race is tight. Four points separate the top three teams. Crandon and Richardson lead the charge, but Gonzalez and Terkoski trail by a mere two points in second place, followed by Jeff and Jason Baker in third.
The Bay Area Bassmasters travel to Lake Istokpoga on October 10th to compete in their final event of the season, prior to the club’s end of year championship. Lake Istokpoga will not only determine the Team of the Year champions for 2015, but will also solidify the top four teams who will be invited to compete at the 2016 Florida State Team Championship (FSTC) being held on Lake Toho April 8-10, 2016. Qualified teams will be competing for the top prize, a new Blazer 595 Pro Elite powered by a 200HP Mercury Pro XS. More information on the FSTC can be found at www.fishfstc.com.
