Round two of the Roland Martin Marine Center Open Tournament Series is complete. 63 teams were in attendance at the May 2nd event held at the marine center on Lake Okeechobee, all vying for the $4,000.00 first place prize and valuable Team of the Year points.
Chris Jerdan teamed up with Corbin Dyer, Sr. to load the boat with a 29.25-pound, five-bass limit to top the field. Jerdan and Dyer, Sr. also won the Mystery Tackle Box 3rd Big Bass with their 8.74-pound TrophyCatch. Richard Held and Ken Fitton earned a second place finish, weighing a 25.53-pound, five-bass limit. Held and Fitton weighed an 8.78-pound TrophyCatch to anchor their bag, and win the Gambler Lures 2nd Big Bass award. Joe Lamanna and Steve Connell finished in the final spot amongst the Top 3. The duo weighed a 25.51-pound, five-bass limit to finish in third place, anchoring their bag with an 8.51-pound TrophyCatch.
The U.S. Sugar overall Big Bass was weighed by the team of Jeff Simmons and Jenny Crow. Their TrophyCatch weighed in at 8.96 pounds.
Team of the Year points are crucial for the first full season of the Roland Martin Marine Center Open Tournament Series. Not only will the points champions have earned bragging rights, but the Top 4 teams in the end of year standings will be invited to the 2016 Florida State Team Championship (FSTC). Organizations from across the state are able to register their clubs, trails, and events, giving their top anglers an opportunity to compete for a new 2016 Blazer 595 Pro Elite powered by a 200 HP Mercury outboard.
Remaining scheduled events for the Roland Martin Marine Center Open Tournament Series are June 13th and August 15th, with a two-day championship October 3rd and 4th for anglers who have fished three of four qualifiers.
Photos:Roland Martin Marine Center
