news
Kissimmee, FL. .... "In 34 years of conducting professional fishing tournaments, no one at the Bass Anglers Sportsman Society has ever seen anything like this," said B.A.S.S. National Tournament Director Dewey Kendrick.
Kendrick is referring to the mammoth catch recorded by Arizona^s Dean Rojas at this weekend^s Florida BASSMASTER Top 150 on Lake Tohopekaliga in Kissimmee.
Over the course of the four day event Rojas brought in an amazing 108 pounds, 12 ounces of bass, shattering the organizations previous high mark of 91 pounds, 3 ounces, for a four-day event by over 17 1/2 pounds. In fact, Rojas claimed the record after only 3 days of competition.
"I spent 20 years on Lake Toho," said Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission Director of Freshwater Fisheries Ed Moyer, "I^ve never seen anything like this before. This is a tribute to lake management practices over the last decade and is a great example of our management practices."
After an amazing day 1 total of 45-2, also a B.A.S.S. record for a single day catch, the stage was set for Rojas^ amazing feat.
"When I was a kid, I saw stringers of big bass in old photos at fishing camps in the area," said Osceola County Commissioner Chuck Dunnick. "This week I saw fish like I saw in those photos. What we saw this week is just the tip of the iceberg. The county commission has dedicated money, and for the first time received federal money, to work on the lake during a scheduled drawdown. The lake will truly be a tremendous fishery in three to five years."
"This is a great fishery," said Rojas. "The management practices have definitely made Lake Toho a top fishery in Florida and nationwide. Practices such as catch and release, which began with B.A.S.S. and its members also help to ensure that this fishery will continue to be great."
The work that enabled this to take place actually began as far back as 1992 when the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission (FWC) instituted new regulations and policies to return the state^s inland fisheries to their previous greatness. One of the first regulations that was instituted by the FWC was a reduction on the daily bag limit from 10 bass of any size to five bass that had to meet a minimum size limit of either 12- or 14-inches depending on the location.
The FWC^s practice of simultaneously enhancing water quality, restoring littoral habitat, and replacing noxious weed growth with desirable, productive aquatic plant species has had a tremendous impact on the quality of not only Lake Toho, but also on the other lakes of the Kissimmee chain. As a result of these actions, anglers can expect many years of quality fishing from Florida^s fisheries.
"To a natural resource manager that has followed FWC^s efforts for many years," said B.A.S.S. Conservation Director Bruce Shupp, "This is a tribute to a courageous and aggressive restoration project on the Kissimmee system. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission should be commended for their efforts."
BASSMASTER TOURNAMENT TRAIL
2001 FLORIDA TOP 150 PRO -- 01/17-01/20
LAKE TOHO -- KISSIMMEE, FL
DAY 4 STANDINGS
PL NAME CITY ST FH/DD LBS-OZ PTS WINNINGS
001 Dean Rojas Lake Havasu City AZ 20/00 108-12 150 $110,000
002 Mark Davis Mount Ida AR 19/00 93-10 149 $49,000
003 Aaron Martens Castaic CA 20/00 85-15 148 $28,000
004 Jay Yelas Tyler TX 19/00 80-01 147 $15,000
005 Shaw E Grigsby, Jr Gainesville FL 17/00 75-04 146 $14,000
006 David Walker Cannon KY 20/00 73-07 145 $12,000
007 Timmy Horton Mussel Schoals AL 18/00 65-05 144 $10,000
008 John Sappington Wyandotte OK 17/00 64-12 143 $9,000
009 Carroll Hagood Auburndale FL 17/00 64-07 142 $7,000
010 Jim Bitter Fruitland Park FL 16/00 60-00 141 $6,500
011 Bernie Schultz Gainesville FL 15/00 55-02 140 $6,000
012 Alton Jones Waco TX 15/00 55-00 139 $5,500
013 Lendell Martin, Jr. Nacogdoches TX 12/00 53-09 138 $5,000
014 Terry Baksay Monroe CT 15/00 51-07 137 $4,700
015 Bud Pruitt Sam Rayburn TX 12/04 50-01 136 $4,500
016 Jim Murray, Jr. Cordele GA 12/00 50-00 135 $4,000
016 Gary Yamamoto Mineola TX 13/00 50-00 135 $4,000
018 Randy Howell Trussville AL 15/00 49-15 133 $4,000
019 Curt Lytle Suffolk VA 15/00 47-10 132 $4,000
020 Dustin Wilks Raleigh NC 15/00 45-02 131 $4,000
021 Robert Graham Mooresville NC 14/00 44-15 130 $3,500
022 Ishama Monroe Brentwood CA 15/00 44-05 129 $3,500
023 Dion Hibdon Stover MO 13/00 43-02 128 $3,500
024 Peter E. Thliveros Jacksonville FL 15/00 42-14 127 $3,500
025 Eric M. Weir Gastonia NC 10/00 42-09 126 $3,350
025 Kevin VanDam Kalamazoo MI 13/00 42-09 126 $3,350
027 Chad Brauer Osage Beach MO 12/00 41-03 124 $3,200
027 Lee Knight Mineola TX 14/00 41-03 124 $3,200
029 Elton Luce Jr. Nederland TX 15/00 40-12 122 $3,200
030 Ken McIntosh Pierceton IN 15/01 40-03 121 $3,200
031 Mark Rose Marion AR 11/00 39-01 120 $2,800
032 Sandy Melvin Boca Grande FL 14/00 38-14 119 $2,800
033 Takahiro Omori Emory TX 14/00 38-12 118 $2,800
034 Guy H. Eaker Cherryville NC 15/00 38-11 117 $2,800
035 Randy Dearman Onalaska TX 11/00 38-02 116 $2,800
036 Kevin Wirth Crestwood KY 14/00 37-04 115 $2,800
037 Clark Wendlandt Cedar Park TX 15/00 37-02 114 $2,800
038 Robert L. Kilby Hot Springs AR 13/00 36-10 113 $2,800
039 Allen Head Pryor OK 15/00 36-01 112 $2,800
040 Charlie Youngers Oviedo FL 13/00 35-07 111 $2,800
Uploaded: 1/20/2001
Uploaded: 1/20/2001