MANY, La. - February, 24, 2003 - David Wharton can't put his finger on exactly when fortune turned his way in the CITGO Bassmaster Tour presented by Busch Beer on Toledo Bend.
David Wharton holds a nice 2-pound, 7-ounce lead heading into Monday's final round.
The Texas professional started the event in 60th place, disgusted and sick. But he got well quickly.
Wharton won the event with a final-day limit totaling 16 pounds, 15 ounces for a total of 32-6, more than 12 pounds more than Takahiro Omori in second with 19-10.
Omori of Emory, Texas caught a final-day limit totaling 13-1 to move from 6th place. Jay Yelas, 2002 CITGO Bassmaster Classic Champion, of Tyler, Texas was third with 18-15, while Jeff Kriet of Ardmore, Texas was fourth with 18-4, Mike Wurm of Hot Springs, Ark. was fifth with 14-15 and Shaw Grigsby of Gainesville, Fla. was sixth with 13-14.
Wharton's command of this event in the final two days went totally against the way he started. After day one he was in 60th place and if not for a great day on day two would have written this tournament off as one where bad decisions cost him a chance to win. Although Wharton was sure he made a bad decision on day one, he really can't decide when he started making the right ones.
It might have been when the wind started gusting at 41 miles per hour blowing the rest of the field away, or when heavy rain muddied up the majority of the lake, or when he caught a 6 1/2 pound fish on day two, or any number of things.
"I can't say for sure when it happened,'' Wharton said. "I'm just proud it did.''
If he were to give credit to anything it would be the weather the rest of the anglers were cussing along with his experience on Toledo Bend. Wharton assumes that the adverse weather all week did nothing but help him, while it played havoc with others.
"I was in an area that wasn't being affected by the wind and it wasn't getting any run off from the rain,'' Wharton said of the first two days.
And on the final two days experience proved to be the deciding factor. Wharton said he has fished Toledo Bend since it was built.
"And I can ride around and look and know where I need to fish,'' he said.
His observations were dead on. Despite his years of experience, he had never fished Lanana Creek before.
"But I knew what to look for, deeper water around buck brush and cypress trees,'' he said.
He further defined those areas by concentrating strictly in the places where very little run off had impacted the areas with muddy water. That meant staying away from bigger tributaries and heading toward small drainage areas where clearer water had started to run in.
He fished those areas with a black neon Bass Pro 4-inch Flipping Tube, catching a total of 12 keepers on the final day.
"When I would get in a stretch with 4- or 5-feet of water instead of 2- or 3-feet that would be where the fish would be,'' Wharton said.
Wharton's catch came in the middle of a cold front that was passing through the area. It was a perfect punctuation to a week of wild weather for the anglers.
The first day included stormy, rainy conditions that wet everything and everybody to the bone. By the second day, the weather had deteriorated so badly that fog and tornado warnings postponed the day of fishing. And on the official second day, strong straight line winds were part of the day that included some rain, some sunshine and constantly changing conditions.
By the third day, the clouds had cleared with 75-degree temperatures but even stronger winds from the Southwest created even another variable. Those winds, which were sustained at 20 miles per hour with gusts of 41 miles per hour, made fishing even more difficult.
Wharton, however, eased through it to win the $100,000 first place prize. Meanwhile, Jim Bitter of Fruitland Park, Fla. retained his lead in the Busch BASS Angler of the Year Points Race.
The event from Toledo Bend will be telecast on ESPN2 in two parts, with part one airing on Saturday, March 1, at 10:30 a.m. (ET) and part two on Saturday March 8, at 10:30 a.m.
Sponsors of the CITGO Bassmaster Tour presented by Busch Beer include CITGO Petroleum Corp., Busch Beer, Chevrolet Trucks, Mercury Marine, Yamaha Outboards, Triton Boats, Skeeter Boats, Lowrance Electronics, Flowmaster Exhaust Systems, Kumho Tires, Progressive Insurance, Abu Garcia, Berkley, Diamond Cut Jeans, MotorGuide Trolling Motors, Bass Pro Shops, Armstrong Industrial Hand Tools, and BASS Platinum Visa/First USA.
Associate Sponsors include Bass Cat Boats and G3 Boats
Presented locally by: Sabine River Authority, State of Louisiana, Cypress Bend Golf Resort & Conference Center.
Story by www.fishfactory.com
For more information contact BASS Communications at (334) 551-2436.
CITGO Bassmaster Tour presented by Busch Beer
Toledo Bend Reservoir; Many, La.
P r o S t a n d i n g s D a y 4
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. David Wharton Sam Rayburn, Texas 10 32-06 175 $102,000
Day 1: 5 12-02 Day 2: 5 17-09 Day 3: 5 15-07 Day 4: 5 16-15
2. Takahiro Omori Emory, Texas 8 19-10 174 $38,000
Day 1: 5 16-12 Day 2: 5 11-09 Day 3: 3 6-09 Day 4: 5 13-01
3. Jay Yelas Tyler, Texas 8 18-15 173 $23,000
Day 1: 5 14-10 Day 2: 5 16-01 Day 3: 5 13-00 Day 4: 3 5-15
4. Jeff Kriet Ardmore, Okla. 9 18-04 172 $20,000
Day 1: 5 20-01 Day 2: 5 10-00 Day 3: 5 10-08 Day 4: 4 7-12
5. Mike Wurm Hot Springs, Ark. 7 14-15 171 $16,000
Day 1: 5 21-02 Day 2: 5 12-12 Day 3: 4 9-04 Day 4: 3 5-11
6. Shaw E Grigsby, Jr Gainesville, Fla. 6 13-14 170 $14,000
Day 1: 5 15-01 Day 2: 5 19-08 Day 3: 3 6-09 Day 4: 3 7-05
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Big Bass
Day
1 Kotaro Kiriyama New Milford, N.J. 8-12 $1,000
2 Bud Pruitt Spring, Texas 8-14 $1,000
3 David Wharton Sam Rayburn, Texas 4-15 $1,000
4 David Wharton Sam Rayburn, Texas 5-06 $1,000
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 0 0 0-00
2 0 0 0-00
3 3 25 61-05
4 2 23 56-11
----------------------------------
5 48 118-00
02/24/03
CITGO Bassmaster Tour presented by Busch Beer
Busch BASS Angler of the Year Standings
-------------------------------------------
Place Name St Pts
-------------------------------------------
001 Jim Bitter Fla. 623
002 Jay Yelas Texas 592
003 Zell Rowland Texas 587
004 Mike Wurm Ark. 582
005 Tom Mann, Jr. Ga. 576
006 Bud Pruitt Texas 558
007 Elton Luce Jr. Texas 553
008 Kevin VanDam Mich. 550
009 Skeet Reese Calif. 539
010 Shaw E Grigsby, Jr Fla. 537
011 Brent Chapman Kan. 536
012 Curt Lytle Va. 530
013 Mark Tyler Calif. 527
014 Mark Kile Ariz. 526
014 Harold Allen Texas 526
016 John Murray Ariz. 511
017 Kelly Jordon Texas 503
018 Gary Klein Texas 499
019 Tim Horton Ala. 497
020 Jeff Reynolds Okla. 496
021 Roger Boler La. 486
022 Alton Jones Texas 484
022 Mark Davis Ark. 484
024 Dustin Wilks N.C. 481
025 Chad Morgenthaler Ill. 480
026 Ben Matsubu Texas 476
026 Stacey D. King Mo. 476
028 Terry Scroggins Fla. 475
029 Jeff Kriet Okla. 474
030 David Wharton Texas 469
031 J. T. Kenney Md. 463
032 Jack L. Wade Tenn. 462
033 Todd Faircloth Texas 457
034 Lance Vick Texas 453
035 David Fritts N.C. 452
036 Cody Bird Texas 451
037 Kyle Mabrey Ala. 448
038 Ishama Monroe Calif. 447
039 Jason Barber Texas 446
040 Jimmy D. Mize Ark. 441
040 Mike Hicks Va. 441
040 Dalton Bobo Ala. 441
043 Casey Iwai Ariz. 438
044 Kevin Wirth Ky. 435
045 Jason Quinn S.C. 434
046 Randall R Romig Pa. 432
047 Roland Martin Fla. 429
048 Mike Reynolds Calif. 427
049 Mark Menendez Ky. 424
049 Woo Daves Va. 424
051 George Cochran Ark. 421
052 Gerald Swindle Ala. 418
053 Bernie Schultz Fla. 417
053 Takahiro Omori Texas 417
055 Rick Taylor Mich. 412
056 Koby Kreiger Ind. 410
057 Jay Kendrick Tenn. 409
058 Keith Green Ark. 407
059 Paul L Elias Miss. 405
060 Kenyon Hill Okla. 403
061 Matt Reed Texas 402
062 Kotaro Kiriyama N.J. 399
062 Mike Auten Ky. 399
064 Mark Rogers Fla. 398
065 Stephen Browning Ark. 395
066 Brian Snowden Mo. 393
067 Danny Correia Mass. 390
067 Guy H. Eaker N.C. 390
069 Edwin Evers Okla. 388
069 Joe Thomas Ohio 388
071 Doug Gilley Fla. 381
072 Todd Auten S.C. 376
073 Shonn Blassingame Texas 374
073 Peter E. Thliveros Fla. 374
075 Lee Bailey, Jr. Conn. 369
076 O. T. Fears III Okla. 366
077 Danny Kirk Ga. 361
078 Jody Cordell Ga. 360
078 Mark Rizk Ala. 360
080 Gerry Williams Fla. 357
080 Randy Howell Ala. 357
082 Allen Armour Ga. 356
083 Denny Brauer Mo. 354
084 Tim Loper Miss. 353
085 Chris Price Md. 350
086 Luke Clausen Wash. 342
087 David Mansue N.J. 340
088 Byron Velvick Nev. 339
088 Robert Hamilton Jr. Miss. 339
090 Rick Clunn Mo. 337
090 Charlie Youngers Fla. 337
092 Darren Wolf Texas 334
093 Ron Shuffield Ark. 332
094 Brett Hite Ariz. 328
095 Chad Brauer Mo. 327
096 Morizo Shimizu Japan 326
096 Michael Iaconelli N.J. 326
098 Tom Biffle Okla. 321
098 Ken Cook Okla. 321
100 Tommy Stiles Tenn. 319
101 Pete Ponds Miss. 316
102 Mike Gough Fla. 310
103 Rick Morris Va. 308
104 Tommy Martin Texas 305
105 Charles Hammack Texas 303
106 Jack A. Gadlage Nev. 301
107 Yusuke Miyazaki Texas 299
107 Randy Dearman Texas 299
109 Gary Yamamoto Texas 298
110 Marty Fourkiller N.C. 295
111 Aaron A. Hastings Md. 292
111 Michael Johnson Ga. 292
113 Charlie Hartley Ohio 288
114 Kim Stricker Mich. 287
114 Jimmy Reese Calif. 287
116 Mark Sabbides La. 286
117 Warren Wyman Calif. 284
118 Marty Stone N.C. 281
119 Dennis Kolender Calif. 278
120 Gregory Pugh Ala. 277
120 Tim Carroll Okla. 277
122 Charlie Weyer Calif. 276
123 Johnny Lesesne Ga. 272
124 Robert 'Duke' McCardleGa. 268
124 Terry Segraves Fla. 268
124 Chris Daves Va. 268
127 J Todd Tucker Ga. 265
127 Pete Gluszek N.J. 265
129 David Foshee Fla. 262
130 Larry Nixon Ark. 261
131 Eric Nethery Ga. 254
132 Mark Duerr Wisc. 253
133 Dean Rojas Texas 251
134 Sean Hoernke Texas 250
135 Greg Hoskinson Ky. 246
135 Jim Murray, Jr. Ga. 246
137 Dave Smith Okla. 243
137 Doug Garrett Ark. 243
139 Mike O'Shea Calif. 240
139 Tim Sainato Mo. 240
139 Tom Dolin N.Y. 240
142 Ken Sheets Mo. 235
142 Timothy Carini N.Y. 235
144 Art Ferguson III Mich. 233
145 Roger Schofield Ala. 228
146 Brooks Rogers Texas 213
147 Jarrett Edwards Colo. 210
148 Randy Yarnall Pa. 206
149 Aaron Martens Calif. 201
150 Bill Berry Ind. 200
151 John Crews Va. 197
152 Gabriel Bolivar Calif. 196
153 Frank Scalish Ohio 193
153 Rickie Harp Ala. 193
155 Robert Lee Calif. 191
156 Wayne Jeffcoat S.C. 188
157 Gerald Gostenik Mich. 187
157 Carl Maxfield S.C. 187
159 Scott Rook Ark. 185
160 Bo Fraser Va. 179
161 Mark Tucker Mo. 164
161 Jeff Magee Miss. 164
161 Homer Humphreys, Jr La. 164
164 Coby Carden Ala. 162
165 Walt Reynolds Fla. 138
166 David LeFebre Pa. 135
167 Boyd L. Duckett Ala. 133
168 Ray Sedgwick S.C. 130
169 Steve Geffs Calif. 125
170 Chuck Economou Fla. 122
171 Steve Sennikoff Texas 87
172 Davy Hite S.C. 82
173 Danny White Ga. 81
174 Michael Hall Va. 35
175 Ted Pate La. 28