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Joe Bass Team Trail, Mark Twain Division, Kick off Tournament results.

Kenny Grothoff and Ray Skinner Blade their way to victory!

Brad Morley and Ryan Hohl, jig their way to second!

Mark Totten and Shad Fisher take third!

   If you have fished at Mark Twain Lake in the Spring, over the past several years, you know April can be a “CRAP SHOOT” at best. I have personally competed in and witnessed a 70+ boat April Tournament where it snowed and NO keeper fish were caught!

   However this year the region saw above average temps for the entire month of March. This put the fishing conditions weeks ahead of normal seasonal conditions. But when Mother Nature adds in a late season cold snap and 1.5” inches of rain late in the week, nobody fishing the Joe Bass Team Trail Tournament, sponsored by 154 Marine, was sure of what those “Green Fish” would be doing, if anything, and river patterns established earlier in the week were heading South with the “Mud Line”.

   Putting together a solid pattern of fishing Spinnerbaits on wind blown banks in the mid lake area, the team of Kenny Grothoff from Moberly, Mo. and Ray Skinner from Cairo, Mo. culled though 8 keepers to bring in a tournament best 5 fish limit weighing 19.06lbs. winning the season opener at Mark Twain Lake! Part of their limit was a 5.88lb brute that was 2^nd Big Bass. The team focused their spinnerbait presentations in less than 5ft. of water with a moderate retrieve.

   The Second Place team, of Brad Morley and Ryan Hohl, both from St. Charles, Mo bucked the moving bait trend, and worked the mid lake area pitching jigs to laydowns with chunk rock. The team caught several keepers thought the day with their best 5 pushing the scales down to 17.97lbs. Brad and Ryan are sponsored by 154 Marine, Quantum, Strike King, and Ardent Outdoors.

   Making their Joe Bass Team Trail debut, and coming in Third Place was Mark Totten of Stoutsville, Mo. and Shad Fisher of Lentner Mo. (what a name for a bass fisherman!). This duo fished secondary points ½ way back in the creeks, their bait of choice was a Booyah spinnerbait. Shad later informed me that he began the day fishing a crankbait but switched to the spinnerbait after hearing his partner repeatedly shouting “BOOYAH!!!” as he set the hook on another keeper! The team’s best 5 gave them 16.86lbs.

   Finishing in 4^th and catching the tournaments Big Joe Bass, was the team of Charlie Kunkle, Perry Mo. and Mack Tucker from Monroe City, Mo. their best 5 weighed 16.62lbs. The Big Joe Bass weighing 6.43lbs. was fooled by a spinnerbait in the mid lake area near a windy point.

   Our first place team of Kenny Grothoff and Ray Skinner also won the draw prize of a 1000yd spool of Seaguar 100% Florocarbon fishing line. Next tournament see Kenny and Ray for you 20lb test spooling needs!

 To see all results and standings go to www.joebassteamtrail.com for details

   Our next Mark Twain Division Joe Bass Team Trail event will be June 10, 2012 6:00am. till 3:00pm. at Robert Allen Ramp.

 Special thanks to our division sponsor, 154 Marine. Let Charlie and Sonnie show you the new ZX and TZX series of Skeeter Boats powered by Yamaha Outboards. 573-565-2052

   Host lodging for the Mark Twain Division is Country Inn Resort 22938 Hwy EE. 573-267-3800 Rich and Mary are offering 10% off room rates to Joe Bass Team Trail Members