Christie Cruises To 10-Pound Hartwell Blowout

Jason Christie almost up and left the spot that had treated him so well across the first 3 days of the Hartwell FLW Tour Major in South Carolina. He worked through the area once and didn't get a bite on his spinnerbait.

But then at 9:30 he made a little change to an adjacent creek and boated his first fish. It had pulled away from the bank, presumably because of the cold water dumping into the lake from the frigid

rainstorms. That fish convinced him to stay and he rode the area to another solid limit and a wire-to-wire victory – his first at the tour level.

Christie's 14-13 limit today brought his 4-day total to 70-11 – an average of nearly 18 pounds a day – and he pocketed $100,000 plus a $25,000 contingency bonus.

In so doing, he scored a victory for hardworking anglers everywhere. No trust fund for Christie. No angel to bankroll him. He went from using a borrowed boat and pickup for jackpots to working team events, then up through the BFLs, EverStarts, finally to the Tour and in his fourth Tour season achieved the crucial victory benchmark that so many of his peers only dream about.

And just as importantly, Christie helped solidify his career. Until today, he'd been recognized only as a threat. He led the first day of a tour-level event three separate times, and was the leader with 1 day left to fish at the 2009 Walmart Open. But until today, he'd never been able to close.

He also represents yet one more accomplished pro to come out of the fierce Oklahoma proving ground he calls home.

This week, Christie fished the spawn, although he never sight-fished after day 2. That's when the rain and frigid overnight lows rolled through and endured across the final 2 days. He continued to work bedding areas, but did so largely with a moving bait.

He fished a backwater area along with 3rd-place Ramie Colson Jr. and 12th-place Dan Morehead. It was a flooded cow pasture, Christie said, and the fish were bedding on vegetative matter he'd never seen before – he called it "sprouts."

Tom Monsoor was arguably the only pro in the field with a legitimate shot to catch Christie today. Monsoor had been fishing a jerkbait all week, but today his largemouths turned into stripers and he weighed a lone black, which dropped him to 10th.

Instead, Brent Ehrler – who won two Tour events last year – surged to finish 2nd on the strength of a 15 1/2-pound bag.

Colson weighed 14-04 and moved up seven spots to finish 3rd.

Stacey King, who was runner-up at the Walmart Open a few weeks ago, caught 12-01 and finished 4th.

Walmart Open winner Bryan Thrift finished 5th.

Each finishing place is separated by 1 point in the Angler of the Year (AOY) calculations, and since Thrift and King finished 1-2 at Beaver, then a reversed 4-5 today, the two are now tied atop the FLW Tour AOY race.

Christie Needs 1,000 Pieces

> Day 4: 5, 14-13 (20, 70-11)

With victory in hand, Christie's emotions were in full flow.

"I'm an angler who started from scratch," he said. "I fished my first 5 years out of a borrowed boat that I pulled with a borrowed pickup. I went though jackpots, teams, BFLs, EverStarts, and now I have a Tour win. And when they handed me the trophy, that's when I thought: 'I need to blow this trophy up into 1,000 pieces, because this is for everybody out there who doesn't have an opportunity to fish pro, but can fish. And this is for the people who support me.

"I'm my own worst critic," he added. "I know I can catch them, but at times I can rattle myself – second-guess myself. Now I know I can compete with these guys, but it was always the people at home blowing me up – telling me I could compete. So everybody who supports me deserves a piece."

About his decision to stick with his area today, he said: "I went through my best area and at 9:30 I didn't have a fish. I started getting antsy about moving and stuff, because I was running the backs of creeks and I knew a lot of them would be blown out (from the rain). But I had one little bitty area in the same creek (I was fishing), and I went over there and got that first bite that tells you what they want.

"When I got that bite I knew I was staying. I ended up catching all my fish today in that same creek – just in that different area. It was a 60- to 80-acre backwater and I kind of laid claim to half of it the first 3 days, then had to move today to that little deeper stretch."

His primary bait was a 1/2-ounce Booyah spinnerbait in chartreuse/white with a single gold Colorado blade. If fish showed themselves on the spinnerbait but didn't eat, he'd pitch back with either a Yum Mighty Bug or Yum Wooly Hog (both in green-pumpkin with F2 stimulant).

More details on his winning pattern, plus pattern information for the other top finishers, will be posted soon.

2nd: Ehrler Surprised, Stoked

> Day 4: 5, 15-08 (20, 60-11)

Ehrler was shocked when Monsoor pulled just one fish out. And considering that he was fishing for 2nd to begin with, today exceeded his expectations. Especially notable is Ehrler ran tons of new water every day – the opposite of Christie's approach.

"My goal was just to move up and I definitely achieved my goal," Ehrler said. "I thought there was no way I'd be able to move up to 2nd.

"I'm stoked about it because in practice I had no clue I could do this well. I was catching some fish, but not very many big ones. It's one of those things where I knew I was going to have to fish new water. I saw a lot of big fish swimming around in practice, but they were impossible to catch. I caught three bed-fish, but the rest I caught just casting."

3rd: Colson Happy

> Day 4: 5, 12-01 (20, 57-10)

Colson began the day in 3rd and like Ehrler improved beyond expectation.

As noted, Colson fished the same general area as Christie, but was to a different side of the backwater.

"It's been a good week," Colson said. "Andy Morgan and I stayed together and we fished three 12-hour days in practice and figured a little something out between us both. It paid off. He made the Top 20 and I made the Top 10, which is a good deal.

"The whole week went great," Colson added. "I really didn't see Jason until yesterday – he was ahead of me each day – so I didn't know he was fishing in there. If I'd have done a little better the first day maybe I could have finished 2nd, but the way my season went last year with all the ups and downs, I can't complain. I'm pleased to be back up there and in this position."

About where everyone fished in the backwater, Colson said: "It was kind of a funny deal. You'd go in under a bridge and it was nothing but a big flat. Three-quarters of the way back, which is where we were fishing, there was a little peninsula that came out through the center. Morehead and Christie were on the right side, I was on the left side. I had the whole left side to myself. It worked out good."

4th: King Pleased

> Day 4: 5, 12-01 (20, 57-10)

A 2nd followed by a 4th is a great way to start a season, and it's been a long time since King has fished this well.

"I'm real pleased with it," King said. "When I came over here I had no idea I'd do well. I didn't know much about this lake, but I got fortunate to get on a good pattern that held up all week. It was a good area with a lot of quality largemouths."

And his two finishes this season highlight his trademark versatility. He fished deep at Beaver and in a foot or two of water here.

"I just wasn't on the quality of fish Jason was," King added. "I did lose a good fish this afternoon – a 4- or 5-pounder – which was my only quality bite today. That would have given me another 2 pounds at least. But I'm not worried about it. I fished good all week. I caught a ton of keeper bass and only lost that one. I had pretty good execution."

5th: Thrift Happy

> Day 4: 5, 10-07 (20, 55-13)

Thrift's run continues, and it's simply astonishing. He logged a win and a 5th in his two most recent Tour events. And today marks his fifth Top 5 in a little over 12 months, and seventh Top 10.

Another look at the math: He's finished 5th or better in five of his seven most recent full-field FLW Tour (Major) events.

BassFan will shortly publish a new edition of the World Rankings. It's possible that Thrift could retake the No. 1 position again.

"I'm happy with it," Thrift said of his finish here. "Anytime you're in the Top 10 you have to be happy with it. I never felt I was on the fish to win, so I'm happy with what I did.

"There's nothing else I really could have done. I did lose two 4-pounders the first day that would have got me a few more points, but those were the only two I lost all week."

Notable

> Day 4 stats – 10 anglers, 9 limits, 1 one.

> To view the updated AOY standings, click here.

> Stetson Blaylock (9th): "I fished the clear end all week. I caught most of my fish on a Berkley Hollow Belly – skipping it around docks. The last 2 days it got cloudy and I had to go to a Berkley Wacky Crawler on a shakey-head. I just didn't know enough areas on this lake to run around and catch any more big ones."

> Monsoor (10th): "I went and did everything the same way I did the last 3 days. My first spot, I pulled up and in 2 minutes, bang. I thought 'Oh boy it's a 5-pounder' but it was a 6-pound striper. Every spot I went to I caught big stripers. I couldn't catch a bass. I don't know what happened. They all turned into stripers."

Day 4 (Final) Standings

1. Jason Christie -- Park Hill, OK -- 5, 22-04 -- 5, 20-04 -- 5, 13-06 -- 5, 14-13 -- 20, 70-11 -- $100,000 + $25,000

2. Brent Ehrler -- Redlands, CA -- 5, 15-13 -- 5, 15-15 -- 5, 13-07 -- 5, 15-08 -- 20, 60-11 -- $35,000

3. Ramie Colson Jr -- Cadiz, KY -- 5, 13-02 -- 5, 17-06 -- 5, 14-08 -- 5, 14-04 -- 20, 59-04 -- $30,000

4. Stacey King -- Reeds Spring, MO -- 5, 13-13 -- 5, 18-10 -- 5, 13-02 -- 5, 12-01 -- 20, 57-10 -- $25,000

5. Bryan Thrift -- Shelby, NC -- 5, 12-14 -- 5, 19-10 -- 5, 12-14 -- 5, 10-07 -- 20, 55-13 -- $20,000

6. Larry Nixon -- Bee Branch, AR -- 5, 18-02 -- 5, 12-04 -- 5, 11-15 -- 5, 12-13 -- 20, 55-02 -- $17,000

7. Joe Thomas -- Milford, OH -- 5, 19-10 -- 5, 11-04 -- 5, 11-05 -- 5, 11-15 -- 20, 54-02 -- $16,000

8. Dave Lefebre -- Union City, PA -- 5, 12-10 -- 5, 17-04 -- 5, 12-08 -- 5, 11-11 -- 20 -- 54-01 -- $15,000

9. Stetson Blaylock -- Benton, AR -- 5, 12-07 -- 5, 18-10 -- 4, 12-04 -- 5, 7-07 -- 19, 50-12 -- $14,000

10. Tom Monsoor -- La Crosse, WI -- 5, 18-09 -- 5, 14-14 -- 5, 16-06 -- 1, 0-13 -- 16, 50-10 -- $13,000