Maupin's Triumph Was The Thrill Of A Lifetime

By John Johnson
BassFan Senior Editor

James Maupin was so ecstatic after winning the Potomac River Eastern Toyota Series event that he didn't want to go home once the final weigh-in had concluded.

"I told the FLW guys they could leave the trailer (that serves as the weigh-in stage) and I'd sleep on it and pack everything up and haul it to wherever they needed it in the morning," said the 42-year-old masonry contractor from Stanardsville, Va. "I've been fishing all my life, but we grew up poor and we didn't have bass boats – we had a little jonboat. To go from that to this is something I'm going to cherish because the next tournament I fish I'll probably go out and zero.

"This is my biggest win, by far. I've won some little local tournaments, but nothing like this."

It was just his second Top-10 finish in 35 FLW events since 2017. The first came a month earlier on the same venue when he was 10th in a BFL.

Things went so well for him that on day 2 he fished a stretch of grass mats behind longtime Potomac ace and Bassmaster Elite Series competitor Bryan Schmitt and caught three quality specimens after Schmitt had come up empty.

"He told me after the tournament that he saw me back there whacking them, but he didn't know what I was throwing. I told him that I (purposely) kept that just out of his sight."

Consistency was Maupin's biggest key as the weight of all three of his bags started with the number 13, resulting in a 40-11 total that eclipsed runner-up Todd Walters by 3 ounces. Schmitt was another 2 pounds back in 3rd.

The victory was worth $24,293. He'd earned a grand total of $736 combined from his 34 previous FLW outings.

Practice Paid Off

Maupin came into the event with quite a bit of experience on the Potomac, but he'd always stayed in the Aquia Creek tributary and "got my butt kicked."

A lot of practice days over the past 6 months with good friend Derek Brown (who finished 9th on the co-angler side) gave him the confidence to venture to other parts of the system. He came up with two key areas for this event – 200-yard grass stretches in Greenway Flats and Mason Neck.

He pounded them relentlessly with no consideration as to what was going on with the tides.

"Just thinking about the tides messes me up so much," he said. "When it was coming in, I pointed the boat toward it. When it started going out, I turned around and went the other way."

He said the he overcast, breezy weather on all 3 days was a huge benefit for him. From his numerous practice days, he'd learned that such conditions pull quality fish from underneath the mats to the outside edge.

"When I saw the clouds and wind, a trigger went off in my head," he said. "I knew I wasn't going to get many bites, but the first couple I got on the last day of practice were good ones.

"It was 100-percent a quick morning bite; for the first hour it didn't matter if it was cloudy or not. Then it would start slowing down a little, and that's when I'd turn the trolling motor on high and start boogeying.

His key offering was a 3/8-ounce Terminator spinnerbait with double gold willow-leaf blades. He had two rods rigged with it – one with 20-pound fluorocarbon for fishing higher in the water column and one with 15-pound that ran deeper.

Rather than paralleling the mats, he made perpendicular presentations.

"I don't parallel because I don't want to cut my co-angler off – I want him to have as much chance of catching fish as I do. The second reason I don't do it is because I think it scares the fish.

"Everybody else was up close to the grass, so I just eased back a bit and I was casting as far as I could. I was really zinging that thing."

He was in 2nd place after day 2 with the field was cut to the Top 10, but trailed leader Wayne Vaughan by 4 3/4 pounds. Vaughan managed just four fish for 6-04 on the final day.

"On the third day I spotted the cameraman and I waved him over – I didn't think I was going to win, but I wanted to get a picture taken. I held up a little fish out of the livewell, then he stayed and watched me afterward and that kind of made me nervous, so I set my primary bait down.

"After a while I looked over my shoulder and he was still there, and I picked the spinnerbait up and on my fifth cast, a 4-pounder just exploded on it. Then about 10 casts later I caught a 3-pounder. That was the highlight of my life right there at that moment."

Winning Gear Notes

> Spinnerbait gear – 7'6" heavy action Cajun Custom Rod, Lew's HyperMag casting reel (7.5:1 ratio), 15- or 20-pound Seaguar Red Label flurocarbon line, 3/8-ounce Terminator spinnerbait (bluegill flash with gold head, red eyes and double gold willow-leaf blades).

Notable

> Maupin and wife Jessica will welcome their first grandchild during the Christmas season.

> The Eastern Division of the Toyota Series has been eliminated for 2021, so he's not sure what he'll fish. "I'll have to travel a little more to fish something bigger next year," he said. "I'd like to see how far I can go and what I can do."

Final Standings

1. James Maupin -- Stanardsville, Va -- 13-4 (5) -- 13-10 (5) -- 13-13 (5) -- 40-11 (15) -- $24,293

2. Todd Walters -- Kernersville, NC -- 10-8 (5) -- 16-5 (5) -- 13-7 (5) -- 40-4 (15) -- $9,413

3. Bryan Schmitt -- Deale, Md -- 11-9 (5) -- 13-2 (5) -- 13-9 (5) -- 38-4 (15) -- $7,288

4. Wayne Vaughan -- Chester, Va -- 17-0 (5) -- 14-10 (5) -- 6-4 (4) -- 37-14 (14) -- $6,139

5. Michael Hall -- Annandale, Va -- 7-5 (5) -- 16-9 (5) -- 8-11 (4) -- 32-9 (14) -- $5,532

6. Kurt Mitchell -- Milford, De -- 10-12 (5) -- 13-7 (5) -- 7-4 (5) -- 31-7 (15) -- $5,059

7. Danny Kirk -- Bartow, Ga -- 14-3 (5) -- 11-6 (5) -- 5-6 (2) -- 30-15 (12) -- $4,251

8. David Williams -- Maiden, NC -- 10-9 (5) -- 13-8 (5) -- 6-14 (4) -- 30-15 (14) -- $3,644

9. Cody Pike -- Powhatan, Va -- 14-4 (5) -- 9-10 (5) -- 3-14 (2) -- 27-12 (12) -- $4,037

10. Joseph Thompson -- Coatesville, Pa -- 12-9 (5) -- 12-12 (5) -- 1-3 (1) -- 26-8 (11) -- $2,429

The following anglers did not make the cut and did not fish on day 3.

11. Pete Gluszek -- Mt. Laurel, NJ -- 12-9 (5) -- 11-2 (4) -- 0-0 (0) -- 23-11 (9) -- $2,277

12. Shawn Huwar -- Ruther Glen, Va -- 15-13 (5) -- 6-15 (5) -- 0-0 (0) -- 22-12 (10) -- $2,126

13. Troy Morrow -- Eastanollee, Ga -- 11-5 (5) -- 11-2 (5) -- 0-0 (0) -- 22-7 (10) -- $1,822

14. Aaron Dixon -- Bel Alton, Md -- 13-0 (5) -- 8-14 (5) -- 0-0 (0) -- 21-14 (10) -- $1,822

15. John Duarte -- Middle River, Md -- 10-12 (5) -- 10-15 (5) -- 0-0 (0) -- 21-11 (10) -- $1,822

16. Preston Harris -- State Road, NC -- 15-14 (5) -- 5-11 (4) -- 0-0 (0) -- 21-9 (9) -- $1,822

17. Brian Calloway -- Danville, Va -- 13-15 (5) -- 6-6 (3) -- 0-0 (0) -- 20-5 (8) -- $1,822

18. Jason Wilson -- Lincolnton, NC -- 10-4 (3) -- 9-11 (4) -- 0-0 (0) -- 19-15 (7) -- $1,822

19. Scott Wiley -- Bay Minette, Al -- 10-14 (5) -- 8-7 (5) -- 0-0 (0) -- 19-5 (10)

20. Michael Crocker -- Pasadena, Md -- 8-13 (4) -- 10-8 (5) -- 0-0 (0) -- 19-5 (9)

21. Danny L. Shanz -- Summerton, SC -- 9-10 (5) -- 9-1 (5) -- 0-0 (0) -- 18-11 (10)

22. Heath Toler -- Walnut Cove, NC -- 10-9 (5) -- 7-15 (5) -- 0-0 (0) -- 18-8 (10)

23. Michael Corbishley -- Raleigh, NC -- 10-1 (5) -- 7-7 (4) -- 0-0 (0) -- 17-8 (9)

24. Michael Iaconelli -- Pittsgrove, NJ -- 9-1 (5) -- 8-6 (5) -- 0-0 (0) -- 17-7 (10)

25. Ben Cox -- Andrews, SC -- 12-2 (5) -- 4-11 (3) -- 0-0 (0) -- 16-13 (8)

26. Jeff Coble -- Manson, NC -- 6-13 (3) -- 9-0 (5) -- 0-0 (0) -- 15-13 (8)

27. Robert Grike -- Dumfries, Va -- 14-1 (5) -- 1-4 (1) -- 0-0 (0) -- 15-5 (6)

28. Scott Hamrick -- Denver, NC -- 3-12 (1) -- 11-8 (5) -- 0-0 (0) -- 15-4 (6)

29. Robert Grabow -- Morgantown, WV -- 6-13 (4) -- 7-12 (5) -- 0-0 (0) -- 14-9 (9)

30. Christopher Grenier -- Clarksburg, WV -- 13-0 (5) -- 1-6 (1) -- 0-0 (0) -- 14-6 (6)

31. Ryan Ingalls -- Manassas, Va -- 11-7 (5) -- 2-14 (1) -- 0-0 (0) -- 14-5 (6)

32. Adam Haithcock -- Butner, NC -- 9-11 (4) -- 3-15 (2) -- 0-0 (0) -- 13-10 (6)

33. Nick Gainey -- Charleston, SC -- 8-11 (5) -- 4-14 (3) -- 0-0 (0) -- 13-9 (8)

34. Marty Robinson -- Lyman, SC -- 1-10 (1) -- 11-11 (5) -- 0-0 (0) -- 13-5 (6)

35. Jamey Caldwell -- Carthage, NC -- 7-5 (4) -- 5-14 (3) -- 0-0 (0) -- 13-3 (7)

36. Larry Church -- Keysville, Va -- 5-6 (2) -- 7-7 (4) -- 0-0 (0) -- 12-13 (6)

37. Jamie Newton -- Falls Church, Va -- 2-7 (2) -- 10-5 (5) -- 0-0 (0) -- 12-12 (7)

38. Timothy Reams -- Oakland, Md -- 12-11 (5) -- 0-0 (0) -- 0-0 (0) -- 12-11 (5)

39. John Bosley -- Westminster, Md -- 5-12 (4) -- 6-11 (5) -- 0-0 (0) -- 12-7 (9)

40. Hunter Eubanks -- Inman, SC -- 1-13 (1) -- 9-11 (5) -- 0-0 (0) -- 11-8 (6)

41. Chris Dover -- Blacksburg, SC -- 6-5 (4) -- 4-14 (3) -- 0-0 (0) -- 11-3 (7)

42. Rick Chenoweth -- Fredericksburg, Va -- 2-6 (2) -- 8-11 (5) -- 0-0 (0) -- 11-1 (7)

43. Kermit Crowder -- Matoaca, Va -- 2-10 (1) -- 8-4 (4) -- 0-0 (0) -- 10-14 (5) -- $200

44. Johnathan Crossland -- Chapin, SC -- 6-2 (4) -- 4-12 (3) -- 0-0 (0) -- 10-14 (7)

45. Chad Cook -- Cross, SC -- 5-13 (2) -- 5-0 (2) -- 0-0 (0) -- 10-13 (4)

46. Michael Murphy -- Gilbert, SC -- 10-10 (5) -- 0-0 (0) -- 0-0 (0) -- 10-10 (5)

47. Jason Tibbetts -- Centreville, Va -- 6-14 (3) -- 3-12 (2) -- 0-0 (0) -- 10-10 (5)

48. Randy Fowler -- Winston-Salem, NC -- 3-15 (3) -- 6-10 (5) -- 0-0 (0) -- 10-9 (8)

49. Tim Cales -- Sandstone, WV -- 1-9 (1) -- 8-14 (5) -- 0-0 (0) -- 10-7 (6)

50. Burke Hutcheson -- Durham, NC -- 2-12 (1) -- 7-11 (2) -- 0-0 (0) -- 10-7 (3)

51. Matthew Mollohan -- Prosperity, SC -- 6-0 (3) -- 4-6 (2) -- 0-0 (0) -- 10-6 (5)

52. Timothy Sisk -- Kings Mountain, NC -- 3-13 (2) -- 6-2 (3) -- 0-0 (0) -- 9-15 (5)

53. Chris Fiore -- Midlothian, Va -- 9-3 (4) -- 0-0 (0) -- 0-0 (0) -- 9-3 (4)

54. Shayne Berlo -- Mclean, Va -- 5-1 (3) -- 3-10 (1) -- 0-0 (0) -- 8-11 (4)

55. Liam West -- Greenville, SC -- 8-3 (3) -- 0-0 (0) -- 0-0 (0) -- 8-3 (3)

56. Wil Dieffenbauch -- Morgantown, WV -- 0-0 (0) -- 7-13 (5) -- 0-0 (0) -- 7-13 (5)

57. Trent Palmer -- Cumming, Ga -- 7-9 (4) -- 0-0 (0) -- 0-0 (0) -- 7-9 (4)

58. Martin Villa -- Charlottesville, Va -- 0-0 (0) -- 7-9 (4) -- 0-0 (0) -- 7-9 (4)

59. Thomas Guthke -- Townville, SC -- 3-12 (2) -- 3-10 (2) -- 0-0 (0) -- 7-6 (4)

60. Jeff Currie -- Camden, Ny -- 6-15 (4) -- 0-0 (0) -- 0-0 (0) -- 6-15 (4)

61. Drew Montgomery -- Maiden, NC -- 1-5 (1) -- 5-8 (4) -- 0-0 (0) -- 6-13 (5)

62. Cole Harris -- Essex Junction, Vt -- 1-15 (1) -- 4-14 (3) -- 0-0 (0) -- 6-13 (4)

63. Cameron Lineback -- Mount Airy, NC -- 2-8 (2) -- 4-1 (3) -- 0-0 (0) -- 6-9 (5)

64. Gary Isgrigg -- Mt. Washington, Ky -- 5-12 (3) -- 0-0 (0) -- 0-0 (0) -- 5-12 (3)

65. Chris Dillow -- Waynesboro, Va -- 0-0 (0) -- 5-7 (3) -- 0-0 (0) -- 5-7 (3) -- $500

66. Marvin Reese -- Randallstown, Md -- 2-11 (1) -- 2-12 (2) -- 0-0 (0) -- 5-7 (3)

67. Wesley Cashwell -- Roanoke Rapids, NC -- 5-6 (3) -- 0-0 (0) -- 0-0 (0) -- 5-6 (3)

68. Dennis Middleton -- Madison Heights, Va -- 0-0 (0) -- 2-14 (1) -- 0-0 (0) -- 2-14 (1)

69. Steven Wiseman -- Bryans Rd, Md -- 0-0 (0) -- 2-4 (1) -- 0-0 (0) -- 2-4 (1)

70. Eddie Whiten Jr -- Townville, SC -- 2-1 (2) -- 0-0 (0) -- 0-0 (0) -- 2-1 (2)

71. Scott Beattie -- Sherrills Ford, NC -- 1-10 (1) -- 0-0 (0) -- 0-0 (0) -- 1-10 (1)