Faircloth Tops 50 Pounds On Way To First Victory

Todd Faircloth got to bass fishing's upper echelon via his prowess with a flipping stick. He never imagined he'd use a spinning rod to forge his first tour-level win.

The dyed-in-the-wool east Texas power-fisherman dropshotted his way to victory at the Table Rock Bassmaster Elite Series. He caught an 11-04 bag today that gave him a 50-09, 4-day total and a winning margin of more than 4 pounds in the final event of the season.

Oklahoma's Edwin Evers, who badly wanted to close out the year with a win, caught 10-14 today and was the runner-up with a 46-03 total. Arkansas' Kevin Short, who hated to see the season end, caught 13-01 today and finished 3rd with 45-14.

Day 2 leader Bill Lowen, a rookie from Ohio, caught today's top bag (14-05) and ended up 4th with 43-13. Canada's Jon Bondy finished off his best event of the season with an 11-11 bag and 42-06 total, which put him 5th.

Here's how the rest of the Top 12 field ended up:

6. William Smith Jr.: 41-00
7. Ish Monroe: 36-08
8. Tommy Biffle: 36-00
9. Brian Snowden: 35-11
10. Skeet Reese: 34-09
11. John Murray: 32-10
12. Shaw Grigsby: 27-08

BASS released the final points list after today's weigh-in, and the Top 37 earned invitations to the 2007 Bassmaster Classic at Lay Lake in Birmingham, Ala. In the coveted 37th spot was California's Ish Monroe, whose 7th-place finish here boosted him 11 spots. He was also the 48th and final qualifier for last month's FLW Tour Championship (he finished 47th in that event).

Florida's Shaw Grigsby, who was tied for 11th with Monroe after day 3 but was ruled ineligible for day 4 after self-reporting a violation of the Elite Series rule that prohibits obtaining information from a co-angler, ended up 39th in the points. Kotaro Kiriyama of Alabama was the first angler out of Classic qualification in 38th (three points behind Monroe).

The Kimberling City, Mo. area experienced rain and substantial wind (15-20 mph) for the first time in the 4-day event, and it seemed to loosen up a tough bite. More than half of the anglers who fished today caught limits and all but two caught at least four fish.

Faircloth's Wait Over

The 31-year-old Faircloth had never won a BASS event at any level. His biggest previous victory was at the 1999 Rayburn Central Stren.

"The emotions were just pouring out," he said. "I'm so excited that words can't describe it. I'd been trying to win one for 7 or 8 years and I'd just never gotten it done.

"The thought crosses your mind of whether it's ever going to happen. Everybody kept telling me that my time would come, but I'd started to wonder."

He had a lineup of more than a dozen locations that he worked with a dropshot rig. He targeted deep spotted bass throughout the week.

"I'm known for flipping and cranking and power-fishing, and I'm by no means an expert on light tackle and spinning gear. I think the biggest key was that I didn't have two or three spots, but more like 12 to 15. I had spots that I never fished in the tournament where I felt I could catch fish – I just didn't have time to fish them all."

He caught his first keeper within 5 minutes today, but he had to grind out the rest of his limit.

"I finally got the fifth one at about (12:45). From about 12:30 to 3, they bit pretty good."

Details of his winning pattern, as well as those of the other top finishers, will be posted soon.

2nd: Evers Disappointed

Evers' finish was his best of the year, but he wasn't entirely thrilled.

"It's all right, but I sure would've liked to have won," he said. "My hat's off to Todd – he got the job done.

"I just wanted it real bad and I thought I could do it. My goal was to win one this year, and I didn't have the pressure of making the Classic or anything like that (he ended up 8th in the points), so I focused all my energy on it."

He caught nine keepers and about 20 shorts today. Nothing much happened for him until about 9:00 (about the time the rain started), but he had steady action the rest of the day.

"What I had going on was an afternoon deal. It was that way every day."

3rd: Short Not Ready to Quit

Short notched his third straight Top 6 and was among the Top 13 for the fourth consecutive event. Such a streak seemed highly unlikely 2 months ago, after he'd finished 81st or worse in five of the first eight tournaments and no better than 61st in any of them.

"I really wasn't in a position to win this one, but the way I started off the season, I'm not complaining one little bit," he said. "I'm just happy to get whatever I can get.

"I feel like I could win one if we had about four more tournaments to go."

He caught eight keepers today, but none before 9:00. "After that I just kind of got focused and caught them."

He said that despite his early struggles, he thoroughly enjoyed the Elite Series. His late-season flurry bumped him up to 67th in the points, so he'll be back next year (the Top 70 requalify).

"A lot of people said it wasn't going to fly, but it flew big. It was a hit, and I'm just proud to be a part of it.

"I'm already looking forward to next year. I'm ready to go."

4th: Lowen's Mission Accomplished

Lowen's only goal coming in was to qualify for the Bassmaster Classic, and all he had to do to achieve it was stay where he was in the points (36th). Therefore, a Top 5 finish is just gravy.

"It feels pretty good," he said. "I think I executed really well."

He targeted river-dwelling largemouths and might have made a run at the win if he'd gotten more bites – quality bites – on day 3. He weighed just two fish that day for 4-10.

He caught seven keepers today, including a 3 1/2-pounder.

"I didn't have any company up there today, and the fish were right where I needed them to be. I caught two by about noon, and the rest between then and 2:00."

5th: Bondy Going to the Bank

Bondy's goal for the season was to make checks (finish among the Top 50) in five events. He reached it at this tournament, and his finish was his best of the year by 14 places.

"I feel tremendous," he said. "For a guy from another country fishing for fish (spotted bass) that we don't even have in Canada, I'm ecstatic.

"This will be a big boost for my career. I needed a Top 12 – both financially and for my sponsors."

He caught six keepers today and lost a couple more.

"I fished the same spot I have all 4 days, and it just kept replenishing. I was down to my last worm, and I threw it out and caught my fifth keeper.

"I did a lot of screaming today."

7th: Monroe's Strategy Paid Off

Monroe was another angler who came to Missouri with a specific goal and achieved it.

"I came in knowing that I needed a Top 12 to even have a chance (to make the Classic)," he said. "I fished for consistency, not for a win. I wanted to catch 10 pounds a day."

His 36-08 total meant his average was closer to 9, which was exactly what he caught today. His bag was one fish short of a limit.

"I lost my first fish of the day right at the boat and I didn't have another keeper until noon. As it turned out, that fifth fish wouldn't have mattered unless it was about 5 pounds (the margin between him and 6th-place finisher William Smith of Kentucky).

He ended up catching three of his keepers from the same point, but on two different visits.

"I almost abandoned my whole dropshot pattern, but I decided to go back to the points I started on. On my third cast the second time there, I caught a 3-pounder, then I got another keeper about 5 minutes later."

10th: Reese not Downcast

Reese surrendered places in the standings each day after taking the day 1 lead, but he was happy to finish with his fifth Top 10 of the season.

"I'm pleased," he said. "I'd have obviously liked to have won, and on the first day there was a glimmer of hope that I might be able to do that. But my area was small and I think the fish just ran out.

"Overall it was a good event, and it was a nice way to end the season."

He caught the majority of his fish on a Lucky Craft BDS3 crankbait (chartreuse shad). He took big-bass honors today with a 4-06 hawg.

"I was fishing rocks, laydowns and stumps in water that had some color and had baitfish there. I think that bait drew some bigger strikes because the bass were keying on gizzard shad and not the threadfin."

He said Top 10s carry great significance for him – whether they're in individual events or the final AOY standings.

"I've based my whole career on Top 10s, and that's what I always shoot for in tournaments. I'm not sure why, but that always means you've been pretty consistent.

"The AOY is the same thing. To be in the Top 10 year after year means a lot to me."

11th: Murray Fed 'Em a Spoon

BassFan Big Stick John Murray thought today's windy, wet conditions would be perfect for a jigging spoon, but it didn't produce like he'd hoped.

"I thought they'd bite it real good with the wind and the clouds, but they never really got on it," he said. "I got one good one on it this morning, but that was about all she wrote for the spoon."

He went back to the dropshot pattern he'd used the first 3 days and caught one more keeper. He weighed in 4-11 for the day.

"I caught a bunch of shorts on the dropshot. I probably should have stayed with it and tried to catch five (keepers), but I wanted to try for a couple of good ones."

Notable

> Day 4 stats – 11 anglers, 6 limits, 3 fours, 2 twos.

> Bondy gave a lot of the credit for his Top 5 finish to former tour pro Mickey Bruce of Georgia. "I didn't know anything about fishing for spotted bass until I met Mickey in the early 1990s. The tour came to St. Clair one year and he was out there fishing, and we just kind of bumped boats and started talking. I've been to Lanier to fish with him six or seven times, and I know that helped me in this tournament."

> Reese said he and his family will spend nearly the entire month of December in Mexico. "I'll chill out, drink a few margaritas and have a good time, and the yellowfin tuna will still be around."

> Murray won't compete in the U.S. Open at Nevada's Lake Mead because he can't get there in time for tomorrow's day 1 launch after fishing today, but he'll still go as a spectator. Two other Elite Series anglers – two-time defending champion Aaron Martens and Byron Velvick – are entered.

> BassFan Big Stick Chris Koester finished 4th in the non-boater division, which concluded Saturday. Click here to read his practice and daily tournament reports.

Day 4 (Final) Standings

1. Todd Faircloth -- Jasper, Texas -- 20, 50-09 -- 310 -- $101,000
-- Day 1: 5, 13-09 -- Day 2: 5, 10-14 -- Day 3: 5, 14-14 -- Day 4: 5, 11-04

2. Edwin Evers -- Talala, Okla. -- 20, 46-03 -- 295 -- $30,000
-- Day 1: 5, 10-05 -- Day 2: 5, 11-12 -- Day 3: 5, 13-04 -- Day 4: 5, 10-14

3. Kevin Short -- Mayflower, Ark. -- 18, 45-14 -- 290 -- $25,000
-- Day 1: 5, 14-01 -- Day 2: 4, 8-02 -- Day 3: 4, 10-10 -- Day 4: 5, 13-01

4. Bill Lowen -- North Bend, Ohio -- 17, 43-13 -- 290 -- $19,000
-- Day 1: 5, 13-03 -- Day 2: 5, 11-11 -- Day 3: 2, 4-10 -- Day 4: 5, 14-05

5. Jon Bondy -- Windsor, Canada -- 18, 42-06 -- 280 -- $17,000
-- Day 1: 4, 9-03 -- Day 2: 5, 11-13 -- Day 3: 4, 9-11 -- Day 4: 5, 11-11

6. William Smith, Jr -- Somerset, Ky. -- 18, 41-00 -- 276 -- $15,500
-- Day 1: 5, 11-09 -- Day 2: 5, 11-10 -- Day 3: 3, 6-15 -- Day 4: 5, 10-14

7. Ishama Monroe -- Hughson, Calif. -- 14, 36-08 -- 272 -- $15,500
-- Day 1: 2, 6-05 -- Day 2: 5, 12-07 -- Day 3: 3, 8-12 -- Day 4: 4, 9-00

8. Tommy Biffle -- Wagoner, Okla. -- 15, 36-00 -- 268 -- $14,500
-- Day 1: 3, 7-00 -- Day 2: 4, 12-02 -- Day 3: 4, 9-05 -- Day 4: 4, 7-09

9. Brian Snowden -- Reeds Spring, Mo. -- 17, 35-11 -- 264 -- $14,000
-- Day 1: 3, 6-10 -- Day 2: 5, 11-10 -- Day 3: 5, 10-04 -- Day 4: 4, 7-03

10. Skeet Reese -- Auburn, Calif. -- 12, 34-09 -- 265 -- $15,500
-- Day 1: 5, 15-10 -- Day 2: 3, 7-08 -- Day 3: 2, 5-05 -- Day 4: 2, 6-02

11. John Murray -- Phoenix, Ariz. -- 12, 32-10 -- 257 -- $13,500
-- Day 1: 2, 3-06 -- Day 2: 5, 16-01 -- Day 3: 3, 8-08 -- Day 4: 2, 4-11

12. Shaw E Grigsby, Jr -- Gainesville, Fla. -- 11, 27-08 -- 254 -- $12,300
-- Day 1: 4, 9-09 -- Day 2: 5, 12-05 -- Day 3: 2, 5-10 -- Day 4: 0, 0-00

Big Bass

Day 4: Skeet Reese -- Auburn, Calif. -- 4-06 -- $1,000
Day 3: Denny Brauer -- Camdenton, Mo. -- 4-09 -- $500
Day 3: Ishama Monroe -- Hughson, Calif. -- 4-09 -- $500
Day 2: Randy Howell -- Springville, Ala. -- 4-14 -- $1,000
Day 1: Chad Brauer -- Osage Beach, Mo. -- 4-12 -- $500
Day 1: Alton Jones -- Waco, Texas -- 4-12 -- $500

Final Elite Series Points

(Note: The Top 37 qualify for the 2007 Bassmaster Classic and the Top 70 qualify for the 2007 Elite Series)

1 Michael Iaconelli -- N.J. -- 2648

2 Steve Kennedy -- Ala. -- 2591

3 Kevin VanDam -- Mich. -- 2582

4 Aaron Martens -- Ala. -- 2572

5 Dean Rojas -- Ariz. -- 2493

6 Kevin Wirth -- Ky. -- 2458

7 Skeet Reese -- Calif. -- 2456

8 Edwin Evers -- Okla. -- 2454

9 Tommy Biffle -- Okla. -- 2420

10 Kelly Jordon -- Texas -- 2410

11 Greg Hackney -- La. -- 2404

12 Jason Quinn -- S.C. -- 2355

13 Gerald Swindle -- Ala. -- 2347

14 Denny Brauer -- Mo. -- 2303

15 Russ Lane -- Ala. -- 2286

16 Alton Jones -- Texas -- 2269

17 John Murray -- Ariz. -- 2259

18 Jared Lintner -- Calif. -- 2240

19 Peter Thliveros -- Fla. -- 2228

20 John Crews -- Va. -- 2226

21 Matt Reed -- Texas -- 2198

22 Mike McClelland -- Ark. -- 2174

23 Todd Faircloth -- Texas -- 2162

24 Randy Howell -- Ala. -- 2161

25 Mike Wurm -- Ark. -- 2156

26 Bill Lowen -- Ohio -- 2134

27 Jeff Reynolds -- Okla. -- 2114

28 Lee Bailey -- Ala. -- 2097

28 Mark Tucker -- Mo. -- 2097

30 Timmy Horton -- Ala. -- 2090

31 Terry Scroggins -- Fla. -- 2068

32 Zell Rowland -- Texas -- 2063

33 Jeff Kriet -- Okla. -- 2058

34 Rick Clunn -- Mo. -- 2056

35 Takahiro Omori -- Texas -- 2052

36 Gary Klein -- Texas -- 2032

37 Ishama Monroe -- Calif. -- 2015

38 Kotaro Kiriyama -- Ala. -- 2012

39 Shaw Grigsby, Jr -- Fla. -- 2007

40 Davy Hite -- S.C. -- 1994

41 Brent Chapman -- Kan. -- 1982

42 Kenyon Hill -- Okla. -- 1979

43 Dave Wolak -- Pa. -- 1971

44 Terry Butcher -- Okla. -- 1961

45 Stephen Browning -- Ark. -- 1959

46 Greg Gutierrez -- Calif. -- 1944

47 Scott Rook -- Ark. -- 1943

48 Morizo Shimizu -- Calif. -- 1924

49 Paul Elias -- Miss. -- 1917

50 Bradley Hallman -- Okla. -- 1889

51 Bernie Schultz -- Fla. -- 1885

51 William Smith, Jr -- Ky. -- 1885

53 Chad Brauer -- Mo. -- 1881

54 Brian Snowden -- Mo. -- 1861

55 Yusuke Miyazaki -- Texas -- 1842

56 Ray Sedgwick -- S.C. -- 1833

57 Jeff Connella -- La. -- 1830

58 Jeremy Starks -- W.Va. -- 1812

59 Jimmy Mize -- Ark. -- 1800

60 Darrin Schwenkbeck -- Md. -- 1798

61 Chris Lane -- Fla. -- 1768

62 Jon Bondy -- Canada -- 1762

63 Marty Stone -- N.C. -- 1753

64 Mark Tyler -- Ariz. -- 1746

65 Steve Daniel -- Fla. -- 1745

66 Jami Fralick -- S.D. -- 1725

67 Kevin Short -- Ark. -- 1713

68 Mark Menendez -- Ky. -- 1708

69 Fred Roumbanis -- Calif. -- 1697

70 Frank Scalish -- Ohio -- 1696

71 Kevin Langill -- N.C. -- 1694

71 Keith Phillips -- Ala. -- 1694

73 Ken Cook -- Okla. -- 1670

74 Elton Luce Jr -- Texas -- 1655

75 Paul Hirosky -- Pa. -- 1654

76 Britt Myers -- N.C. -- 1646

77 Charlie Youngers -- Fla. -- 1642

78 Preston Clark -- Fla. -- 1637

79 Mike Reynolds -- Calif. -- 1632

80 Dave Smith -- Okla. -- 1620

81 Rick Morris -- Va. -- 1586

82 Kurt Dove -- Va. -- 1583

83 Pete Ponds -- Miss. -- 1568

83 Charlie Hartley -- Ohio -- 1568

85 Guy Eaker -- N.C. -- 1564

86 Byron Velvick -- Nev. -- 1554

87 Jarrett Edwards -- Ariz. -- 1550

88 Grant Goldbeck -- Md. -- 1534

89 Bradley Stringer -- Texas -- 1532

90 David Gliebe -- Ky. -- 1523

91 Mike O'Shea -- Calif. -- 1518

92 Vince Hurtado -- Calif. -- 1512

93 Joe Thomas -- Ohio -- 1473

94 Charlie Weyer -- Calif. -- 1447

95 Doc Merkin -- Ill. -- 1446

96 Terry Segraves -- Fla. -- 1435

97 Bink Desaro -- Idaho -- 1389

98 Ken Brodeur -- Conn. -- 1383

99 Mark Rogers -- Fla. -- 1292

100 Rick Ash -- Pa. -- 1177

101 Jimmy Houston -- Okla. -- 1084

102 Brooks Rogers -- Texas -- 1031

103 Randy Yarnall -- Pa. -- 1027

104 Robert Hamilton Jr -- Miss. -- 551

105 Conrad Picou -- La. -- 390

106 Dustin Wilks -- N.C. -- 151