Steve Kennedy held on to win the Neely Henry PAA Tournament Series in Alabama today, but his margin of victory was a lot smaller than he'd hoped – or expected – it would be.
He'd caught 14-pound sacks on each of the first 2 days and started day 3 with a 2 1/2 pound advantage. He came in with a little less than 10 pounds, though, and had to endure a considerable amount of drama at the weigh-in as Greg Vinson, who'd begun the day in 12th, boxed what was easily the biggest bag of the tournament.
In the end, Vinson's near-18-pound stringer wasn't quite enough. Kennedy's 38.12-pound total eclipsed that of his fellow Alabamian by about a quarter-pound.
Vinson, whose bag contained a 6-pounder (the biggest fish of the event) settled for the runner-up slot with a 37.92 aggregate. Newly crowned Angler of the Year (AOY) Todd Auten ended up 3rd with 13.77 today for a 36.66 total.
Day-1 leader Gary Yamamoto's weight fell off for the second straight day, and his 7.92 bag left him 4th with 33.76. Chad Morgenthaler rounded out the Top 5 with 12.48 today for a 33.69 total.
Here are the final numbers for the bottom half of the Top 10:
6. Russ Lane -- 32.33
7. Adam Brown -- 32.24
8. Derek Remitz -- 31.23
9. Matt Reed -- 31.17
10. Takahiro Omori -- 31.09
The event was the finale for the three-tournament circuit and the Top 15 in the final points standings qualified for the Toyota Texas Bass Classic at Lake Conroe in October. PAA communications director Alan Clemens notified BassFan that the final standings would likely be released on Sunday.
Kennedy's use of an aluminum boat gave him access to a backwater area that couldn't be reached by other competitors.
“We are double-checking the standings before extending the official invitations to the PAA Tournament Series anglers who qualify," Clemons said. "The Toyota Texas Bass Classic is a highlight of the year, bringing together the Top 15 anglers from the Tournament Series, Bassmaster Elite Series and FLW Tour, and the PAA is excited to again be part of this prestigious world championship that will determine the best of the best on Lake Conroe in October.”
Kennedy Relieved
> Day 4: 5, 9.89 (15, 38.12)
Kennedy's worst fear was almost realized.
"I'd said (yesterday) that somebody could come in with 17 or 18 pounds and beat me," he said. "I thought I could potentially win with 8 or 9, and I knew if I got to 12, it would take something special (to surpass him).
"I thought I had about 10 1/2 pounds and I was sure I had 10. When they put they fish on the scale, the first number that registered was 9.69 and I got a sinking feeling, like 'no, no, no.' Then it bounced to three different numbers in the 9.50s before it locked in at 9.89.
"I looked at that thing and did a double take, and I was thinking that it was wrong. But then they said I won and it was just like, 'Woohoo!'''
He said he caught more fish than he had on day 2, but his best today was 2 3/4 pounds. He fished the same creek arm throughout the event, using an aluminum boat to access the most remote portions.
"I never got the big bite today," said the 2009 PAA AOY. "I made a few casts with a big swimbait, but I was never in a position to feel comfortable enough to just pick up the big bait and keep throwing it. I wasn't gunning for 5-pounders."
He caught fish on numerous baits (mostly reaction-type stuff) throughout the course of the tournament. Details of his winning pattern will be published soon.
2nd: Vinson Gave it a Run
> Day 3: 5, 17.92 (15, 37.92)
Vinson figured out a super-shallow flipping pattern late on day 2 and nearly parlayed it into a victory. He made big moves in the standings each day – from 28th after day 1 to 12th after day 2 and to 2nd today.
Greg Vinson's final-day bag was the best of the tournament and his 6-pounder took big-fish honors.
"It was one of those days you dream about," he said. "I'd been getting quality bites off and on, but today everything came together and I made all the right moves. You hope to catch a bag like that, but I certainly wasn't expecting it because it's been a pretty tough bite.
"I figured out that a lot of better-quality fish were really shallow around grass. I didn't get many bites, but when I did get one, chances were it was 3 1/2-plus."
His flipping bet was a NetBait B Bug in black neon, which was Texas-rigged below a 5/16-ounce weight.
3rd: Auten Missed a Good One
> Day 3: 5, 13.77 (15, 36.66)
Auten would've made the final tally a bit closer if he'd been able to boat his best bite of the final day.
"Other than losing one fish today, I'm pretty happy," he said. "I was ecstatic about the Angler of the Year, but I really found out about that yesterday.
"I really didn't know what was in store for me today – I felt I could catch a limit, but I was just trying to hold my own. I had about a 4-pounder on, but I cut him off on the trolling motor. That's the first time I'd ever done that."
He related that right after he hooked the fish, he realized that he was about to crash into a dock. Compounding matters, there were two large dogs on the dock and a "Beware of the Dog" sign nearby.
"I don't know if they were Great Danes or what, but they were that big. It was kind of an exciting moment and it all happened real fast.
"But right after I lost that fish, I put my Power-Poles down and retied and threw back out and caught a 3-pounder, so it wasn't all bad."
His primary bait was a white Phenix jig with a pearl Zoom Super Fluke trailer lathered in JJ's Magic scent.
4th: Yamamoto Satisfied
> Day 3: 5, 7.92 (15, 33.76)
Yamamoto couldn't sustain his red-hot start, but he was okay with his final placement.
Todd Auten caught some solid fish today, but his biggest bite got away.
"Coming to a lake I'd never seen before and getting 4th place, I think that's pretty good," he said. "The first day I caught a whole bunch of fish trying to get the most weight I could, and that sort of hurt me.
"But you've got to go for it when you get the chance. I didn't have anything else that was nearly as good."
He stuck with the same shallow pattern he'd employed since day 1 and threw his own Double Tail grub (black/blue).
"I don't think I caught a fish that was deeper than a foot and a half and I could've gone out every day with one rod and one bait."
6th: Lane One Short
> Day 3: 4, 8.99 (14, 32.33)
Lane managed just four fish for 9 pounds today after threatening the 14-pound mark on day 2.
"It's the way my whole year's gone," he said. "I had more than enough bites to win, but I can't put it together. I want to win a major tournament more than anything and I think I'm doing everything right.
"I really feel like I fished better this year than I have in my whole career. It just hasn't worked out the way I expected it to."
He got nine keeper bites today, but failed to capitalize on five of them.
"I caught a 4 1/2-pounder early and I really thought things were about to get rolling, but it was all downhill from there. But overall, I had a good week and I'll take a Top 10 against that group any day."
Notable
> Takahiro Omori (10th, 31.09) caught his second 11-pound-plus bag of the event, but a 7 3/4-pound day 2 kept him out of the Top 5. "I just fished new water today, running down the lake and getting one here and one there," he said. "I fished any laydown or riprap (bank) and when the sun came out, I looked for docks and overhanging branches (that created) shade."
> For the final tournament standings, click here.
