With some concerns over rough lake conditions with the club’s original plans to launch from Tobacco Gardens resort on the western shores of Lake Sakakawea, the alternate ramp was used at New Town Marina. Five teams came ready to battle it out on the big lake in blistering hot weather.

All teams shared fair luck catching fish, all did say it was a struggle to find fish big enough to reach the clubs self-imposed minimum length of 14”. With that being said, there were two teams that did dial into a pattern that the rest of the field did not figure out. Coming in first was team Bob & Paul Reinbold weighing in 8.66 pounds of smallmouth and shortly behind in second was Team Keepers (Mike and Angela Messall) with 8.16 pounds with a 2.17-pound kicker giving them big fish honors for the tournament! Rounding out the field in third was Tanner Mallams with 4.88 pound for a short bag of 3 smallmouth bass.

As you all can imagine after reading these tournament results that fishing was in general tougher but both Team Reinbold and Team Keepers did key in on a pattern that proved successful. They both shared that fish were on shallow gravel flats and either caught fish on the initial reaction seeing the bait drop or leaving it lay still for them to eventually pick up.

The next event is at New John’s south of Mercer, ND. This is usually the event that produces the largest average smallmouth bass of the season, so come prepared for some hungry footballs! See you all there!