Jolly Gator Bass Series – Classic Tournament Results
The early morning of Saturday August 13th greeted our 13 qualifying teams with a nearly full moon overhead, light breeze and anticipation of a good bite for this end of season Classic event. With huge smiles, some trash talking and partly cloudy skies our 13 teams departed Jolly Gator Fish camp at 6:30 am sharp. The St. Johns River is at the lowest pool height in some 30 years will surely limit locations where most of the teams will be able to access the fish.
We had a large crowd gathered during the day of fishing to watch the teams start pulling into Jolly Gator just before the 3pm cutoff. More than $10,000 was up for grabs in payout and the crowning of “Team of the Year Points Leaders” and “Big Bass of the Year”. All 13 teams brought a 5 bass limit to the scales and the top 4 teams were separated by less than 1 pound – our closest Classic finish in the last 5 years. The team of Jim Brogden and Travis Owens won first place with 20.50 lbs. including the Big Bass of the day at 5.69 lbs., netting them a $2,430 purse. Mike & Jonathan Winstead won honors for 2nd Big bass of the day at 5.56 lbs. and 2nd place with 19.74 lbs. and $1,630 purse. All 13 teams received a cash pay-out and a plaque or trophy for their season long efforts!
The “Team of the Year Points Leader” was won by father and son team of Steve and Hayden Lester, the defending champs from last year were all smiles receiving their trophies and the $850 bucks for the second year in a row and their efforts, stating they will be back to try and 3peat next season. Hayden at only 16 yrs. old catches them like a seasoned pro. The team of C.J. Barbosa and Zach Temperly took “Big Bass of the Year” with an 8.26 monster caught just 2 weeks prior worth $550.
Special thanks to our sponsors American Tackle Co. for supplying rods for each of the winners and for the support from Academy Sports + Outdoors. Thanks to Orlando Coastal Angler Magazine, Weighmaster Phil Wolf for his season long efforts and to Jerusha Poore our statistician. All the anglers are looking forward to next season starting in mid-March 2023, look for the “Save the Date Meeting” in the February 2023 issue of Coastal Angler Magazine Orlando. See all the “Classic” result pictures on Facebook CoastalanglermagazineOrlando.
Classic Results
1st Jim Brodgen & Travis Owens 20.50
2nd Mike & Jonthan Winstead 19.74
3rd Anthony Courtney & Sean Cunningham 19.60
4th Jim (Squirt) Chaudoin & Robert Ownens 19.19
5th Bo Boyles & Robbie Engel 17.95
