8/16/05

All of that changes as of today, as Brent Chapman wins the prestigious unification tournament put on by BassFan.com and sponsored by Cabella's.  Chapman held off 24 of the world's greatest anglers in winning Top Gun, and he will no longer need to worry about not having won a big event, they don't come much bigger.

Chapman's consistency was the story this week.  While bigger weights were brought to the scales, Chapman (15 fish / 34.96,) brought in 11.62, 12.25 and 11.09 over the three days, most importantly he was able to weigh in five each day.  Toshinari Namiki finishes in 2nd place with 12 fish weighing 34.29.  Namiki caught the week's biggest limit, (day one 14.42,) and had big fish two of the three days, however he was ultimately hampered by his inability to catch more than two keepers on day two.

Comments by anglers made after the event were favorable regarding the format.  A big question at the beginning of the event was whether a "fishless" weigh in show could work.  Even though the fish were weighed and released at the lake, and the weigh show took place later in the evening at the Fort Worth Cabella's, the weigh in show was not "fishless."  Everyone we spoke to said Claude "Fish" Fishburne who emceed the weigh in show, kept everyone rolling and helped make the unique format work.

Be sure to check our ProTourJournals

• Tim Horton
• Anthony Gagliardi
• Dave Lefebre

Photos-BassFan.com (thanks!)

8/14/05 Be sure to check our ProTourJournals

• Tim Horton
• Anthony Gagliardi
• Dave Lefebre

8/14/05

Chapman showed today, why slow and steady will win this event.  His second straight double digit limit gives him 23.87 and a slight 0.13 advantage over second place pro, Dean Rojas who has 23.74.

Yesterday's leaders struggled today, as much of the field scrambled to find anything.  Toshinari Namiki did catch the big fish for the second consecutive day, a 5.59 beauty that is keeping him in the game, as he could only catch 2 keepers today.  Yesterday's 2nd place pro, Greg Hackney drew a blank today and falls to 11th place.

The consensus is that a five fish limit with a five pound kicker, which is a very strong possibility, as there are fish far bigger than five in Eagle Mountain Lake, could put anyone in the top 8 into the winner's circle.  Catch a limit with two of those big bites and we could see someone come on from as far back as 15th or 16th.  Needless to say the competition is wide open.

Photos-BassFan.com (thanks!)

8/13/05-Be sure to check our ProTourJournals

• Tim Horton
• Anthony Gagliardi
• Dave Lefebre

8/13/05

FLW Pro, and runner up in the Angler Of the year race, Toshinari Namiki (5 fish, 14.42,) leads Two Tour Pro, FLW Angler Of the Year and ProBassAnglers.com's Angler Of the Year, Greg Hackney who also weighed in five bass for a weight of 13.89.

Namiki had the day's big bass, a 5.52 pound beast.  Hackney also had a fish over five pounds. 

The event is being dominated by two tour anglers.  A look at the leader board shows that except Namiki, six of the top seven are guys who fish both tours.

• Tim Horton
• Anthony Gagliardi
• Dave Lefebre

8/12/05

Most anglers are reporting at least part of their day will center around fishing docks.  The weather has been sunny which can explain why the bite seems to be "up under," however any change in weather patterns could change that in a second.

There are some big fish to be caught, just ask Dave Lefebre, in one of those maddening instances where an angler wants to check the size of the fish he is getting bit by, Lefebre yanked on a seven pounder.  "I hope I don't regret that, I sure do now." 

Most of the field spent the pre fish days up  the river, so it figures that on day one that river area could be busy.  Also another factor as with all Summer tournaments, is boat traffic.  As the weekend begins to arrive, Eagle Mountain Lake will get swamped by jet skies, ski boats and pleasure boats.  Traffic could play a role in an angler's success.

• Tim Horton
• Anthony Gagliardi
• Dave Lefebre

8/11/05

The format of this event marks both the future and the past of professional bass fishing as, among other things, pros are paid an appearance fee, ($5,000.00 if they are members of the PAA,) pros get to fish out of their own boats the entire time, even on TV days, (the event will be broadcast on the Outdoor Life Network, sometime in September,) and there will be no cut, as all twenty five anglers will fish all three days.

The event is not without its "snags."  Due to the somewhat late announcement of the date, and location, three anglers, will be noticeably missing.  Bassmaster Classic Champion and State Farm, Number 4 in the world, Kevin VanDam is not attending, nor is BASS, Angler Of the Year, Aaron Martins who is currently Number 11 in the world.  2nd alternate, and Number 27 in the world, Davy Hite, also will not attend.  It was also announced that Stacey King, the Number 17 angler in he world, committed a rules infraction and disqualified himself.

All in all, however, this is the first time that a unification event has ever taken place.  There are pros that fish only BASS, as well as pros who fish only FLW competing in this event, as well as pros who fish both tours.  ProBassAnglers.com has gone on record as saying that this is the most representative field of the world's greatest anglers that as ever been assembled.