Posted by Edward D. Bohn from 152.163.204.54 on May 14, 2001 at 01:23:57:
Burnham, IL Saturday May 12th, Ed Bohn
The brother team of Michael G. Nega, Orland Park and Joseph M. Nega, Chicago scored big with five smallmouth (15.01 lbs.) from the Clarks Shoal area of southern Lake Michigan to take first place honors ($618.00). It was the two’s first victory since joining the Calumet River Bass Tournament (CRBT) circuit last year. “ When we went out this morning we had plan to head to the Port of Indiana but things changed when we seen that big water rolling said Joseph M. Nega. “We figured that a closer run wouldn’t hurt us seeing we had a boat that could handle it and it only took us thirty-five minutes from the mouth of Calumet River.” The pair used something different that’s not normal out there too. “You’re not going to believe this but they all came on Storm red wiggle-warts and you had to kneel and reel to get a bite,” Michael G. Nega told the crowd at the weigh-in. “You had to get that bait down into the rocks. So we knelt down on the boat deck and pushed our rods into the water to get the baits bouncing off the rocky shoal. We lost two smallmouth that would have given us a limit (6 fish) but we’re happy we didn’t need it. At about noon today we lost our last red wiggle-wart so we tried a few different colors in the wart’s, but we couldn’t get bit with them.”
Big Bass pot was also kept in the family when the team of Rich Pinkowski, Oak Forest and Doug Berman, Steger weighed one smallmouth (4.14 lbs.) from the same area as Rich’s brother-in-law Michael G. Nega. “Our two teams work together and fish with one another. Like last Sunday Joe and myself were out pre-fishing for this tournament when we found these fish. “We’ll take the $290.00 along with 44 points for a 7th place finish says Doug.”
A total of twenty-nine teams faced the windy weather conditions and high rolling waves to try to score a victory. Seventeen of them had at least one fish to weigh. The father son team of Jerry Petraitis and son Gerald, Chicago had four bass that weighed 11.27 lbs. for a second place finish ($355.00), plus the second biggest fish weighed at 3.62 lbs. Third place ($232.00) went to Phil Stephanuik, Lansing and Cliff Meyers, South Chicago Heights 3 fish, 7.31 lbs. Fourth place ($154.00) was the team of George Liddle Sr., Alsip and Jack Gallahger, Alsip 3 fish, 6.10 lbs. The Chicago police team of David Matual and Carlos Ferrer claimed the 5th place check ($108.00) with 3 fish that weighed 5.52 lbs. Taking 6th and the last pay spot ($80.00) with 2 fish at 5.33 lbs. was Jeff Miller, Midlothian and Al Huhra, Joliet. The next CRBT tournament will be Sunday June 17, 2001 with take off at sunrise and weigh-in at 3 PM.
CRBT SPONSORS: Airmarine Chicago, Bedford Sales Morris, Berwyn Marine Center Berwyn, Chicagolandfishing.com, Elgin, Compu- Grave Alsip, Crest Marine Crestwood, Henry’s Sport & Bait Chicago, Ranger Boats Inc. Flippin, AR
Submitted By: Edward D. Bohn, CRBT Tournament Director