Tournament Overview

Our May tournament on Lake Travis produced some great stringers and lots of limits for a second month in a row. Twenty of 26 participants caught a limit of 5 fish. Jim Pollard and T.V. Minner captured first place with 29.98 pounds. This is the second month in a row that T.V. has been on the winning team. Darryl Smith and Dale White took second place with 22.48 pounds. Bob Duda and Tom Clark finished in third place with 22.17 pounds. There were no bass caught that weighed more than 5 pounds. T.V. had the biggest stringer of 5 fish weighing 15.83 pounds.

Top Ten Standings

Currently, Art Cruser, T.V. Minner, Dale White, and Darryl Smith are all tied for Big Bass of the 2nd Quarter. Each member has caught a 25″ bass.

June Meeting and Tournament

Our next meeting will be Thursday, June 19th, at 7:00pm. Our June tournament will be Saturday, June 21, 2008. Tim Jolly and Gary Schriber have volunteered to bring refreshments to the next meeting.

Proposed Change to the Club Constitution

A proposed addition to the club’s bylaws has been submitted for consideration by the club at the next club meeting. This proposed addition has been named the “Missed Tournament Rule” and would become Bylaw IV.20 if approved by 2/3 vote at the next club meeting. The proposed bylaw would read as follows: “Missed tournament rule- If a team, or a person, was sanctioned by the ACBC to fish a particular tournament and was unable to do so because of (1) mechanical problems arising from the rigger’s vehicle or boat which were beyond his control or (2) any other unforeseen circumstance over which the team had no control, then the team could present their circumstance(s) to the voting membership at the next regularly scheduled meeting of the club and ask for permission to make up the tournament. If the club approves the request, the tournament must be made up (1) before the next regularly scheduled meeting of ACBC; (2) it must be fished at the same lake as the missed tournament, on the same day of the week and within the same time frame as the missed tournament; (3) the rigger and the non-rigger should fish together, but cannot fish with any other fisherman; (4) any poundage of fish will not affect awards given in the missed tournament, but will count for total poundage for the respective angler for the year; and (5) any large fish will be eligible for big bass of the quarter and year.”

I realize the proposed rule may seem complicated, but it is not intended to be. Part 1 of the rule would cover things like having your vehicle’s water pump break on the way to the lake and your vehicle over heats and repairs would take awhile. I can think of other examples; each one beyond the control of the team. I can also think of several examples of things that may not be beyond the control of the team; ie. having a flat tire on the way to the lake or forgetting to charge your trolling motor batteries or boat starter battery. Part 2 may seem ambiguous, but it is intended to cover such things as a sudden death in the family and a team member has to leave town or a team member is suddenly hospitalized due to an automobile accident. The current club bylaws allow a rigger to fish alone if he chooses to do so. The proposed change would create another option.

Couples Club Tournament Results

The Couples Club held its final tournament of the spring segment on June 7th at Lake Bastrop. Four couples participated and because of the hot weather and heavy wind, they fished from 7:00am until noon, starting an hour earlier than normal. They began the day with breakfast at the Texas Grill in Bastrop. Fishing was tough due to the wind and boats were everywhere due to an open tournament; plus more boats arrived throughout the day. Twelve fish were weighed in totaling 32.9 pounds. Nita and Bob tied for big bass with each having a 19.5″ bass. Fish were caught early in shallow water on points and later on drop-offs using soft plastics. Bob’s daughter-in-law, Mona, fished as his partner since Peggy was out of town. We finished up the tournament with a picnic and weigh-in at the lake. We will commence our fall segment on September 6th at Lake Travis, followed by an overnight at Fayette County in October and closeout at Bastrop in November. The current standings follow:

Fishing Report

Although daytime temperatures are starting to quickly soar, the fish are still biting. Recently, Mike Wiles and I caught several quality fish at Decker Lake on a frog. Mike caught one around 20″ and several others that were 16 or 17″ long. I caught a 25″ (see below) and one that was around 18″ long. We didn’t catch a lot of fish, but our best fish were caught on a frog. Recent fishing reports for Lake Bastrop indicate fish are beginning to school at certain times of the day. Jim Pollard says he is still catching quality fish at several of his favorite spots on Lake Travis. Recently, Dale White and I fished Lake Travis at night and we caught a bunch of nice white bass and about 10 black bass, the largest was a nice fat 20 incher. I hope to see all of you at the next club meeting and bring a friend or a good fishing report.

Decker Lake, 5/28/08, 25″ on Scum Frog
Photo taken by Mike Wiles

Tournament Overview

Our April tournament on Lake Travis produced some great stringers and lots of limits.  Twenty-three of 26 members caught a limit of 5 fish.  The Old Folks, Al Lykins and T.V. Minner, finished in first place with 26.86 pounds (10 fish).  Second place went to Art Cruser and Roger Growden with 26.34 pounds.  Third place went to Jim Pollard and Tom McVan with 23.09 pounds (9 fish).  Art Cruser caught the biggest bass, 25″ (8.50 pounds), and he also had the biggest stringer of 5 fish weighing 16.77 pounds.

Top Ten Standings

Art Cruser, T.V. Minner, and Dale White are all tied for Big Bass of the 2nd Quarter.  They all caught a 25″ bass during the month of April, one from Travis, one from Bastrop, and one from Stillhouse Hollow.

May Meeting and Tournament

Our next meeting will be Thursday, May 15th, at 7:00pm.  Our May tournament will be Saturday, May 17, 2008.  Carlton Yarbrough and Bob Duda have volunteered to bring refreshments to the next meeting.

Couples Club Tournament Results

The ACBC Couples Club held their third tournament of the year at Decker Lake on May 3rd.  The couples had an early breakfast at Don’s Restaurant on Webberville Road after replacing a flat on Bob Duda’s trailer.  They launched in gale force winds around 8:00am.  Due to the weather conditions, only three teams were able to get on the water.  Fishing was very tough, although each team managed a limit.  They weighed in 15 fish totaling 25.64 pounds.  Patsy and Art won this one and also had big bass with a 20″ fish.  Most fish were caught on a variety of soft plastics.  It was rather difficult to establish a pattern since fishing locations were pretty much dictated by the wind (it was also cold in the morning).  The couples concluded their day at 1:00pm with their usual picnic and weigh-in.  The next couples tournament is June 7th at Lake Bastrop.

Fishing Report

I’ve heard several good fishing reports.  Brian Kitchen and his dad caught over 20 bass on Decker Lake in just a few hours one evening recently.  Dale White and Mike Wiles had a great trip to Stillhouse Hollow recently.  The lake is really different because the hydrilla is gone, but timber is now the predominate cover for the bass.  Dale’s 25″ bass is pictured below.  On Friday, May 9th, Mike Wiles and I caught 12 keepers on Stillhouse Hollow; the largest 5 weighing around 16 pounds.  Lake Bastrop provided plenty of action when club members took amputees fishing on April 26th and recent reports indicate there is a good top water bite and frog bite.  I hope some of you have a good fishing report to share with everyone at the upcoming meeting.

Dale White-25″ bass-4/30/08-Stillhouse Hollow

Austin Christian Bass Club-March Newsletter
Darryl Smith, Secretary

Tournament Overview

Our March Tournament at Decker Lake was challenging for many members. I don’t know if it was our later than usual start (7:30am), the strong north wind, the lack of grass, or the bright sky, but fishing was generally tough. Eight of 25 members caught a limit of 5 fish and not a single team caught a limit of 10 fish. Art Cruser and Gib Hoffman finished in first place with 18.77 pounds. Mike Wiles and Tom Clark finished in second place with 16.83 pounds. John Kirkland and Gary Burnham finished in third place with 16.40 pounds. Gib Hoffman caught the biggest bass, 21.5", and John Kirkland had the biggest stringer of 5 fish. It weighed 13.52 pounds.

Top Ten Standings

Art Cruser currently has the lead for Big Bass of the 1st Quarter. He caught a 24" bass (7.50#) at Lake Travis on 3/21/08.

T.V. Minner has the lead for the 2nd Quarter with a 25" beauty caught on 4/5/08 at Lake Bastrop.

April Meeting and Tournament

Our next meeting will be Thursday, April 17th, at 7:00pm. Our April tournament will be on Saturday, April 19, 2008. Mitch Shelton and Stan Evans have volunteered to bring refreshments to the next meeting.

Couples Club Tournament

The ACBC Couples Club held their second tournament of the year on April 5th at Lake Buchanan. They started the day with an early breakfast buffet at The Highlander Inn in Burnet. They launched at Thunderbird Lodge around 8:00am. Six couples participated and weighed in 17 bass that weighed 38.64 pounds. Although it was an absolutely beautiful day to be on the lake, the fishing was generally tough with only one couple catching a 5 fish limit. Jim and Nita took first place with 18.7 pounds (Nita’s day was made with the fat 20.5" bass she hauled in). The couples completed the day with lunch and weigh-in at Thunderbird Lodge. A big welcome is extended to a new couple, Ward and Sharon Preston. It was great having you join us. The next couples tournament is May 3rd on Decker Lake. Other fishing couples are encouraged to join in the fun and fellowship.

Reminders

At the upcoming meeting we will probably pick a date for the annual garage sale. Hope you have been saving your "old stuff" so we can once again have a great sale. Also, don’t forget the Amputee Fishing Day on Lake Bastrop on April 26th.

New Club Web Site

If you are reading this, you can see our club web site has a new look!  We intend to publish newsletters and fishing reports directly to the web site where you guys can read them.  If you refresh the screen a few times, you will see that the banner image at the top of the page changes randomly between about 6 different images.  You’ll notice that one of the 6 images is of Mikes Wiles’ boat on Lake Bastrop.  If you have any good landscape photos with bass boats in them (especially your own boat), send them to John Kirkland, and he can put them in the banner rotation.

Fishing Report

WOW! The fishing is great just about everywhere. Al and TV have reported good fishing on Lake Bastrop. I personally know that Lake Travis has been producing lots of fish and many of them are in the 14" to 17" range. I hope you will bring a good fishing report to the next meeting so we can pick the "hottest" lake around and catch some fish at our next tournament. See you at the meeting.

The March newsletter is attached.  I look forward to seeing all of you next Thursday at the club meeting.  Before the meeting I will be sending out a current roster based upon members who have paid their dues for the current year.  Please let me know if you have any trouble with the attached file and/or the current roster that I will be sending out soon. 

Darryl Smith

ACBC Secretary

Austin Christian Bass Club

March Newsletter

Darryl Smith, Secretary

Tournament Overview:

Our February tournament at Fayette County Lake was like many others, chilly with light wind at day light and warming throughout the day with winds steadily increasing. Twenty-one of 28 participants caught a limit of 5 fish. Vince Martin and Paul Barger took first place with 40.59 pounds. Harold Barnett and Gary Burnham took second place with 34.78 pounds and Brooks Griffith and Brian Kitchen took third place with 33.66 pounds. Tom McVan caught the biggest bass at 23.5” and Vince Martin had the largest stringer; 5 fish totaling 24.63 pounds.

Top Ten Standings for 2008:

Vince Martin- 34.83 pounds Tom Clark- 24.46 pounds

Darryl Smith- 33.85 pounds Carlton Yarbrough- 24.34 pounds

Gary Burnham- 31.51 pounds Bob Duda- 24.26 pounds

Mike Wiles- 30.57 pounds Jim Pollard- 22.78 pounds

David McClung- 28.79 pounds Tom McVan- 22.14 pounds

Tom McVan has the lead for Biggest Bass of the 1^st Quarter with his 23.5” bass caught during the February tournament at Fayette County Lake.

March Meeting and Tournament:

Our next meeting will be Thursday, March 13th, at 7:00 pm. Our March tournament will be on Saturday, March 15, 2008. Tom Morelock and Harold Barnett have volunteered to bring refreshments to the next meeting.

Annual Garage Sale:

We haven’t picked a date, but remember our annual garage sale will be held in April or May to raise funds for the club. It has been very successful in the past due to your efforts to donate items to be sold. Keep this in mind when you are doing your Spring cleaning.

Spring Travel Tournament:

At the last meeting, it was suggested that we have a travel tournament in the spring. Many members present supported this suggestion and a decision was made to explore the availability of lodging at Choke Canyon and O.H. Ivie. Due to a Bass Champs tournament on Choke Canyon on March 15^th, this would not be a good day to have a club tournament on that lake. Continue to think about this matter so we can make a decision and select a lake and a date for a spring travel tournament if we want to have one early in the year.

Couples Report:

The ACBC Couples Club held its first tournament of the year on March 1st at Fayette County Lake. The day started with an early breakfast at the Texas Café in Bastrop and everyone was on the lake by around 8 AM. Five couples participated and weighed in 25 fish for a total weight of 70.34 lbs. Lots of fish were caught. Bob and Peggy took first place with a great total of 20.33 lbs. Peggy had big bass of the tournament (and for the year so far) with a 24 incher. Phyllis had a nice 19”, Gib and Nita each had an 18.5 and Bob and Jim each had a 20.5. Most of the fish came on soft plastics. They finished up the day with a 2 PM lunch and weigh-in at the Fishes and Loaves Restaurant on Hwy. 159. Everyone had a great time and encourage other fishing couples to join us in the fun and fellowship. The next couples tournament is April 5^th on Lake Buchanan.

Team # Fish Weight Total Weight/Year Current Standings

Peggy & Bob 5 20.33 20.33 1

Phyllis & Gib 5 16.33 16.33 2

Nita & Jim 5 15.77 15.77 3

Patsy & Art 5 09.52 09.52 4

Melba & Ken 5 08.39 08.39 5

Fishing Report:

March is a great month to be on the water. I just wish the weather would stay warm for more than a day. I’ve read good reports concerning Lake Bastrop where the grass is in good shape and the spawn has been underway for awhile. Lake Travis is producing fish although the water temperature is still 58 to 59 degrees and the fish are still in deeper water. On Saturday, March 8^th, Dale White and I caught 14 bass in the afternoon and early evening. Eight of the 14 were over 14”, with the biggest going 18 inches. Most of our fish were located near docks and were caught on a drop shot rig or a small jig. The water temperature at Decker Lake is a little cooler than Travis and there is almost no visible grass. Bass hit crankbaits on the dam early and spinnerbaits and worms thrown at the reeds. Fishing slowed down around 10:00am after the sun got up. Biggest bass were caught early on crankbaits. I look forward to seeing you all at the next meeting.

I hope I got it right this time and I’m sorry for yet another delay.  The file is large due to a nice picture that I included in the newsletter.  Once again, please let me know if you have any trouble with the attached file.

Have a great day and I’ll see you tomorrow,

Darryl

Austin Christian Bass Club

February Newsletter

Darryl Smith, Secretary

Tournament Overview:

Our January tournament at Lake Bastrop started out chilly, but the sun warmed things up by the middle of the day. Thirteen of 22 participants caught a limit of 5 fish. Darryl Smith and Mitch Shelton took first place with 25.85 pounds. David McClung and John Bobo took second place with 23.09 pounds and Mike Wiles and Gib Hoffman took third place with 20.74 pounds. David McClung caught the biggest bass at 21” and Darryl Smith had the largest stringer; 5 fish totaling 16.21 pounds.

Top Ten Standings for 2008:

Darryl Smith- 16.21 pounds Mitch Shelton- 9.64 pounds

Mike Wiles- 15.17 pounds Tom Clark- 8.82 pounds

David McClung- 14.77 pounds Carlton Yarbrough- 8.70 pounds

Gary Burnham- 10.88 pounds Bob Duda- 8.50 pounds

Vince Martin- 10.20 pounds John Bobo- 8.32 pounds

Officially, David McClung has the lead for Biggest Bass of the 1^st Quarter, but I know a bigger bass has been caught.

February Meeting and Tournament:

Our next meeting will be Thursday, February 21st, at 7:00 pm. Our February tournament will be on Saturday, February 23, 2008. Darryl Smith and Gary Burnham have volunteered to bring refreshments to the next meeting.

Sportsman of the Year:

Congratulations to Mitch Shelton for being selected as the recipient of the 2007 Johnny Mayes Sportsmanship Award.

Annual Dues:

Don’t forget to take care of your annual dues if you didn’t have an opportunity to pay them at the January meeting.

Fishing Report:

It’s that time of the year again when we all think about spawning bass. Several of our favorite power plant lakes have spawning activity occurring right now because of their warmer water, although it is hard to determine what percentage of the female bass population has actually spawned. It doesn’t really matter because all you want to do is catch one of those really big females during the spawn. Right? Yesterday, eight ACBC club members fished Fayette County Lake and considered it a great day to be on the water. Total fish caught- 65. Weight of best 10 fish per boat- 38.90pounds, 32.90 pounds, 28.04 pounds, and 26.09 pounds(only 7 fish). Not bad for a beautiful windy day on Fayette County Lake. I’m sure you will hear more of the details at the club meeting. See you there.

Oh, by the way, check out this nice 22.5” fish caught by Dale White at Decker Lake on February 13^th.

The time is near for our next bass club meeting.  I hope you all are planning on being there.  The attached newsletter shows the 2007 year end standings and gives you a little information about our upcoming banquet.  Please let me know if you have any trouble with the attached file.

Darryl Smith

Austin Christian Bass Club

January Newsletter

Darryl Smith, Secretary

Tournament Overview:

Our December tournament at Fayette County was similar to our November tournament at Fayette County except the wind blew harder. Sixteen of 22 participants caught a limit of 5 fish. Tom Clark and Carlton Yarbrough took first place with 31.71 pounds. T.V. Minner and Bob Duda took second place with 30.90 pounds and Mike Wiles and Dale White took third place with 28.85 pounds. David McClung and Tom Clark both caught a 23” bass and David McClung had the largest stringer; 5 fish totaling 19.27 pounds. Congratulations to our winning teams.

Final Top Ten Standings for 2007:

Mike Wiles- 159.89 pounds Craig Mooney- 107.13 pounds

Jim Pollard- 151.22 pounds Art Cruser- 106.58 pounds

Vince Martin- 127.70 pounds John Kirkland- 103.22 pounds

Tom Clark- 115.17 pounds Carlton Yarbrough- 101.00 pounds

Al Lykins- 107.40 pounds T.V. Minner- 89.43 pounds

To my knowledge, T.V. Minner had the Big Bass of the 4^th Qtr. with a 24” bass caught from Fayette County Lake on 10/20/2007.

January Meeting and Tournament:

Our first meeting of 2008 will be Thursday, January 17th, at 7:00 pm. Our January tournament will be on Saturday, January 19, 2008. Tom Clark and Craig Mooney have volunteered to bring refreshments to the next meeting.

Officers/Directors for 2008:

The following members were voted in as officers/directors during the last meeting by the members present:

John Kirkland-President Craig Mooney-Director

Brian Kitchen-Vice President Dale White-Director

Darryl Smith-Secretary Stan Evans-Director

Roberto Ruiz-Treasurer Tom Morelock-Director

Annual Dues:

The last page of this newsletter is the ACBC Member Information Form that you can print and bring with you to the next meeting along with your payment for annual dues, the upcoming annual banquet, and dues for TABC (Texas Association of Bass Clubs).

Annual Banquet at Tres Amigos:

The ACBC Annual Banquet is scheduled for Saturday, January 26, 2008, at 7:00pm at the Tres Amigos Restaurant located at 13435 N. Hwy. 183. The restaurant is located approximately ¼ mile south of Anderson Mill Road on the east side of Hwy. 183 (just south of the old Albertsons store). The buffet meal will consist of the following items: Cheese enchiladas, Chicken enchiladas, Beef enchiladas, refried beans, charo beans, rice, salsa and chips, corn/flour tortillas, salad fixings including shredded lettuce, cheese, chopped tomatoes, guacamole, and jalapenos, dessert consisting of sopapias and honey, and either tea or a soft drink. The cost will be $12.00 per member. Spouses will be our special guests at the banquet and the club will pay the cost of their meal.

Fishing Report:

It’s a new year and the fish are biting! Yes, I know I’m an eternal optimist, but my latest trip to Lake Bastrop with Mike Wiles was a great trip. We probably caught over 25 fish, some were small, most were between 13” and 18”, and the biggest was 20.5”. A few were caught early on spinnerbaits, many were caught on Rattletraps, and the rest were caught on a drop shot rig. I hate to keep sticking my ugly mug in the newsletter, but Mike wanted me to show you that the drop shot rig will catch big fish. Thanks Mike for the great picture.

20.5”-drop shot rig-watermelon red finesse worm

Hope to see you all at the next meeting.

January 2008

Date_______________________

First name _________________________Last name____________________________

Address_________________________________________________________________

City ____________________________ TX. Zip ________________________________

Home Phone ___________________Work Phone ____________________Ext________

Cell Phone______________________

Wife’s Name________________________

Your email address_____________________________

Do you have a bass boat?________ Brand_____________ Length________ HP________

Do you prefer: Trophy or Plate/Plaque (Circle choice)

Are you a member of TABC through another club? (Yes or No) ____________________

Costs:

Membership: ACBC _______ $12.00 (Prorate monthly after January)

Membership: TABC _______ $20.00 (Optional)*

Banquet ________$6.00/person, $12/couple

Couples Club: _______ $10.00 Annual Fee (Optional)

Total Cost: $_____________ Payment by cash or check only—Please have

correct amount in either check or cash (made

out to ACBC)

.

*ACBC will probably affiliate with TABC (Texas Assn. of Bass Clubs) as we did in 2007. In order to qualify to fish the TABC Top 8 year end tournament, in addition to placing in the ACBC Top 8, a member must also be a year long member of the affiliated organization.

The December newsletter is attached.  Our last tournament of the year is coming up next Saturday.  Don’t miss it or the meeting this coming Thursday evening.

Let me know if you have any trouble with the attached file.

Darryl

Austin Christian Bass Club

December Newsletter

Darryl Smith, Secretary

Tournament Overview:

Our November tournament at Fayette County was really great for many teams. Twenty-three of 28 participants caught a limit of 5 fish. Vince Martin and Stan Evans took first place with 37.96 pounds. Craig Mooney and Bob Duda took second place with 36.02 pounds and John Kirkland and his father, Dave, took third place with 33.22 pounds. Bob Duda caught the largest bass (23.5”) and Vince Martin had the largest stringer; 5 fish totaling 20.01 pounds. Congratulations to our winning teams.

Top Ten Standings for 2007 after 11 tournaments:

Mike Wiles- 144.24 pounds Al Lykins- 94.32 pounds

Jim Pollard- 132.64 pounds Craig Mooney- 92.98 pounds

Vince Martin- 116.31 pounds John Kirkland- 92.76 pounds

Tom Clark- 98.54 pounds Carlton Yarbrough- 85.92 pounds

Art Cruser- 95.51 pounds T.V. Minner- 75.72 pounds

T.V. Minner is still in the lead for Big Bass of the 4^th Qtr. with a 24” bass caught from Fayette County Lake on 10/20/2007.

December Meeting and Tournament:

Our next club meeting will be Thursday, November 29th, at 7:00 pm. Our December tournament will be on Saturday, December 1, 2007. Dale White and Darryl Smith have volunteered to bring refreshments to the next meeting.

Request Regarding Church Parking:

The staff at Hillcrest Baptist Church has requested that members of the ACBC park their vehicles in the gravel parking area during our club meetings. The request was made due to the limited parking close to the building that is needed by senior members of Hillcrest Baptist Church.

Officers/Directors for 2008:

We will vote on the following slate of officers/directors at our next meeting:

John Kirkland-President   Craig Mooney-Director

Brian Kitchen-Vice President   Dale White-Director

Darryl Smith-Secretary   Stan Evans-Director

Roberto Ruiz-Treasurer   Tom Morelock-Director

Johnny Mayes Sportsmanship Award:

We will vote by secret ballot for the member who best exemplifies the attitude and behavior that merit recognition by this annual award that will be presented at our annual banquet.

Fishing Report:

I know the fish are still biting at Lake Travis because Gary Burnham and I had a good day there the day before Thanksgiving Day. Gary’s first bass of the day was 19.5” and he caught it on a white spinnerbait at first light. I know several members want to go back to Fayette County because our last tournament produced so many 5 fish limits over 15 pounds. Don’t miss the meeting and bring a fishing report. The last tournament of 2007 should be a good one!

Well, the week you have been waiting for this month has arrived!  That’s right, this coming Thursday evening is our next meeting and we will have one or more special guests.  The newsletter is attached and includes several special photos that I thought everyone would enjoy seeing.  I look forward to seeing you at the upcoming meeting and please let me know if you cannot read the attachment.

Darryl

Austin Christian Bass Club

November Newsletter

Darryl Smith, Secretary

Tournament Overviews:

Our September tournament at Lake Travis was challenging for many teams because the bite really slowed down after the sun came up. Two teams caught a limit of 10 fish and they came in first and second place. Mike Wiles caught the largest bass (22”) and the largest stringer; 5 fish totaling 12.38 pounds. Our October travel tournament to Lake Amistad challenged every team because of the windy conditions. No team caught a limit of 10 fish and nobody caught a bass 21” or larger. Once again, Mike Wiles had the largest 5 fish stringer and it weighed 12.46 pounds.

Top Ten Standings for 2007 after 10 tournaments:

Mike Wiles- 127.35 pounds Art Cruser- 80.37 pounds

Jim Pollard- 113.75 pounds John Kirkland- 74.87 pounds

Vince Martin- 96.30 pounds Craig Mooney- 73.47 pounds

Tom Clark- 85.89 pounds Carlton Yarbrough- 70.65 pounds

Al Lykins- 82.42 pounds Darryl Smith- 63.20 pounds

T.V. Minner is in the lead for Big Bass of the 4^th Qtr. with a 24” bass caught from Fayette County Lake on 10/20/2007.

November Meeting and Tournament:

Our next club meeting will be Thursday, November 15th, at 7:00 pm. Our November tournament will be on Saturday, November 17, 2007. Mike Wiles and Tom Morelock have volunteered to bring refreshments to the next meeting.

Request Regarding Church Parking:

The staff at Hillcrest Baptist Church has requested that members of the ACBC park their vehicles in the gravel parking area during our club meetings. The request was made due to the limited parking close to the building that is needed by senior members of Hillcrest Baptist Church.

Officers/Directors for 2008:

Mike Wiles and/or Jim Pollard will present the proposed slate of officers/directors for 2008. We will vote on them at our final meeting of the year on November 29^th.

Couples Tournament Results:

The ACBC Couples Club has held three tournaments since our last club meeting in September. On Oct. 6^th the couples club fished Lake Travis. Four couples participated and Bob and Peggy won this tournament with 4 fish weighing 6.89 pounds. On Oct. 20^th the couples club fished Lake Buchanan. Ken and Melba Haulotte won this tournament with 5 fish weighing 9.87 pounds; all caught on redbug finesse worms. The final tournament of the year was held on Nov. 3^rd at Fayette County Lake. Four couples fished this tournament and traveled to the lake on Friday for some early action. Patsy was unable to make this tournament so Art fished with his sister, Linda. All four couples caught a limit of five fish because the bite was on. Jim and Nita won the tournament with 15.77 pounds and they also had the biggest bass, a nice 23 incher. The tournament was concluded with weigh-in and lunch at the Fishes and Loaves restaurant on Hwy. 159. Jim reports it’s a great little place to have lunch. The following table reflects the results of the last tournament and the final totals for this year. Nita Pollard caught the biggest fish of the year. It was a 7.50 pound bass caught at Decker Lake.

Team # Fish Weight Total Weight/Year Standings/Year

Nita & Jim 5 15.77 68.57 1

Patsy & Art 5 13.40 22.70 5

Melba & Ken  5 9.07 38.16 2

Peggy & Bob 5 8.52 37.81 3

Phyllis & Gib 26.29 4

Suzanna & Ron 15.39 6

Fishing Report:

Fishing has been really good lately. Several club members have recently had good catches on Fayette County Lake and Lake Bastrop. The grass is in excellent shape around Lake Bastrop and the water temperature is in the mid-70s. Closer to home, Lake Travis has been good for numbers, but many of the fish are 10 to 13” with some going 15 or 16”. The fish are biting so don’t miss the upcoming meeting. You may catch a fish of a lifetime like the ones shown below:

Carlton holding his 10.32 pound monster from Falcon Reservoir. This is the biggest bass caught during the 2007 TABC Top 8 Tournament.

Al with his 8.89 pound bass from Falcon Reservoir. The biggest bass Al has ever caught, and he has caught a bunch of bass.

Next Thursday is our club meeting.  Don’t miss it!  The newsletter is attached.  I hope you enjoy it and please let me know if you have any trouble with the file.

Darryl Smith

Secretary, ACBC

Austin Christian Bass Club

September Newsletter

Darryl Smith, Secretary

Tournament Overview:

Our August tournament at Lake Austin was as challenging as the June make-up tournament held there two weeks prior to our August tournament. Two teams caught a limit of 10 fish and the first and second place teams had only 9 fish to weigh in. Mike Wiles caught the largest bass (24”) and the largest stringer; 5 fish totaling 17.27 pounds.

Top Ten Standings for 2007:

Mike Wiles- 102.51 pounds Craig Mooney- 64.83 pounds

Jim Pollard- 100.98 pounds Art Cruser- 63.72 pounds

Vince Martin- 78.28 pounds Carlton Yarbrough- 59.94 pounds

Tom Clark- 75.32 pounds David McClung- 59.17 pounds

Al Lykins- 70.73 pounds John Kirkland- 55.91 pounds

Jim Pollard and Mike Wiles currently are tied for Big Bass of the 3^rd Quarter with a 24” bass caught from Lake Austin.

September Meeting and Tournament:

Our next club meeting will be Thursday, September 13th, at 7:00 pm. Our September tournament will be on Saturday, September 15, 2007. Al Lykins and T.V. Minner have volunteered to bring refreshments to the next meeting.

October Travel Tournament:

Don’t forget that we will be pairing up for our October 13th travel tournament to Lake Amistad at this meeting. It looks like we will have 12 teams participating and I’m sure there will be some big fish caught. Also, we will not have an October meeting.

Fishing Report:

I haven’t gotten to fish the local lakes much since our last tournament, but I have had a chance to fish Falcon Reservoir with Mike Wiles. We didn’t catch any giants, but we did learn a lot and found a couple of places that may help our Top 8 team later this month during the TABC Top 8 Tournament. I also got a chance to fish Lake Amistad with Carl Wengenroth and I thought I would share a few things with you. First and foremost, the big fish in Lake Amistad live in and around the hydrilla/brush. While Carl and I competed in a tournament on Saturday, he had a big fish hit his topwater lure and when he set the hook his 20 pound braided line broke. I know braid is not suppose to break, but the message I’m trying to convey is you better have braid or one of the big fish that swims in Lake Amistad is going to break you off. Do you think that mono or fluorocarbon line is going to pull a big bass up to the surface when the bass has wrapped you around some hydrilla or a bush? Don’t count on your luck if you want to get the really big fish in the boat. Secondly, the hydrilla is not everywhere like it was last year. It is not hard to find, but there are areas of the lake that don’t have any hydrilla. One example is the area above the Rough Canyon ramp on the Devil’s River arm of the lake. You will find hydrilla and pond weed in both Evans Creek and the San Pedro arm of the lake. Lastly, even if the fishing is tough, your next bite may be from a giant. Last Saturday, Carl and I weighed in 5 fish that totaled 18.95 pounds, biggest one was 6.32 pounds. We probably caught around 15 keepers, mostly on topwater baits or swim baits thrown to schooling bass. I hope you look forward to catching a fish or two like the 24” bass Mike Wiles caught during our last tournament on Lake Austin. See you all at the upcome meeting.

Attached is the August newletter.  The file is larger than usual since there are two pictures of nice Lake Austin fish attached.  I look forward to seeing everyone at the upcoming meeting this coming Thursday.  Bring a friend and a fishing report.

Please let me know if you have any trouble reading the attached file.

Darryl

Austin Christian Bass Club

August Newsletter

Darryl Smith, Secretary

Tournament Overviews:

Our July tournament at Lake Travis was tough for every team. No team caught a limit of 10 fish and many small fish were caught. Mike Wiles caught the largest stringer; 5 fish totaling 11.45 pounds. John Kirkland caught the largest bass (20.5”). Although Lake Travis was full and looks great, the bite was slow.

Our June makeup tournament was a night tournament on Lake Austin on August 3^rd. Some teams found quality fish, while others thought the fishing was slow. Only two teams caught a limit of ten fish. Jim Pollard caught the largest stringer (23.95 pounds) and the largest bass (24”). Lighted boat docks were productive for some, while many of the larger bass came from the grass.

Top Ten Standings for 2007:

Jim Pollard- 88.84 pounds Art Cruser- 60.35 pounds

Mike Wiles- 85.24 pounds Al Lykins- 59.58 pounds

Vince Martin- 71.08 pounds David McClung- 54.67 pounds

Tom Clark- 65.19 pounds Chris Tippett- 51.37 pounds

Craig Mooney- 61.33 pounds Gib Hoffman- 50.23 pounds

John Kirkland- 50.23 pounds (tied for 10^th)

Jim Pollard currently has the lead for Big Bass of the 3^rd Quarter with his 24” bass caught during the June makeup tournament on Lake Austin.

August Meeting and Tournament:

Our next club meeting will be Thursday, August 16th, at 7:00 pm. Our August tournament will be on Saturday, August 18, 2007. Art Cruser and Craig Mooney have volunteered to bring refreshments to the next meeting.

Summer Doldrums:

That’s what we’re in the middle of since the rainy weather is gone and the daily temperatures are nearing 100 degrees. Not much club news to share. Don’t forget T.V. and Mossy Minner have their 50^th wedding anniversary party planned for August 19, 2007, from 3:00pm to 5:00pm at the Bethany United Methodist Church. Everyone in the club is invited to come celebrate with T.V. and Mossy.

Fishing Report:

I know fishing is slow almost everywhere because I have fished Lake Austin, Lake Travis, and Lake LBJ recently at night and some fish were caught, but not in significant numbers. The schooling action is still on at Lake Bastrop according to the fishing reports on Mike Hasting’s webpage. Mike Wiles and I went back to Lake Austin early on the morning of August 7^th to see if we could catch some big fish like those caught during our last tournament. We didn’t have any luck in the dark, but starting at daylight we started catching a few fish. Before we quit at 11:00am, I caught two 21” bass (see pictures below taken by Mike) and Mike caught an 18.5” and a 16.5” bass. These fish were caught above City Park and boat traffic was light because it was a weekday. See you all at the meeting.