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Douthit Claims Championship in Louisiana Despite Being Shutout On Final Day
NEW ORLEANS, La.-September 23, 2000-Chet Douthit was able to take home the
championship and $110,000 with a four day total of 43 pounds and 9 ounces
at the BASSMASTER Louisiana Top 150 despite the fact that he was unable to
bag a fish on the final day. The Florida native entered the day with a 9 -9
lead and that proved to be enough as the only competitor to come close to
his total was Tommy Biffle, who ended the tournament with a 42-5 total.
Arkansas's Mike Wurm ended up in third place with a 40-12 total. Takahiro
Omori of Texas, rallied form ninth to fourth with a final weight of 39-7
and North Carolinian Marty Stone rounded out the top five with a final
weight of 39-3.
Douthit says that he tried as hard as he could on the final day, but he was
unable to catch any. "Fortunately I was able to win without catching one. I
finished third here two years ago, and the lake that I fished in was dry
two weeks ago. All the fish that were in that lake pulled out of there. So
I concentrated on the canals that were around that lake where I thought
that these fish would have moved to. I found two banks that had good fish
and that is where I ended up spending the tournament."
Douthit whose only previous win on the BASSMASTER Tournament Trail came
during a team championship in 1987, didn't think that he could win without
a catch today "I just didn't have many bites. I probably had three that
would have been 4 or 5 pounds, and I figured that I needed them. I was
using a Gene Larew 4-inch ring tube and a Gene Larew Ho-Daddy and a June
Bug. Black and Blue were the colors that I caught the fish on. I had about
equal success on each bait. My main technique was flipping in grass."
Oklahoma's Biffle went back to he same spot that had him in third spot
after day three to make his move into second. "I went back but then I made
a run to another spot for a few hours," said Biffle. "I lost a 3-pounder
there and broke another one off, so I went back to the original spot and
caught three more."
Biffle also didn't think that it was possible for someone to go fishless on
the final day and still take home the championship. "I saw Chet on the way
in, and he told me that he didn't have any. I really didn't believe him. He
saw me catch my last one and I told him that it gave me 20 pounds. I guess
that it was just his turn."
In addition to the world's best anglers there was also a BASSMASTER
CASTINGKIDS competition. The winner of the 11-14 age group was Joshua
Cameron of Metarie, La., and Bret Begnaud of Lafayette won the 7-10 age
group.
The next event on the BASSMASTER Top 150 Trail is in Mobile, Alabama,
October 15-21.
The BASSMASTER Tournament Trail is the oldest and most prestigious pro bass
fishing tournament circuit. It continues to set the standard for
credibility, professionalism, and sportsmanship for more than three
decades.
Sponsors of the 2000 BASSMASTER Tournament Trail include: Ranger Boats,
RangerTrail Trailers, Mercury Outboards, Chevy Trucks, ACDelco Batteries,
Worldwaters.com, Humminbird/Zercom Marine, Pennzoil Marine, Flowmaster
Exhaust Systems, First USA/B.A.S.S. Platinum Visa, MotorGuide Trolling
Motors, Gore-Tex Outerwear and GMAC Insurance
The BASSMASTER Louisiana Top 150 was sponsored locally by the State of
Louisiana, Jefferson Parish and the Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation
For more information contact:
B.A.S.S. Communications at
(334) 272-9530
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