Team LGMOUTH and Team customfishn 1 2 at 2013 KVD Charity Classic

[djkimmel]

Pictures, stories and video coming but it was nice to see Westsiders and GreatLakesBass.com members LGMOUTH and customfishn lead their teams to 1st and 2nd place today (Monday, June 10, 2013) on Kent Lake in the KVD Charity Classic.

LGMOUTH's (Don Watts) team had big bass at 5 lbs 14 oz with a 5-bass limit weighing 13-15 for first. customfishn's (Aaron Feeback) team weighed 5 bass for 11-9 just edging Kurt Keller's team by 1 ounce.

Don Watts fished as the WYCD team with members:
Steve Grunwald
Mike Palmer
Stuart Schweigert

Aaron Feeback fished as the Plano team with members:
John Bonamego and 2 others.

I don't have all the names of all the team members who fished. Most teams had 4 persons, with many including a present or past Detroit Lions player.

A full field of 28 teams fished this charity fishing event. More information coming soon.

If you were a boater in this event and know the names of all your team members, please PM them to me or contact me some other way. Thanks.

[djkimmel]

The highest finishing Bassmaster Elite Angler was Casey D. Ashley, who also sang an impressive National Anthem before blastoff, finishing with a 5-bass limit for 9-2.

No VanDam's finished in the top 10. JVD finished 13th and said he was going to practice for the event next year. I knew KVD was in trouble when I saw him fishing my hot pike spot. In fact, when I told the Detroit Lions media, Free Press and other media persons that the spot was my 'good' pike spot, Kevin hooked a pike on queue. He doesn't seem to like pike as much as bass!

Only 1 team skunked! They were 'dq'd' for being late but will get the most entertaining explanation award. I will have that video shortly.

Last year's defending champion team captain fishstick (Jeff Elliott) managed only 1 keeper for 1-7, finishing in 23rd place (ABOVE 2 persons whose names end in VanDam).

Apparently, the aftereffects of a recent weed treatment dramatically changed the fishing between Friday and Monday according to quite a few participants who managed to actually get in a little practice.

I did not fish, but managed a respectable sunburn despite mostly thick clouds and some light rain.

[djkimmel]

As I have mentioned, the real winners will be the charities for Detroit Lions and the KVD Foundation. A lot of money was raised thanks to the many companies who participated, and those who purchased during the various auctions and raffles.

Michigan bass fishing, Kevin VanDam, the Detroit Lions, B.A.S.S., the Huron-Clinton Metroparks and bass tournaments win too for putting on a large, well-run, heavily covered successful event! Thank you to everyone who helped make this event happen!

[fishstick]

Congrats Don and Aaron!

[t-bone]

I attended the dinner, weigh-in and auction. It was really a great event. Very small - Kevin told me they limit the $100 tickets to 200, so you really have an intimate setting to meet the pro anglers and Lions. I highly recommend to local angers to come on out and bring your kids. They have lots of raffle items and you have great odds of winning something. Terry Scroggins, Casey Ashley, KVD, JVD, Davey Hite, Aaron Martens, Zona, Mercer (whose wife kept outbidding me) and many local guides/anglers/celebrities (Stricker, Venstra, etc.) were there. Pretty fun and worth $100 - dinner, beer, and good times.

[djkimmel]

I think so too. I was running all over trying to capture as much as possible with the help of cameraguy and Jeff Nedwick too!

Good to see you there t-bone - thanks for helping charity and glad to hear you enjoyed yourself! There were a few GreatLakesBass.com members present though I didn't get a lot of time to say hi. A fair number were participating in the event as anglers and helpers too. Tried to say hi to as many as possible.

Had to hunt down Mojo for Mrs. 'Mojo' so he could make a flight for work! I hope he made it okay!?! The fishing was a little tough due to the recent weed treatment but way more bass were brought in this year than last year I think though it helps to have 28 teams and everyone counting their bass too.

Maybe next year everyone EXCEPT LGMOUTH can count their caught bass?!? customfishn has requested that, I think...? Though, he shouldn't feel too bad. He (customfishn) was 'promoted' to Elite Angler status by the Detroit Free Press!!!

[Mojo]

OK - I am back from Brazil - so its time to give you guys the low down on the fishing conditions and events of this day. First and foremost, Kevin and Sheri Van Dam and their crew worked tirelessly to put on a professional, fully staffed, fully catered event. Upon arrival and check in we were fed a full course fresh grilled lunch, and given our Jerseys and hats.

Next was pre meeting:


Then we ate, mingled with the players and coaches. I think this pic demonstrates the mass of a pro football player - these are 3 line men:



Next, with WDIV, Fox News, Bassmaster Magazine and 97.1 on hand, we dropped boats, lined up, and one by one we were announced. We joked about on camera as we launched. After 28 boats filed out the real work began.

My bass captain was Brian Mc Carter, and we had Peter Boyer, owner of Earth to Earth, and Mike who came with Peter. Though 4 in a boat is crowded, we had a simple plan: one person drop shot, one person jig or throw senkos, one person run cranks, and one run jerk baits. Brian knew there was a weed kill, and the spawn was over. The Gar pike were roiling, and so were the carp. But no Bass to be found. Peter did business on the phone so gave him a DS rod with a Nemisis minnow. I rotated spinnerbaits, jerkbaits, and cranks. Mike stayed with shallow cranks while Brian slow fished his Nemesis lures

It was Brian who got our first fish dead sticking a jig. 2.5 lbr.  Then 15 minutes later Peter announces, "I think I got something", and puts his phone down, reeling in another keeper. So in the 1st of 4 hours we have 2 fish.

2nd hour, on secondary points and wood - nothing. Up shallow - nothing. Back to deeper - nothing.

We worked the main part of the lake on hour 3 - nothing. It started to rain, it stopped. Surface lures, dragging lures, reaction lures. Nothing. It was as if the fish had been killed.

So we pulled up on a rocky shore with a weed line, I immediately saw the lure required. Either a Kustom Kicker lil punk jig or a spinner bait. I reached for what was ready, a white with red Kustom Kicker 3/8 spinner bait and on the first cast it got smacked. So fish 3 arrived - a smallie. 3 more casts on the rocky shore and my rod bent again with the spinner bait. This time a large head was brought in. So the power fishing game was on !!  2 people slower, tubes, senkos, while Brian and I ran spinner baits. Half hour left we have 4 fish in, and 3 of them are 14-15 inches. Not a good feeling. Here is the kicker of it all - at exactly 5 pm, the tournament ends, and I need to be in the car to the airport for a 7:30 international flight. I throw my pontoon keys to Peter, Brian and the guys (camera boat) and off I go.

But not before I took a snap with one of the classiest men in the bunch:



I missed out on so much of the fun, the dinner, the awards, the fishermen and players relaxing and opening talking for a few hours. Its one heck of a good day ..... If you ever have a chance - you MUST do this. It was a blast !!!

Special thanks to Earth 2 Earth - Peter and his crew, and Brian for being a fantastic boat captain. Looking forward to next year all ready !

[Frank]

special color Mojo?  I'm going to have to try that color

[djkimmel]

I thought maybe you were kneeling down in the picture with the linemen?!?

[Mojo]

special color Mojo?  I'm going to have to try that color

Ha ha,..."... Ha ha. ........ You aren't known as WSBF ( the white spinner. Bait freak) for nuthin......

[Team houston]

Hey Mojo how was the Peacock Bass fishing in Brazil?