04-07-2010, 11:13 AM
The Southern Illinois University team of Ben DeBlois and Christopher Piha cranked their way to the top spot and $2,000 at the first Murray State Kentucky Lake Invitational. The team weighed 10 bass during the two day event for a total weight of 31.89 pounds.
Professional angler Ray Barga told the collegiate anglers fishing the invitational at the pre-tournament banquet that fortunes can change in hurry on Kentucky Lake under prespawn conditions, and it is possible to catch 20 pound bags from any small stretch of bank this time of year. Such was the case for SIU's DeBlois and Piha.
"We had only one fish at 11:30 on day one," Deblois said. "Then, we found one 200 yard stretch of bank that was absolutely loaded." The team quickly filled out their day one limit of 16.36 pounds and knew where they would start day two.
The fish had not moved when the team arrived at the spot on the second day. "We had 10 fish in the first 40 minutes this morning," Piha said after the final day's weigh-in. The team milked the bank for all it was worth and culled a 15-incher with a five-pound kicker fish later in the day to round out their final day's bag that weighed 15.53 pounds<br />
The winning bank was located inside a creek north of the takeoff point of Kenlake Marina. It had pea gravel mixed with chunk rock and featured four or five small secondary points. DeBlois and Piha used a crawfish colored Strike King Red-Eye Shad and a Srike King Strike Shad in a rootbeer color to catch their fish. The SIU team is sponsored by Dobyns rods, Strike King Lures, Vicious Fishing and Tackle Warehouse.
Warmer temps during an unusually cold February moved the fish shallow to prepare for the spawn a few weeks away. Air temps in the high 40's and plenty of sunshine helped the shallow water bite. Most Anglers reported catching thier fish on crankbaits and jerkbaits.
Another team from SIU, Mark O'Brien and Ryan Wachter took second-place honors with a two day total of 30.83 pounds. Anglers from Tennessee Tech University, Seth Davis and Ryan Maddux claimed third with 26.15 pounds. Rounding out the top five teams were Therron Shaw and Austin Brown from Murray State University. Shaw and Brown weighed the biggest bag of tournament, 20.09 pounds, on day two and finished with a total of 25.71 pounds. The Murray State teams of Steve Miller and Ben Helmerich and Dan Langton and Chad Branham tied for fifth place with 22.74 pounds.
###########
Murray State Bass Anglers wishes to thank all that helped out with making the first Murray State Kentucky Lake Invitational a success. Especially John Parks of Jet-A-Marine, John Newton, his wife and crew of U.S.A Bassin, Terry Little and Ray Barga. We also thank Jim Carter, Murray State University's vice president of institutional advancement and Murray State University for their support of Murray State Bass Anglers. We look forward hosting the event next year.
Media Contact: Steve Miller (847) 224-5120 or steven.miller@murraystate.edu
2010 MURRAY STATE KENTUCKY LAKE INVITATIONAL
PL.
School
Team Name
Big Bass
Day One
Day Two
Total
1
Southern Illinois University
Ben DeBlois & Christoper Piha
6.00
5/ 16.36
5/ 15.53
10/ 31.89
2
Southern Illinois University
Mark O' Brien and Ryan Wachter
5.20
4/ 11.59
5/ 19.24
9/ 30.83
3
Tennessee Tech University
Seth Davis & Ryan Maddux
7.07
4/ 17.15
2/ 9.00
6/ 26.15
4
Murray State University
Therron Shaw & Austin Brown
6.77
3/ 5.69
5/ 20.09
8/ 25.71
5
Murray State University
Ben Helmerich & Steve Miller
5.02
5/ 17.46
2/ 5.28
7/ 22.74
5
Murray State University
Dan Langton & Chad Branham
4.28
5/ 14.27
4/ 8.47
9/ 22.74
7
University of Tenn.-Knoxville
David Lambert
7.62
5/ 16.53
2/ 3.58
7/ 20.11
8
Madisonville Community College
Matt Robinson & Patrick Atcher
5/ 14.29
1/ 2.20
6/ 16.49
9
Eastern Illinois University
Jon Toomer & Trent Horn
5.38
4/ 13.23
1/ 2.50
5/ 15.73
10
Western Kentucky University
Andy Southard & David Stephens
4.75
1/ 0.88
4/ 14.07
5/ 14.95
11
Murray State University
Ben Jackson & Stephen Barga
5.28
4/ 14.50
0/ 0.00
4/ 14.50
12
Bethel University
Jacob Hardy & Jake Lawrence
5.76
5/ 13.77
0/ 0.00
5/ 13.77
13
Murray State University
Kalem Tippett & Mike Rach
3.14
3/ 6.47
3/ 6.81
6/ 13.28
14
Murray State University
Aaron Hines & Matt Luken
3.57
4/ 11.26
0/ 0.00
4/ 11.26
15
University of Louisville
Lee Blakeman & Daniel Day
4.00
2/ 6.08
2/ 3.80
4/ 9.88
16
Murray State University
Phillip Lady & Vincent Campisano
4.35
1/ 3.35
1/ 5.59
3/ 8.94
17
Morehead State University
Ben Miller & Steve Global
5.70
2/ 8.54
0/ 0.00
2/ 8.54
18
Wasbash College
Paul Musielak & Robby Ritz
7.29
0/ 0.00
1/ 7.29
1/ 7.29
19
Western Kentucky University
Jason Roberts & Jake Hurt
0/ 0.00
2/ 5.07
2/ 5.07
20
University of Louisville
Matt Underwood & Matthew Benzel
1/ 2.33
0/ 0.00
1/ 2.33
21
Arkansas Tech University
Kyle Brookshear & Wesley Wilcox
0/ 0.00
0/ 0.00
0/ 0.00
22
Eastern Kentucky University
Richard Cobb & Chris French
0/ 0.00
0/ 0.00
0/ 0.00
22
University of Louisville
Cody Greenwell & Justin Probus
0/ 0.00
0/ 0.00
0/ 0.00
22
Tennessee Tech University
Joey Mallicoat & Mac Jones
0/ 0.00
0/ 0.00
0/ 0.00
22
University of Kentucky
J.T. Peake & Eli Purdy
0/ 0.00
0/ 0.00
0/ 0.00
22
University of Kentucky
Jonathon Durbin & Alex Rosdail
0/ 0.00
0/ 0.00
0/ 0.00
22
Murray State University
Cory Carr & Zach Park
0/ 0.00
0/ 0.00
0/ 0.00
22
Eastern Illinois University
Daryl Betts & Chase Stanford
0/ 0.00
0/ 0.00
Media Contact<br />
Steve Miller (847) 224-5120 or steven.miller@murraystate.edu
Professional angler Ray Barga told the collegiate anglers fishing the invitational at the pre-tournament banquet that fortunes can change in hurry on Kentucky Lake under prespawn conditions, and it is possible to catch 20 pound bags from any small stretch of bank this time of year. Such was the case for SIU's DeBlois and Piha.
"We had only one fish at 11:30 on day one," Deblois said. "Then, we found one 200 yard stretch of bank that was absolutely loaded." The team quickly filled out their day one limit of 16.36 pounds and knew where they would start day two.
The fish had not moved when the team arrived at the spot on the second day. "We had 10 fish in the first 40 minutes this morning," Piha said after the final day's weigh-in. The team milked the bank for all it was worth and culled a 15-incher with a five-pound kicker fish later in the day to round out their final day's bag that weighed 15.53 pounds<br />
The winning bank was located inside a creek north of the takeoff point of Kenlake Marina. It had pea gravel mixed with chunk rock and featured four or five small secondary points. DeBlois and Piha used a crawfish colored Strike King Red-Eye Shad and a Srike King Strike Shad in a rootbeer color to catch their fish. The SIU team is sponsored by Dobyns rods, Strike King Lures, Vicious Fishing and Tackle Warehouse.
Warmer temps during an unusually cold February moved the fish shallow to prepare for the spawn a few weeks away. Air temps in the high 40's and plenty of sunshine helped the shallow water bite. Most Anglers reported catching thier fish on crankbaits and jerkbaits.
Another team from SIU, Mark O'Brien and Ryan Wachter took second-place honors with a two day total of 30.83 pounds. Anglers from Tennessee Tech University, Seth Davis and Ryan Maddux claimed third with 26.15 pounds. Rounding out the top five teams were Therron Shaw and Austin Brown from Murray State University. Shaw and Brown weighed the biggest bag of tournament, 20.09 pounds, on day two and finished with a total of 25.71 pounds. The Murray State teams of Steve Miller and Ben Helmerich and Dan Langton and Chad Branham tied for fifth place with 22.74 pounds.
###########
Murray State Bass Anglers wishes to thank all that helped out with making the first Murray State Kentucky Lake Invitational a success. Especially John Parks of Jet-A-Marine, John Newton, his wife and crew of U.S.A Bassin, Terry Little and Ray Barga. We also thank Jim Carter, Murray State University's vice president of institutional advancement and Murray State University for their support of Murray State Bass Anglers. We look forward hosting the event next year.
Media Contact: Steve Miller (847) 224-5120 or steven.miller@murraystate.edu
2010 MURRAY STATE KENTUCKY LAKE INVITATIONAL
PL.
School
Team Name
Big Bass
Day One
Day Two
Total
1
Southern Illinois University
Ben DeBlois & Christoper Piha
6.00
5/ 16.36
5/ 15.53
10/ 31.89
2
Southern Illinois University
Mark O' Brien and Ryan Wachter
5.20
4/ 11.59
5/ 19.24
9/ 30.83
3
Tennessee Tech University
Seth Davis & Ryan Maddux
7.07
4/ 17.15
2/ 9.00
6/ 26.15
4
Murray State University
Therron Shaw & Austin Brown
6.77
3/ 5.69
5/ 20.09
8/ 25.71
5
Murray State University
Ben Helmerich & Steve Miller
5.02
5/ 17.46
2/ 5.28
7/ 22.74
5
Murray State University
Dan Langton & Chad Branham
4.28
5/ 14.27
4/ 8.47
9/ 22.74
7
University of Tenn.-Knoxville
David Lambert
7.62
5/ 16.53
2/ 3.58
7/ 20.11
8
Madisonville Community College
Matt Robinson & Patrick Atcher
5/ 14.29
1/ 2.20
6/ 16.49
9
Eastern Illinois University
Jon Toomer & Trent Horn
5.38
4/ 13.23
1/ 2.50
5/ 15.73
10
Western Kentucky University
Andy Southard & David Stephens
4.75
1/ 0.88
4/ 14.07
5/ 14.95
11
Murray State University
Ben Jackson & Stephen Barga
5.28
4/ 14.50
0/ 0.00
4/ 14.50
12
Bethel University
Jacob Hardy & Jake Lawrence
5.76
5/ 13.77
0/ 0.00
5/ 13.77
13
Murray State University
Kalem Tippett & Mike Rach
3.14
3/ 6.47
3/ 6.81
6/ 13.28
14
Murray State University
Aaron Hines & Matt Luken
3.57
4/ 11.26
0/ 0.00
4/ 11.26
15
University of Louisville
Lee Blakeman & Daniel Day
4.00
2/ 6.08
2/ 3.80
4/ 9.88
16
Murray State University
Phillip Lady & Vincent Campisano
4.35
1/ 3.35
1/ 5.59
3/ 8.94
17
Morehead State University
Ben Miller & Steve Global
5.70
2/ 8.54
0/ 0.00
2/ 8.54
18
Wasbash College
Paul Musielak & Robby Ritz
7.29
0/ 0.00
1/ 7.29
1/ 7.29
19
Western Kentucky University
Jason Roberts & Jake Hurt
0/ 0.00
2/ 5.07
2/ 5.07
20
University of Louisville
Matt Underwood & Matthew Benzel
1/ 2.33
0/ 0.00
1/ 2.33
21
Arkansas Tech University
Kyle Brookshear & Wesley Wilcox
0/ 0.00
0/ 0.00
0/ 0.00
22
Eastern Kentucky University
Richard Cobb & Chris French
0/ 0.00
0/ 0.00
0/ 0.00
22
University of Louisville
Cody Greenwell & Justin Probus
0/ 0.00
0/ 0.00
0/ 0.00
22
Tennessee Tech University
Joey Mallicoat & Mac Jones
0/ 0.00
0/ 0.00
0/ 0.00
22
University of Kentucky
J.T. Peake & Eli Purdy
0/ 0.00
0/ 0.00
0/ 0.00
22
University of Kentucky
Jonathon Durbin & Alex Rosdail
0/ 0.00
0/ 0.00
0/ 0.00
22
Murray State University
Cory Carr & Zach Park
0/ 0.00
0/ 0.00
0/ 0.00
22
Eastern Illinois University
Daryl Betts & Chase Stanford
0/ 0.00
0/ 0.00
Media Contact<br />
Steve Miller (847) 224-5120 or steven.miller@murraystate.edu