35 • LAKECASTER • MAY 2011

the McGee Flats area where a Carolina-rigged fluke was cast to a

ridge in about 12-feet of water. The first cast yielded a bass – and
that is not always a good sign. Eight more bass were caught from
this area and a few of these were keepers, but Browning chose not
to put them in the livewell since he had caught many this size while
pre-fishing and needed more weight if he was going to make it to
the finals. At 8:30 we moved to a sharp drop-off and the C-rig and a
green-shad pattern crankbait went to work. Three more bass came
into the boat but none were “keepers”. The wind was starting to pick
up about 9am as we motored to another ridge in the same general
area. At 9:30 a solid 3-pounder came into the boat. Now we were
cooking! By 10:25 there were three solid bass in the livewell and we
made a run to Mill Creek. Browning was somewhat frustrated since
he was catching a number of “spots” in areas that he had previously
been catching quality bass. After fishing three more locations and
catching small bass, we headed back to the spot where Browning
had caught the 3-pounder and there he finished out his limit. Now
it was time to go looking for a heavyweight. Browning figured he
had about 11+-pounds of bass and definitely needed a “kicker” so
we headed to Indian Mounds. More bass were caught but Browning
was only able to cull one fish. At weigh-in his five bass limit weighed
a respectable 12-pounds 2-ounces, and that placed him in 66th
place. For me it was a great day and I learned quite a bit more about
Jim Binns with pro angler Stephen Browning
an area of the lake that I actually fish quite often.
At the end of the first days weigh-in, partners were posted for the 4 pm we headed for a 4:15 pm weigh-in. If you have ever seen an stand that a few of the Marshall’s had seen enough of windy Toledo
next day. I was paired with Jeff Connella of Bentley, Louisiana, a pro angry ocean, that is exactly what Toledo Bend looked like when we Bend and alternates were selected.
angler who had weighed in 14-6 and was in 39th place. crossed under the Pendleton Bridge. Whitecaps were everywhere and Participating as a Marshal was a very unique and fun experience
Day two – the wind was howling. Connella is a good boat driver and we were that cannot help but increase an anglers fishing knowledge and
At 6:15am the next morning I met Connella at Toledo Tackle never in any danger, however, the ride was a roller-coaster and most skills. It is basically a personal seminar on fishing techniques and a
and we headed to the launch site. When they called out boat #33 we of the participants got soaking wet from either taking a wave over great opportunity to rub elbows with some of the finest fishermen in
headed north, went under the Pendleton Bridge, and shut it down the front or from wind blown spray. We made it to the weigh-in site the world. I would do it again in a heartbeat. My congratulations to
in a cove near the entrance of Patroon Bayou. Connella’s “go to with one minute to spare. At this point it was general chaos since B.A.S.S. for coming up with such a quality program.
bait” is a watermelon colored wacky worm and he fishes it well. His the wind was howling and anglers were trying to find places to Good Fishing – JB
first bass weighed about 2+-pounds and was caught at 8am. This temporarily park their boats in the shallow water area to get their (Both Browning and Connella wound up fishing in Satur-
was followed by two more 2-pounders in the following hour. At one fish bagged and weighed in. I am sure that some of the Marshall’s day’s event but did not make Sundays cut. Browning finished
point a huge fish hit his small plastic speed craw and I thought the had some exciting tales to tell their friends about the boat ride in to 21st with 44-1 and Connella finished 42nd with 37-5. Both of
fish of the tournament was getting ready to be landed. The “bass” weigh-in. these gentlemen were class acts and I enjoyed sharing the boat
turned out to be a Grinnell and both of us were very disappointed. My name was not drawn as a Marshall for Saturday, but I under- with them.)
After catching a few more
short fish Connella landed
bass number four at 9:25am.
At 10:15 the fifth bass was
landed and the pressure was
off. The wind was really star-
ing to be an issue, especially
trying to feel a bite on the
wacky worm rig. Three fish
were culled and we estimated
that there was a solid 14-
pounds of bass in the livewell.
More fish were caught but
Connella was never able to
cull his smallest bass that
weighed 2-09.
At one point as the wind
really started to blow, I com-
mented that it wasn’t right
to see “dust storms” on the
shoreline of Toledo Bend. At Pro angler Jeff Connella with fine bass caught on a wacky worm