By Brian Argabright
The 830 Times
Ernie Moore made the most of his trip to the scales during the seventh hour weigh-in at this weekend’s Border Bass Battle.
The Utopia angler not only won the hourly weigh-in with a 6.20-pound largemouth bass, but that fish was the biggest of the tournament, sending Moore back home with a pair of checks worth a combined $2,000.
It was a worthy prize on a day in which 147 fishermen from around the state and New Mexico battled not only nature and each other, but a brutal wind that at times reached more than 20 mph.
It was the concerns over a strong wind that forced the one-day postponement of the twice yearly bass fishing event put on by the Del Rio Chamber of Commerce and its special projects committee. The constant wind wreaked havoc on the weigh-n station, blowing the fish-holding crate off the scales, snapping banners from their zip-ties and generally being a nuisance to the event’s organizers.
Weighmaster Kurt Dove and tournament volunteers were able to get things under control, though, and ensured that the event went off as smoothly and as fairly as possible to everyone participating.
Daylight Savings Time also threw things for a loop as the tournament’s start was delayed to 7:45, pushing the first weigh-in hour from the usual 7 to 8 a.m. to 8 to 9 a.m. Iraan’s Todd Hooker set the tone with a 5.95-pound bass to take the first hour. His weight held on as the overall heaviest weight until Moore’s six-pounder bumped his bass out of first.
Only twice did the top weight fail to clear at least five pounds. Ramon Garcia Jr. of San Antonio won the hour four weigh-in with a 4.99-pound bass, and Cameron Clinton won the hour eight weigh-in with a 3.86-pound bass.
Clinton was one of several anglers who took home checks for finishing in the top three in multiple hours. Along with his first place showing in hour eight, Clinton was also third in hour seven to net another $300. Del Rio’s Kyle Maloney was another top three finisher in two weigh-ins. He took second in hour two and first in hour three. Kyle’s Enrique Reyes took home two checks as well after winning hour two and finishing second in hour eight.
Rounding out the group of dual check earners was Del Rio’s Tanner Sanderson who was first in hour six and third in hour five.
In terms of monies paid out, $1,000 went to the top angler in each hourly weigh-in. Second place got $600 and third place earned $300. The top overall angler also won $1,000. The angler who weighed in the heaviest smallmouth bass earned $350, and the top angler in the youth division earned $250.
The next Border Bass Battle is set for Nov. 1 on Lake Amistad.
The hourly winners, and overall top anglers, are as follows:
Hour 1 (8 a.m. to 9 a.m.)
First – Todd Hooker, Iraan, 5.95 pounds
Second – Ray Hanselman, Del Rio, 4.82 pounds
Third – Michael Scandolari, San Angelo, 4.19 pounds
Hour 2 (9 a.m. to 10 a.m.)
First – Enrique Reyes, Kyle, 5.07 pounds
Second – Kyle Maloney, Del Rio, 5.02 pounds
Third – Russell Gambrel, Del Rio, 4.77 pounds
Hour 3 (10 a.m. to 11 a.m.)
First – Kyle Maloney, Del Rio, 5.71 pounds
Second – Chuck Whitehead, Del Rio, 4.68 pounds
Third – Chelsey Jorde, Clovis, N.M., 4.67 pounds
Hour 4 (11 a.m. to Noon)
First – Ramon Garcia Jr., 4.99 pounds
Second – Sheri Jorde, Clovis, N.M., 2.81 pounds
Third – Robert Nance, Midland, 2.24 pounds
Hour 5 (Noon to 1 p.m.)
First – Al Brito, Midland, 5.24 pounds
Second – Jeff Jorde, Farwell, 4.43 pounds
Third – Tanner Sanderson, Del Rio, 3.53 pounds
Hour 6 (1 p.m. to 2 p.m.)
First – Tanner Sanderson, Del Rio, 5.85 pounds
Second – Raymond Taylor, San Angelo, 3.98 pounds
Third – Jimmy Morris. Odessa, 3.95 pounds
Hour 7 (2 p.m. to 3 p.m.)
First – Ernie Moore, Utopia, 6.20 pounds
Second – Lynda Main, Del Rio, 5.41 pounds
Third – Cameron Clinton, Del Rio, 5.22 pounds
Hour 8 (3 p.m. to 4 p.m.)
First – Cameron Clinton, Del Rio, 3.86 pounds
Second – Enrique Reyes, Kyle, 3.35 pounds
Third – Mario Garcia, Del Rio, 2.98 pounds
Top Overall Angler: Ernie Moore, Utopia, 6.20 pounds
Top Smallmouth: Trenton Griffon, Kerrville, 3.19 pounds
Top Youth Angler: Mason Luckie, Sonora, 1.59 pounds
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Contact the author at drnhsports@gmail.com
