Bass challenge delivers winners

ON A cool and cloudy morning, Saturday October 4, 13 boats with 24 warm blooded anglers showed up at Tzaneen Dam, tightened their drag and participated in the first Tzaneen Art Lure Bass Challenge.

Anglers from Tzaneen, Phalaborwa and Levubu competed in this competition hosted by the Tzaneen Art Lure Angling Club and Kempston Logistics Tzaneen, with a cash prize of R6 000 for the winning team.

With the weather forecast during the week predicting rain, many anglers being sceptical and with Tzaneen dam notoriously difficult, some anglers decided not to attend and missed out on a lovely day on the “lake”. Although the fishing conditions were not perfect and with the weather changing from overcast to sunny with a chance of sunburn, we knew that it would turn out to be a challenge of note.

45 fish were weighed in at an average of 0.567 kg with a total catch of 25.52 kg.

3rd place was taken by Team Boulevard Bass Baits 1, Bradley Costa and Garth Kenny, with a bag of 3.195 kg’s. R1 000 cash and a prize to the value of R1 000.

Runners up, with a bag of 3.215 kg’s, Team Last Cast, Derick de Bruyn and Leo Bargiacchi. R 1,000.00 cash and prizes to the value of R2 000.

And the 2014 Tzaneen Art Lure Bass Challenge Champions weighing in at 4.735 kg’s, Team Rapture with anglers Cecil Vermeulen and André van Staden taking home the cash prize of R6 000. The biggest bass of the day was caught be Cecil Vermeulen, 2.5 kg’s caught early that morning on a top water lure at an undisclosed spot on Tzaneen dam.

Both Abe Shulman and Leon Lordan caught Red Breasted Kurpers, weighing in at 0.930 kg’s and 1.107 kg’s.

Congratulations to the top three teams and to the guys representing the State of Phalaborwa, taking places 1st, 2nd, 4th and 5th. See you guys next year, same time, same place.

For more information regarding the Tzaneen Art Lure Angling Club, please contact Ion van der Westhuizen 083 530 2268.

We would like to thank our Tournament sponsors: Kempston Logistics Tzaneen, Varkenelli Customs, Venom Lures, Lumé Lures, Timbercity – Louis Trichardt, Logistic Solutions – Wesselsbron, Hapinas Trading – Louis Trichardt, Cycle Centre – Louis Trichardt and Auto Zone – Tzaneen. Special thanks to Oceana Tool Hire for supplying a generator to run the electrical appliances.