It showed its mouth and I just about fell overboard. It was Stone's second top-five finish after finishing fifth in the Okeechobee tournament. Chuck Economou of Palm Bay failed to make the top 10 semi-finalists. Jack Wingate, who has operated Wingate's Lunker Lodge for 44 years, since Seminole was flooded as a man-made reservoir, expects banner catches because the lake's bass are in the middle of their spawning season. But there are local guys thinking it could take a total of 90 pounds to win.
Fishing is that good right now.
Palm Bay's B.J. Biles was second with 10.15, followed by Don Dluzak of Melbourne with 8.75. Biles and Mark Eden of Palm Bay won the team event with 18.5 pounds. Now's the time to catch giant bass to 11 and 12 pounds. It's also the time to release these big females loaded with roe. All came on plastic worms, and all were released.