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Kansan Brent Chapman in seventh
Alabama’s Randy Howell Grinds Out Lead on Bassmaster Elite Event on Mighty Mississippi

 June 11, 2009 - FORT MADISON, Iowa – It has never been more apparent that the Bassmaster Elite Series is a game of adjustments than it was Thursday at the Genuity River Rumble. Spoiled by the big-bass factories of Lake Guntersville and Kentucky Lake in the previous two tournaments, Elite anglers were hit with a dose of reality Thursday on the Mississippi River as many were forced to dig deep in their tackle boxes to grind out a limit. And many were unable to manage a limit on Day 1.

Nonetheless, the mighty Mississippi holds a good population of bass, and those who made the right choices were able to capitalize. Turning around a practice that was alarmingly unproductive, Randy Howell laid claim to the Day 1 lead with a 16-pound, 9-ounce limit, enough for an advantage of nearly 2 pounds over Takahiro Omori (14-9) of Emory, Texas.  Elite rookie Matt Herren of Trussville, Ala. (14-9) was third, with fellow rookie Billy McCaghren of Mayflower, Ark., and Elite veteran Tommy Biffle of Wagoner, Okla., tied for fourth with 13-1. 

Howell, who said he landed zero keepers during a deflating three-day practice, keyed in on a small patch of 10 bushes, which yielded all of his weighed fish. His limit included a 4-pound, 5-ounce bass, which was tied for the largest of the day. Like most in the field, Howell was flipping into shallow pockets of water. 

“I don’t consider this type of fishing to be a strength, so taking the lead is a big confidence boost,” said Howell, 35. “I don’t think I have ever caught fish this shallow. It’s just mind-blowing.”

Fishing fans can catch all of the on-the-water action from the River Rumble on The Bassmasters, which airs Saturday, June 20, at 9 a.m. ET on ESPN2. The daily weigh-ins for all regular-season Elite events and the two postseason events will air live on ESPN360.com, ESPN’s broadband sports network, while a wealth of unique content will also be available at Bassmaster.com.

Howell said he caught fish in water as skinny as 6 inches. While his area proved productive, several other competitors were near or on his money spot and boat traffic remains an issue on the Mississippi with just a few, concentrated productive areas. 

A solid tournament here would be doubly rewarding for Howell. He is chasing a $100,000 top prize, and, perhaps most importantly, he and all other Elite Series pros have their eye on positioning in the 2009 Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year standings. For Howell, who came into this tournament ninth in the AOY standings, the one-time BASS winner is in good shape to double up and qualify for the 2010 Bassmaster Classic, set for Feb. 19-21 on Lay Lake out of Birmingham, Ala., and the inaugural 2009 Bassmaster Elite Series postseason. 

The inaugural Toyota Trucks Championship Week is set for Sept. 10-18 and will be played out on two productive Alabama fisheries. The first of the two postseason tournaments will take place on Lake Jordan out of Wetumpka; the finale, the Evan Williams Bourbon Trophy Triumph, is slated for the Alabama River from Montgomery . Only the top 12 anglers in the AOY standings will advance.

Howell started hot Thursday, landing three keepers by 8 a.m. His next keeper came at 11 a.m., and he didn’t land another bite until his fifth keeper was safely in the boat at 2:10 p.m. He used the rest of the day to poke around his productive area looking for clues to where the biggest bass were hiding. 

“I came in hoping to just catch one fish and register some points,” said Howell, an eight-time Bassmaster Classic qualifier. “Now, I’m in a very good position. It was just a grind out there -- and there is a bit more luck that comes into play here, but this spot is definitely going to be a factor.”

Omori, who was fishing in the same backwater as Howell, also managed to turn around a sub-standard practice. He caught only five keepers on Day 1 by flipping to shallow water. His limit was buoyed by a 3-5 bass. 

In 36th in the Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year standings heading into this event, Omori, a six-time BASS winner and the 2004 Bassmaster Classic champion, is looking to put himself in position to qualify for his seventh Bassmaster Classic. With only the top 36 qualifying, a solid tournament here would do wonders for his chances. 

“My practice stunk and things are definitely not easy out there,” said Omori, 38. “I also lost a 3-pounder, but all in all I’m optimistic.”

Biffle, who won a 1995 BASS event on the Mississippi , is an angler to be watched at the Genuity River Rumble. An accomplished river fisherman, Biffle has already scored one Elite victory this year.

Also Thursday, Jerry Van Sickle of Oelwein , Iowa , who served as Elite angler Derek Remitz’s Marshal, suffered injuries as the result of a boating accident and was treated at a local hospital. Van Sickle was alert and remained at the hospital for evaluation.

During the 2008 season, the Elite Series had to cancel the River Rumble in Fort Madison because of flooding along the river that affected nearly a dozen states. The river last was host to a Bassmaster Tour event in 2006, when Elite angler Darrin Schwenkbeck won a Bassmaster Northern Tour competition with a three-day total of 42 pounds, 12 ounces.

The Genuity River Rumble includes a top prize of $100,000 and awards valuable points in the 2009 Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year title race. With 1,593 points heading into this week’s event, Kevin VanDam of Kalamazoo , Mich. , leads the AOY standings. Trailing him are 2009 Bassmaster Classic champion and 2007 AOY Skeet Reese of Auburn, Calif., in second with 1,578 points, and 2008 Classic champion Alton Jones of Waco, Texas, in third with 1,477 points. 

The local sponsor of the River Rumble is the Fort Madison Convention & Visitors Bureau.

Official sponsors of the Bassmaster Elite Series: Toyota Trucks, Berkley , BOOYAH Baits, Evan Williams Bourbon, Mercury, OPTIMA Batteries, Skeeter Boats, Yamaha Outboards.

Supporting sponsors of the Bassmaster Elite Series: Bass Pro Shops, Costa Del Mar, Ramada, SpongeTech and Triton Boats.

 

DAY 1 STANDINGS- GENUITY RIVER RUMBLE

 

2009 Genuity River Rumble 6/11-6/14

Mississippi River, Fort Madison  IA.

(PROFESSIONAL) Standings Day 1

 

   Angler                   Hometown              No./lbs-oz  Pts   Total $$$

 

1.  Randy Howell           Springville , AL           5  16-04  305

  Day 1: 5   16-04  

2.  Takahiro Omori         Emory , TX                 5  14-10  295

  Day 1: 5   14-10  

3.  Matt Herren            Trussville, AL           5  14-09  290

  Day 1: 5   14-09  

4.  Tommy Biffle           Wagoner, OK              5  13-01  285

  Day 1: 5   13-01  

4.  Billy Mccaghren        Mayflower, AR            5  13-01  285

  Day 1: 5   13-01  

6.  Shaw E Grigsby         Gainesville , FL          5  12-08  276

  Day 1: 5   12-08  

7.  Brent Chapman          Lake Quivira , KS          5  12-05  272

  Day 1: 5   12-05  

8.  Kevin VanDam           Kalamazoo , MI            5  12-04  268

  Day 1: 5   12-04  

9.  Stephen Browning       Hot Springs , AR          5  12-03  264

  Day 1: 5   12-03  

10. Kelly Jordon           Mineola , TX              5  12-01  260

  Day 1: 5   12-01  

11. Alton Jones            Waco , TX                  5  12-00  257

  Day 1: 5   12-00  

12. John Murray            Phoenix , AZ              4  11-10  254

  Day 1: 4   11-10  

13. Gary Klein              Weatherford , TX           5  11-09  251

  Day 1: 5   11-09  

14. Scott Campbell         Springfield , MO          5  11-08  248

  Day 1: 5   11-08  

15. Pat Golden             High Point , NC           4  11-08  245

  Day 1: 4   11-08  

16. James Niggemeyer       Van, TX                  5  11-07  243

  Day 1: 5   11-07  

17. Gerald Swindle         Warrior, AL              5  11-05  241

  Day 1: 5   11-05  

18. Kevin Short            Mayflower, AR            5  10-10  239

  Day 1: 5   10-10  

19. Steve Kennedy          Auburn , AL                5  10-07  237

  Day 1: 5   10-07  

20. Bill Lowen             North Bend , OH            5  10-02  235

  Day 1: 5   10-02  

21. Boyd Duckett           Demopolis , AL             5  10-01  233

  Day 1: 5   10-01  

21. Marty Stone            Fayetteville , NC          5  10-01  233

  Day 1: 5   10-01  

23. Matt Reed              Madisonville , TX         5  09-12  229

  Day 1: 5   09-12  

24. Brian Snowden          Reeds Spring, MO         5  09-10  227

  Day 1: 5   09-10  

25. Todd Auten             Lake Wylie , SC            5  09-06  225

  Day 1: 5   09-06  

26. Elton Luce Jr.         Brookeland , TX            4  09-05  223

  Day 1: 4   09-05  

27. Todd Faircloth         Jasper, TX               5  09-01  221

  Day 1: 5   09-01  

28. Zell Rowland           Montgomery , TX            3  09-00  219

  Day 1: 3   09-00  

29. Rick Clunn             Ava , MO                   5  08-14  217

  Day 1: 5   08-14  

30. Russ Lane              Prattville , AL           5  08-13  215

  Day 1: 5   08-13  

31. Morizo Shimizu         Osaka JAPAN              4  08-13  213

  Day 1: 4   08-13  

32. Mark Tucker            Saint Louis, MO          5  08-10  211

  Day 1: 5   08-10  

33. Casey Ashley           Donalds, SC              5  08-05  209

  Day 1: 5   08-05  

34. Mike McClelland        Bella Vista , AR           4  08-05  207

  Day 1: 4   08-05  

35. Mark Davis             Mount Ida , AR            4  08-03  205

  Day 1: 4   08-03  

35. Peter E Thliveros      St Augustine, FL         4  08-03  205

  Day 1: 4   08-03  

37. Jim Murray             Arabi , GA                 4  07-12  201

  Day 1: 4   07-12  

38. Mark Menendez          Paducah , KY              3  07-12  199

  Day 1: 3   07-12  

39. Mark Tyler              Vian, OK                 3  07-11  197

  Day 1: 3   07-11  

40. Britt Myers            Lake Wylie , SC            3  07-10  195

  Day 1: 3   07-10  

41. Vince Fulks            Purcell, OK              4  07-08  193

  Day 1: 4   07-08  

42. Bobby Lane             Lakeland , FL             3  07-07  191

  Day 1: 3   07-07  

43. Timmy Horton           Muscle Shoals, AL         4  07-05  189

  Day 1: 4   07-05  

44. Ken D Cook             Lawton , OK               3  07-05  187

  Day 1: 3   07-05  

45. Guy Eaker               Cherryville , NC           3  07-03  185

  Day 1: 3   07-03  

46. Skeet Reese            Auburn , CA               3  07-01  183

  Day 1: 3   07-01  

47. Rick Morris            Virginia Beach , VA       3  06-07  181

  Day 1: 3   06-07  

48. Jason Williamson       Aiken , SC                 3  06-06  179

  Day 1: 3   06-06  

49. Luke Gritter           Kalamazoo , MI            3  06-05  177

  Day 1: 3   06-05  

50. Davy Hite              Ninety Six, SC           3  06-04  175

  Day 1: 3   06-04  

51. Wade Grooms            Bonneau , SC               3  06-02  173

  Day 1: 3   06-02  

52. Edwin Evers            Talala, OK               3  05-14  171

  Day 1: 3   05-14  

53. Denny Brauer           Camdenton , MO             2  05-14  169

  Day 1: 2   05-14  

54. J Todd Tucker          Moultrie, GA             2  05-12  167

  Day 1: 2   05-12  

55. Jeff Connella          Bentley , LA               3  05-10  165

  Day 1: 3   05-10  

56. Brent Broderick        Oregonia , OH              3  05-09  163

  Day 1: 3   05-09  

57. Pete Ponds             Madison, MS              2  05-04  161

  Day 1: 2   05-04  

58. Charlie Hartley        Grove City , OH           3  05-01  159

  Day 1: 3   05-01  

59. Dustin Wilks           Rocky Mount , NC          3  04-12  157

  Day 1: 3   04-12  

60. Chad Griffin            Cresson , TX               2  04-08  155

  Day 1: 2   04-08  

60. Bernie Schultz         Gainesville , FL          2  04-08  155

  Day 1: 2   04-08  

62. Brian Clark            Haltom City , TX          2  04-07  151

  Day 1: 2   04-07  

62. Jeff Reynolds          Idabel, OK               2  04-07  151

  Day 1: 2   04-07  

64. Clark Reehm            Russellville , AR          2  04-04  147

  Day 1: 2   04-04  

65. Dave Wolak             Wake Forest , NC          2  04-01  145

  Day 1: 2   04-01  

66. Bradley Hallman        Norman , OK               2  03-13  143

  Day 1: 2   03-13  

67. Jeff Kriet             Ardmore , OK              2  03-11  141

  Day 1: 2   03-11  

68. Mike Wurm              Hot Springs , AR          2  03-10  139

  Day 1: 2   03-10  

69. Kevin Wirth            Crestwood , KY             2  03-06  137

  Day 1: 2   03-06  

70. Terry Butcher          Talala, OK               1  02-12  135

  Day 1: 1   02-12  

70. Byron Velvick          Del Rio , TX              1  02-12  135

  Day 1: 1   02-12  

72. Derek Remitz           Grant , AL                 1  02-08  131

  Day 1: 1   02-08  

72. Fred Roumbanis         Bixby, OK                1  02-08  131

  Day 1: 1   02-08  

74. Michael Iaconelli      Runnemede , NJ             1  02-07  127

  Day 1: 1   02-07  

75. Chris Lane             Lakeland , FL             1  02-04  125

  Day 1: 1   02-04  

75. Jared Lintner          Arroyo Grande , CA         1  02-04  125

  Day 1: 1   02-04  

77. Grant Goldbeck          Gaithersburg , MD         1  02-01  121

  Day 1: 1   02-01  

77. Scott Rook             Little Rock , AR          1  02-01  121

  Day 1: 1   02-01  

79. Greg Vinson            Wetumpka , AL              1  02-00  117

  Day 1: 1   02-00  

80. Jason Quinn            York , SC                  1  01-14  115

  Day 1: 1   01-14  

81. Aaron Martens          Leeds, AL                 1  01-13  113

  Day 1: 1   01-13  

81. Ish Monroe             Hughson , CA               1  01-13  113

  Day 1: 1   01-13  

81. Cliff Pace             Petal, MS                1  01-13  113

  Day 1: 1   01-13  

84. Mark Burgess           Norton , MA                1  01-10  107

  Day 1: 1   01-10  

84. Greg Hackney           Gonzales , LA              1  01-10  107

  Day 1: 1   01-10  

84. Jeremy Starks          Charleston , WV           1  01-10  107

  Day 1: 1   01-10  

87. Jami Fralick           Martin , SD                1  01-09  101

  Day 1: 1   01-09  

87. Kotaro Kiriyama        Moody, AL                1  01-09  101

  Day 1: 1   01-09  

89. Dean Rojas             Lake Havasu City , AZ     1  01-07   97

  Day 1: 1   01-07  

90. John Crews             Salem , VA                0  00-00    0

  Day 1: 0   00-00  

90. Paul Elias             Laurel , MS                0  00-00    0

  Day 1: 0   00-00  

90. Kenyon Hill            Norman , OK               0  00-00    0

  Day 1: 0   00-00  

90. Yusuke Miyazaki         Forney , TX                0  00-00    0

  Day 1: 0   00-00  

90. Jimmy Mize             Ben Lomond , AR           0  00-00    0

  Day 1: 0   00-00  

90. Marty Robinson         Lyman, SC                0  00-00    0

  Day 1: 0   00-00  

90. Terry Scroggins        San Mateo , FL            0  00-00    0

  Day 1: 0   00-00  

90. David Smith            Del City , OK             0  00-00    0

  Day 1: 0   00-00  

90. Matthew Sphar          Pavilion, NY             0  00-00    0

  Day 1: 0   00-00  

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

 

BIG BASS

Day

 1   Randy Howell             Springville, AL     04-05          $0.00

 1   John Murray              Phoenix , AZ         04-05          $0.00

 

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Totals

Day   #Limits    #Fish      Weight

 1        28       280       620-04

----------------------------------

          28       280       620-04

 

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