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Lots of fish, few lunkers on Lake Powell
CITGO BASS Federation Western Divisional — Bullfrog Basin, Utah
 
BASS Communications — May 19, 2004

BULLFROG BASIN, Utah — Bass fishing is always a fickle game, but that fact was hammered home with unusual ferocity to the amateur anglers gathered to compete at the CITGO BASS Federation Western Divisional presented by Busch Beer on Lake Powell.

On a day when 90 of the 120 anglers caught a five-bass limit, the average weight per angler was just 5 pounds, 9 ounces, with only three breakout anglers topping the 10-pound mark. Colorado angler Jim Bishop, representing the Utah Federation, edged his way into the front of the pack with an 11-pound, 11 ounce catch, dominated by four largemouth bass and rounded out by one of the feisty, plentiful smallmouths that made up the majority of fish caught in the first round.

Bishop, who has been fishing Lake Powell regularly for about 30 years, says he had "a lucky day." Despite one of the latest start times of the tournament – usually a disadvantage that keeps late-flight anglers out of the most coveted fishing areas – Bishop managed to come in heavy and prop up the Utah state team, which had been flirting with last place among the 10 state teams gathered here.

"I usually make up my mind when I get in the boat, where I'm going to go and what I'm going to do," Bishop said. "I was third to last boat out and we just went around until we found a spot no one was fishing.

"I fish Lake Powell a lot, for a long time, too. I've got quite a few areas. It's a big lake."

Bishop is just 10 ounces ahead of his closest competitor Dave Mehalechko of Glendale, Ariz., but in the Federation Divisional format, it's really the guys on his own team that are cause for concern. The best angler on each of the 10 teams will also earn a berth in the 2005 CITGO BASS Federation Championship presented by Busch Beer. After Friday's final round, 10 of the sunburned anglers gathered at Bullfrog Basin will have earned those berths and be one precious step closer to qualifying for bass fishing's world championship, the 2005 CITGO Bassmaster Classic presented by Busch Beer.

The twelve-angler teams from each of the 10 states in the BASS Federation Western Division are competing for the lion's share of the $13,000 prize purse, determined by which team brings in the heaviest three-day total of bass, which are released back into Lake Powell after each day's weigh-in. Heading into the second of three tournament days, the Colorado state team has just a 2-and-a-half-pound lead over Montana, with just 13 pounds, 4 ounces separating Colorado from Arizona's team, which is in last place.

Launch begins daily at 5:45 a.m. from Bullfrog Marina. Weigh-ins at the marina begin at 2:45 Thursday and Friday and are open to the public.

Sponsors of the CITGO BASS Federation Western Divisional presented by Busch Beer include CITGO Petroleum Corp., Busch Beer, Purolator, Triton Boats, Skeeter Boats, Mercury Marine, Yamaha Outboards, Berkley, Abu Garcia, Lowrance Electronics, Flowmaster Exhaust Systems, MotorGuide, Bass Pro Shops, and BankOne.

Associate sponsors include G3 Boats.

2004 CITGO BASS Federation Western Divisional 05/16-05/21
Lake Powell, Bullfrog Basin Utah
Standings Day 1

Angler                 Hometown (Fed.)         No/lbs-oz
 
  1 Jim Bishop            Grand Junction, Colo.    5  11-11
  2 David Mehalechko      Glendale, Ariz.    5  11-00
  3 Curtis Kimbell        Kennewick, Wash.    5  10-07
  4 Brent Shores          Boise, Idaho           5   9-13
  5 Larry Triplett        Parker, Colo.          5   9-04
  6 Ronnie Red            Fresno, Calif.   5   8-15
  7 Dan Jordan            Lebanon, Ore.          5   8-11
  8 Bill Golightly        Preston, Idaho    5   8-10
  8 Michael Rold          Elk Grove, Calif.   5   8-10
 10 Timothy Venkus        Wilton, Calif.   5   8-09
 11 Dave Palmer           Roseburg, Ore.     5   8-08
 12 Danny Nelson          Bloomfield, N.M.     5   8-04
 13 John Turner           Yuma, Ariz.            5   8-03
 14 Ted Gardiner          Vernal, Utah           5   8-01
 14 James Miller          Tucson, Ariz.          5   8-01
 16 Don Knecht            Los Alamos, N.M.     5   7-15
 16 Troy Meckert          New Plymouth, Idaho    5   7-15
 18 Tracey Platz          Nampa, Idaho           5   7-14
 19 Jim Armstrong         Missoula, Mont.    5   7-11
 20 Ronald Mace           Kennewick, Wash.    5   7-10
 21 Rebecca Golightly     Preston, Idaho    5   7-08
 22 Jeff Boyer            Auburn, Wash.          5   7-07
 22 Dave Gerhardt         Durango, Colo.    5   7-07
 24 Mark Roberts          South Jordan, Utah     5   7-06
 25 Troy Coburn           Centennial, Colo.    5   7-04
 25 Joe Conway            Security, Colo.    5   7-04
 27 Jay Evans             Corvallis, Mont.    5   7-02
 28 Robert Lechel         Santa Fe, N.M.     5   7-00
 29 Julian Auman          Trout Creek, Mont.    5   6-14
 29 Phil Strader          Glide, Ore.            5   6-14
 31 Willie Reed           Missoula, Mont.    5   6-11
 32 Donnie Cox            Colorado Springs, Colo.5   6-09
 32 Bret Felter           Malad, Wyo.            5   6-09
 32 Paul McKenney         Chelan, Wash.          5   6-09
 32 Marco A Rodriguez     Nyssa, Idaho           5   6-09
 32 Jerry Schlief         So Jordan, Utah     5   6-09
 32 Harold Summers        Monroe, Wash.          5   6-09
 38 Bruce Harris          Oakdale, Calif.   5   6-08
 38 Sean Hinton           Morrison, Colo.    5   6-08
 38 Eric Inman            Saratoga Springs, Utah5   6-08
 38 Steve Perkins         Whitefish, Mont.    5   6-08
 38 Dusty Womack          Caldwell, Idaho    5   6-08
 43 Jason Archibald       Herriman, Wyo.     5   6-07
 44 Fred Estes            Psot Falls, Idaho    5   6-03
 45 Donald Connole        Helena, Mont.          5   6-02
 45 Dee Rounkles          Ogden, Utah            5   6-02
 45 Shane Shafer          West Haven, Wyo.     5   6-02
 48 Jeffrey Colwell       Windsor, Calif.   5   6-01
 48 Danny Peluso          Waterford, Calif.   5   6-01
 50 Nick Guadagnolo       Manteca, Calif.   5   6-00
 50 Don Hull              Mead, Wash.            5   6-00
 50 Tyler Swaney          Craig, Colo.           5   6-00
 53 Sean Andrachick       Marion, Mont.          5   5-15
 54 David Albrecht        Evanston, Wyo.     5   5-13
 54 Gene Batey            Pasco, Wash.           5   5-13
 54 Don Boeger            Caldwell, Idaho    5   5-13
 54 Rick Correa           Sherwood, Ore.     5   5-13
 58 Greg Pink             Montrose, Utah     5   5-12
 58 Franco Vallejos       Albuquerque, N.M.     4   5-12
 60 Daniel Batinich       Canyon Lake, Calif.   5   5-11
 60 Larry Hardy           Mesa, Ariz.            5   5-11
 60 Michael King          Pendleton, Ore.     5   5-11
 63 Steve Bell            Elepha Butte, N.M.     5   5-10
 64 John Hayes            Albuquerque, N.M.     5   5-09
 64 Ernie Johnson         Albuquerque, N.M.     5   5-09
 64 Joe Ramirez           Bayard, N.M.           5   5-09
 67 Ruline O'Neill        Evanston, Wyo.     5   5-07
 67 Don Simper            Baycity, Ore.          5   5-07
 69 John Gardner          Durango, Colo.    5   5-06
 69 Casey Wayne Welch     Arvada, Colo.          5   5-06
 71 Chuck Brinkman        Wickenburg, Ariz.    5   5-04
 71 Sal Gervasi           Canyon Lake, Calif.   5   5-04
 71 Ron Gilworth          Socorro, N.M.          5   5-04
 71 Forest Graham         Bellinghame, Wash.    5   5-04
 75 Bob Bjorklund         Centennial, Colo.    5   5-03
 75 Ken Riska             Havre, Mont.           5   5-03
 75 Curtis Spindler       Missoula, Mont.    5   5-03
 78 Don Allphin           Provo, Utah            5   5-01
 78 William Bravence      Tucson, Ariz.          5   5-01
 78 Jim Muck              Roseburg, Ore.     5   5-01
 81 Orville Alleman       Cornelius, Ore.     5   5-00
 81 Shane Baertsch        Lolo, Mont.            5   5-00
 81 Robert Riehl          Tracy, Calif.          5   5-00
 84 Larry Krueger         Colorado Spgs, Colo.         5   4-15
 84 Tom Melowitz          Grand Coulee, Wash.    5   4-15
 84 David Stachowski      Tucson, Ariz.          5   4-15
 87 David Herrera         Aztec, N.M.            5   4-14
 87 Rod Rasmusson         Rock Springs, Wyo.     4   4-14
 87 Steve Rezek           Prescott Valley, Ariz.5   4-14
 90 Daniel Hedrick        Hillsboro, Ore.     4   4-11
 90 Rick Jeffries         Marion, Mont.          5   4-11
 90 Johnny Johnson        Farmington, N.M.     5   4-11
 90 Thomas Mulliken       Walnut Creek, Calif.   3   4-11
 94 Stan Fisher           Trout Creek, Mont.    4   4-08
 95 Boyd C Golightly      Preston, Idaho    3   4-07
 96 Kirk Bain             North Bend, Wash.    4   4-02
 96 Ken Elvsaas           Snoqualmie, Wash.    4   4-02
 98 Kenny Hansel          Los Alamos, N.M.     4   4-01
 99 Trace Myers           Provo, Utah            3   4-00
100 Gary Sparks           Green River, Wyo.     3   3-12
101 Randy Ray Pierson     Grand Junction, Colo.    3   3-11
102 Rick Hoover           Lagrange, Calif.   4   3-09
103 Steve Johns           Kaysville, Utah     2   3-07
103 Jeff Rubin            Tempe, Ariz.           4   3-07
105 Dave Phillips         Boise, Idaho           3   3-05
106 Rodney Hurst          Santa Quin, Utah     3   3-04
107 David Mays            Portland, Ore.     3   3-01
108 James Lee Thompson    Portland, Ore.     3   2-09
109 Nick Witkowski        Arlington, Wash.    2   2-08
110 Kory Ray              Lebanen, Ore.          2   2-07
111 Craig Bailey          North Salt Lake, Utah         2   2-03
112 Troy Bell             Mesa, Ariz.            2   2-00
113 Randy Di Domenico     Boulder, Colo.    2   1-13
113 Rob Romey             Hayden, Idaho          5   1-13
115 Dana Ingalls          Marysville, Wash.    1   1-12
116 Ben Gross             Kingman, Ariz.    1   1-04
117 Mike Bozner           Rock Springs, Wyo.     3   0-00
117 Marty Hansing         Antioch, Calif.   0   0-00
117 Chuck Holland         Wickenburg, Ariz.    0   0-00
117 Curtis MacFee         Blft, Idaho            0   0-00
 
 
 
----------------------------------
Totals
Day   #Limits    #Fish      Weight
 1       90       530       675-04
----------------------------------
         90       530       675-04
 
 
TEAM STANDINGS DAY 1
 
001 COLORADO                  73-00  
002 MONTANA                   71-08  
003 NEW MEXICO                70-02  
004 CALIFORNIA                68-14  
005 UTAH                      67-09  
006 WYOMING                   67-04  
007 WASHINGTON                67-02  
008 IDAHO                     66-04  
009 OREGON                    63-13  
010 ARIZONA                   59-12  
 
 
INDIVIDUAL STANDINGS DAY 1
 
 
COLORADO
 
Larry Triplett         Parker, Colo.                  5  9-04
Dave Gerhardt          Durango, Colo.                 5  7-07
Troy Coburn            Centennial, Colo.              5  7-04
Joe Conway             Security, Colo.                5  7-04
Donnie Cox             Colorado Springs, Colo.        5  6-09
Sean Hinton            Morrison, Colo.                5  6-08
Jeffrey Colwell        Windsor, Calif.                5  6-01
John Gardner           Durango, Colo.                 5  5-06
Casey Wayne Welch      Arvada, Colo.                  5  5-06
Bob Bjorklund          Centennial, Colo.              5  5-03
Larry Krueger          Colorado Spgs, Colo.           5  4-15
Randy Di Domenico      Boulder, Colo.                 2  1-13
 
 
MONTANA
 
Jim Armstrong          Missoula, Mont.                5  7-11
Jay Evans              Corvallis, Mont.               5  7-02
Julian Auman           Trout Creek, Mont.             5  6-14
Willie Reed            Missoula, Mont.                5  6-11
Steve Perkins          Whitefish, Mont.               5  6-08
Donald Connole         Helena, Mont.                  5  6-02
Sean Andrachick        Marion, Mont.                  5  5-15
Ken Riska              Havre, Mont.                   5  5-03
Curtis Spindler        Missoula, Mont.                5  5-03
Shane Baertsch         Lolo, Mont.                    5  5-00
Rick Jeffries          Marion, Mont.                  5  4-11
Stan Fisher            Trout Creek, Mont.             4  4-08
 
 
NEW MEXICO
 
Danny Nelson           Bloomfield, N.M.               5  8-04
Don Knecht             Los Alamos, N.M.               5  7-15
Robert Lechel          Santa Fe, N.M.                 5  7-00
Franco Vallejos        Albuquerque, N.M.              4  5-12
Steve Bell             Elepha Butte, N.M.             5  5-10
John Hayes             Albuquerque, N.M.              5  5-09
Ernie Johnson          Albuquerque, N.M.              5  5-09
Joe Ramirez            Bayard, N.M.                   5  5-09
Ron Gilworth           Socorro, N.M.                  5  5-04
David Herrera          Aztec, N.M.                    5  4-14
Johnny Johnson         Farmington, N.M.               5  4-11
Kenny Hansel           Los Alamos, N.M.               4  4-01
 
 
CALIFORNIA
 
Ronnie Red             Fresno, Calif.                 5  8-15
Michael Rold           Elk Grove, Calif.              5  8-10
Timothy Venkus         Wilton, Calif.                 5  8-09
Bruce Harris           Oakdale, Calif.                5  6-08
Danny Peluso           Waterford, Calif.              5  6-01
Nick Guadagnolo        Manteca, Calif.                5  6-00
Daniel Batinich        Canyon Lake, Calif.            5  5-11
Sal Gervasi            Canyon Lake, Calif.            5  5-04
Robert Riehl           Tracy, Calif.                  5  5-00
Thomas Mulliken        Walnut Creek, Calif.           3  4-11
Rick Hoover            Lagrange, Calif.               4  3-09
Marty Hansing          Antioch, Calif.                0  0-00
 
 
UTAH
 
Jim Bishop             Grand Junction, Colo.          5 11-11
Ted Gardiner           Vernal, Utah                   5  8-01
Mark Roberts           South Jordan, Utah             5  7-06
Jerry Schlief          So Jordan, Utah                5  6-09
Eric Inman             Saratoga Springs, Utah         5  6-08
Greg Pink              Montrose, Utah                 5  5-12
Don Allphin            Provo, Utah                    5  5-01
Trace Myers            Provo, Utah                    3  4-00
Randy Ray Pierson      Grand Junction, Colo.          3  3-11
Steve Johns            Kaysville, Utah                2  3-07
Rodney Hurst           Santa Quin, Utah               3  3-04
Craig Bailey           North Salt Lake, Utah          2  2-03
 
 
WYOMING
 
Bill Golightly         Preston, Idaho                 5  8-10
Rebecca Golightly      Preston, Idaho                 5  7-08
Bret Felter            Malad, Wyo.                    5  6-09
Jason Archibald        Herriman, Wyo.                 5  6-07
Dee Rounkles           Ogden, Utah                    5  6-02
Shane Shafer           West Haven, Wyo.               5  6-02
Tyler Swaney           Craig, Colo.                   5  6-00
David Albrecht         Evanston, Wyo.                 5  5-13
Ruline O'Neill         Evanston, Wyo.                 5  5-07
Rod Rasmusson          Rock Springs, Wyo.             4  4-14
Gary Sparks            Green River, Wyo.              3  3-12
Mike Bozner            Rock Springs, Wyo.             3  0-00
 
 
WASHINGTON
 
Curtis Kimbell         Kennewick, Wash.               5 10-07
Ronald Mace            Kennewick, Wash.               5  7-10
Jeff Boyer             Auburn, Wash.                  5  7-07
Paul McKenney          Chelan, Wash.                  5  6-09
Harold Summers         Monroe, Wash.                  5  6-09
Gene Batey             Pasco, Wash.                   5  5-13
Forest Graham          Bellinghame, Wash.             5  5-04
Tom Melowitz           Grand Coulee, Wash.            5  4-15
Kirk Bain              North Bend, Wash.              4  4-02
Ken Elvsaas            Snoqualmie, Wash.              4  4-02
Nick Witkowski         Arlington, Wash.               2  2-08
Dana Ingalls           Marysville, Wash.              1  1-12
 
 
IDAHO
 
Brent Shores           Boise, Idaho                   5  9-13
Troy Meckert           New Plymouth, Idaho            5  7-15
Tracey Platz           Nampa, Idaho                   5  7-14
Marco A Rodriguez      Nyssa, Idaho                   5  6-09
Dusty Womack           Caldwell, Idaho                5  6-08
Fred Estes             Psot Falls, Idaho              5  6-03
Don Hull               Mead, Wash.                    5  6-00
Don Boeger             Caldwell, Idaho                5  5-13
Boyd C Golightly       Preston, Idaho                 3  4-07
Dave Phillips          Boise, Idaho                   3  3-05
Rob Romey              Hayden, Idaho                  5  1-13
Curtis MacFee          Blft, Idaho                    0  0-00
 
 
OREGON
 
Dan Jordan             Lebanon, Ore.                  5  8-11
Dave Palmer            Roseburg, Ore.                 5  8-08
Phil Strader           Glide, Ore.                    5  6-14
Rick Correa            Sherwood, Ore.                 5  5-13
Michael King           Pendleton, Ore.                5  5-11
Don Simper             Baycity, Ore.                  5  5-07
Jim Muck               Roseburg, Ore.                 5  5-01
Orville Alleman        Cornelius, Ore.                5  5-00
Daniel Hedrick         Hillsboro, Ore.                4  4-11
David Mays             Portland, Ore.                 3  3-01
James Lee Thompson     Portland, Ore.                 3  2-09
Kory Ray               Lebanen, Ore.                  2  2-07
 
 
ARIZONA
 
David Mehalechko       Glendale, Ariz.                5 11-00
John Turner            Yuma, Ariz.                    5  8-03
James Miller           Tucson, Ariz.                  5  8-01
Larry Hardy            Mesa, Ariz.                    5  5-11
Chuck Brinkman         Wickenburg, Ariz.              5  5-04
William Bravence       Tucson, Ariz.                  5  5-01
David Stachowski       Tucson, Ariz.                  5  4-15
Steve Rezek            Prescott Valley, Ariz.         5  4-14
Jeff Rubin             Tempe, Ariz.                   4  3-07
Troy Bell              Mesa, Ariz.                    2  2-00
Ben Gross              Kingman, Ariz.                 1  1-04
Chuck Holland          Wickenburg, Ariz.              0  0-00