Dooms-day
Dooms-Rieger has FLW Redfish Series tournament-leading catch disallowed for infraction; Watkins father-son team takes over top spot in Western Division event by default
PORT ARANSAS, Texas – The high winds screaming off the Gulf of Mexico and the stained waters that severely denigrated anglers’ abilities to sight-fish proved, in retrospect, to be the least of the concerns for the angling team of Jimmie Dooms and Jason Rieger during the first day of Wal-Mart FLW Redfish competition at Port Aransas, Texas.
Although the duo from Portland, Texas, netted a two-fish catch of 16 pounds, 4 ounces to outpace the rest of the field, Dooms and Rieger had their day-one weight disallowed for an infraction that violated the FLW Outdoors rule governing “Permitted Fishing Locations.” While Dooms and Rieger remain eligible to participate in Friday’s competition, previous second-place competitors Jay Watkins Sr. and Jay Watkins Jr. are now officially in the lead.
Fishing the north end of San Antonio Bay, the Watkins team targeted the edges of potholes and grass in 21/2 to 4 feet of water to land a healthy stringer weighing 15 pounds, 14 ounces. They fished 4-inch Bass Assassin Sea Shads in morning glory and plum-canary colors on 1/16-ounce jigheads.
Jay Sr. said that catching a couple of redfish by 8:30 a.m. gave him and his son the mental edge they needed to succeed.
“Anytime you get fish in the boat early, your confidence level rises and you can slow down a little. By doing this, we were able to stay in the area we needed to stay,” he said. “We told ourselves before the tournament that we were going to grind. We knew there were tournament-winning fish here, so we just stayed on them.”
Like father, like son
The father-son duo of Danny and Grant Coppin proved that – at least for today – blood is thicker than murky Gulf Coast water. The Coppins, who finished in sixth place at the first-ever series tournament of their careers earlier this year in Rockport, Texas, said they were enjoying every minute of the competition during their rookie season in the FLW Redfish Series.
And it showed.
“We got both of our fish by 10 a.m., so we got to spend the rest of the day goofing off,” said Danny Coppin, who together with his 23-year-old son managed to net 15 pounds, 4 ounces during today’s competition. “We only hit about 20 percent of our water today, so we feel pretty good about heading back out there tomorrow. We’re both really excited.”
So what does it feel like to have success as a father-son team?
“This is only the second redfish tournament we’ve ever fished together, and we’re just having the best time right now,” Danny Coppin said. “I’ve got more hugs from (Grant) today than I have in years, so it’s great. We already have a bunch of father-son memories that will never be forgotten.”
Best of the rest
Team Folgers, consisting of Tommy Ramzinsky of Fulton, Texas, and Todd Adams of Rockport, Texas, grabbed third place overall with a total catch of 14 pounds, 15 ounces.
Meanwhile, the Lara-Robinson team, consisting of Joey Lara of Robstown, Texas, and Larry Robinson of Rockport, Texas, finished the day in fourth place with a total catch of 14 pounds, 9 ounces.
Friday’s FLW Redfish Series Western action continues during Friday’s takeoff, scheduled to take place at 7 a.m. at Port Aransas City Marina, located at 710 West Ave. A in Port Aransas, Texas.