Modrak leads TBF Northern Divisional pack
Local hotshot bags 22-4 to claim early lead
CLINTON TOWNSHIP, Mich. – When competitors head to Lake St. Clair (plus nearby Lake Erie and the Detroit River), they expect to find a bounty of bass. The Great Lakes did not disappoint today, as 72 anglers hit the Michigan waters to kick-start The Bass Federation Northern Divisional in search of prestige, prizes and a trip to the nationals.
Also coming as no surprise is the name atop the leaderboard – Mark Modrak, a local hotshot from China Township, who just two months ago earned $40,000 as the third-place finisher in the big-league Wal-Mart FLW Tour event in Detroit. He flexed his northern muscle again today, leading with a five-bass catch that weighed 22 pounds, 4 ounces.
More importantly, Modrak leads the 12-man Michigan team, as the competition at this week’s divisional truly takes place among the members of six state teams representing Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin. Each state qualified 12 anglers to fish this week’s divisional, and at the tournament’s conclusion, each state winner will advance to the 2009 TBF National Championship as a boater. Each state’s runner-up advances as a co-angler.
Tournament cash awards are also given to the state teams based on total weight caught by their team members over three days, with Michigan currently leading that race with 170 pounds, 3 ounces caught on day one.
Should Modrak continue his reign and finish the tournament Friday as the overall leader, he will win a $500 Wal-Mart gift card as the Castrol Maximum Performer.
Modrak makes a run
Competitors have their choice of competing in Lake St. Clair, the Detroit River, or Lake Erie. For Modrak, the choice was Erie despite his St. Clair know-how.
“It was about a 45-minute trip there,” he said of his Erie run. “My knowledge of this water helps. I used to live five minutes from the ramp we are using for this tournament.”
Modrak also earned Wednesday’s big-bass award with a 6-pound, 3-ounce lunker.
“I started out this morning using tubes, and then I switched to crankbaits,” he said. “The crankbait bite was working well for me, and that is how I caught my big fish.”
Modrak holds a 9-ounce lead on the overall leaderboard and has a 1-pound, 14-ounce advantage on the Michigan squad, and he knows as well as anyone that leads, big or small, can quickly be obliterated on these fishing waters.
“This is such a great fishery,” he said. “I have the lead now, but someone could easily bring in a 23-pound bag of fish.”
Smyers heads to Erie
Also making an Erie run is No. 2 overall Nicholas Smyers of Franksville, Wis. His day-one catch of five bass weighing 21 pounds, 11 ounces gave him a stout 7-pound, 5-ounce lead on the Wisconsin team.
“I decided to travel down to Erie to do my fishing because during practice, the bite was fantastic,” Smyers said. “After I caught them, I backed off. I checked my spots one more time before the tournament, and the fish were still there.”
Smyers’ sack was anchored by a 5-pound, 7-ounce smallie, and in fact, his entire limit today was made up of smallmouths, as is typical on these waters. He caught his fish today on a 3-inch Berkley leech.
With his waypoints full of Erie bass, Smyers’ game plan for tomorrow is a no-brainer.
“I plan on making the trip down there tomorrow,” he said.
Perkins thanks Modrak for third-place showing
In third overall is leader Modrak’s day-one partner Bob Perkins of Crosslake, Minn. His five-bass catch weighing 21 pounds, 5 ounces leads the Minnesota team by a 3-pound, 13-ounce margin.
“Mark was a great boat driver,” Perkins said of Modrak. “As a non-boater, it is nice to have someone you can count on controlling the boat. We made a long run and caught all of our fish on standard smallmouth baits – tubes, drop-shots and crankbaits.”
Perkins’ heaviest bass today clocked in at 5 pounds, 8 ounces, and according to Perkins, that was one of many he and Modrak could have weighed in today.
“We had our limit by 11:30,” he said. “I had one fish I was bringing to the boat, and it had a good 25 pounds of fish following it up to the boat. This was my first time on open water, and it was a lot of fun.”
Best of the rest
Leading the Indiana team on day one is Britt Davidson of Brookville, Ind., with five bass weighing 20 pounds, 11 ounces. He ended the day in fourth place overall.
Jeff Melsop of East Liberty, Ohio, caught five bass weighing 19 pounds, 6 ounces to take a 4-pound, 6-ounce lead on the Ohio team. He finished the day in seventh overall.
No. 11 overall Donald Weinreis of Round Lake, Ill., caught 15-9 today to sit in the top spot on the Illinois squad.
Competition continues tomorrow with a 6 a.m. takeoff, followed by a 2:30 p.m. weigh-in, at the Selfridge DNR Ramp (Clinton River Access).