Mark Twain Still Showing Out!
30 Teams took off from Robert Allen ramp Sunday, in search of a quality 5 fish limit. Anticipations were high as it was taking as much as 26+ pounds to win tournaments on this resurgent fishery this spring. Reports were that most fish were in post spawn, with a few spawners and fry guarders mixed in.
Taking the top spot in the third of five Joe Bass Mark Twain division tournaments, sponsored by 154 Marine, was the team of Bill Cantwell and alternate Brad Beach. Bill and Brad fished the Mid- Lake area throwing top water, spinnerbaits and brushogs. The team’s focus was on shallow main lake structure, as they intercepted the larger females making their way out to their summer hangouts. The team’s 18.48-pound sack found the team at the top of the Window World Leader board. Bill also took the Top finishing Skeeter owner incentive as the team fished out of his 2023 ZXR21. Bill is sponsored by Bill’s Diesel Performance. 154 Marine. Battery Outfitters and FX Extreme Custom Rods.
Finishing second today was the team of Larry Rothwiel and Steve Smith. Larry and Steve, like the winners, focused their efforts on main lake transition areas, between main lake structure and spawning areas. The best spots had fist to softball sized chunk rock, with stumps or laydowns mixed in. Larry and Steve’s five fish limit pushed the scales down to 17.57-pounds. Included in their limit was the Impel Union Big Joe Bass weighing 5.34 pounds. Larry stated the fish fell for a jig late in the morning.
Finishing in the third position today was the team of Don and Gary McFetridge. The reining division champions also fished mostly in the mid-lake area but also hit spots in some of the main arms of the lake. Don and Gary fished most everything in the tacklebox but most of their weight came on a 1.5 squarebill fished along shallow main lake and secondary points. Gary said all of their bites came in 2 to 8 feet of water. The team was rewarded with a limit weighing 16.53 pounds.
30 teams, 115 fish weighed 113 live released, 18 limits.
Our next Joe Bass Mark Twain division tournament will be Sunday June 29th. 6am take-off Robert Allen Ramp. Plan on being at the ramp early, as there is a large ” Launch anywhere” High School tournament at Mark Twain that weekend.
Host lodging for Joe Bass Team Trail at Mark Twain Lake is Country Inn Resort , (573) 267-3800
Teams, don’t forget to bring your empty packages of Rapala, Crush City, Storm, VMC and Suffix, with your name and phone number, to your next Joe Bass Tournament for a chance at a really nice pro-pack. Drawings done monthly throughout the tournament season.
Photos
Results
| Place | Team Members | Fish | B/F | TotWgt | Pts | Payout |
| 1 | Bill Cantwell – *Brad Beach | 5 | 4.8 | 18.48 | 220 | $2,170.00 |
| 2 | Larry Rothwiel – Steve Smith | 5 | 5.34 | 17.57 | 219 | $1,180.00 |
| 3 | Don McFetridge – Gary McFetridge | 5 | 4.88 | 16.53 | 218 | $540.00 |
| 4 | Donnie Palmatory – Logan Hughes | 5 | 4.27 | 15.94 | 217 | $360.00 |
| 5 | Phil J Zimmerman – Phil M Zimmerman | 5 | 3.87 | 15.45 | 216 | $240.00 |
| 6 | Colton Mellinger – *Brady Adikinson | 5 | 4.6 | 15.33 | 215 | $180.00 |
| 7 | Wade Rulo – Doug Buhr | 5 | 3.43 | 15.18 | 214 | |
| 8 | Chad Denningmann – Kurt Denningmann | 5 | 15 | 213 | ||
| 9 | Josh Gebhardt – Ross Lord | 5 | 4.92 | 13.67 | 212 | $100.00 |
| 10 | Charlie Kunkle – Keith Williams | 5 | 13.43 | 211 | ||
| 11 | Mike Hamilton Jr – | 5 | 13.24 | 210 | ||
| 12 | Lonnie Franklin – Kyler Benne | 5 | 13.22 | 209 | ||
| 13 | Jake Morrison – Richard Morrison | 5 | 12.92 | 208 | ||
| 13 | Adam Morrison – Chris Phillips | 5 | 12.92 | 208 | ||
| 15 | Dominic Perotti – *Mike Wotawa | 5 | 3.71 | 12.64 | 206 | |
| 16 | Deno Ek – James Medlock | 5 | 12.28 | 205 | ||
| 17 | Gary Martens – *John Warner | 5 | 12.14 | 204 | ||
| 18 | Mike Smith 2 – Brent Basler | 5 | 11.67 | 203 | ||
| 19 | Steve Weber – Sam Phillips | 4 | 3.53 | 10.44 | 202 | |
| 20 | Steve Chiaurro – Richard Dannegger | 4 | 10.24 | 201 | ||
| 21 | Preston Hartung – George Harrington | 4 | 10.15 | 200 | ||
| 22 | Keith Hendrix – Rusty Rothweiler | 4 | 9.58 | 199 | ||
| 23 | Scott Jackson – Todd Martens | 3 | 3.06 | 7.45 | 198 | |
| 24 | Dennis McFetridge – *Karen McFetridge | 3 | 7.31 | 197 | ||
| 25 | Kaiden Davenport – Zane Torreyson | 2 | 4.66 | 196 | ||
| 26 | Denis Repa – Alec Repa | 1 | 3.93 | 3.93 | 195 | |
| 27 | Darrel Durham – | 0 | 20 | |||
| Joel Eversmeyer – Tim Nester | 0 | 20 | ||||
| Tom Herndon – Jason VanBeers | 0 | 20 | ||||
| Alan Hoyt – John Summers | 0 | 20 |
*alternate