Two weeks ago at a bass tournament at Smith Mountain Lake, Chad Green and Dean Wood came to the scales with a good sack of bass.

"We had 19.74 pounds," Green said. "And we lost."

With the first tournament in the Angler's Choice Marine series looming, Green knew what it would take to win.

"Everything has to go your way," said Green, who lives in Moneta.

A team also can't expect to win with five good bass.

"You need a kicker," Green said, bringing up the term for a big fish.

The pair did better than one kicker in Saturday's Angler's Choice contest.

They had both the tourney's large smallmouth and large largemouth, fish that bumped their total catch to 23.18 pounds.

No second place that weekend.

The largemouth weighed 6.92 pounds. The smallmouth was 4.68 pounds.

Green said the team caught their fish on jigs and crankbaits, which they've been doing well on.

"We've been catching them all winter," Green said. "I'm a jig fisherman and I make my own.

"We found the fish and kind of stuck with them."

John Cole and Jay Nicely were second with 19.54 pounds, while Kenny and Brandon Reynolds were third with 19.28 pounds.

The tournament drew 204 boats.

"If you're going to win one, the first one is the best one to win," Green said of the popular, six-tournament series. "That one and the [fall series championship] classic."

Of the entrants, 118 teams brought fish to the scales. There were only 18 limits.

"The fishing was pretty tough," Green said, noting that muddy and cold water likely threw some anglers off. "People freak out about cold water."

The series hits Lake Gaston on March 23, and returns to Smith Mountain Lake on April 7.

Visit www.anglerschoicemarine.com for full results and more information about the tournament series.

Striper club revamps tourney rules

Hoping to encourage more participation in its club tournaments, the Smith Mountain Striper Club has revamped its approach.

The club will hold five member/guest tournaments this year. Unlike in past seasons, when teams competed for cash payouts, the prizes for the events will be plaques and bragging rights.

That approach is allowing the club to offer tournament entry for just $5 for members and $10 for guests. Children under 18 can fish for free.

The club is also offering a series entry for $30 for club members who want to compete for an overall prize at the end of the year.

Each tournament will offer an optional lunker pot with a cash payout.

Another major change is that three of the five tournaments will be catch-and-release contests.

Teams will take pictures of their catches next to a measuring device, and the results will be based on the total length of the team's two biggest fish.

Club tournament committee chair Mark Melius said the CPR - catch, photograph, release - format was suggested by club members.

In addition to encouraging conservation of the striper resource, the format has the additional benefit of allowing competitors to enter fish that might fall in the lake's protected slot limit, which is in effect from November through May.

The club will also offer three separate classes. There will be an artificial lure-only class, as well as an open class in which anglers can use bait or lures.

In the youth class, kids will be allowed to enter fish of any species.

"We just want to encourage kids to get out fishing," Melius said.

The first tournament is March 23. The entry deadline for that event is March 15.

Tournaments are also planned for May 18, July 20, Sept. 14 and Nov. 2.

The July and September tournaments will be harvest tournaments, with the fruits of the anglers' labor providing for the club's popular post-tournament fish fries.

More information on the club and its tournaments is available at www.smithmountainstriperclub.com or by contacting Melius at mytoyzfishing@gmail.com or 597-8710.

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