Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Bill Cochran's Field Reports: John Crews back on track big time
Bill Cochran is a Roanoke Times outdoors columnist.
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The bass tournament career of Salem’s John Crews needed a major boost and it got it big time Sunday when he won the season-opener Bassmaster Elite Series on California’s Delta.
As the tournament ended, Crews, 31, made a last-gasp cast and hooked a 5-pounder that put him one ounce in front of big-name bass angler Skeet Reese of Auburn, Calif. Crews posted a four-day catch that weighed 72 pounds, 6 ounces; Reese had 72 pounds, 5 ounces. A report from the weigh-in, with attracted nearly 6,000 observers, revealed that Crews was elated and Reese was shaken, as if to indicate that second place sucks.
Crews pocketed $101,000, some $75,000 more than Reese, but there was more behind his smile than the big pay-off. Last year, Crews never fully recovered from an atrocious start to the Elite season. He didn’t earn enough points to qualify for the Bassmaster Classic, the benchmark of success. He lost Advance Auto Parts as a major home-area sponsor.
But toward the end of the season he said he felt like he was beginning to put something together, and that proved accurate in the first tournament of 2010. Crews won over a virtual who’s who of bass anglers: Michael Iaconelli (5th); Shaw Grigsby (6th); Rick Clunn (9th); Denny Brauer (10th); Gary Klein (11th); Zell Rowland (12th).
This was the first BASS win for Crews, whose previous best finish was third place, but he won’t have much time to celebrate. The next stop in the series is Clear Lake, Calif., for a tournament that begins Thursday. The Elite Series moves to Smith Mountain Lake April 15-18, and it appears that fans will have a home-town hero to cheer.
BILL
OUTDOOR BRIEFS
- Roanoke County’s Northside Schools dominated the Virginia State National Archery in Schools Tournament. Northside Elementary was first in its division; Northside Middle School second in its division and Northside High School third in its division. Hidden Valley of Roanoke County was second in the high school division, which was own by Warwick High School of Newport News.
- Five state parks were saved from closure when last-minute budget action in the Virginia General Assembly shook loose some money for the park department’s budget.
- The Oct. 27-29 Bassmaster Federation Championship, previously announced for Tavares, Fla., and the Harris Chain Lakes, has been moved to Red River and Shreveport, La.
- Bills in Congress designed to clean up the Chesapeake Bay could work a hardship on small, part-time cattle farmers, according to the Virginia Farm Bureau. The legislation calls for wells, pipes and water troughs, expenses that could put farmers out of business, the bureau said.
- Take care of your boat batteries. This is the advice of BoatU.S. The organization’s towing services received more than 65,000 requests for non-emergency assistance last year, and batteries were the No. 2 problem, next to engine failures.
- Former game show host Bob Barker has donated $2.5 million to PETA to help the Norfolk-based animal rights organization build a new office in Los Angeles.
BILL
MEETINGS/EVENTS/SEASONS
Smith River Trout Unlimited meeting, March 18, 6:30 p.m., Rania’s Restaurant, Martinsville, update on Smith River fishery by Scott Smith, Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, information from Shane Pinkston.
March 27 end of urban archery season
Smith Mountain Striper Club meeting, April 2, 7 p.m., Moneta Community Center.
Youth spring turkey hunt day, April 3, 2010.
Trout Heritage Day, April 3
Spring gobbler season, April 10-May 15, 2010.
BASS Elite Blue Ridge Brawl, April 15-18, Smith Mountain Lake.
Captain Zed’s 20th annual Spring Flounder Tournament, April 16-25, Wachapreague.
Virginia Fly Fishing Festival, April 17 & 18, Waynesboro: .
Highland Drummer Chapter of the Ruffed Grouse Society banquet, April 17, 5:30 .p.m. Blackwell Restaurant, Lewisburg, W.VA. Information from Cnbro47@dishmail.net.
Department of Game and Inland Fisheries board meeting, 9 a.m. April 20 at the agency’s headquarters, 4000 W. Broad St., Richmond
Botetourt Longbeards National Wild Turkey Federation banquet, May 1, Lord Botetourt High School, Daleville.
NRA annual meeting, May 14-16, Charlotte Convention Center, Charlotte, N.C.
Virginia Hunter Skills Weekend, May 14-16, Holiday Lake, detailed classes on a number of outdoor pursuits, ages 11 and up, $85 includes meals, lodging and instruction, information and registration.
North Carolina State University Sport Fishing School, May 30-June 3, 2010, Hatteras, N.C.
Department of Game and Inland Fisheries board meeting, 9 a.m. June 8 at the agency’s headquarters, 4000 W. Broad St., Richmond
Department of Game and Inland Fisheries board meeting, 9 a.m. July 13 at the agency’s headquarters, 4000 W. Broad St., Richmond
Department of Game and Inland Fisheries board meeting, 9 a.m. August 17 at the agency’s headquarters, 4000 W. Broad St., Richmond
Roanoke Valley Friends of NRA banquet, Aug. 28, Salem Civic Center.
Hunters for the Hungry banquet, Sept. 25, Moose Lodge on Virginia 311 at food of Catawba Mountain in Roanoke County.
Department of Game and Inland Fisheries board meeting, 9 a.m. October 5 at the agency’s headquarters, 4000 W. Broad St., Richmond
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