Mike Folkestad wins second straight U.S. Open tourney
HENDERSON, NV, Sept. 12 ‹ It was perhaps the toughest bass fishing in the 20
years of the U.S. Open bass tournaments, but when the final weights were
tallied on Wednesday, it was a familiar name at the top of the Pro list of
169 anglers on Lake Mead ‹ Mike Folkestad of Yorba Linda, CA ‹ winning his
second straight WON BASS Miller High Life U.S. Open.
The Open saw a record field of 169 boats and 338 anglers competing for three
days on Lake Mead.
Every angler found it a tough grind to post limits and Folkestad moved from
third place on the second round to the top spot with only 4 bass totaling
5.71 pounds. That gave him the title with only 22.56 pounds after winning
last year with 29 pounds.
First place in the Pro Division includes $50,000 cash, a Ranger 518VX bass
boat and a Ford F-150 truck. The boat and trailer package features a Mercury
175 Optimax outboard, Lowrance depth finders, Trojan batteries and
MotorGuide trolling motor. First place is worth more than $120,000.
"I caught most of my fish on the Folkestad Special Roboworms, made
exclusively for Angler's Marine in Anaheim. It's a purple worm with red
flake and a blue vein. I also caught fish on the Balsa Pro surface plug, a
Lucky Craft crank bait and a Yamamoto Senko," said the three-time U.S. Open
champion.
"I fish all over the upper end of the lake everyting except the Overton Arm.
We fished the gyps, Virgin Basin, Boulder Basin, Gregg's Basin and Temple
Bar. I moved around alot," he noted.
Second place in the Pro division went to Mark Tyler of Concord, CA, with
22.46 pounds, while third went to Mike Baldwin of Mohave Valley, AZ, with
21.19 pounds.
Second round leader Roy Hawk of Salt Lake City, UT, slipped to 9th place
with only 1 bass, but still held onto the tournament¹s biggest bass, 5.57
pounds on the first round to win the ³Big Bass Award² from Forrest L. Wood,
founder of Ranger Boats ‹ a special Signature Edition of a Ranger 175VS with
a Mercury 90 horsepower engine, Lowrance Electronics, MotorGuide trolling
motor and Trojan batteries ‹ a package valued at $20,000. He also won an
additional $6,500 in big fish and big stringer cash prizes.
The AAA division title went to Murph McBride of Pioche, NV, with a 26.01
pound total to best the field of 169 AAA anglers, earning him $10,000, while
Rick Melead of Yorba Linda, CA took second for $5,000 with 23.02 pounds.
The heavy stringer of round 3 earned $2,500 each for Pro Keith Espe of
Heber, AZ, and AAA Brian Burt of Bakersfield, CA, with 8.97 pounds for 5
bass.
The five anglers winning $2,000 each for big fish awards on round 3
included: Don Payne of Modesto, 4.35; Bob Ward of Henderson, NV, 3.92; Byron
Velvick of Boulder City, NV, 3.40; Rick Reynolds, Sr. of Riverside, 3.35;
and Pete Marino of Ontario, CA, 3.28.
Complete results of the 338 U.S. Open anglers can be seen at
www.wonbass.com.
The U.S. Open is a WON BASS Miller High Life tournament sponsored by Ranger
boats and trailers, Mercury outboards, Daiwa rods and reels, Miller Brewing
Co., Quantum rods and reels, MotorGuide trolling motors, El Cajon Ford,
Kelly Tires, Berkley Trilene line and Frenzy lures, Lowrance Electronics,
Luhr-Jensen lures, Owner Hooks/Cultiva Lures, Lucky Craft lures, Phenix
graphite/boron fishing rods, Tackle Logic soft-sided bags, Costa Del Mar
sunglasses, West Marine stores, Roboworm, Matzuo lures, El Salto Pro Bass
Adventures, Angler¹s Marine boat/tackle sales, The Outdoor Channel
television network, Water Gremlin sinkers, Trojan Battery Company, Rebel
lures, Heddon lures, Excalibur lures, Bomber lures, Gary Yamamoto Custom
Baits, Osprey Lures, Kinami Baits, Matzuo Lures, Bait Breath Lures, Cargobat
Storage Systems, Zip Baits, Leatherman Tool Company, Bass Weekly Radio, Mad
Man Lures, Banana Boat Suncare Products, and Extra Edge Scent
Weights/Balance Beams.
FIRST ROUND
Rich Iannolo of Menifee, CA, took the first round lead in the Pro Division
of the WON BASS Miller High Life U.S. Open on Lake Mead, weighing in a limit
of 5 bass totaling 9.99 pounds. His AAA partner Damon Admire of Dumas, TX,
leads the AAA Division. Both anglers picked up a $2,500 bonus each for the
day¹s heaviest catch, but Iannolo also won $2,000 more a 2.94-pound bass,
one of the day¹s 5 largest bass.
In second place were Pro Mark Kile of Payson, AZ, and AAA Alan Bongio of
Eureka, CA, with 9.92 pounds. Kile also got $2,000 for the third largest
bass at 2.57 pounds.
Third place was held by defending U.S. Open champion Mike Folkestad of Yorba
Linda, CA, and AAA Tim Myers of Henderson, NV, with 9.74 pounds.
The top bass of the day was a 5.57-pounder taken by Roy Hawk of Salt Lake
City, UT, to win $2,000. Other $2,000 winners included Steve Morris of
Lompoc, CA, with a 4.93 pounder and Rusty Salewske of Alpine, CA.
SECOND DAY
While anglers were scratching for 2 pounders in the second round of the U.S.
Open, Roy Hawk of Salt Lake City, UT, weighed in his second straight big
bass of the day and took over the lead in the WON BASS Miller High Life bass
tournament on Lake Mead.
Hawk won $2,000 for a 5.57 pounder the first day, and added a 5.50 pounder
on Tuesday to get another cash award. He also had the day¹s biggest catch,
10.96 pounds, and he and AAA partner Randy Estrada, M.D. of Corona, each won
$2,500 cash for that catch. They had only 4 bass for that weight. Hawk is
the Pro leader now with 17.57 pounds for only 6 bass.
In second place was Kota Kiriyama of Japan with 17.13 pounds, moving up from
fifth place, while defending champion Mike Folkestad of Yorba Linda, CA,
maintained his third place position with a two-day total of 16.85 pounds.
Robert Lee of Angels Camp, CA jumped to fourth place with a total of 16.60
pounds.
Other $2,000 big bass award winners on the second round included Steve
Czerniski of Mesa, AZ, 4.26 pounds; Art Berry of El Cajon, CA, 3.66 pounds;
Ed Cummings of Tucson, AZ, 3.26 pounds; and Jim Noble of Durango, CO, 3.00
pounds.
FINAL STANDINGS - PRO ANGLERS
Place, Name Hometown Fish Big Fish Total Money
1 Mike Folkestad Yorba Linda CA 14 22.56 $120,000
2 Mark Tyler Concord CA 14 22.46 22,000
3 Mike Baldwin Mohave Valley AZ 15 2.44 21.19 17,000
4 Robert Lee Angels Camp CA 13 21.14 12,000
5 Don Williams Mesa AZ 15 21.01 10,000
6 Boris Antolos Torrance CA 15 20.83 8,000
7 Fred Ward Peoria AZ 15 20.61 7,000
8 Byron Velvick Boulder City NV 13 3.40 20.29 8,500
9 Roy Hawk Salt Lake City UT 7 5.57 20.06 32,000
10 Mark Dotterer Scottsdale AZ 10 3.21 19.89 4,500
11 Rusty Salewske Alpine CA 11 2.57 19.34 6,300
12 Gary Yamamoto Mineola TX 14 2.45 19.05 4,000
13 Dave Nollar Redlands CA 15 18.96 3,900
14 Steve Molinari Glendale AZ 15 18.89 3,800
15 Donald Kleifgen Lakeside AZ 12 2.35 18.87 3,700
16 John Mackey Boulder City NV 13 2.17 18.84 3,500
17 Larry Cross Calimesa CA 12 2.31 18.77 3,400
18 John Morrow Placentia CA 14 3.08 18.75 3,400
18 Rob VanderKooi Mesa AZ 15 18.75 3,400
20 Gary Robson Corona CA 10 2.74 18.61 3,400
21 David Peltier Simi Valley CA 14 18.41 3,000
22 Kota Kiriyama New Milford NJ 11 2.31 18.27 3,000
23 Skeet Reese Auburn CA 12 2.76 18.13 3,000
24 Don Payne Modesto CA 11 4.35 17.90 5,000
25 Yusuke Miyazaki Bellevue WA 15 17.87 3,000
26 Mark Kile Payson AZ 11 2.57 17.86 5,000
27 Steve Davies North Edwards CA 13 17.69 3,000
28 Frank Powell Tonto Basin AZ 14 17.54 3,000
29 Bobby Lanham Scottsdale AZ 11 17.26
30 Stan Vanderburg Chatsworth CA 14 17.13
31 Chris Dello, Sr Evanston WY 12 2.39 16.98
32 Gary Thien Scottsdale AZ 12 1.91 16.90
33 Jesse V. Hernandez Montebello CA 14 16.82
34 Micah Jones Kingman AZ 15 16.71
35 Mike Wood Vista CA 13 16.50
36 Don Iovino Burbank CA 12 1.87 16.38
37 Michael D. Hall Las Vegas NV 13 16.16
38 Gregg Warne Mesa AZ 11 2.22 16.13
39 Allen Ruddick Las Cruces NM 15 15.98
40 Keith Espe Heber AZ 11 2.98 15.97 2,500
41 Tom Kilduff Dewey AZ 13 15.77
42 Rich Tauber Moorpark CA 14 15.70
43 Todd Holder Oakview CA 12 15.63
44 Gerald Loughran Tustin CA 12 15.55
45 Ray Arbesu Las Vegas NV 12 15.52
46 Jim Lyon Reno NV 12 15.45
47 Roy White Las Vegas NV 12 15.44
48 Patrick Davis Henderson NV 10 15.27
48 Jimmy Walker Alpine CA 12 1.79 15.27
50 Luke Clausen Spokane WA 11 15.15
51 Casey Iwai Laveen AZ 11 15.04
51 Dennis Rasmussen Boulder City NV 12 15.04
53 Jack Trahan Kingman AZ 11 2.82 14.91
54 Keith M. Anderson Beaver UT 11 14.89
55 Steven R. Morris Lompoc CA 9 4.93 14.81 2,000
56 Rich Iannolo Menifee CA 8 2.94 14.78 4,500
57 Charles Keller Redding CA 12 14.75
58 Joe Leonard Windsor CA 12 14.74
59 Wayne Carey Alta Loma CA 12 14.66
60 Hironori Kitade Ishikawa pre JP 11 14.40
61 Jack Preston Wellington NV 10 14.35
62 Richard Dutzi Murrieta CA 12 14.29
63 Ron Cervenka Saugus CA 12 14.20
64 Troy Lindhorst Phoenix AZ 10 13.99
65 John Parks Aztec NM 13 13.94
66 Harold Adams N. Las Vegas NV 11 13.92
67 Clyde Evans Las Vegas NV 10 1.99 13.91
68 John Murray Phoenix AZ 7 2.30 13.77
69 Steve Czerniski Mesa AZ 7 4.26 13.73 2,000
70 Keisuke Wakunaga Japan 9 13.68
71 Jay Hoffman Anaheim CA 11 1.62 13.67
72 Rick Reynolds, Sr. Riverside CA 10 3.35 13.60 2,000
73 Doug Chapman Odessa TX 12 13.56
74 Ricky Shabazz Ontario CA 12 13.53
75 Don Finwall Redding CA 11 13.46
76 Neil Campbell Escondido CA 11 13.37
77 Morizo Shimizu Osaka JP 10 13.28
78 Ted Roper Kingman AZ 10 13.05
79 Chuck English Las Vegas NV 11 13.02
80 Tim Ludwig Shell Knob MO 12 12.93
81 Doug Chessmore Santa Barbara CA 9 12.91
82 Mitch Southern San Bernardino CA 9 12.83
82 Bob Ward Henderson NV 8 3.92 12.83 2,000
84 Mark Poe Coolidge AZ 11 12.81
85 Dub LaShot Walterville OR 11 12.71
86 Tom Phillips Corona CA 9 1.81 12.43
87 Gabe Bolivar Ramona CA 10 12.34
88 Ronald R. Williams San Diego CA 9 12.31
89 Bob Simmons Morro Bay CA 8 2.05 12.13
90 Carol Martens West Hills CA 8 11.98
91 Ray L. Brooks Highland CA 10 11.97
92 Marvin Barellano Monterey Park CA 9 11.90
93 Mike O'Shea Thousand Oaks CA 9 11.77
94 Eric Brewer Nuevo CA 8 11.69
95 Donavon Sparrow Henderson CO 8 2.42 11.67
96 Johnny Johnson Lakeside AZ 11 11.64
97 Bill Siemantel Castaic CA 10 11.54
98 Art Berry Ramona CA 6 3.66 11.50 2,000
99 Todd Harris Mesa AZ 7 11.44
100 Bill McIntosh Simi Valley CA 8 11.41
FINAL STANDINGS ‹ AAA ANGLERS
Place, Name Hometown Fish Weight Big Fish Money
1 Murph McBride Pioche NV 15 26.06 $10,000
2 Rick "Crazy" Melead Yorba Linda CA 15 23.02 5,000
3 Donald Duffey Apple Valley CA 15 20.75 4,000
4 Mike Bird Tonopah NV 12 20.65 2.62 3,000
5 Robert Nicholson Grand Terrace CA 14 20.69 2.36 2,500
6 Victor Cunningham New River AZ 15 19.83 1.73 2,000
7 Chris Payne Prescott AZ 13 19.56 1,500
8 Shinji Sato Aichi JP 15 19.45 1,300
9 Aaron Haring Chino CA 13 19.30 1,200
10 Tim Barrett Cucamonga 13 19.21 1,000
11 Brian Burt Bakersfield CA 13 18.44 3,250
12 Danny Peluso Waterford CA 12 18.36 750
13 Robert A. Hardy Fort Mohave AZ 13 18.17 750
14 Robert Urchike Chandler AZ 15 18.04 1.65 750
15 David Todd Costa Mesa CA 11 18.03 750
16 DeLynn Davies North Edwards CA 13 17.70 600
17 Dean Yamagata Las Vegas NV 13 17.71 1.73 600
18 Real Andrews Santa Clarita CA 15 17.48 1.81 600
19 Melissa Young South Jordan UT 11 17.42 600
20 Mike Tafoya Farmington NM 9 17.36 600
21 Don Spencer Orange CA 13 17.26 600
22 Ed Cummings Tucson AZ 13 16.97 600
23 Arnold Avalos Palmdale CA 11 16.89 600
24 Mike Clark S. Jordan UT 13 16.88 600
25 Ben Gross Kingman AZ 12 16.86 600
26 Rudy Bolivar Ramona CA 14 16.80 600
27 Damon Admire Dumas TX 11 16.59 3,100
28 Louis Marietta Oxnard CA 12 16.43 600
28 George Thiel Upland CA 11 16.43 1.81 600
30 Joe Ochoa Enoch UT 10 16.41
31 Darin Markarian Simi Valley CA 11 16.60
32 Jason Chang Buena Park CA 12 16.01
33 Melanie McBride Pioche NV 11 15.93
34 Dan Christy Valley Center CA 12 15.84
35 Wayne DuBoise Costa Mesa CA 10 15.78
35 Todd Holverson El Cajon CA 14 15.78
37 Brad Young Artesia NM 13 15.65
38 John Preston S. Lake Tahoe CA 13 15.70
39 Patrick S. Donoho N. Las Vegas NV 11 15.46
40 Tom Varden Las Vegas NV 12 15.32
41 Bill Gurner Lakeside CA 12 15.25
42 Masahiro Koizumi Japan 13 15.21
42 Paul M. Williams Las Vegas NV 11 15.21
44 Steve Rametta Glendora CA 10 15.03 2.17
45 Jason Hackerd Upland CA 10 15.02
46 Kirk Beardsley Huntington Beach CA 11 15.19 1.82
47 Al Gamble Inglewood CA 13 14.89
48 Bob Cagle Yuba City CA 11 14.87
49 Kiyoshi Fujiwara Japan 10 14.82
50 Makoto Ohata Huntington Beach CA 10 14.77
51 Emilio Mijares Henderson NV 12 14.74
52 Brian Brewer Glenwood UT 11 14.70
53 Matthew Pesin Long Beach CA 9 14.67
53 Naoyuki Honda Tokyo 10 14.67
55 Joe Uribe, Sr. Long Beach CA 12 14.59
56 Ray Vella Seal Beach CA 11 14.56
57 Shinji Oshima Sakaigun Fukui JP 10 14.48
58 Charles Huffman Jackson CA 10 14.46
59 Neil Ken Kruck San Diego CA 10 14.43
60 Timothy A. Myers Henderson NV 8 14.38 2.30
61 Cathi Brittenham Chino Hills CA 10 14.36
62 Randy Estrada, M.D. Corona CA 7 14.30 2.58 2,500
63 Geoffrey Mao Encinitas CA 10 14.40
64 David Sims Las Vegas NV 11 13.94
65 Toshiyuki Kaku Huntington Beach CA 11 13.93
66 Ted Nguyen Irvine CA 7 13.81
67 Grady Garrison Norco CA 10 13.77
68 Jun Nomoto Yamanashi JP 9 13.76 1.61
69 Allen Maynard Henderson NV 11 13.61
70 Jim Cicchi Newbury Park CA 10 13.59
71 Alan Bongio Eureka CA 8 13.50
72 Paul Siegel Huntington Beach CA 11 13.58
73 Tom Cilluffo Napa CA 10 13.35
74 Oscar Delgadillo Whittier CA 11 13.34
75 Al Bradshaw Beaver UT 12 13.25
75 Craig Kraft Sacramento CA 11 13.25
75 Bill McGuigan San Carlos CA 10 13.25
78 Steve Carter Phoenix AZ 9 13.22
79 Shinji Okano Kanagawa JP 11 13.19
80 Hideki Maeda Osaka JP 11 13.02
81 Candy Comer Bakersfield CA 10 13.01 1.50
82 Steve Smith Salina UT 9 12.99
83 Craig Dinsdale Dana Point CA 8 12.92
83 Rick Engelhardt Littlerock CA 9 12.92
85 Mike Hawkins Logandale NV 9 12.89 2.34
86 George Banker Elephane Butte NM 9 12.61
87 Bill Bishop Lakeside CA 11 12.60
88 Dave Turner San Dimas CA 9 12.55
89 Izz Byrd San Jose CA 8 12.53
90 Kim Bain Moorpark CA 10 12.51 1.66
91 Steve Watson Phoenix AZ 10 12.26
92 James Hundley Murrieta CA 10 12.16
93 Hiroyuki Mori Matto Isikawa pre JP 11 11.89
94 Stoney Stone Griffin GA 8 11.74
95 Daryl Dempsey Las Vegas NV 9 11.57
96 John Chapman Oroville CA 7 11.44
97 Toshihiro Ishiguro Japan 7 11.62
98 John Biddulph Chandler AZ 8 11.38
99 Glenn Morey El Cajon CA 8 11.27
100 Liz Jones Chatsworth CA 8 11.24
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