A pair of local anglers, Howard Miller and Bob Young, took first with three fish weighing 8.68 pounds, while Jim Foster of Gallipolis (formerly of Newark) and Tom Price (I'm not sure if he's from Licking County or the Gallipolis area. I'll have to check) finished second with two bass weighing 7.71 pounds.
Ab Reed and Doug Bolyard of the Crooksville area placed third with three fish weighing 7.07 pounds; Jim Swingle and Craig Brannon, also from the Crooksville area, took fourth place and big bass honors with a 6.44-pound bass and Joe Hanning and Bryan Sabo were fifth with a 4.35-pound bass
Of the 2 bass, 20 were released alive.
The low turnout at Burr Oak raises a question. I know the weather probably discouraged some anglers, but the turnout for many opens has been down in recent years. The economy hasn't helped, but I think this started before gas prices and unemployment climbed.
Back when I regularly fished this tournament in the early '80s, it would fill soon after the fliers went out. The same with the May open my club, Southern Ohio Bassmasters, held on Dillon. We held that tournament for 30 years, but entries dropped into the low twenties and we decided last year to try one on Seneca. We received no advance entries and canceled it. We decided not to hold one in May this year, but we will still run our benefit tournament in September.
What' the problem? Are there too many opens and circuits? Is it the economy? Is it the economy? or is it something else? Let me know what you think.
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