Mid Summer Nights Dream Tournament Results

[VineAssist]

One word can describe tonights tournament INSANE! After the massive bonus stocking the managment of Irvine Lake put in on Thursday morning we knew tonights tournament would be a shoot out. But the weigh in was un real. Just an absolute ton of fish in that 6-8lb class made their way to the scales. When the dust finally settled it would take a 9.4lb fish just to crack the top 10!!!

Taking home the big prize with a 17.7lb Channel Catfish was none other than Brandi "Calico" Smothers of LA! In catching that fish Mrs Smothers walked away with $1120 in cold hard cash!
http://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa447/MEDIA4IRVINELAKE/IMG_0156_zps34f37bbe.jpg (http://s1198.photobucket.com/user/MEDIA4IRVINELAKE/media/IMG_0156_zps34f37bbe.jpg.html)
In 2nd place and no stranger to big fish and the winners circle was Ronson "Catmando' Smothers with his 13.4lb Channel Catfish worth $544. Pictured with Ronson is his fiance/bride Brandi and his daughter Nyla Simone Smothers with her 10th place 9.4lb Channel Catfish.
http://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa447/MEDIA4IRVINELAKE/IMG_0158_zps92040222.jpg (http://s1198.photobucket.com/user/MEDIA4IRVINELAKE/media/IMG_0158_zps92040222.jpg.html)
http://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa447/MEDIA4IRVINELAKE/IMG_0159_zps5f9c51b1.jpg (http://s1198.photobucket.com/user/MEDIA4IRVINELAKE/media/IMG_0159_zps5f9c51b1.jpg.html)
Charlie Lane caught this 10.8lb Channel Catfish while soaking a shrimp at Rocky Point.

And meet the top 10
http://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa447/MEDIA4IRVINELAKE/IMG_0160_zps3459570b.jpg (http://s1198.photobucket.com/user/MEDIA4IRVINELAKE/media/IMG_0160_zps3459570b.jpg.html)
1.Brandie "Calico" Smothers 17.7 $1120 not pictured
2.Ronson "Catmando" Smothers 13.4 $544 not pictured
3.Amy Nguyen 11.8
4. David Clark 11.1
5.Charlie Lane 10.8
6.DJ Perez 9.14
7.Tyler Dykes 9.12
8.Paul Dalond Jr 9.4 (12.35)
9.Zhipang Bao 9.4 (12:36)
10.Nyla "Kitten" Smothers 9.3 11:21pm (not pictured

People reported catching a lot of fish at the West Shore and back in the FLats. Anglers where catching fish on Mackeral, Shrimp and the Bite On Baits flylined. The key to finding the bigger fish was to be fishing in or around structure. Ronson tipped I was breaking a lot of fish off earlier in the weak in the structure. I had to up my line size to 50lb Soft Steel leader line attached via a Owner Hyper swivel to my 25lb Big Game mono. The fish where that deep in the structure.
Remeber guys and gals there is still one more qualifing tournament left. That is the Last Chance Qualifer and that event is going to be off the charts I have a feeling in the way of quality fish! Come out to the lake and enjoy the red hot summer/early fall bite and take home some quality eating and sized fish from Irvine Lake.
Jimmy

[Rooster]

Thanks for the EPIC report Jimmy, Looks like everyone had a great time out there. Props to the Staff on loading the lake with quality fish and getting quality anglers out there for record payouts!
Congrats to Ronson & Family & to my brother Team 57 member Z Bao. :Dancing Banana:

Hopefully I can make the next event and get me some cats

[etucker1959]

Thanks for the EPIC report Jimmy, Looks like everyone had a great time out there. Props to the Staff on loading the lake with quality fish and getting quality anglers out there for record payouts!
Congrats to Ronson & Family & to my brother Team 57 member Z Bao. :Dancing Banana:

Hopefully I can make the next event and get me some cats

Way to go for all the winners!!!!!!

[5150fishn]

Wow! What a lunkerfest. Congrats to the Catmando family on dominating the tourney. Way to go Z Bao on a sweet kittie and for qualifing!

[Catmando]

Thanks folks! Yeah, it was a nice tourney and most fish were caught during the day. Thing is that you have to find the tight spots of structure and when you do, you can catch fish all day.

[etucker1959]

Thanks folks! Yeah, it was a nice tourney and most fish were caught during the day. Thing is that you have to find the tight spots of structure and when you do, you can catch fish all day.

Ronson, I hope you don't mind me asking? Do you still offer guided catfish trips at Irvine Lake?

[Catmando]

Hey E. No, I haven't guided in years. It got too crazy. My haters conviced the lake that I shouldn't be able to be in tournaments because I was a guide, so I quit guiding. I love fishing tournaments because it's such a rush!!! It wasn't my 9-5 so it was easy to let go. I might however take someone out for a six pack and some "gas money"...;-)....lol Maybe the lake will reconsider and let me do both. I'll ask them this week. I think it was a benefit to all, but the masses won that battle. It really went against the whiners because now I have more time to fish for myself and find big fish instead concentrating on teaching techniques and putting fish on the boat. Really, they should have been happy I was guiding. I guess there's always going to be somebody complaining. Anyway, inbox me and let's chat. Meeouuttt!

[trollmiester]

weigh to go ronson,always good seaing u with that big smile.

[etucker1959]

Hey E. No, I haven't guided in years. It got too crazy. My haters conviced the lake that I shouldn't be able to be in tournaments because I was a guide, so I quit guiding. I love fishing tournaments because it's such a rush!!! It wasn't my 9-5 so it was easy to let go. I might however take someone out for a six pack and some "gas money"...;-)....lol Maybe the lake will reconsider and let me do both. I'll ask them this week. I think it was a benefit to all, but the masses won that battle. It really went against the whiners because now I have more time to fish for myself and find big fish instead concentrating on teaching techniques and putting fish on the boat. Really, they should have been happy I was guiding. I guess there's always going to be somebody complaining. Anyway, inbox me and let's chat. Meeouuttt!

That's really to bad Ronson they won't let you do both. I say that for fishing in the structure or the wood as some people call it is an art. I along with all the other sheep try to catch them in the deep holes in the Santiago Flats with only fair results. I would love to learn from the best, structure fishing, the Rocky point area or down at the Dam. I hope you don't mind if I use my sense of Humor. At least they haven't pulled a Lew Al Cinder Rule on you for tournaments. (For those of you who don't know, they took away the dunk in college basketball for years because of one player's dominance.) He later changed his name to Kareem Abdul Jabar.

[Catmando]

That is an interesting fact. I did not know that but you are on the money. Those structure spots are really all over the lake but you have to find them. They are in the flats, boat dock cove and around trout island. There are a few more in the deep but it's too early for that deep stuff. To find them you just have to look around by moving a lot and until you find them. Let you know if Irvine changes it's mind.

[PONTOON]

Congratulations to the Smothers Family and everyone who made the top ten! It was definitely another fun tournament. :Cool:

[Catmando]

Thanks guys. See you on the 24th.

[angelsfan951]

Hey E. No, I haven't guided in years. It got too crazy. My haters conviced the lake that I shouldn't be able to be in tournaments because I was a guide, so I quit guiding. I love fishing tournaments because it's such a rush!!! It wasn't my 9-5 so it was easy to let go. I might however take someone out for a six pack and some "gas money"...;-)....lol Maybe the lake will reconsider and let me do both. I'll ask them this week. I think it was a benefit to all, but the masses won that battle. It really went against the whiners because now I have more time to fish for myself and find big fish instead concentrating on teaching techniques and putting fish on the boat. Really, they should have been happy I was guiding. I guess there's always going to be somebody complaining. Anyway, inbox me and let's chat. Meeouuttt!

wow that really sucks for the lake to not allow you to guide and enter tournaments, i dont see how that affects in anyway. I can guarantee you that if you would still be a guide at irvine you would have my services. I have gone twice to irvine and big ol skunk both times. I do understand that we all have to put in the time but if you could help us with some pointers that would be even better as i would be going to irvine more often, and well it would be more to their advantage as they would have more repeat customers as we would at least have a clue on how to fish the lake. I THOUGHT they are the lake that WANTS US TO CATCH FISH??? well hopefully you dont mind me sending you a pm

[Catmando]

Nicely said. I will take it up with them and see. I think people are seeing now that guiding didn't give me an advantage. I love having a great guide trip and having people catch their personal best. It's a great feeling!

[etucker1959]

Nicely said. I will take it up with them and see. I think people are seeing now that guiding didn't give me an advantage. I love having a great guide trip and having people catch their personal best. It's a great feeling!

Ronson you are so right on the money. I fish for pond catfish every week and on special occasions fish at Irvine lake. The pond catfishing dried up this year, if I was able to hire you as a guide, I would be a weekly customer of Irvine lake!!!!!!!!

[lowe]

Awesome those are some nice pigs congrats to everyone ..lo

[troutdog]

Nice going guys....fishing was off the hook Sat night!

WTG Z-Bao and Miss PhillyBear! :LOL:


TD

[Hitts0n]

WTG folks !! I heard you were out there but I didnt hit the lake til 8pm lmao !!!

[Hitts0n]

nice going guys....fishing was off the hook sat night!

Wtg z-bao and miss phillybear! :lol:


Td

lmaooooooooooooooooo!!