The first Hibernia Bassmaster’s tournament of the season was a team event, and turnout was strong despite the chilly water. Nine boats and eighteen anglers hit the lake, and the competition was tight from start to finish.

Linnie Oakley and his guest edged out the win with 14.74 lbs., narrowly topping Kevin Rigsbee and Anthony Wilborn, who brought in 14.73 lbs. Third place went to David Ford and Lane Pasour with a solid 14.40 lbs. As always, our club proved just how competitive these events can be. The big bass of the day was 4.97lbs caught by the 2nd place team of Kevin Rigsbee and Anthony Wilborn

Lake Conditions

• Water Temperature: Averaged 47°F, warming to about 50°F in the backs of creeks by early afternoon.
• Water Clarity: Clear on the lower end of the lake between Eaton’s Ferry Bridge and the dam; slightly stained upriver and in the creeks.
• Productive Patterns: Main‑lake points and rocky humps were the dominant pattern, with anglers relying heavily on forward‑facing sonar and minnow‑style baits. Crankbaits and Carolina Jerk Baits also helped bring in fish. Most fish were still caught deep, with an average depth of 15 to 20 feet. However, a few anglers managed to catch a limit in the backs of shallow creeks.
• Weather: Air temperatures reached the upper 50s with a steady southwest wind around 11 mph, shifting northwest later in the afternoon.

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Kerr Lake—often called Buggs Island—produced several solid five‑fish limits today for members of the Hibernia Bassmaster’s club. Many anglers reported fast action right after the 7:00 AM blast‑off, with fish staging along rocky shorelines in the creeks. Others found bass pushing farther back, preparing to move onto beds.

Water temperatures started around 52°F at blast‑off and warmed to 57–60°F by afternoon. A variety of baits produced fish, including square‑bill crankbaits running 2–4 feet, deeper‑diving crankbaits in the 6–8‑foot range, jerk baits, spinnerbaits, and flipping plastics. All played a major role in today’s catches.

The weather was pleasant, beginning at 42°F at blast off with a northwest wind around 10 mph. By mid‑afternoon, temperatures climbed to about 72°F with wind NNW at 10 mph and occasional gusts of 15–20 mph. Water clarity was stained, with roughly 3 feet of visibility in many areas and less in the backs of creeks.

The winning angler brought a five‑fish limit weighing 14.36 lbs. Second place followed with 13.84 lbs., and third place weighed 12.36 lbs. Seventy members participated, and eleven five‑fish limits were brought to the scales. The big fish of the day weighed 4.46 lbs. Great work, everyone.

Falls Lake proved to be a tough fishery today. The lake level was extremely low, and heavy recreational boat traffic added to the challenge. Anglers encountered a mix of spawning and post‑spawn bass, and both groups were finicky and difficult to coax into biting.

The winning bag weighed 13.22 lbs., anchored by a 6.84‑lb kicker caught by a guest fishing with one of our members. Second place brought in a five‑fish limit of 12.44 lbs., and third place followed with 11.53 lbs. Fourteen members participated, with eight five‑fish limits brought to the scales. Average weights hovered around 6 lbs., while the top five bags ranged from 10 to 13 lbs.

The dominant pattern was a shaky‑head worm fished on points and rocky shorelines. The lunker of the day was a bedding fish caught in the back arm of a creek.

Water temperatures held around 68°F, and clarity was slightly stained due to pollen. Winds averaged about 7 mph.

Guest with the winning bag.