December 16, 2001 Folsom Lake Folsom, Ca
Rush and Taggart Take Folsom Lake in California

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Taggert and Rush's Fine Bag

"It sure is a good thing we're having sign-ups here at IHOP" I thought to myself. "It is about as cold as it can get, sure wish 05:00 am would hurry up." Checking my watch it was only 04:45, still had 15 minutes and the parking was beginning to fill with trucks and bassboats!

Sure enough, promptly at 05:00 the doors swung open. We filed in, found our seats and filled up half the restaurant! Fishermen were signing in, eating, talking, joking and having a good time. Each team also received RoboWorm's FX series baits. If you haven't checked these baits out then you better do so. They are great baits and come in many innovative colors! Oh yeah, they do catch fish! When we were finished I thanked the crew at IHOP for their professional and courteous service. They said that is was fun and we should do it again. With our next Folsom event being in April, we may just take them up on the invitation! Again I would like to thank the manager John Khrau and his crew at the Folsom IHOP for a great beginning of our new 2002 season!

Boat number 11 was drawn to be the first team out. Boats 11 thru 26 would weigh in at 3:00 pm and boats 27 thru 10 at 3:15 pm. There was sure to be some big weights brought to the scales. Fishing had been great the last couple of weeks on Folsom Lake. A lot of big fish were being caught. The weather seemed to being cooperating with a slight breeze now and then and overcast and cloudy skies. Not to mention it being a bit COLD! And the water temperature was right at 49 degrees. So it was cold for both fish and fisherman.

My crew and I had everything set-up for a shoreline weigh-in. A quick walk to the scales is all that was needed. Awards were still going to be given up in the parking lot. The teams began to roll in right on time. Seemed as though fishing had been good as all were bringing limits to the scales. The average limit coming in was around the 10-pound range. That was until Sabin Holm and Scott Mascadri's 19.53 pound limit, with a 7.85 kicker largemouth, raised the bar! Everyone was giving them hi-fives and shaking hands.

When it seemed all had weighed in, at the docks sat a lone fisherman digging in his live-wells. He asked for a weigh bag, then another and another, and another one and ANOTHER weigh bag! Was this to be true, 5 fish in the 5 pound range! Who was this lone fisherman! It was Brad Taggert, Dave Rush's team partner. Dave had to leave the event at noon due to a previous engagement. Was Brad's five-bag limit going to top the mark set by Sabin Holm and Scott Mascadri. The tension mounted as the fish were emptied from the bags. Brad picked one of the Largemouths to weigh in as his big bass, 6.35 the scales read. Now to add the four other big ol' bass to the bag .............................. "25.26!" the weighmaster said. Brad Taggert and Dave Rush had beaten the 19.53 mark set by Sabin Holm and Scott Mascadri by almost 6 pounds. What a bag of fish!

For that impressive limit, Brad Taggert and Dave Rush took home $1160.00 and Tactical Assault / RoboWorm sponsored plaques. Sabin Holm and Scott Mascadri's 2nd place finish netted them $580.00 and Tactical Assault / RoboWorm sponsored plaques. For Big Bass of the event Sabin Holm received $280.00, a Tactical Assault Revolver Rod, a team set of EZ-CULL-RZ by Basswidow Products and a Tactical Assault / RoboWorm sponsored Big Bass plaque. Sabin's 7.85 Largemouth takes the lead for the Line-X Big Bass of the Year award. A Line-X spray-on bedliner will be awarded to the angler that brings in the largest bass of the year in the California Foothills Region! Third place, $470.00 and Tactical Assault / RobowWorm sponsored plaques went to our TH Marine entry winner Ryan White and Phil Clark for their 15.03 limit. A 14.68 limit brought to the scales by Pat Dilling and Wayne Howenstine was good enough for 4th place, $360.00 and Tactical Assault / RoboWorm sponsored plaques. Marcel Colin and Troy Schroeder slid into 5th place with a 14.03 limit that was worth $290.00. Just one spot out of the money was Kent Brown and John Maes with a 13.25 limit. They each received an Angler's Choice Western Region finals T-shirt.
Which I told them to proudly wear.

There were 143 fish caught and released ALIVE weighing a total of 328.27 pounds. That means the average fish weighed 2.29 pounds! Not to bad for Folsom Lake! In the mix there were 121 Spotted Bass, 15 Smallmouth and 7 Largemouth. All in all, it was a great day of fishing! What a way to start the new season!

I would like to thank our national sponsors, Mercury, Motorguide, Interstate Batteries, TH Marine products, Berkley, ABU Garcia and Cabela's. Along with our regional sponsors Tactical Assault Revolver Rods, Line-X of Sacramento, RoboWorm, Basswidow Products, Sacramento Pro Tackle, Craw-Cane and Just Fishin'. I would also like to thank my staff Jerame Davis, Alton Forthe and Greg Witham for all of their help. And when you're in Folsom, drop by the IHOP at Blue Ravine Road and East Bidwell for a bite to eat and tell them thanks for having us! Happy Holidays to one and all!