Angler’s Choice Mark Twain Division
8-7-04
By John J. Reidler (John is sponsored by Cannon Express “Custom Built Rods” and Cannon Express Weigh-in-Facilities)

Lake Level: 609.5 Raising slowly, 606 full pool
Temp: 75 at Mid Lake
Water color: Slight Stain in Main Lake, Heavy Stain up Forks
Conditions: 55 Degrees to start 81 at weigh-in,Sunny, Slight wind

David Junk, Duwayne Azotea win 1st
Lonnie Franklin, Bob Peneston get 2nd
Marcus Tilley, Randy Scott take 3rd

Mark Twain Lake is still a tough place to find any fish consistently. The weather couldn’t have been better with blue skies and very cool temperatures greeting the anglers in the early morning hours. Shad are showing up in abundance up some of creek arms and the Forks. With two tournaments left it is still a close points race for the division.

David Junk of Quincy and Duwayne Azotea of Quincy, Illinois caught two keepers that weighed in at 5.14 pounds to win the tournament. David caught the two keepers using a Balsa Bee and White Gamemaster Spinner-bait with a #4 willow leaf and a #3 Colorado. The spinner-bait was dressed up with silver in the skirt that David puts on himself. They ran up the Middle Fork to start out the day fishing grassy flooded banks in real muddy water and then went to the South Fork throwing the Bee along the banks as the shad finally drew in tighter. His winning sack brought him a check for $675.00. David is sponsored by Gamemasters of Quincy Ill, Falcon Rods and Yamaha.

Lonnie Franklin of Mexico, MO and Bob Peneston from Fulton, MO made it close as they brought in two fish that weighed in at 5.10 lbs. They caught their fish in South Fork and then ran to North Fork to pick up the second keeper. A Texas rigged worm in fire and ice color and a Carolina rigged 8” lizard were the baits of choice as the two kept their first place standings in the division.

Marcus Tilley and Randy Scott brought in one fish weighing 4.63 lbs to take third place. This was the big bass of the day. Fishing in the South Fork arm of the lake the fish was caught on a Carolina rig with a ¾ oz. weight in 10 feet of water. Both fishermen are sponsored by Crok-O-Gator and Arnold Auto Body. The two fishermen come from the Arnold, MO area.

The next Angler’s Choice, Mark Twain Division is August 28th. The pre-meeting where $100.00 is given away will be held the morning of the tournament. Money drawing is at 5:30AM. Each new member receives an attendance bag of Competitive Fishing Tackle and a subscription to the quarterly Bass West Magazine. For more information check out the Cannon Express website at www.cannonxpress.com.
Angler’s Choice is sponsored by Bass Cat Boats, Mercury Motors, Motorguide, Bass West Magazine, Competitive Edge Tackle, Solar Bat Sunglasses, Rejuvenade, Wilson Trophy’s and the Mark Twain Division is sponsored additionally by Croc-O-Gator Baits, Cannon Express “Custom Built Rods” and Skyview Rehab Construction Company. Skyview gave the $100.00 attendance prize money away at the non-mandatory pre meeting. Call for details on the meeting place next month.

Big Bass - Tilley/Scott