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Rojas starts out big on Toledo Bend
April 14, 2011 - MANY, La. — Dean Rojas caught 16 pounds of Toledo Bend bass by 10 a.m. Thursday.
Then he got serious. He went looking for the big spawning bass, and found them. A 7-pound, 1-ounce largemouth, followed by one over 5, went into the box. He ended up with 23 pounds, 1 ounce, and the lead in the TroKar Battle on the Bayou.
Fred Roumbanis, with 21-3 for second place, ended the day behind Rojas by 1 pound and 14 ounces. It was a decent cushion for the leader, especially on a day when place No. 10 was only 4-3 behind him.
Finishing third after one day was rookie Brandon Palaniuk, who had 20-6. Fourth was Todd Faircloth, with 20-4, and fifth was Steve Kennedy with 20-0.
As good as his day was, Rojas had hoped for better — a total of 25 pounds, he said.
“The wind really hurt me today because it took out an area that had some really big ones in it,” he said.
For the second day, he’s hoping for flat water and no wind — ideal sight-fishing conditions. He’s got more spawners in reserve, he said, enough to carry him all four days.
“The bites came quickly this morning, and I don’t foresee it being any different tomorrow,” he said. “I milked the area pretty good, but there are still a lot of fish in there.”
Rojas said he’s taking his bedding fish with the WarMouth, the same signature lure he used on the St. Johns River in Florida last month.
“It’s just a great sight-fishing bait,” he said.
Roumbanis produced his 21-3 for second place by starting out “in the dirt and ending up deep.”
“I’m fishing off the bottom — not on the bottom,” he said. “I can see them on the graph, about 5, 6 feet off the bottom. The weather’s bringing them — they’re cruisers. The wind is definitely helping me,” he said.
Roumbanis said he’s got a solitary spot and a technique no one else has.
“It’s a trick I taught myself,” he said, but was tight-lipped after that.
Rookie Palaniuk said that unlike Roumbanis, but like Rojas, he went sight fishing Thursday, catching his two largest fish of the day off beds.
He caught his biggest one, a 7-4, about 15 minutes before he came in.
“I had another big one today blow up on a topwater,” Palaniuk said. “I missed it, but I’m going back to it tomorrow.”
Topping Palaniuk’s big one was the day’s largest bass, a 7-14 by Chris Lane. The bass is in contention for the tournament’s Berkley Big Bass of Tournament.
2011 Bassmaster Elite Series Official Sponsors: Toyota, Bass Pro Shops, Berkley, Evan Williams Bourbon, Humminbird, Mercury, Minn Kota, Skeeter Boats, Triton Boats, Yamaha
2011 Bassmaster Elite Series Supporting Sponsors: Lowrance, Luck “E” Strike, Nitro Boats, Power-Pole, Ramada
DAY 1 STANDINGS- TROKAR BATTLE ON THE BAYOU
2011 TroKar Battle On The Bayou - Many, LA PRO 04/14-04/17 Toledo Bend Reservoir, Many La.
(PRO Division) Standings Day 1
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Dean Rojas Lake Havasu City, Ariz 5 23-01
2. Fred Roumbanis Bixby, Okla. 5 21-03
3. Brandon Palaniuk Rathdrum, Idaho 5 20-06
4. Todd Faircloth Jasper, Texas 5 20-04
5. Steve Kennedy Auburn, Ala. 5 20-00
6. Ott DeFoe Knoxville, Tenn. 5 19-11
7. Gerald Swindle Warrior, Ala. 5 19-09
8. Takahiro Omori Emory, Texas 5 19-03
9. Randy Howell Springville, Ala. 5 18-11
10. Davy Hite Ninety Six, S.C. 5 18-08
10. Michael Iaconelli Pitts Grove, N.J. 5 18-08
10. Rick Morris Virginia Beach, Va. 5 18-08
13. Aaron Martens Leeds, Ala. 5 18-07
14. Casey Ashley Donalds, S.C. 5 18-05
15. Jason Williamson Aiken, S.C. 5 17-10
16. Paul Elias Laurel, Miss. 5 17-02
16. Chris Lane Guntersville, Ala. 5 17-02
18. Andy Montgomery Blacksburg, S.C. 5 16-10
19. Terry Scroggins San Mateo, Fla. 5 16-08
20. Scott Rook Little Rock, Ark. 5 16-07
21. James Stricklin Texarkania, Texas 5 16-06
22. Cliff Pace Petal, Miss. 5 16-04
23. Gary Klein Weatherford, Texas 5 15-15
24. Grant Goldbeck Boerne, Texas 5 15-10
24. Britt Myers Lake Wylie, S.C. 5 15-10
26. John Crews Salem, Va. 5 15-09
27. Yusuke Miyazaki Forney, Texas 5 15-09
28. Alton Jones Waco, Texas 5 15-07
28. Dennis Tietje Roanoke, La. 5 15-07
30. Matt Greenblatt Port St Lucie, Fla. 5 15-07
31. Greg Vinson Wetumpka, Ala. 5 15-02
32. Boyd Duckett Demopolis, Ala. 5 15-01
33. Matt Herren Trussville, Ala. 5 14-14
34. Travis Manson De Pere, Wisc. 5 14-13
35. Dustin Wilks Rocky Mount, N.C. 5 14-12
36. Edwin Evers Talala, Okla. 5 14-10
37. Denny Brauer Camdenton, Mo. 5 14-08
37. Brent Chapman Lake Quivira, Kan. 5 14-08
39. Jeff Connella Bentley, La. 5 14-06
39. Chad Griffin Cresson, Texas 5 14-06
41. Kotaro Kiriyama Moody, Ala. 5 14-05
41. Craig Schuff Watauga, Texas 5 14-05
41. Kevin VanDam Kalamazoo, Mich. 5 14-05
44. Keith Poche Troy, Ala. 5 14-04
44. Bernie Schultz Gainesville, Fla. 5 14-04
44. Morizo Shimizu Matsugaoka, Japan 5 14-04
44. Kevin Short Mayflower, Ark. 5 14-04
48. Dave Wolak Wake Forest, N.C. 5 14-03
49. Jason Quinn Lake Wylie, S.C. 5 14-02
50. Peter Thliveros St Augustine, Fla. 5 13-11
51. Dean Alexander Georgetown, Texas 5 13-08
52. Cliff Crochet Pierre Part, La. 5 13-07
53. David Walker Sevierville, Tenn. 5 13-06
54. Kenyon Hill Norman, Okla. 5 13-02
55. Mark Davis Mount Ida, Ark. 5 13-00
55. Greg Hackney Gonzales, La. 5 13-00
57. Kevin Wirth Crestwood, Ky. 5 12-14
58. Bradley Roy Lancaster, Ky. 5 12-13
59. Kelly Jordon Palestine, Texas 5 12-12
60. J Todd Tucker Moultrie, Ga. 5 12-11
61. Shaw Grigsby Gainesville, Fla. 5 12-07
61. Jonathon VanDam Kalamazoo, Mich. 5 12-07
63. Skeet Reese Auburn, Calif. 5 12-06
64. Keith Combs Huntington, Texas 5 12-03
65. Jared Lintner Arroyo Grande, Calif. 5 12-03
66. Scott Ashmore Broken Arrow, Okla. 5 12-02
66. Stephen Browning Hot Springs, Ark. 5 12-02
68. Marty Robinson Lyman, S.C. 5 12-01
69. David Smith Del City, Okla. 5 11-15
70. Derek Remitz Grant, Ala. 5 11-14
71. Bill Lowen Brookville, Ind. 5 11-13
71. Ish Monroe Hughson, Calif. 5 11-13
71. Zell Rowland Austin, Texas 5 11-13
74. Clark Reehm Lufkin, Texas 5 11-12
75. Russ Lane Prattville, Ala. 5 11-11
76. Jeff Kriet Ardmore, Okla. 5 11-09
77. Matt Reed Madisonville, Texas 5 11-06
77. Nate Wellman Newaygo, Mich. 5 11-06
79. Ben Parker Union City, Tenn. 5 11-02
80. Bobby Lane Lakeland, Fla. 5 10-15
81. Bradley Hallman Norman, Okla. 5 10-12
81. Billy McCaghren Mayflower, Ark. 5 10-12
81. Brian Snowden Reeds Spring, Mo. 5 10-12
84. Pat Golden High Point, N.C. 5 10-11
85. Mark Menendez Paducah, Ky. 5 10-08
86. Tommy Biffle Wagoner, Okla. 5 10-07
87. John Murray Phoenix, Ariz. 5 10-06
88. Russell Parrish Riesel, Texas 5 9-14
89. Pete Ponds Madison, Miss. 5 9-11
90. Timmy Horton Muscle Shoals, Ala. 5 9-09
91. Mike McClelland Bella Vista, Ark. 5 9-05
92. James Niggemeyer Van, Texas 5 9-01
93. Terry Butcher Talala, Okla. 5 9-00
94. Jami Fralick Martin, S.D. 5 8-14
95. Charlie Hartley Grove City, Ohio 5 8-08
96. Ryan Said Wixom, Mich. 5 8-02
97. Rick Clunn Ava, Mo. 4 7-10
98. Brent Broderick Oregonia, Ohio 4 6-11
99. Lee Sisson Winter Haven, Fla. 3 5-07
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