2012 NCBFN Classic Championship
Story By: Chuck Murray
Steve Strickland and Robbie Butler take two day NCBFN Team Trail CLASSIC Championship with 28.19 pounds. Great job Guys!! Steve and Robbie had 13.84on Friday at Lake Gaston and 14.35 on Saturday at Kerr Lake for a total of 28.19 pounds and were crowned the NCBFN Classic Team Trail Champs! Ryan Harrell and Billy Patrick were the day one leaders with 15.50 pounds on Friday but fell .11 pound short of winning their first NCBFN Team Trail Classic Title. Dennis and Tommy Bradley took third place with 23.81 pounds and Eric Schell and Todd Smith took 4th with 20.40. The fish weighed in at Kerr Lake had a very healthy appearance and had very fat bellies. Hopefully the large mouth bass virus is leaving the system.
Chuck Murray and Randy Groves retained the title of team trail points champions for the 4th consecutive year. After Day 1, Groves and Murray had a dismal showing on Gaston lake with only having 4 fish weighing 6.47 pounds on Friday and were in 13th place. With one more day of fishing, the duo had seen their 20 point lead trimmed to 0 tied in a dead heat with Cory Leonard and Cory Bynum and had actually fell behind on their total weight lead as well by one pound. Saturday presented a challenge for the reigning champs as they had no practice on Kerr Lake since June. It was 1:00 pm on Saturday and we only had two fish so we made a change that really paid off, Chuck stated. In the next hour, we were able to boat our other three fish to finish out our limit. The 10.86 lb limit moved them up to 6th place for the two day event and enough to win their 4th crown and good enough for a $1,000 points champion bonus.
Top ten in points were as follows: Chuck Murray and Randy Groves 484, Eric Schell and Todd Smith 472 ($500), Cory Leonard and Cory Bynum 466 ($250), Mark Robertson and David Ball 449 and Ryan Harrell and Tony Warren 442, and Phil Bain and Tim Wiltfong 442, Reggie Norfleet and Scott Dupree 416, Jay Wright and Ricky Ballance 408, Steve Strickland and Robbie Butler 360 and Ronald Gentry and Mike Boahab were 10th with 348.
Chuck Murray and Randy Groves also took the total weight championship ($250) with 96.35 pounds and had the largest day catch of 21.36 pounds ($100). Jay Wright and Ricky Ballance took home the BIg Fish prize presented by Outdoor Accessories Unlimited catching a very nice 6.60 pounder on Roanoke Rapids Lake. Thanks to Ed Collier for continuing to sponsor the NCBFN Team Trail.
That finishes the 2012 Team Trail season and we look forward to the 2013 year. The team trail committee will meet soon and we should have a schedule out in Late January. If you are looking some stiff competition with a club atmosphere, give some of our fishermen a call and come out and have some fun on the water! Now, go kill a Big Buck!!
