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LALLI
AND SPARKS WIN CHARGER AT LAKE EUFAULA |
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20.85
Limit Gets the Win....... |
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Story
by Dru Smith
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Eufaula, OK
– The Big Muddy, a moniker often used in reference to Lake Eufaula, aptly described the water conditions of the site for the fourth regular season event on the Charger Fisherman’s Choice, LLC team trail. Recent rains and a strong south wind resulted in a variation of “stained” water from Longtown to Fame Creek. However, the dirty water could not hide the bass from 93 eager teams on Sunday.
The Charger participants not only battled the lack of water clarity, they had to survive a strong storm that brought with it even more rain, hail and damaging winds. In the end, 65 teams weighed in five fish limits and the winning weight pushed over the 20 pound mark.
Vince Lalli and Stephen Sparks from nearby McAlester, brought five fish to the scales that totaled 20.85 pounds. Lalli and Sparks earned $3327.00 for their romp in the mud on Sunday.
Keeping it close to home, Dan Lalli, Vince’s brother, and his wife Donna took second place with 18.86 pounds earning the husband and wife team $2,246.00 plus a brand new American Eagle Rod.
In third was the always jovial, George Skiniotes and his partner Wade McKinnis. Sticking with the pattern of cashing a big check on Eufaula, George and Wade added $1,331.00 to their yearly winnings.
Overall, more than 900 pounds of bass crossed the stage with 14.62, brought in by Leaf and Butler, being the last place in the money. $9,000.00 worth of cash and prizes was handed out by the Charger staff including $930.00 to Harrison and Harrison for the big bass of the day at 5.55 pounds. 17 bass were official weighed that came in over the four pound mark.
Lalli’s Make a Point
Vince Lalli and his partner Stephen Sparks covered main lake points to catch their winning limit of 20.85 pounds. Amazingly, the pair boated all the fish by 9 a.m. and spent the rest of the day avoiding the storms that passed through the area. “We knew it was a good limit and didn’t want to take any chances,” Vince said about staying huddled up under a boat dock with a livewell full of fish. “A lot of things can go wrong when the weather gets like this and we didn’t want to risk it.”
Vince had struggled finding quality fish on Eufaula lately and it wasn’t until a comment made by his wife that he put it all together. “I went out early on Monday trying to put something together and couldn’t,” he said. “I asked my wife if she wanted to go to the lake later in day and said it was too hot. That is when it hit me.” Vince decided to switch to his summer time pattern and it paid off with a 6 pound bass late Monday afternoon. He and his partner, sponsored by Tulsa Diagnostic Imaging, ran the pattern to a win the following Sunday.
All in the Family
Younger brother to Vince, Dan and his wife Donna brought 18 pounds to the scales on Sunday and if it weren’t for a lost fish late in the day, little brother could have been on top. “We had about 12 pounds before the front blew in,” Dan said. “The fishing got better as the weather got worse and we were able to cull up through out the day.”
Dan said they caught about 20 keepers on Sunday, but lost a four pound fish during the storm that could have helped. “I had her on a crankbait and the waves were rolling and I didn’t get her to the boat. It wouldn’t have given us the win but it would have made things close.”
The husband and wife team sponsored by Nichols Marine ran windy points all day to amass their second place weight.
Close but No Cigar
George Skiniotes smiled through the smoke of a cigar as he took home the first place trophy at the first Charger event on Lake Eufaula. On Sunday, the smile and cigar were present, but George and his partner, Wade had to settle for third. “We went back to the same area and caught all our fish their,” Skiniotes revealed. “We’ve hit that area pretty hard lately and I think it is finally running out.”
The pair sponsored by Thomas Marine, Charger Boats and Falcon Rods stuck to water in the 3 to 4 foot range to produce 16.92 pounds. “We caught fish all day long,” George said. “They were relating to wood cover.”
George won the Charger tournament back in April with just over 16 pounds. He and his wife return a couple of weeks later to take the Skeeter Couples title. He and his partner finished third last Sunday and all three paydays came out of the same area.
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