Jan. 23, 2015:  By Morgenthaler - Pro Angler Sponsored by JASPER Wins B.A.S.S. Southern Open
Photo credit:  Shaye Baker of B.A.S.S.
What a way to start the year! Two years ago, I won the Bassmaster Wild Card to qualify for the 2014 Bassmaster Classic. That just whetted my appetite for more. Now by winning the first B.A.S.S. Open of 2015, I’m the first qualifier for the 2016 Classic, and I feel that I can compete anywhere, anytime, against anyone. I won the B.A.S.S. Southern Open, held January15th weight of 52 pounds, 7 ounces.

Conventional wisdom said the tournament couldn't be won on Lake Toho. I disagreed. While everyone else bumped boats in the locks heading to Lake Kissimmee, I stayed close. Toho was clear and the vegetation looked good. I could’ve cut a check on Kissimmee, but it didn’t have Toho’s big fish potential. After a 30 pound day, my mind was made up that I'd live and die in close to the ramp. In practice, it's all about keeping the lake honest, making sure that no pattern goes unexamined. I learned that the offshore bite wasn't happening and that there weren't many big fish shallow. Most were in transition and every good bite was around hydrilla connected to the bottom.

On Day One, my 16-12 had me in 12th catch much early, but after 1 o'clock it was insane. I caught 45 fish, including a 4 1⁄2 pounder that brought me up around 14 pounds. I wasn't sure that would be enough to fish Saturday so I was packed and ready leave, but was pleasantly surprised to find out that I'd actually moved up three places to 9th Day Three dawned still and crystal clear. I caught my first fish at 8am. Ten minutes later, I caught a heavy 4 pounder. By 10 o'clock I'd caught two more just like it. Then, after 12 noon, I caught a 7 1⁄2 pound game-changer. I still had one small one I needed to cull. My next fish helped, but only about 6 ounces. I could never upgrade again and thought I had squandered my chance, but it was tough out there, and at the weigh-in I got my hopes back up. With 22-03, I held off second place Bobby Lane by almost 3 pounds.

In hindsight, even though Kissimmee is a big lake, only certain areas were productive and the tremendous pressure hurt them. Second, I forced myself to slow down while many others succumbed to pressure and fished faster when the bite got tough. That's a recipe for disaster.  I won the way I like to fish, with a 7’11” Denali J2 Series rod paired with a Shimano Ci4 reel spooled with 40 lb. test Gamma Torque braid. My key bait was a Missile Baits Baby D Bomb in Bruiser Flash with a Reins 1 1⁄2 or 2 ounce tungsten weight, depending on the thickness of the cover. I've switched a 3/0 flipping hook which has improved my hookup percentage. One final equipment note: The first tournament after I picked up my last boat, a Phoenix 920, was the Wild Card that I won. This was my first tournament in my new Phoenix 921, and I won it, too.  I'm going to lobby Gary Clouse of Phoenix to build me a new boat for every tournament.

This win is huge for my sponsor, Jasper Engines & Transmissions, and my confidence heading into both the 2015 Classic and the 2015 Elite Series season generally. It allows me to fish without any pressure and I'm going to take some chances and see where that leads me.

Next up is the Hartwell Classic. With a handful of Classics under my belt, I know that it is a tournament like no other. We’re so busy during the week that it feels like you only have two hours to fish rather than eight. The lesson I take from this win on Toho is that when that’s the case, you focus on things you do well, in areas that you know can produce. It sounds simple, but it’s harder than it sounds. By focusing on the known variables, I was able to win this week and I’m going to carry that mindset forward.

Chad Morgenthaler, Pro Angler
Fishing Statistics:  1st Place; 5 fish, 52-07
See more on this epic win on his website:  http://chadmorgenthaler.com/2015/01/20/morgenthaler-wins-the-first-bass-southern-open-on-lake-toho/#more-3171
http://chadmorgenthaler.com/