Montgomery takes second at TNT Fireworks BASS Nation Central Regional

Runner-up Jeremy Montgomery, of Overland Park, led a strong effort by the Kansas delegation at the 2019 TNT Fireworks BASS Nation Central Regional on Lake Guntersville in Alabama, one of three Kansas team members to place in the top 10 at Saturday's weigh-in.

Montgomery posted a solid three-day effort of 49 pounds, 7 ounces, edging out Keith Glasgow, of Alabama, and Louisiana's Howard Hartley, who tied for third, by one ounce. However, he wasn't even within sniffing distance of the lead, as Oklahoma's James Biggs posted a monster limit of 70 pounds, 2 ounces, to take the victory and the state title for Oklahoma.

“I did most of my damage in the morning, right away,” Montgomery said in a news release. “I took advantage of the calm weather, got on my grassy humps and was able to slow down. I caught two really good quality fish right away, caught two more and then went running around. I got lucky at the end of the day. With 30 minutes to go, I caught another 4-pounder.”

Fellow Kansans Jason Baird, of Gypsum, and Kyle Kiister, of Arma, took fifth and seventh, respectively, posting bags of 49-4 and 46-14. Other Kansas team boaters who competed were No. 48 Jim Clay (26-12), No. 85 Garrett Cates (20-2), No. 91 Jason Benjamin (19-4), No. 151 Scott Tassi (11-14), No. 166 Donald Pflumm (9-3), No. 172 Jim Parson (8-2) and No. 187 Brandon Garrison (3-13).

Among the nonboaters, Kansas City's Devin Pino was the top Kansas resident with a three-day total of 24-1 to take 19th. He was followed by No. 68 Dominic Cavitt, of Pittsburg, 12-8; No. 105 Hunter Baird, of Gypsum, 9-13; No. 134 Mack Hale, of Cherryvale, 7-9; No. 135 Lane Rue Armstrong, of Topeka, 7-7; No. 155 Brock Bila, of Louisburg, 6-3; No. 170 Mark Matulka, of Olathe, 4-12; and No. 176 Don Glick, of Zurich, 3-15.

Montgomery and Pino will now go on to compete Nov. 6-8 at the BASS Nation Championship on Lake Hartwell.

K-State’s Flynn, Hopkins win state title

After a false start at Perry Reservoir the week before, the Kansas State team of Josh Flynn and Zac Hopkins finally got on the board and posted a win last Sunday during the Kansas BASS Nation College State Fishing Championship on Council Grove City Lake.

A massive 6.72-pound largemouth highlighted their victory with an 11.11-pound bag, giving the team the state title and a berth in the Bassmaster College National Championship this summer.

CRAPPIE

Manis, Shepard win KCT event on Clinton

Topekans Brandon Manis and Marc Shepard pulled out their first victory of the season on the Kansas Crappie Trail on Sunday at Clinton Reservoir, weighing 9.93 pounds of fish, including a 1.59-pound slab that earned them the Big Fish award, as well.

The event originally was scheduled to be on Tuttle Creek in Manhattan but was moved to Clinton because of high-water conditions at the lake. The current lake level at Tuttle is 41 feet above its pool.

The win came exactly one week after Manis — a Seaman grad and owner of Top Secret Jig Co. — and Shepard came in second at the Kansas Crappie Club event on El Dorado, posting a bag of 10.27 with a massive 2.51-pounder that broke that club’s record for biggest fish (2.11 pounds on Perry, also caught by Manis and Shepard).

Louisburg’s Ryan German and Gardner’s Tony Niemeyer, who won the first KCT event of the season March 31 on Hillsdale Reservoir, finished runner-up by just over half a pound, weighing a bag of 9.42.

For the second tournament in a row, Todd Morstorf and Ryan Harmon, the 2018 KCT points-race champions, finished third with 8.64 pounds. This time, they were followed by Mike and Eric Schrock with 8.38 in fourth place.

Stillwell’s Matt Merrick and Missouri’s Darryl Écholes, who finished second in the opener, rounded out the top five with 7.18 pounds of crappie.

KCT organizer Dylan Faulconer and Allen Miller finished sixth with 7.12 pounds. A pair of Topeka teams went 8-9, as local guide and pro angler Joe Bragg and teammate Don Beckstrom, of Wichita, weighed 4.95 pounds and Dustin Hobbs and Megan Springer had 4.89 pounds.

Ryan Allen and Manhattan’s Cliff Bammes (4.75 pounds) took 10th.

KANSAS CRAPPIE TRAIL

Results April 13

At Clinton Reservoir

Teams ... Pounds of fish

B. Manis/Shepard ... 9.93

German/Niemeyer ... 9.42

Morstorf/Harmon ... 8.64

Schrock/Schrock ... 8.38

Merrick/Echols ... 7.18

Faulconer/Miller ... 7.12

Hurd/Heston ... 6.02

Beckstrom/Bragg ... 4.95

Hobbs/Springer ... 4.89

Allen/Bammes ... 4.75

Morgan/Roberts ... 4.53

Beckwith/Lynn ... 4.18

Valentine/Jones ... 3.32

Wall/Wall ... 1.83

Messic/Maz ... 1.33

K. Manis/Kellum ... N/A

Luttman/Luttman ... N/A

Lewendusky/Snapp ... N/A

Big Fish: B. Manis/Shepard, 1.59