Rod Yoder wins 2nd Hoosier BFL co-angler title in 2 months.

photo: FLWoutdoors.com

Evansville, IN -- Rack up win number two for the year as Team RedShad member, Rod Yoder, West Lafayette, IN, returned to the winner’s circle on Saturday, July 26th 2008. Rod received the Walmart Bass Fishing League Ohio River/Evansville 2008 Champion trophy in the co-angler division along with a check for $1664.00. His winning weight of 5 pounds 6 ounces included one largemouth and 3 spotted bass.

"I've never fished the Ohio River at Evansville, so I didn't really know what to expect," says Rod. "I was guessing the fishing would be tough. My goal was simply to weigh one fish to get the points needed to stay in the running for the BFL regional tournament at the end of the year. Even though I already have one win this year, I had also blanked once and had a 61st place finish. I really needed to weigh a fish in this one."

Rod got his first keeper early, on a topwater bait. But once the sun came up he went to his finesse style of fishing. "We were fishing steep main river banks with lots of stumps and overhanging trees providing shade. My partner kept the boat positioned very close to the bank as we worked our way upstream," says Rod. "I've gained a lot of confidence in various small plastics rigged on a Little Pek™ Jig and also on the new Little Pek Shake™ Wacky Jig. The wacky jig is what I won the Monroe tournament on and it played a big role in this one. I was constantly changing between 3 different baits as the cover and conditions warranted. I went through a lot of baits and a lot of short fish, but when the day was done, I had 4 keepers caught on 4 different baits."

"Whatever it takes! You've got to feed them what they want!"

Tackle Used
Rod: 7' Gary Yamamoto 21-SPT Medium Light Spinning Rod
Reel: Quantum® Energy® PTi Spinning Reel
Line: 15# PowerPro Braid
Lures: 1/16oz Little Pek Shake™ wacky jig w/5" Yamamoto Kut-Tail Worm
          1/8oz Little Pek™ Jig w/Yamamoto Fat Baby Craw
          1/8oz Little Pek™ Jig w/3" Power Bait Beast

Rod: 6'2' OFT Hiro Naito Special - Slow Jerker 62
Reel: Shimano Scorpion 1001
Line: 12# P-line CXX
Lure: Don Iovino's Splash-It