Maurer wins Center

Bill Maurer is a Michigan Center resident and calls Center Lake his "home lake". But he claimed this was the toughest fishing he has ever encountered on the lake and probably only caught about a dozen keepers all summer combined. But Bill put it all together last Sunday, claiming his second win of the year when he dropped 8.89 pounds on the scales to win the clubs' last event of the 2009 season. Here's how it happened:


Bill paired up with fellow club member Brian Masters and he was hoping to put Brian on a few fish to lock up his classic berth. The pair started with topwaters and Bill scored a small keeper with an Iovino Splash It popper but after a while it was obvious the topwater bite wasn't happening. "We decided to go into Round Lake because I can always catch a keeper or two there", added Bill. But as he entered the small lake there were already about 5 club boats fishing it. "After fishing the whole lake with plastics I pulled out a small shallow diving crankbait I always have tied on and believe it or not, I quickly caught two more keepers."


With the bite being as slow as it was, Brian suggested they try Dollar and Alcott Lakes next and after a few hours of small fish, they decided it was time to go under the Napoleon Road bridge and fish Big Alcott. "Brian commented that he's caught some good fish from this lake and after working the whole lake we came up on a small weed clump near a sand point." Maurer pitched his patented Yamamoto grub into the clump and set the hook on the tourneys biggest fish which went 3.37 pounds. Bill then used the grub to fill out his limit a few minutes later and secure his second win on his home lake in two years. "I couldn't believe I caught that many keepers from Center after how bad it was fishing all year", added Maurer. "I think I only caught 10-12 fish all day and I think Brian actually caught more than I did". Masters did qualify for the classic despite being one of several anglers to zero at Center.

Gear Notes: Bill uses spinning tackle, a Shimano Stradic reel spooled with 30 lb braid. His grubs vary in color but are 5" Yamamoto twin tails and he uses an 1/8 oz shakey jig head.

Tourney Notes:
-17 anglers participated at Michigan Center
-13 of the 17 weighed in one or no fish
-2nd big bass went to Roy Albert at 2.82 pounds
-Three limits were caught: Maurer, Roy Albert and Connie Honsinger
-Club newcomers Matt Morgan and Craig Deck nailed down classic berths on Sunday
-Jim Rice Jr. captured another AOY title with Maurer finishing second