MotorGuide BASS Electric Convention Final Results & Story

Boomer Bass at BASS Electric Convention

The MotorGuide BASS Electric Tour continued its’ journey around the country visiting the Hunter Valley region for the final, and climatic event of the year, the Motor BASS Electric Convention, 16-17th September.

Run on the picturesque and overflowing Lostock Dam, the event featured anglers from the 23 qualifying events throughout the year, battling not only each other but a shut down and fickle bass bite. With two MotorGuide electric motors up for grabs and host of other prizes to be awarded it was going to be two woudays of attrition to come out on top.

Day one was a testament to local knowledge and understanding of the rarely used tournament venue, with 31 year old Singleton Smelter Operator Ben Pepperall delivering to the scales the only fish for session, 1/2, 1.62kg.

“It was a long and tough day out there”, explained Pepperall.
“The influx of cold water and being so early in the season meant the fish were sulking and holding on the bottom. So you just had to persevere and keep the lure down there were the fish were”, he added.

This grinding process for Pepperall centred on slow rolling a 3” Berkley Gulp Grub Minnow (colour-pumpkinseed) across the bottom.

With his boat in 40 feet of water, Pepperall cast his away from the boat, allowing it to sink to the bottom before beginning his dead-slow constant retrieve.
“The fish were very touchy and fickle so you had to give them a gentle presentation”, explained Pepperall.

This fickle nature was hugely evident as Ben explains.

“You’d spot active fish above the bottom with the sounder, and when you turned around and went back to them they’d dropped to the bottom and were sitting motionless. It was frustrating to say the least”, he added.

The added satisfaction in overcoming such a tough bite further added to Pepperall’s victory, with his session winning fish falling to tackle combination comprised of a Berkley 6’6”, 1-3kg, Drop Shot Rod, 2000 Daiwa Sol spin reel, loaded with 4lb Berkley Fireline, and topped off with 4lb Berkley Vanish. The plastic used was an omnipresent Berkley Gulp rigged on a ½ oz Nitro jighead.

Session two proved more fruitfull, with session winner Wayne Gordon securing the top spot with his 1/1, 1.69kg limit. The largest speciemen of the four fish weighed in for the session Gordan’s fish came early in the day, gracing the deck of the boat at about 8.30am.

“It was definitely an early morning edge bite”, explained Gordon.

“The fish were few and far between, but they were definitely at their most active during the early morning low light period”, he added.

For Gordon the fish came fishing the gin clear weed edges of the main basin of the dam, slow rolling a Jackall TN60 (colour- firetiger) out from the shallows.
“It hit hard”, explained Gordon.

“There was no subtlety on the take, it just hammered the lure”, he added.

The arsenal of tackle that tempted the winning fish for Gordon included, a 6’6”, G.Loomis Megabass rod, Daiwa TDX reel, spooled with 20lb Fins gelspun line, and 14lb Nitlon leader.

Adding to the competitors list of competitive tasks was a trivia quiz on the Friday night briefing, and a casting competition following the Saturday fishing session.

Claiming the title of quiz master was Wivenhoe BASS Electric winner Ken Murray, while Trevor Stead achieved a back-to-back performance picking up the champion caster title for the second year.

The title of BASS Electric Convention Overall Champion came down to the wire, with a quiz and casting comp tie break at the presentation seeing Baden Sparrow reclaiming his title from 2004, narrowly beating Dan Ryan on the final cast off.

ABT would like to thank MotorGuide for their ongoing support as the series naming sponsor for the year, along with all the sponsors and the individuals who helped make 2006 the biggest and best BASS Electric Series ever.

2007 will once again see the BASS Electric Series return, with the same number of events schedule to take place in three states. For more information on the coming season keep an eye out for the 2007 ABT Tournament Angler Guide, due out in the January 2007, or visit, www.australianbass.com.au.

Session 1 Fishing Results




Place Angler Fish Weight Prize
1 Ben Pepperall 1 1.62 MotorGuide Digital Great White 72lb electric motor
2 Adrian Melchior
2 Alan Price
2 Andrew Redding
2 Baden Sparrow
2 Bill Schloss
2 Bob Hadlee
2 Bob Town
2 Brad Smith
2 Charles West
2 Chris Eldred
2 Chris Galligan
2 Col Singleton
2 Dan Mallory
2 Dan Ryan
2 Dave Bullard
2 Dave Hislop
2 Dave Young
2 Dean Edwards
2 Gavin Dunne
2 Glen Hayter
2 Graham Dodds
2 Grant Boyle
2 Ian Galloway
2 Ken Murray
2 Les Barber
2 Mick Pascoe
2 Mike Connoly
2 Neil Scott
2 Paul Gogart
2 Paul Phillips
2 Rex Mildren
2 Rod Shorten
2 Scott Anderson
2 Shane Anderson
2 Steve Almond
2 Steve Ebeling
2 Steve Kanowski
3 Trevor Stead
3 Troy Ward
3 Vinnie Bleakley
3 Wayne Gordon
3 Wayne Parry
3 Wayne Walters
3 William Schloss


Session 2 Fishing Results




Place Angler Fish Weight Prize
1 Wayne Gordon 1 1.69 MotorGuide cable steer Great White 72lb electric motor
2 Mick Pascoe 1 1.34 Prize Pack
3 Shane Anderson 1 1.08 Prize Pack
4 Ben Pepperall 1 1.02 Prize Pack
5 Adrian Melchior
5 Alan Price
5 Andrew Redding
5 Baden Sparrow
5 Bill Schloss
5 Bob Hadlee
5 Bob Town
5 Chris Eldred
5 Chris Galligan
5 Dan Mallory
5 Dan Ryan
5 Dave Bullard
5 Dave Hislop
5 Dean Edwards
5 Graham Dodds
5 Grant Boyle
5 Ken Murray
5 Les Barber
5 Mike Connoly
5 Neil Scott
5 Paul Gogart
5 Paul Phillips
5 Rod Shorten
5 Scott Anderson
5 Steve Almond
5 Steve Ebeling
5 Steve Kanowski
5 Trevor Stead
5 Vinnie Bleakley
5 Wayne Parry
5 Wayne Walters
5 William Schloss
37 Glen Hayter
38 Ian Galloway
39 Rex Mildren


Overall Results




Place Angler S1 Ranking D2 Ranking Quiz Ranking Casting Ranking Total Score Prize
1 Baden Sparrow 90 87 94 98 369 Lowrance Sounder
2 Dan Ryan 90 87 98 94 369 Spotters Sunglasses
3 Dan Mallory 90 87 94 97 368 Spotters Sunglasses
4 Steve Kanowski 90 87 94 96 367
5 Trevor Stead 90 87 90 100 367
6 Ken Murray 90 87 100 89 366
7 Dave Bullard 90 87 86 99 362
8 Wayne Gordon 90 100 99 72 361
9 William Schloss 90 87 94 87 358
10 Adrian Melchior 90 87 85 95 357
11 Bill Schloss 90 87 88 91 356
12 Neil Scott 90 87 95 84 356
13 Dean Edwards 90 87 80 93 350
14 Paul Gogarty 90 87 97 72 346
15 Mike Connoly 90 87 85 83 345
16 Wayne Parry 90 87 96 72 345
17 Wayne Walters 90 87 75 90 342
18 Bob Hadlee 90 87 75 88 340
19 Chris Eldred 90 87 78 85 340
20 Chris Galligan 90 87 90 72 339
21 Grant Boyle 90 87 68 92 337
22 Vinnie Bleakley 90 87 88 72 337
23 Scott Anderson 90 87 77 82 336
24 Mick Pascoe 90 99 72 72 333
25 Dave Hislop 90 87 82 72 331
26 Alan Price 90 87 75 72 324
27 Rod Shorten 90 87 70 72 319
28 Ben Pepperall 100 97 72 269
29 Bob Town 90 87 85 262
30 Graham Dodds 90 87 82 259
31 Glen Hayter 90 80 86 256
32 Paul Phillips 90 87 77 254
33 Steve Ebeling 90 87 69 246
34 Shane Anderson 90 98 188
35 Andrew Redding 90 87 177
36 Les Barber 90 87 177
37 Steve Almond 90 87 177
38 Ian Galloway 90 90
39 Rex Mildren 90 90