Twenty-seven year old Jason Ehrlich backed up his 2003 Yamaha BASS Pro Grand Final win with his second BASS Pro qualifying event win at the BlueFin Boondooma BASS Challenge.
Bagging a six-fish limit of 6.23kg, Ehrlich finished 110g ahead of a fast finishing Gavin Dunne and also bagged the Daiwa Big Bass cheque and the Yamaha BASS Bonus for being the highest placed boater with a Yamaha outboard.
Session-one leader, John Schofield, finished third (6/6, 6.05kg) while Spiro Zantiotis (5/6, 5.40g) and last year’s event winner David Green (5/6, 5.35kg) rounded out the top five placings.
Ehrlich explained his game plan after collecting his winnings. He had a definite plan and stuck to it until near the end of the last session.
“Early in the sessions, I’d fish for suspending fish down near the dam wall. These bass were sitting between 10 and 15 feet deep and on these fish I’d use a hard-bodied TN-60 Jackall lipless crankbait. I’d cast, count it down into the strike zone and then retrieve with a six wind, six second pause pattern. Mostly these bass were smaller and would belt the lure on the drop,” Jason explained.
He fished these Jackalls on a Strudwick 6’6”, 4kg SicStik, Abu Cardinal 502 reel, 6lb Fireline and 15lb Vanish leader.
So, to upgrade to the bigger limits he knew he’d need to take home cash, Ehrlich would then switch to shallower water and target bigger fish using a ‘soft’ Jackall that imitates a small bony bream.
Ehrlich’s favourite spot for this was a gully running off the main dam just below the split of the Boyne and Stuart arms of the impoundment.
“We’d sit in the submerged creek channel – in maybe 20 to 30 feet of water – and cast towards the bank, landing the lure in around 10 feet,” Jason explained, “Then I’d let the lure sink all the way to the bottom and wind it back for ten turns of the handle. I’d then pause and let the lure sink for a few seconds on a tight line before free-spooling the lure back down. Most of the hits came in the first few seconds of the drop, which is why I’d keep the reel in gear at that time.”
For the shallower water, Jason also downsized his gear – swapping to a 7’ Struddie SoftBodz rod, 501 Cardinal and 4lb Fireline.
Although over 360 bass were weighed in for the weekend, Jason commented that the ‘shut down’ conditions helped him.
“There are plenty of bigger bass in Boondooma, and the fact that I latched onto more than most helped me out a lot. If all of the big bass decided to feed, then it would have been more of a lucky-dip,” Jason said.
Gavin Dunne weighed his biggest bag in the final session, taking his limit in three casts on a rockpile on Ehrlich’s ‘upgrade’ flat. Fishing deep-fly techniques, Dunne commented that both big fish inhaled the fly just after it bumped over the rough ground.
Ironically, Ehrlich’s final fish was landed on fly after he watched Dunne’s successful technique.
“I went around the corner where I knew that there were more big bass hugging the bottom and pulled my final upgrade [on fly] there. Without that fish, I wouldn’t have finished first!” Ehrlich finished.
Adding to Jason’s $2,500 was the $500 Daiwa Big Bass – a 1.73kg fish that he landed in the second session, making the weekend profitable indeed.
The next event in the Yamaha BASS Pro series will be held at Somerset Dam in late June. Call Simon Goldsmith on (07) 3268 3992 b/h for further details.
PRO RESULTS
| Place | Angler | State | F1 | W1 | F2 | W2 | F3 | W3 | TF | TW | Payout |
| 1 | Jason EHRLICH | QLD | 2 | 2.31 | 2 | 2.4 | 2 | 1.52 | 6 | 6.23 | $3000 |
| 2 | Gavin DUNNE | QLD | 2 | 1.91 | 2 | 1.5 | 2 | 2.71 | 6 | 6.12 | $1200 |
| 3 | John SCHOFIELD | QLD | 2 | 2.73 | 2 | 1.73 | 2 | 1.59 | 6 | 6.05 | $1000 |
| 4 | Spiro ZANTIOTIS | QLD | 2 | 2.47 | 1 | 0.76 | 2 | 2.17 | 5 | 5.4 | $700 |
| 5 | David GREEN | QLD | 2 | 2.42 | 1 | 0.99 | 2 | 1.94 | 5 | 5.35 | $600 |
| 6 | Greg WALTON | QLD | 2 | 1.77 | 2 | 1.43 | 2 | 1.94 | 6 | 5.14 | $500 |
| 7 | Stephen ALMOND | NSW | 2 | 1.17 | 2 | 2.25 | 2 | 1.67 | 6 | 5.09 | $400 |
| 8 | Mathew MOTT | QLD | 2 | 1.84 | 2 | 1.42 | 2 | 1.69 | 6 | 4.95 | $300 |
| 9 | Mike CREIGHTON | QLD | 2 | 1.99 | 2 | 1.55 | 2 | 1.29 | 6 | 4.83 | $300 |
| 10 | Carl JOCUMSEN | QLD | 2 | 2.17 | 1 | 0.56 | 2 | 1.81 | 5 | 4.54 | $300 |
| 11 | Tim MORGAN | QLD | 2 | 1.88 | 2 | 1.07 | 2 | 1.57 | 6 | 4.52 | |
| 12 | Trent BUTLER | QLD | 2 | 2.07 | 1 | 0.71 | 2 | 1.74 | 5 | 4.52 | |
| 13 | Craig SIMMONS | QLD | 2 | 1.52 | 2 | 1.57 | 2 | 1.37 | 6 | 4.46 | |
| 14 | Jay MORGAN | QLD | 2 | 1.62 | 2 | 1.24 | 2 | 1.5 | 6 | 4.36 | |
| 15 | Jamie HARDMAN | NSW | 2 | 1.92 | 1 | 0.75 | 2 | 1.66 | 5 | 4.33 | |
| 16 | Dexter GRANADA | QLD | 2 | 2.48 | 2 | 1.22 | 1 | 0.52 | 5 | 4.22 | |
| 17 | Andrew ROBINSON | NSW | 2 | 1.08 | 2 | 1.96 | 2 | 1.16 | 6 | 4.2 | |
| 18 | Stephen KANOWSKI | QLD | 2 | 2.35 | 1 | 0.53 | 2 | 1.29 | 5 | 4.17 | |
| 19 | Mike DELISSER | QLD | 2 | 1.74 | 2 | 1.39 | 2 | 0.93 | 6 | 4.06 | |
| 20 | Dan RYAN | QLD | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0.88 | 2 | 1.12 | 6 | 4 | |
| 21 | Bob TOWN | QLD | 2 | 1.6 | 2 | 1.24 | 1 | 1.13 | 5 | 3.97 | |
| 22 | Trevor STEAD | QLD | 2 | 0.96 | 2 | 1.36 | 2 | 1.31 | 6 | 3.63 | |
| 23 | Mark PERTOT | QLD | 2 | 1.44 | 2 | 1.49 | 1 | 0.7 | 5 | 3.63 | |
| 24 | Paul FLEMING | QLD | 2 | 2.66 | 2 | 0.96 | 4 | 3.62 | |||
| 25 | Kerry EHRLICH | QLD | 2 | 1.66 | 2 | 1.5 | 4 | 3.16 | |||
| 26 | Matt FRASER | QLD | 2 | 1.64 | 2 | 1.5 | 4 | 3.14 | |||
| 27 | Rick COLLIER | NSW | 2 | 1.5 | 2 | 1.58 | 4 | 3.08 | |||
| 28 | Barry OXFORD | QLD | 2 | 1.38 | 1 | 1.18 | 1 | 0.47 | 4 | 3.03 | |
| 29 | Colin SINGLETON | QLD | 2 | 0.99 | 2 | 1.18 | 1 | 0.8 | 5 | 2.97 | |
| 30 | Wayne BLUNDELL | QLD | 2 | 1.56 | 1 | 0.69 | 1 | 0.69 | 4 | 2.94 | |
| 31 | Brad SMITH | NSW | 2 | 2.29 | 1 | 0.58 | 3 | 2.87 | |||
| 32 | Harry WATSON | QLD | 2 | 0.98 | 2 | 1.73 | 4 | 2.71 | |||
| 33 | Dan STEAD | QLD | 2 | 1.58 | 2 | 0.97 | 4 | 2.55 | |||
| 34 | Mick CLARKE | NSW | 2 | 1.63 | 1 | 0.8 | 3 | 2.43 | |||
| 35 | Tony ZANTIOTIS | QLD | 1 | 0.74 | 2 | 1.39 | 3 | 2.13 | |||
| 36 | Dave ROBINSON | QLD | 2 | 1.32 | 1 | 0.73 | 3 | 2.05 | |||
| 37 | Tony EVANS | QLD | 2 | 2.02 | 2 | 2.02 | |||||
| 38 | Mike CONNOLLY | QLD | 2 | 1.96 | 2 | 1.96 | |||||
| 39 | Tony PAYNE | QLD | 1 | 0.42 | 2 | 1.14 | 3 | 1.56 | |||
| 40 | Ian BLACK | QLD | 1 | 0.85 | 1 | 0.53 | 2 | 1.38 | |||
| 41 | Peter KEIDGE | QLD | 2 | 1.35 | 2 | 1.35 | |||||
| 42 | Bruce MOSS | QLD | 2 | 0.88 | 1 | 0.47 | 3 | 1.35 | |||
| 43 | Zach KRONK | QLD | 1 | 0.48 | 1 | 0.84 | 2 | 1.32 | |||
| 44 | Peter JENKINS | NSW | 1 | 1.3 | 1 | 1.3 | |||||
| 45 | Jason MEDCALF | QLD | 1 | 0.45 | 1 | 0.66 | 2 | 1.11 | |||
| 46 | Mal FAVAGER | QLD | 1 | 0.78 | 1 | 0.78 | |||||
| 47 | Peter BOUGHTON | NSW | 1 | 0.66 | 1 | 0.66 | |||||
| 48 | Peter MORGAN | QLD | 1 | 0.6 | 1 | 0.6 | |||||
| 49 | Jayson DEFORREST-HADDLETON | NSW | 1 | 0.47 | 1 | 0.47 | |||||
| 50 | Charlie LADD | QLD | 1 | 0.43 | 1 | 0.43 | |||||
| 51 | Ray SARGENT | QLD | |||||||||
| 51 | Chris ELDRED | QLD |
AMATEUR RESULTS
| Place | Angler | State | F1 | W1 | F2 | W2 | F3 | W3 | TF | TW | Payout |
| 1 | Jason JOVANOVIC | QLD | 2 | 1.32 | 2 | 1.81 | 2 | 1.52 | 6 | 4.65 | EvaKool +pack |
| 2 | Sue FLEMING | QLD | 2 | 1.13 | 2 | 1.99 | 2 | 1.48 | 6 | 4.6 | Pack |
| 3 | Nick GOULDSTONE | QLD | 2 | 1.18 | 2 | 1.52 | 2 | 1.48 | 6 | 4.18 | Pack |
| 4 | Graham WARNER | Qld | 1 | 1.22 | 2 | 1.74 | 2 | 1.11 | 5 | 4.07 | Pack |
| 5 | Baden SPARROW | QLD | 2 | 1.5 | 2 | 1.21 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 3.71 | Pack |
| 6 | Jesse LOMAS | QLD | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1.59 | 4 | 3.59 | Pack | ||
| 7 | Mark LAWSON | QLD | 2 | 1.07 | 2 | 1.92 | 1 | 0.57 | 5 | 3.56 | Pack |
| 8 | Jamie KANOWSKI | QLD | 2 | 1.8 | 2 | 0.98 | 1 | 0.72 | 5 | 3.5 | Pack |
| 9 | Peter DENHARTOG | NSW | 2 | 1.12 | 2 | 1.51 | 1 | 0.76 | 5 | 3.39 | Pack |
| 10 | Steven BECHLY | QLD | 2 | 1.82 | 2 | 1.38 | 4 | 3.2 | Pack | ||
| 11 | Peter MAY | Qld | 2 | 1.41 | 2 | 1.73 | 4 | 3.14 | |||
| 12 | Andrew HOMANN | NSW | 2 | 2.05 | 2 | 1.08 | 4 | 3.13 | |||
| 13 | Kerry SYMES | QLD | 1 | 1.6 | 1 | 0.71 | 1 | 0.73 | 3 | 3.04 | |
| 14 | Drew GRIFFITHS | Qld | 2 | 1.3 | 2 | 1.62 | 4 | 2.92 | |||
| 15 | Dale MULLINS | QLD | 2 | 1.34 | 2 | 1.51 | 4 | 2.85 | |||
| 16 | Tyrone DUNGEY | QLD | 2 | 1.57 | 2 | 1.27 | 4 | 2.84 | |||
| 17 | Glen CASEY | NSW | 2 | 1.06 | 2 | 1.04 | 1 | 0.67 | 5 | 2.77 | |
| 18 | Craig JOHNSON | QLD | 2 | 1.58 | 2 | 1.14 | 4 | 2.72 | |||
| 19 | Greg PARKES | NSW | 1 | 0.64 | 1 | 0.91 | 2 | 1.13 | 4 | 2.68 | |
| 20 | Josh BATTERSON | NSW | 2 | 1.13 | 2 | 1.43 | 4 | 2.56 | |||
| 21 | Darryl MCMAHON | QLD | 2 | 1.27 | 1 | 1.28 | 3 | 2.55 | |||
| 22 | Robin BRELFORD | Qld | 2 | 1.44 | 2 | 1.1 | 4 | 2.54 | |||
| 23 | Roy SOUTER | QLD | 1 | 0.68 | 1 | 0.57 | 2 | 1.27 | 4 | 2.52 | |
| 24 | Phil LOMAS | QLD | 1 | 0.76 | 2 | 1.57 | 3 | 2.33 | |||
| 25 | Barry JACKSON | QLD | 1 | 0.47 | 1 | 0.73 | 1 | 0.77 | 3 | 1.97 | |
| 26 | Justin SCOTT | NSW | 2 | 1.45 | 1 | 0.5 | 3 | 1.95 | |||
| 27 | Maurice BLACKMAN | QLD | 2 | 0.98 | 1 | 0.97 | 3 | 1.95 | |||
| 28 | Shayne MCKEE | QLD | 2 | 1.89 | 2 | 1.89 | |||||
| 29 | Keith FITTKAU | QLD | 2 | 1.4 | 1 | 0.48 | 3 | 1.88 | |||
| 30 | Gary HARDMAN | NSW | 2 | 1.24 | 1 | 0.64 | 3 | 1.88 | |||
| 31 | Nicole JOVANOVIC | Qld | 1 | 0.92 | 2 | 0.95 | 3 | 1.87 | |||
| 32 | Peter TRUER | QLD | 2 | 1.41 | 1 | 0.45 | 3 | 1.86 | |||
| 33 | Graeme BOLTON | QLD | 2 | 1.21 | 1 | 0.61 | 3 | 1.82 | |||
| 34 | Steve MORAN | QLD | 2 | 1.78 | 2 | 1.78 | |||||
| 35 | Leo OREILLY | QLD | 2 | 1.74 | 2 | 1.74 | |||||
| 35 | Dan MALLORY | Qld | 2 | 1.74 | 2 | 1.74 | |||||
| 37 | Chris KNEIPP | Qld | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0.6 | 2 | 1.6 | |||
| 38 | Jamie FACER | QLD | 1 | 0.52 | 1 | 0.77 | 2 | 1.29 | |||
| 39 | Mark BOWMAN | Qld | 2 | 1.24 | 2 | 1.24 | |||||
| 40 | Eric MARSH | QLD | 2 | 1.2 | 2 | 1.2 | |||||
| 41 | Natalie GRIMA | NSW | 2 | 1.14 | 2 | 1.14 | |||||
| 42 | Eddy SWERES | QLD | 2 | 1.02 | 2 | 1.02 | |||||
| 43 | Rodney SCHULL | QLD | 1 | 0.91 | 1 | 0.91 | |||||
| 44 | Danny ROBINSON | NSW | 1 | 0.59 | 1 | 0.59 | |||||
| 45 | Ross MURRAY | Qld | 1 | 0.44 | 1 | 0.44 | |||||
| 46 | John MCPHERSON | QLD | 1 | 0.42 | 1 | 0.42 | |||||
| 47 | Matthew CLARKE | QLD | |||||||||
| 47 | Christian SERNE | NSW | |||||||||
| 47 | Robert BARTLETT | QLD | |||||||||
| 47 | Jeff BRUNSDON | NSW | |||||||||
| 47 | Wayne CAMERON | QLD | |||||||||