WINNING FIRST NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

WINNING FIRST NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP – As reported by Crappie Masters. In what some might call a minor shocker, the young gun team of Mathew Rogers and Baylor Mead outlasted a stellar 150 boat field and let them know they plan to be a force for years to come in claiming the 2018 Crappie Maters sponsored by the Renewable Fuels Association “Ethanol Fueled With Pride,” American Ethanol and Bass Pro Shops National Championship Sept. 26-29, at Truman Lake in Clinton hosted by the Clinton Area Chamber of Commerce, Benton County Tourism, The Missouri Corn Growers Association and Everhart’s Outdoor Store on a nearly perfect weather weekend. Rogers and Mead both 21 years of age, were able to control nerves, stay focused on their plan even with a couple of minor fronts passing through during the week and capitalize on recent success to go wire to wire for the victory. With the teams starting point decided, Rogers and Mead found success early on when they boated a 2.11 pound fish which turned out to be the biggest fish of the National Championship, and they where off to the races eventually taking the day one lead weighing in 11.19 pounds of seven fish. National Championship Saturday started differently as the bite had slowed for the team so they made the first of two key decisions that led the win, and that was moving quicker from locations which did produce keeper fish but not the quality they were looking for to reach their projected weight of 10 pounds they felt would give them a legitimate opportunity to win the tournament which led to a second critical decision, to return to the area that produced the biggest fish over the week and they chose right as the bigger fish returned and Rogers and Mead were able to upgrade significantly in the final 90 minutes of competition reaching their stated goal of 10 pounds exactly totaling 21.19 pounds on 14 fish and claiming the $30,000 top prize along with an additional $2,100 for the 2.11 pound big fish, and the $2,000 Missouri Corn Growers Association/American Ethanol bonus for using E10 fuel in their boat. Rogers and Mead fished various depths generally from three to 12 feet using Rogers homemade Jogs catching fish as most teams just off the bottom. Matthew Rogers, son of Bruce and Janie Rogers, El Dorado Springs, said that really honing in his knowledge of their electronics was vitally important to finding the locations where the bigger fish had moved. Rogers and Mead are sponsored by Outlaw Rods.