Posted March 1st, 2008 10:35pm CST

Arizona Pro Wins By 20-04 Pounds......An FLW Record

Story by Dru Smith - Photos by Dan O'Sullivan

Kissimmee, Fla. – Sunday, March 2 wrapped up the $1 million Wal-Mart FLW Tour season opener on Lake Tohopekaliga (Toho). For all practical purposes, the winner was determined Saturday when Brett Hite of Phoenix, Ariz. brought in the tournament’s largest limit (25 pounds, 2 ounces) and took a commanding lead. In fact, Hite could have stayed at the ramp all day and still won the $100,000.00 – plus $25,000.00 Ranger owner bonus money- by almost seven pounds. 

The four day event started with un-Florida like conditions, cold and windy. Yet, Thursday saw some of the best weights of the tournament with three bags over 20 pounds brought in. Friday was a combination post-front blues and anglers managing their fish as the weights dropped. Saturday started with high expectation. The weather continued to warm; anglers and experts alike predicted a better bite.

However, Brett Hite was the only competitor to capitalize on the improved conditions and the smaller field. In just his second year on the FLW Tour, Brett secured the win on Saturday by posting the 25-02. 

Sunday boiled down to nine guys fishing for second place. Dan Morehead started the day in second, but the 12th year pro from Kentucky only caught one fished and ended his 73rd tour event in 6th place. 

Carl Svebek., III was possibly the most consistent angler in the field this week. He posted 17 pound limits on the first two days, then followed that up with 9 pounds, 10 ounces on Saturday and 8 pounds, 11 ounces on Sunday. His final combined weight of 18 pounds, 5 ounces put him in second earning $50,000.00.

Ron Shuffield looked to be in great shape heading towards the finals. He came into the weekend with the second best qualifying weight of 31-08. However, on day three, Shuffield only managed two keepers for 6 pounds, 2 ounces. He rebounded on Sunday with a five fish bag of 9 pounds, 11 ounces, which lifted him to third and a $40,000.00 payday.

It should be noted that even with the weights being zeroed after day two, Brett Hite’s combined weight of 67-07 was the best of this week.

The next Wal-Mart FLW Tour event will be on Lewis Smith Lake in Jasper, Alabama on April 3rd.

Hite target areas that had a combination of lily pads and hydrilla. “The lily pads had to have hydrilla around, not necessarily in the pads but close by. If I could find a small pocket or a point on the pads that had grass, that is where the majority of my fish came from.”

Brett’s winning margin of 20 pounds, 4 ounces is the biggest in FLW Tour history. He used a Phoenix vibrating jig; similar to the Chatterbait, in green pumpkin with a black blade. He tipped the jig with either a green pumpkin Swimming Senko or Grub both made by Gary Yamamoto; he dipped the ends in chartreuse. “I don’t know if the bass thought the baits was a bluegill or shiner, but the bigger fish seem to key in on the darker baits.”

Hite’s other gear consisted of 20 pound Sun Line and a 7 foot, 4 inch Performance Tackle B-Hite glass rod glass rod.

Svebek’s lure of choice was a Sweebo worm in junebug color. He fished it in the alleyways between Kissimmee grass and alligator grass. “Anywhere there was a clearing between the grasses is where I would get bit.”

“Things could have been completely different than they are.” Spencer suffered a gun shot wound back in November and is lucky to be alive much less fishing in his second full season as a co-angler. Spencer finished this event 6th on the co side.

Ron spent most of his time fishing Cypress Lake casting a ten inch Berkley Power worm also in junebug. On the final day he switched to Manns -1 crankbait reeled just over the grass after his last Power Worm had been destroyed.

Almost 19 pounds back of first place at the beginning of the day, Morgan knew he would need to get lucky to have a chance. “I caught two early on the trick worm and decided to go hunt for a bigger bite. I threw the Horny Toad for five hours before I getting one. I caught two more right behind it on the swim bait. It was just luck.”

Fukae Fifth
Shin Fukae won the FLW Tour Angler of the Year award in 2004 and finished second in 2007 behind Jay Yelas. Shin’s 5th place finish at Toho this week puts him in position to compete for another AOY title but that is not his primary goal. “I want to fish in the Championship, “Shin said through an interpreter. “I want a chance at the million dollars.”

Shin’s primary tactic this week included throwing a Carolina rigged Yamamoto prototype in the popular junebug color. He said the key was finding the small hydrilla. “The grass was one foot tall and I was throwing a leader that was 24 inches long,” his interpreter echoed. Shin weighed 18 fish for a total of 45 pounds, 9 ounces this week.

Morehead Slides to Sixth
Dan Morehead fished a Zoom Fluke for the first three days and put himself in contention on Saturday with the day’s second best weight of 13-05. However, his bite disappeared and Morehead switched to finesse baits on the final day. He was only able to boat one keeper and finished the day in sixth place.

“I fished Toho the entire time,” he said. “I would throw the fluke in the lanes between the grass; things just got really tough.”

Thrift Looking Good in ‘08
This was just Thrift’s seventh FLW Tour event and remarkably his fifth top ten finish. In less than two years fishing FLW events, the young pro has earned more than $250,000.00. 

This week the 2007 Rookie of the Year from Shelby, N.C. relied on Carolina Rigs and jerkbaits to get to the finals. “The last two days I just couldn’t find those fish,” he said. “Today I ran down to Kissimmee and caught my fish on a Chatterbait and flipping a Berkley Chigger Craw.”

It is great to start the season off like this. Five more decent finishes and I should make the Championship.”

Rookie Hadden Pitched in 10th 
Former Los Angeles Dodger minor league pitcher; Randy Hadden, flipped up two Snickers Big Bass awards on the first days of the tournament. “The first one came on a 7-inch Berkley power worm and the other one bit a Zoom Brush Hog in junebug,” he revealed. “Both these fish came from shallow water.”

The Toho event was Randy’s first on the tour level and finishing in the top ten has made him even more determined to do well. “It is awesome to be in the top ten, but now I want to do even better. Next time I’m here I won’t finish tenth.”.

Final Top 10