Glasgow Takes Bassmaster Southern Open Event with Huge Final Day

MANNING, S.C. – Allan Glasgow of Ashville, Ala., earned his first BASS win at the final stop of the 2009 Bassmaster Southern Opens. He scored the victory on the strength of the final day and in the process earned more than $32,000. Glasgow finished strong Saturday, registering a 17-pound, 3-ounce limit – Saturday’s heaviest – to beat out Day 2 leader Cliff Prince of Palatka, Fla., by just eight ounces.

“I made a long run all three days to Stump Hole Swamp and was fortunate enough today to get the five right bites,” he said. “This is unreal, I was hoping for the best and it happened for me today.”

Glasgow was fishing stumps and trees in Stump Hole Swamp with a square-billed crankbait and a big spinnerbait.

Runner-up Cliff Prince suffered a setback before launch and that helped Glasgow to overcome a huge deficit. Prince’s insurance was not up-to-date which delayed his launch by thirty minutes

“The first two days of competition I had my best fishing those first thirty minutes but today, when I got there, there was three- and four-pounders schooling and I couldn’t get them,” he said. “I don’t know if that really cost me, but it didn’t help.”

Prince caught most of his fish on a Smithwick Devil Horse, a topwater prop bait. He also used a shaky head worm and mixed in a soft plastic stickbait. He could only manage 7-09 in the abbreviated day. Glasgow upped him by more than 10 pounds on the final day.

Patrick Pierce of Jacksonville, Fla., finished third after his Day 3 total of 11-15 brought him to 37-11 for the tournament. Terry Scroggins of Palatka, Fla., secured his Classic berth with a three-day total of 37-11 landed him in fourth. The other Classic contender from the Southern Opens is Scott Ashmore of Broken Arrow, Okla., who registered 34-02 over three days and finished in fifth. Thursday leader John Strider of Monroe, N.C., slipped to 11th.

A story will follow on the Bassmaster Southern Open points standings. Pros were competing for two Bassmaster Classic berths (Feb. 19-21, Birmingham, Ala., Lay Lake) and seven berths in the 2010 Bassmaster Elite Series.

In the co-angler division, Dwaine Williams of Greenup, Ky., overtook Fred Hood of Monroe, Ga., for the win and a brand new Skeeter/Yamaha rig valued at $32,000. Williams’ 10-pound, 9- ounce limit gave him a three-day total of 29-12.

Hood fell to second after he did not fill out him limit and weighed in 6-15. His Tommy Swindle of Cleveland, Ala., took third with 25-2 for the tournament.

The 2010 Southern Opens kick off at Lake Okeechobee Jan. 14-16, stop at Smith Lake in Jasper, Ala., May 13-15 and conclude Oct. 9 at Lake Seminole in Bainbridge, Ga.

The local sponsor is the Clarendon County Chamber of Commerce.

Sponsors of the 2009 Bassmaster Opens: Toyota Trucks, Berkley, BOOYAH Baits, Evan Williams Bourbon, Mercury, OPTIMA Batteries, Skeeter Boats, Yamaha Marine.

About BASS

For more than 40 years, BASS has served as the authority on bass fishing. With its considerable multi-media platforms and expansive tournament trail, BASS is guided by its mission to serve all fishing fans. Through its industry-leading publications Bassmaster Magazine, BASS Times and Fishing Tackle Retailer and comprehensive Web properties in ESPN360.com, ESPN’s broadband sports network, Bassmaster.com, BASSInsider.com and ESPNOutdoors.com, the organization is committed to delivering content true to the lifestyle. Additionally, television programming on ESPN2 continues to provide relevant content – from tips and techniques to in-depth tournament coverage – to passionate audiences.

The organization oversees the prestigious Bassmaster tournament trail, which includes the Bassmaster Elite Series, Bassmaster Opens, Women’s Bassmaster Tour and the Bassmaster Classic, the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing. Through its grassroots network, the BASS Federation Nation, BASS sanctions more than 20,000 events annually.

BASS also offers an array of services to its more than 500,000 members while spearheading progressive, positive change on issues related to conservation and water access. The organization is headquartered in Celebration, Fla.

Source: bassmaster.com (2009-10-26)