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| Steven Yee holds up his Champions belt after winning(Photo by Scott Harvey) |
In the short two-year history of the Heavyweight Bass Classic, there have been only three former Volunteer Tournament Officials (VTOs) who have stepped up to the Angler ranks in subsequent HBC events. One of them is Steven Yee of Sacramento, CA, who participated as a VTO in HBC-2 held at Clear Lake, CA in July of 2008. Whether or not this had anything to do with Yee’s decision to enter HBC-5 as an Angler is something that only he knows; but whatever the reason, it was a good one.
Under extremely tough post-front fishing conditions at the California Delta, Yee topped the full 50-Angler HBC-5 field with a chunky 6.93 pound largemouth bass. Although not a heavyweight bass in the true sense of the word, it was heavyweight enough to earn him the winner-takes-all $10,000 check and a custom, hand-crafted HBC-5 Champion’s belt. Did Yee honestly believe that he had the winning fish when he caught it? “No way. I thought it would take at least an eight or nine pounder to win,” he said.
Yee caught his winning fish punching in heavy grass. “I used an ounce and a half tungsten weight, a homemade skirt with copper, red, and black scales, an Owner TwistLOCK hook, and a Red Shad/Green (Reaction Innovations) Sweet Beaver. I used a Harry Chang Custom Rod and a Shimano Curado reel spooled with 65 lb Power Pro line.”
Yee caught the bass around 9:30 AM in the Disappointment Slough area of the Delta. “I broke off a good fish earlier in the morning that was even bigger than my winning fish. When I hooked this fish, it got stuck in the weeds and I had to use my trolling motor to go in after it. There was water and grass flying everywhere and I ended up about ten feet short of the fish. When I finally got to it, I reached into the grass and grabbed it, along with a bunch of grass.”
Perhaps the biggest factor in Yee’s HBC-5 victory was something that occurred a week earlier while he was competing in the Snag Proof Frog tournament at the Delta. “I blew up my motor during the Snag Proof tournament and there was no way that it would be fixed in time for HBC-5. Fortunately, my good friend Robby Chikasawa (another former VTO) loaned me his boat to use for the HBC. Robby was on the Angler waiting list for HBC-5, but he didn’t get in. This was a blessing for me because if he had gotten in, I wouldn’t have been able to borrow his boat. Now I can afford to get my motor fixed,” said Yee.
Things were quite interesting at the weigh-in prior to Yee’s arrival to the scales. Angler Guyle Sternat of Dublin, CA was nervously seated in “The Hot Seat” as the current tournament leader with his nice 6.10 pounder; that is until Steve Davies of California City, CA weighed in his bass. As the scales settled in, Weighmaster John Barron called out Davies’ weight of 6.10 pounds. For the first time in HBC history, there was a tie for the lead in an HBC event. Davies joined Sternat in The Hot Seat (a separate one), until Yee dethroned both of them with his 6.93 pounder. Sternat and Davies didn’t walk away empty-handed, as both had entered the Gas Money Option (Yee had not) and the two HBC-5 runners-up split the combined first and second place option monies, each receiving $600.
Steve Davies and Guyle Sternat shared The Hot Seat after each weighed in an identical 6.10 pound bass at HBC-5. It was the first time in HBC history where there was a tie for first place. It later became a tie for second place after Steven Yee weighed in his 6.93 pound winning bass. Davies and Sternat each walked away with $600 in option money for their second place finishes. (Photo by Scott Harvey) |
Chris Raza of Roseville, CA, finished in fourth place at HBC-5 and collected $300 in option money for his 5.90 pound bass.
Ultimate Bass Radio host and HBC-4 Champion Kent Brown congratulates Chris Raza on his fourth place finish at HBC-5. Raza earned $300 in option money for his 5.90 pound bass. (Photo By Scott Harvey)
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Winners of the VTO Lucky Dog Option were Chris Gilkison of Bakersfield, CA, Mike Andrews of Discovery Bay, CA, and Kurt Chase of Petaluma, CA, who received $250, $150, and $100 respectively.
The HBC wishes to extend a huge thank you to their great sponsors. They are: Huddleston Deluxe, Inc, Roboworm, Inc., Sure-Life Laboratories, Dobyns Rods, Sign-A-Rama Ventura, The Trolling Motor Doctor, Endless Fun Productions, and Ardent Outdoors, Inc.
An extra special thank you goes out to Mary Ann Rhoe, Sandra Espinoza, and Nicole Flores of Comfort Suites Oakley, the host hotel for HBC-5; and to Gene Buchholz of Hook, Line, and Sinker, and Chuck Russo and his great staff at Russo’s Marina for their assistance with HBC-5.