FORT RUCKER, Ala. (March 7, 2013) -- Most fisherman have their story of the one that got away, but one father-son team's big-fish story is one that will go down in the record books for Lake Tholocco's Two-Man Buddy Bass Tournament.
Outdoor recreation held its fishing tournament March 2 despite cold weather, but the cold wasn't the only thing biting this weekend, according to the winners of the tournament, Jeff Aul and his father, Paul, who reeled in a record-breaking bass during the tournament.
The top spots in the tournament went to Jeff and Paul Aul, first place; Chadwick and Richard Boutwell, second place; and Kevin Bryan and Larry Prevninger, third place, but the highlight of the tournament was the 11-pound, 12-ounce bass that team Aul reeled in to set a new record for biggest bass caught during a tournament at Lake Tholocco.
"It feels great [to win]," said Jeff. "We had a really tough day out there and the fish didn't bite that well because of the cold weather, but I'm glad my dad was able to catch that 11-pounder because that fish really won the tournament for us."
The duo fishes in more than 20 tournaments a year, according to Jeff, in lakes all across the state, but this record-breaking bass was the biggest they'd seen, let alone caught.
"I didn't know how big the fish was until it was right beside the boat," he said. "When I finally saw her, I couldn't believe my eyes. That was the biggest bass I had ever seen -- it was almost surreal."
The tournament ran from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m., and the Auls were among the last to bring in their haul, but when they did, people could see by the size of their prize-winning fish that they had it in the bag. But the catch didn't come without a few struggles for the team throughout the tournament.
"We didn't have a single bite until 11 a.m., and finally my dad hooks up with a nice five-pound bass," said Jeff. "He wrested the bass over grass and pads until it was about five feet from the boat.
"I had the net and was ready to scoop it up, but suddenly the bass came unbuttoned and slowly swam away," he continued. "I gave [my dad] a hard time about it, but after he caught the 11-pound fish, I shut up."
Jeff said they owe a lot of their win to determination and preparation -- taking the time to scout out perfect fishing spots and knowing where the big fish would be.
"We went out Friday before the tournament and spend all day looking for productive areas to fish and we found some good areas, but those fish were nowhere to be found today," he said. "My dad and I are shallow-water fisherman. We usually stay close to the vegetation in less than six feet of water. Most of the bass in Lake Tholocco stay shallow all-year long, but that doesn't mean they always bite."
Although the feeling of winning the tournament is great, Jeff said the feeling pales in comparison to the feeling of reeling in the big one.
"We enjoy fishing in tournaments for moments like catching that 11 pounder," he continued. "It's an adrenaline rush -- scooping that big fish up with the net is something that I will never forget."
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