Last modified Wed., April 16, 2008 - 05:19 PM
Originally created Thursday, April 17, 2008

Fishermen strive to catch biggest bass at MWR tournament

From MWR

A group of boats come in to Mulberry Cove Marina after a long day of fishing during the 26th annual Bass Tournament Saturday. More than 50 boats participated in this year's tournament. Photos by Shannon Leonard

At the crack of dawn on Saturday, 90 anglers headed to the Mulberry Cove Marina to participate in the 26th annual NAS Jax Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) Bass Tournament, "Relocating Confused Bass Since 1982." The event was open to all active duty members, reservists, retirees and Department of Defense civilians. Teams consisted of two members per boat and they fished from first light at 4:30 a.m. until late into the afternoon.

The St. Johns Bass Anglers Club provided officiating duties for the event. In the afternoon, as each team's catch was weighed, a crowd began to gather around the scoreboard. The lead changed many times as everyone enjoyed free food and beverages provided by MWR.

The final top seven place results were:

First Place: Lee Stalvey/Ray Derrick, 25.52 total weight, $1,077

Second Place: Todd Mowery/Loren Murwin, 18.10 total weight, $737

Third Place: Charles Nelson/Carry Nichols, 16.04 total weight, $454

Fourth Place: George Jaeger/Kurt Jaeger, 13.92 total weight, $298

Fifth Place: Ziad Baroody/Don Lamb, 13.40 total weight, $113

Sixth Place: Mike Blackburn/Jason Stake, 13.37 total weight, $85

Seventh Place: Ben McKinney/Roger Helm, 13.07 total weight, $71

Big Bass: Charles Nelson, 7.25 pounds, $440

Ray Derrick, left, and Lee Stalvey proudly display some of the bass they caught during the tournament. Derrick and Stalvey took first place with their catch of 25.52 total weight, taking home $1,000 in cash.

The tournament overall was good even though Mother Nature tried to put a damper on the fishing conditions with a howling southwest wind that blew all day," said Ray Derrick, who placed first in the event with his team member Lee Stalvey. " I greatly appreciate the folks from NAS Jacksonville MWR and St. Johns River Bass Club volunteering their time to put together the annual event and to run the launch and weigh-ins. Without the volunteers, the event would not be possible."

"We caught our fish in three- to four-foot waves in Tocoi. Thanks to Lee's vast knowledge of the St. Johns River, we where able to stay on the fish even in the extremely windy weather," he continued. "It's great that NAS Jacksonville has put on the annual event for 26 years. A lot of Sailors at the base don't even know that the St. Johns River is a top fishery in the U.S. even though they live and work right next to it."

Mike and Tom Anderson promote their boat No. 6 on their way in from a day of fishing.

All participants received a free tournament shirt and sponsor bag with promotional items. Thanks to the very generous support from area businesses, the anglers received more than $2,800 in door prizes and gift certificates.

"This is one of the better tournaments in Jacksonville. It is well run and there are always lots of great prizes," said Larry Delong, who participated in the tournament.

"I am very impressed with the entire tournament, especially considering the high winds. This shows some serious dedication from true anglers," added NAS Jax Command Master Chief CMDCM(SW) Jeff Hudson.

VyStar representative Christine Rodriguez, left, and Bass Tournament volunteer Melanie Pinkham present first place winners Lee Stalvey, second from left, and Ray Derrick with their plaques after the event. The team took home $1,000 for their efforts.

NAS Jacksonville MWR thanks the many volunteers and sponsors that made this event a success:

Berkley, Busch Beer, Jacksonville Suns, Anomaly Five Points, Howard Johnson Inn Orange Park, NAS Jax Commissary, Sunbelt Springs, Subway, Abu Garcia for Life, Jiffy Lube and VyStar Credit Union

Disclaimer: Neither NAS Jax, MWR, or the Jax Air News nor any part of the federal government officially endorses any company, sponsor or their products or services.

Charles Nelson proudly holds his plaque for winning the Big Bass prize as VyStar representative Christine Rodriguez, left, and volunteer Melanie Pinkham look on. Nelson caught the biggest bass weighing 7.25 pounds.

Lee Kitchens throws back the bass he caught during the tournament.