HUGHES, 60 WINS HIS FIRST BASSMASTER TOURNAMNET TAKES WESTERN OPEN ON SHASTA LAKE

SHASTA LAKE, Calif. Hughes whose previous best BASS finish was 19th place
six years ago in an Arizona BASS tournament swept the CITGO Bassmaster
Western Open on Shasta Lake Saturday with a three-day total of 31 pounds, 6
ounces.

In an amazing run to the finish line, Howard Hughes jumped from 25th place
on Day 1 to the top of the roster, overcoming second place Fred Roumbanis of
Auburn, Calif., who had previously led the pack.

“I’ve fished for 27 years now. Before, I could not go off and win a
Bassmaster tournament,” said Hughes, who won a $50,000 prize package,
including a Triton boat and Mercury motor. “But I kept fishing a lot of
smaller tournaments, hoping one day to win the big one, and today I won.”

Hughes, 60, fished an arm of Shasta Lake called Pit River, a place known by
locals for its lack of bass. But within two hours of launch, Hughes had a
five-fish limit. “This spot was so good to me … I caught so many fish I just
stayed there and culled the rest of the day.”

Stuff like this is what makes bass fishing the greatest sport on earth.
Years of experience often equate to an angler "coming into his own" in his
50's or 60's even. Angling careers can stretch 40 years or more.

Warren
--
http://www.warrenwolk.com


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SHASTA LAKE, Calif. Hughes whose previous best BASS finish was 19th place
six years ago in an Arizona BASS tournament swept the CITGO Bassmaster
Western Open on Shasta Lake Saturday with a three-day total of 31 pounds,
6
ounces.

In an amazing run to the finish line, Howard Hughes jumped from 25th place
on Day 1 to the top of the roster, overcoming second place Fred Roumbanis
of
Auburn, Calif., who had previously led the pack.

"I've fished for 27 years now. Before, I could not go off and win a
Bassmaster tournament," said Hughes, who won a $50,000 prize package,
including a Triton boat and Mercury motor. "But I kept fishing a lot of
smaller tournaments, hoping one day to win the big one, and today I won."

Hughes, 60, fished an arm of Shasta Lake called Pit River, a place known
by
locals for its lack of bass. But within two hours of launch, Hughes had a
five-fish limit. "This spot was so good to me . I caught so many fish I
just
stayed there and culled the rest of the day."