Read about Dean Rojas' wins in Florida
and Louisiana
using Izorline
2001 Dean Rojas with his Toledo Bend Trophy and
a Fiberglass replica of his record catch in Florida
Izorline helps Arizona angler set one-day
and four-day B.A.S.S. record
KISSIMMEE, FLA. - After years of lagging behind California and
Texas, the state of Florida took a major step towards reestablishing itself as
the Bass Tournament Capital of the World. January 17, 2001 was a record-setting
day at Lake Tohopekaliga in the opening round of the $431,450 BASSMASTER Top
150.
The catch was nothing short of amazing with two five- bass
limits that broke the existing BASS record, four 30-pound-plus stringers and
another 14 bags that topped the 20-pound mark. In addition, an estimated 12 bass
in excess of 10 pounds were weighed in, including three 11-pound-plus
largemouths.
Leading the way was Arizona pro Dean Rojas, who destroyed the
existing five-bass record of 34 pounds, 7 ounces with a phenomenal stringer
weighing 45 pounds, 2 ounces. Included in his remarkable catch were bass
weighing 10-13, 10-0, 9-0, 8-2 and 7-9. He went on to win the tournament,
setting the four-day record with 108 pounds, 12 ounces and won $100,000.
"Who could imagine catching 100 pounds in one
tournament?" asked Rojas, who landed 13 pounds, 8 ounces on the final day.,
His second day saw him land 34 pounds, 9 ounces. Rojas, a two-time BASS Master
Classic qualifier, scored on bedding bass by sight
fishing with two Texas-rigged soft plastic lures: a Lake Fork Tackle
Lizard and Hawg Caller Log Crawler fished on 25-pound test IZORLINE PLATINUM
GREEN fishing line. Rojas stated that he has "fished IZORLINE for
several years and never worried about breaking off a fish." He also stated
that "the strength and castability of IZORLINE played an essential part in
[his] win. IZORLINE GREEN disappears under water--being able to sight fish in
clear water with 25-test line speaks for itself."
Before Rojas' heroics, California pro Aaron Martens owned the
B.A.S.S. five-bass record for about 20 minutes or so. Marten's limit weighed
34-10 with five bass weighing 10-6, 9-3, 8-10, 3-15 and 2-13.
Mark Davis, who brought in the largest catch on the last day, 18-14, finished
second with 93-10. Aaron Martens placed third with 85-15, followed by Jay Yelas
with 80-1 and Shaw Grigby with 75-4.
After his performance, Rojas left Kissimmee marveling at Lake Toho and the
Kissimmee Chain, which surrendered two 40-pound-plus limits and 21 bass that
topped the 10-pound mark. "You hear about California having all these big
bass but they haven't got squat compared to this lake," he said.
Davis was astonished at catching a 40-10 limit on day two and 93-10 overall,
both records if not for Rojas' heroics. "It could only happen to me,"
he said smiling. "I congratulate Dean. What he did this week is amazing. I
never thought I would see that happen."
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Rojas Claims Louisiana's
BASSMASTER
TOP 150
Dean Rojas, who had recently
established a new single-day and four-day BASS tournament record for total
weight in a B.A.S.S event, claimed the top prize of $110,000 by winning the
B.A.S.S. Louisiana Top 150.
Rojas didn't dominate the event at Toledo Bend as
he did at Kissimmee but remained among the leaders every day and moved from
third place to first on the final day with a limit weighing 21 pounds, 2 ounces.
For the tournament he scored a total weight of 55
pounds, 8 ounces, edging out Takahiro Omori by 1 pound, 2 ounces. Second day
leader Ben Matsubu finished third with a total weight of 53 pounds, 13 ounces.
Larry Nixon finished fourth with 49 pounds and Terry Baksay finished fifth with
46 pounds, 8 ounces.
Rojas had spotted an old roadbed during practice.
It reminded him of a spot on San Diego's Lake Vicente which he had guided on
before turning pro. He stated "There 's a place on Vicente that's
almost identical to what I found on Toledo Bend. When I saw it in practice, I
knew it had potential under the conditions we were fishing and I felt right at
home." High water had flooded the old roadbed that cut across a spawning
cove on the north end of the lake. The roadbed was located behind a pair of
islands. Most of the fish came along the roadbed between the islands and the
shore.
Most of Rojas' time was spent working back and
forth along a 150-foot stretch of the roadbed. He caught 17 pounds, 9 ounces the
first day, 16 pounds, 13 ounces the second day and 21 pounds, 2 ounces the third
day. Most of his fish were caught on two lures--a Lake Fork Tackle Tube (black
neon) and Hawg Caller spinner's bait. He fished the tube on a Browning Flipping
Stick with a Quantum E600 baitcasting reel and 25 pound test IZORLINE. He
rigged the tube with a 3/0 heavy-duty flipping hook and a 3/16 ounce Lake Fork
Mega Weight. The 1/2-ounce spinner's bait (chartreuse/white with tandem
willowleaf blades) was slow-rolled using a Browning 7-foot Citori rod, a Quantum
E600 baitcasting reel and 20-pound test IZORLINE. "The fish ate the
spinnerbait better during practice, but they seemed to want the tube best during
the tournament," said Rojas. "When I pitched the tube near a bush,
they nearly always hit it on the initial fall.
"I really believe more and more fish were
moving into the spot on the last day because I could fish the same bushes
several times before I'd catch one," he said. "I knew that if I was
patient, more fish would move in and get aggressive. And that's exactly what
happened."
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Last modified: September 25, 2005
