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Nania s Time To Shine Finally Arrived
Friday, May 14, 2021
By John Johnson
BassFan Senior Editor Joey Nania tasted tournament success at a young age the native of Washington state was a two-time Junior Bassmaster World Champion, winning the 11 to 14 age division in 2005 and the 15-18 bracket in 2008. He moved to Alabama and began fishing at the triple-A level a couple of years after that second triumph, but it took him until just recently to capture another B.A.S.S. trophy.
Now a Coosa River guide and co-host of the
Sweetwater TV show on the Sportsman Channel along with MLF Pro Circuit competitor and frequent BassFan contributor Miles Sonar Burghoff, Nania topped the field at the Pickwick Lake Bassmaster Central Open with a three-day total of 58-02. He finished exactly 1 pound ahead of runner-up and day-2 leader Lonnie Cochran.
Bait change lifts Nania to Pickwick Open win
Sunday, May 2, 2021
An astute observation led Joey Nania to a strategic bait change that delivered a five-bass limit of 18-10 and sealed his first B.A.S.S. win at the Pickwick Lake Bassmaster Central Open out of Counce, Tenn.
After placing 3rd on day 1 with 21-11, the Cropwell, Ala. resident added 17-13 and held his position in the second round. With his final-day weight, Nania tallied a 58-02 total and edged day-22 leader Lonnie Cochran by a pound.
Nania won $53,750 and a berth in the 2022 Bassmaster Classic at Lake Hartwell.
All week, Nania had been fishing main-river bars between Koger Island and Seven Mile Island, where he focused on a mix of grass and stumps. The latter became an increasingly important element of his game plan and Saturday, he used a forage-appropriate bait to target the hard cover.
Cochran strikes quickly to take Pickwick lead
Friday, April 30, 2021
Lonnie Cochran of Section, Ala., spent all day on his spot, but only needed the first two hours to sack up a day-2 limit of 25-03 to take the lead at the Pickwick Lake Bassmaster Central Open.
Adding the tournaments heaviest bag to his day-1 limit of 18-10, Cochran rose from 11th place with a two-day total of 43-13.
After a cloudy, rainy opening round, day 2 brought bright, sunny conditions. However, Cochran credits his productivity improvement to timing specifically, an earlier boat number.
I didnt get on my fish until 1 oclock yesterday and I was able to get there early this morning, Cochran said. Once I got to my spot, I Power-Poled down and I never moved. I had a limit by 7:30; it was pretty fast and furious.
Pickwick guide Crow leads day 1 of Central Open
Thursday, April 29, 2021
Focusing on two distinctly different spawns rewarded Brent Crow with a five-bass limit of 22-11 that led day 1 of the Bassmaster Central Open on Pickwick Lake in his home state of Alabama.
Crow started his day targeting an early-morning shad spawn on grass and pea gravel bars. His early plan yielded three good largemouth, including a 7-02.
There are just a couple places Ive found with a shad spawn, Crow said. I think its just starting. There really wasnt a lot of activity; there just happened to be several fish there. Hopefully, tomorrow there will be a lot more.