BUCKEYE LAKE, OH — April 7th saw the Perry County Anglers head to Buckeye Lake for the club’s second tournament of the 2024 season. Unlike the opening tournament at Rocky Fork where the club had an excellent weigh-in, Buckeye Lake proved to be uncharacteristically difficult to give up her 12 inch bass.
Twenty-two members fished the Buckeye tournament, but only three registered keeper bass at the 3 p.m. weigh-in at the State Route 79 boat ramp. I’ve had sneezing spells that lasted longer than the weigh-in at Buckeye Lake. When the brief work to weigh the meager catch concluded, the club paid the Bills to draw the tournament day to a merciful close.
Bill Fulton claimed first placed and big bass for the tournament with a weigh bag that held two largemouth bass. Bill’s total weight for the pair of bass was 4.08 pounds. His big bass weighed 2.08 pounds.
The Bill paid for his Buckeye Lake efforts was Bill Tench who landed one bass, a 1.89 pounder. Where Bill Fulton used a shad colored flatside crankbait to win the tournament, Bill Tench captured his catch with jig & pig combo.
Third place went to a non-bill, but consistent Dan Vandine who had one bass weighing 1.34 pounds. It’s often said that Dan could catch a keeper in his bathtub, but only if there’s water in it.
Many of the anglers who blanked for the day also reported a total lack of a single bite. No doubt the recent frosty nights, torrential rains, muddy water, dropping water level and temperature, and the pre-eclipse positioning of the sun, moon, and possibly Venus adversely affected the fishing on that sunny Sunday at Buckeye.
For me, it was more of the position of Uranus. As I was headed downhill to the four way stop at Six Mile Turn on the evening prior to the tournament, I noticed the full moon in a spot never seen before. It wasn’t the moon the rises once a month in the night sky, but the one that belonged to whomever had their drawers down at the pullover area just past the gas station.
If I ever see this unheavenly vision the night before a bass tournament again, I’m going to play golf instead of fishing.
Bill Fulton, Buckeye Lake
Bill Fulton holds his winning catch for the Perry County Anglers Buckeye Lake tournament.
Bill Tench, Buckeye Lake
Bill Tench displays the lure that he used to take second place at Buckeye Lake.
Jordan & Jeff, Buckeye Lake
Jordan Wayne (L) and Jeff Redfern (R) handled the brief weighing duties at the Buckeye Lake tournament.