LAKE OCONEE — The 2010 Berry’s Tournament Trail concluded with a two-day classic event that visited both Lakes Oconee and Sinclair June 5-6. Participating anglers had previously fished a season long eight tournaments that were equally split between Lakes Oconee and Sinclair, and the two-day classic event was held to determine the season long Angler of the Year and the Classic Champion.

The total combined weight of all fish caught over the two days from both lakes was used to determine the Classic Champion. On the classic’s first day, the anglers visited Lake Oconee’s Sugar Creek Marina, and at the end of the day, 14 teams were within four pounds of the lead. The team of Phil Ozburn and Brian Ozburn led all 103 teams after the first day with 19.63 pounds.

The fish bite was very good that first day on Lake Oconee for most anglers, as 78 teams weighed in five-fish limits. A total of 470 fish that weighed 1,097.17 pounds were caught on day one at Lake Oconee.

On day two the anglers launched out of Little River Park on Lake Sinclair and anglers saw tougher fishing as the day two fish weights were down considerably. A total of 69 teams weighed in five-fish limits on day two and all anglers caught a total of 383 fish weighing 723.39 pounds.

The largemouth bass that were caught on day one at Lake Oconee averaged 2.33 pounds each while the fish caught on day two at Lake Sinclair averaged just 1.88 pounds each. However, the best total weight for a single team on day one at Lake Oconee weighed 19.63 pounds, where as the top weight for a single team on day two at Lake Sinclair weighed 21.08 pounds.

Once the weights from the two days were combined, the team of Marty Fuller from Hillsboro and Keith Young from Statham were crowned Classic Champions and won the top prize of $10,000 with a total two day weight of 35.17 pounds. Fuller and Young had to climb all the way from 23rd place after day one at Lake Oconee to capture the championship.

Fuller and Young caught their fish on jigs and Zoom Ol’ Monster worms fishing main lake docks.

The team of Mike Cleveland and Bobby Wood from Monticello moved from fifth place after day one to finish in second place for the two days with a total weight of 33.88 pounds. Cleveland and Wood fished Zoom Ol’ Monster worms and Zoom Shakey Head worms to capture the second place prize of $5,000.

Rounding out the top three places and taking home a check for $2,500 was David and Buster Helton from Dublin with 30.93 pounds. The pair of anglers used buzzbaits and big worms to capture third place.

The day one big fish at Lake Oconee weighed 6.86 pounds and was caught by Jay Wall from Perry, and Wall took home a check for $1,030. Wall caught the big fish on a Rapala DT16 crankbait. The day two big fish at Lake Sinclair weighed 7.80 pounds and was caught on a Carolina rigged Zoom Ol’ Monster worm by Keith Young from Statham who took home a check for $1,030.

Local anglers Pat Fisher and Mark Holloway were crowned Anglers of the Year. The two anglers led all teams in total weight of fish caught during the eight regular tournaments and the two day classic event. Fisher and Holloway were awarded a check for $4,655, trophies and personalized shirts.

The Berry’s Tournament Trail is absolutely the best fishing trail in middle Georgia if not in the entire Southeast. The successful tournament trail is run by Bobby Berry and his family and has attracted a large number of anglers due to the professionalism and integrity of the Berry family.

Berry says the 2011 tournament trail is already planned and the initial tournament will be held at Lake Sinclair’s Little River Park Dec. 11, 2010. If you like competitive fishing you need to consider this tournament trail.

Good fishing and see you next week.