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2004 Classic 

RUSTY REICHARDT AND ED HELF

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F.O.C.A.S. CLASSIC WINNERS

SECOND PLACE ANGLERS OF THE YEAR-PARTNER DIVISION

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First place F.O.C.A.S. Classic winners, Rusty Reichardt and Ed Helf with their winning 11.22 lbs. This team is also the 2004 Second Place Anglers of the Year in the Partner Division.

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F.O.C.A.S. 2004Classic second place winners, Shannon Steibel and Darren Schmidt with their 10.18 lb. limit.

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Team Rob Luttrell and Bill Dearworth take 3rd place with a weight of 5.89 and Big Bass weighing in at 3.63. This team is also the 2004 F.O.C.A.S. First Place Anglers of the Year in the Partner division.

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Joey Bardill, age nine, teams up with his Dad, Chris to fish the F.O.C.A.S. circuit. Here is Joey showing his Classic catch from the Alton pool at the 2004 F.O.C.A.S. Classic weigh in.

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Seven year old, Micaela Fudge showing her 1.75 lb. bass. Micaela and her dad, James Fudge fish the F.O.C.A.S. Family Division. F.O.C.A.S.encourages fishing with a spouse or child.

RUSTY REICHARDT AND ED HELF

F.O.C.A.S. CLASSIC WINNERS

SECOND PLACE ANGLERS OF THE YEAR-PARTNER DIVISION

     

    A three day Outdoor Show event at the Belle Clair Fairground, Belleville and the Classic Tournament ended the 2004 F.O.C.A.S. Season.  A  great season that was bigger than the previous.  Payout this year for six tournaments and the Classic totaled over $45, 000.

   The event started on Friday featuring tackle displays and boat displays by F.O.C.A.S. sponsors along with other product booths.  A big buck exhibit was on display and event visitors voted for the “Best Rack.”  The winner at the end of the show was Larry Deutschmann, Sparta, IL.         .

This free event also provided several kids activities, such as a fish pond, casting pond, archery shoot, paint ball shoot, lots of clowns, skits and prizes.

Pre-tournament meeting was held and present to give a fishing seminar and to share his Christian testimony was Shaw Grigsby.  Sharing how God takes first place in his life and how He helped him overcome his unexpected health problem this last year Mr. Grigsby spoke to over 116 qualified anglers, their families and event visitors. F.O.C.A.S. President, David Harbison discussed tournament rules, gave out 2004 F.O.C.A.S. hats and gave out the take off  numbers for the next days tournament on Alton Pool.

Seventy teams had qualified for the Classic by fishing four tournaments during the season.  With an early launch from Piasa Creek access on the Alton Pool of the Mississippi River the Classic began.  Several anglers were heard during the pre tournament discussing their pre fishing efforts and reporting anything from limits to no fish at all.

At 2:00pm the anglers checked in and all convoyed back to the Show site in Belleville where a crowd awaited.  As they were driven through the site and stepped out of the boat with their catch, they were met by Bass Master Classic winner   Robert Hamilton and pro Travis Loyd.

First place winners, Rusty Reichardt, from Red Bud  and Ed Helf , from Belleville, brought their limit to the scale for a weight of 11.22 pounds.  This earned them the First Place position and a check for $5,000.00.    They fished a slough all day south of the dam using rattle traps and spinner baits.  They said they thanked God with each catch they got and gave Him credit for their winning limit.

Shannon Steibel from Praire du Rocher and Darren Schmidt, of Modoc placed second with their limit weighing in at 10.18 pounds.  Using chartreuse and white spinner baits they were in the marina all day long.  They caught those keepers the last half hour of the tournament and earned themselves a check for $2,5000.00.  They are sponsored by Chick Frits Distributing.

The First Place 2004 Anglers of the Year winners in the Partner Division brought two fish to the scales and weighed in at 5.89 pounds.  One of those earned them Big Bass Honors with the weight of 3.63.  Together this brought them a check for $1750.00 for third and $580.00 for Big Bass.  Fishing up the Illinois River they caught their fish on Thunder Baits red shad Brush Hog crank bait.  They are sponsored by Bluff City Tackle, Kistler Rods and Mad Dog Baits.  As they did when they have won in the past, they also listed their best sponsors as their wives.

Father and son team of Jim and Josh Jenkins, Millstadt,  placed fourth in the Classic.  The  Jenkins are also Second Place Angler of the Year Winners in the Family Division.  Bringing four fish to the scale for a weight of 5.86 they took home a $1000.00 check for the day.  Using a salt craw they fished in Piasa Creek Marina and the slough all day.  They are sponsored by Brush Hawg Baits, Tom's Building and Repair and Wizard Rods.

Other paid places:

5th place……Dean Brand and Tait Heineman, 5.65 pounds, $500.00

6th place……Jack Watkins and Steve Odom, 5.56 pounds, $260.00

As the weigh in ended, a tribute to two F.O.C.A.S. anglers who passed away this season was presented.  Mr. Larry Zinn and Mr. Norbert Scharnhort were remembered  as Larry's boat was pulled through the weigh in area with his and Norbs pictures attached to the front and rear seat.  Both these anglers families were present for the weigh in and a plaque was presented to them in their loved ones memory.  Larry was the 2002 F.O.C.A.S. Classic winner. Both Larry and Norb will be missed in the F.O.C.A.S. circuit.

Sunday ended the event with a banquet honoring all those who had fished with F.O.C.A.S. this season. Awards were present for the Anglers of the Year in the Partner and Family Division.  

Family Division winner are,  First place…George and Marty Fudge; Second Place…Jim and Josh Jenkins and Third place….Bob and Melody Swisher.  Partner Division First Place winners…..Rob Lutterell and Bill Dearworth, Second place….Rusty Reichardt and Ed Helf and Third place….Ed Flanigan and Jason Partain.

Award were also presented to F.O.C.A.S. sponsors.  F.O.C.A.S. appreciates all their sponsors and their generosity.