LAKEPORT >> Brothers Jeff Noga of Arcata and Brian Noga of Katy, Texas, teamed up to win the 31st annual Clear Lake Team Bass Tournament this past weekend on Clear Lake with 53.31 pounds. Their payday included $5,000 for being team champions and another $1,000 for bringing in the big fish of the tournament on Sunday, a 10.23-pounder.
While weather conditions were from perfect during the tournament, including a long fog delay prior to Sunday’s blast-off, most of the 116 teams entered in the tournament were able to bring in five-fish limits. Unfortunately no one came close to collecting a $10,000 special prize awaiting any fisherman lucky enough to break the Clear Lake record of 17.52 pounds. The 10.23-pounder caught by the Noga brothers on Sunday was the biggest fish weighed in. Saturday’s big-fish honors and $1,000 went to the team of David Scott and Garrett Dixon with a 8.22-pounder.
The Nogas won by a healthy 14-pound-plus margin over the runner-up team of Tom Helberg and Brian Barthman, both of Eureka, with 39.04 pounds ($3,000). Third-place honors and $1,750 went to Russ Graves of El Dorado Hills and Shane Peirson of Roseville with 38.77 pounds.
Rounding out the top five places was the fourth-place team of Wally Smith and Scott Green with 34.34 pounds ($1,350) and the fifth-place team of George Cockriell and Kevin Cockriell with 33.45 pounds ($1,150).
The 100-percent payback format paid down to 23 places and it took 27.15 pounds to finish in the money.
The Nogas also received custom championship jackets donated by Lincoln Leavitt Insurance Agency and Bruno’s Property Management, both of Lakeport.
