CLEARLAKE — The father-and-son team of Jeff Hardin Sr. and Jeff Hardin Jr. won the Northern Region Best Bass Tournament (BBT) held on a red-hot Saturday in Clearlake where temperatures easily reached the triple-digit mark during the day’s action.
The Hardins finished with a five-fish limit of 24.95 pounds to claim the $3,920 first-place prize. Included in their catch was a 7.30-pounder caught by Hardin Sr., one of five 7-pound-plus fish taken during the tournament.
Hardin said pre-tournament conditions were tough before improving Saturday during the 86-team event, which was based out of Redbud Park.
Mark McCord and Mike Caddick were a little more than two pounds behind in second place with 22.62 pounds for their five-fish limit. They pocketed $2,015.
Third-place honors and a $1,205 payday went to to Igor Reiant and Andrez Pereverzev with a five-fish limit of 21.64 pounds.
Rounding out the top five places were Chris Devette and Donald Johnson, fourth with a five-fish limit of 21.22 pounds ($650), and Jay Corbett and Jonathan Ruiz, fifth with a five-fish limit of 20.54 pounds ($640).
Also cracking the tournament’s top 10 were Scott Mackenzie and Jimmy Kuroki, sixth with a five-fish limit of 20.44 pounds ($495); Duke Kanaza and Brandon Gee, seventh with a five-fish limit of 19.83 pounds ($355); John Cunningham and Justin Cunningham, eighth with a five-fish limit of 19.60 pounds ($230); Trenton Elwood and Tony Frost, ninth with a five-fish limit of 19.14 pounds ($200); and Matt Farley and April Schneider, 10th with a five-five limit of 19.03 pounds ($190).
The tournament paid down to 19 places.
Big-fish honors went to the team of Ronald Tann Sr. and Michael Hardt with a 7.42-pounder.
The Northern Region of BBT visits the Delta on Sept. 13.
