An average finish of 3rd place was enough to move the fishing team of Luke Payne and Nate Engum to the top of the standings after the first 3-events of the 2014 FWBass season. Little did the field of FWBass anglers know, things were just getting started for team Payne.
With what is unofficially the largest margin of victory in FWBass history, Payne and Engum dominated the competition in tournament #4 on Lake O’Dowd in Shakopee, MN. While most boaters struggled to find their 5 for 8lbs, the fish/ski combo riding pair found a crankbait pattern to weigh an impressive 18lbs 11.5oz.
| Place | Boat Draw | Team | Fish Weighed | Total Weight | Big | Points |
|---|
| 1 |
3 |
Payne / Engum |
5 |
18lbs 11.5oz |
4lbs 11.5oz |
118.72 |
| 2 |
6 |
Dean / Nooyen |
5 |
8lbs 5oz |
2lbs 6oz |
107.31 |
| 3 |
7 |
Muilenburg / Agrimson |
5 |
7lbs 7oz |
|
105.44 |
| 4 |
4 |
Ruhberg |
5 |
7lbs 6.5oz |
|
104.41 |
| 5 |
2 |
Wood |
5 |
6lbs 15oz |
2lbs 6.5oz |
102.94 |
| 6 |
5 |
Huderle |
2 |
3lbs 6oz |
|
98.38 |
| 7 |
1 |
Hanson / Potts |
2 |
3lbs 4.5oz |
1lbs 13.7oz |
97.28 |
Luke kept the momentum going in a non-points event on Lake Minnetonka. Payne flexed his crankbait muscle once again to best the next competitor by 6lbs.
There was little second place Muilenburg and third place Wood could do when the team series resumed. Showing up at a tightly contested weigh-in of 11lbs, Payne and Engum has the ounces needed on Clearwater to take home another victory, making it three in a row Luke Payne.
| Place | Boat Draw | Team | Weighed | Total Weight | Big | Points |
|---|
| 1 |
6 |
Payne / Engum |
5 |
11lbs 14.5oz |
2lbs 9oz |
111.91 |
| 2 |
5 |
Muilenburg / Agrimson |
5 |
11lbs 11.5oz |
2lbs 14.5oz |
110.72 |
| 3 |
4 |
Wood |
5 |
11lbs 0.5oz |
2lbs 10oz |
109.03 |
| 4 |
7 |
Brunner / Lerold |
5 |
9lbs 3.5oz |
2lbs 11oz |
106.22 |
| 5 |
1 |
Hanson / Potts |
4 |
6lbs 9.5oz |
2lbs 14oz |
102.59 |
| 6 |
2 |
Dean / Nooyen |
4 |
5lbs 1.5oz |
|
100.09 |
| 7 |
3 |
Ruhberg |
0 |
0lbs 0oz |
|
94.00 |
2014 TOTAL POINTS
| TEAM | WINS | POINTS | - 1st | -2nd | -3rd | -4th | -5th | -6th | -7th |
|---|
| Payne / Engum |
2 |
559.87 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Muilenburg / Agrimson |
- |
543.66 |
(16.2) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Wood / Wasley |
1 |
535.97 |
(23.9) |
(7.7) |
|
|
|
|
|
| Dean / Nooyen |
- |
516.34 |
(43.5) |
(27.3) |
(19.6) |
|
|
|
|
| Ruhberg |
- |
513.06 |
(46.8) |
(30.6) |
(22.9) |
(3.3) |
|
|
|
| Hanson / Potts |
1 |
505.84 |
(54.0) |
(37.8) |
(30.1) |
(10.5) |
(7.2) |
|
|
| Huderle |
1 |
422.35 |
(137.5) |
(121.3) |
(113.6) |
(94.0) |
(90.7) |
(83.5) |
|
| Brunner / Lerold |
- |
106.22 |
(453.7) |
(437.4) |
(429.8) |
(410.1) |
(406.8) |
(399.6) |
(316.1) |
Consistent performance in the beginning of the year, and domination in the latter half was the winning formula for Luke Payne and partner Nate Engum. Congratulations on a great 2014 season!