The Big One Didn’t Get Away from McClain, Haught

Morgantown Dominion Post
27 July 2009
By Shay Maunz

Kevin McClain and Frankie Haught held up their largest catch --a 3.91 pound bass -- and the audience in the Hazel Ruby McQuain Amphitheatre applauded in admiration.

The two-man team took home first prize Sunday, at the West Virginia State Bass Fishing Championship, with a two-day total weight of 14.82 pounds.


W.Va. Bass Federation Invitational Tournament winner Kevin McClain (right) places the 3.91-pound bass that was among those caught by him and partner Frankie Haught (left) on the final clay of the competition on Sunday. The fish brought their two-day winning total weight to almost 15 pounds and was the heaviest fish caught on Sunday by any competitor. - Bob Gay /The Dominion Post

This is the second consecutive year the pair has taken home first place, an accomplishment they are proud of, though they didn’t fish as well this weekend as they had hoped to.

They spent a lot of time over the past month out on the river practicing for this tournament, usually bringing in more than they did at the actual tournament.

Through their extensive practice, Haught and McClain honed a technique to use on the river, but they said weather conditions threw off their plans.

“It all had to do with sunlight,” Haught said. “With the fish that we caught in practice we found that when the sun came out we could relate to the shade. And we had a couple cloudy days, so we kind of had to change our strategy.”

And the pair was not alone. The overcast skies put a damper on the fishing conditions throughout the tournament.

“The fishing was a little tough, but there are always some guys who get them on and bring back the fish, so they did that,” said John Burdette, the tournament’s director.

Sixty two-person teams took part in the two-day invitational. Competitors qualified through the West Virginia Bass Federation Buddy Trail Tournaments.

The top 30 took home part of the $18,000 purse. First place earned $5,000 and second place $2,500. The largest single fish,which also belonged to Haught and McClain, earned anglers an additional $250.

Chris Lawrence, host of the West Virginia Outdoors Radio Program, was on hand to emcee the weigh-ins Friday, and Morgantown mayor Bill Byrne read the scale to tally each fish’s weight.

Byrne, once a casual fisher himself, said he enjoyed having the opportunity to take part in the tournament. He even made it onto the river himself.

“I haven’t fished in a long time, as much as I would like to. But I did fish a lot in my younger days, so I enjoy this,” he said. “[Burdette] took me out on Friday and I caught a fish, but these guys really catch fish. They know just what to do.”

Third place went to Charlie Hanshaw and Jeffrey Hanshaw, with a twoday total weight of 11.77 pounds. Rob Grabow and Josh Querry took second place, with a two-day total weight of 13.05 pounds.