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Extra half-pound of fish worth $3,800 to Plant City angler

By GEORGE WILKENS | The Tampa Tribune

Published: June 19, 2009

PLANT CITY - Prize-winning angler Jeremy Smith of Plant City has taken top honors in yet another Florida fishing tournament, this time with only a half-pound of bass keeping him ahead of a significantly less rewarding second-place showing.

Smith captured first place in the Xtreme OneMan Series sponsored by Evinrude motors and Ranger Boats. The event held May 30 on Lake Toho near Kissimmee drew 88 contestants.

Smith's best five bass had a total weight of 24.53 pounds, earning him the first prize, $5,000 cash.

Smith's catch edged out Matt Hinman, whose five-fish catch weighed 23.97 pounds, or slightly more than a half-pound, tournament records show. Hinman earned the $1,200 second prize.

"I got lucky on that part," said Smith, whose largest catch during the tourney, which ran from daylight to 3 p.m., was 6.88 pounds.

His luck came early. "When I got to my first spot it took 15 to 20 minutes, then it got crazy; it was unreal," Smith said, "I probably caught close to 25 that day. I had all my fish by 11 o'clock," said Smith, who used a Rat-L-Trap and a Yo-Zuri lipless crank bait, but caught his largest fish of the day with a June Bug Worm.

The one that got away, however, was a true prize winner.

"It hit the bait real close to the boat," and only lightly, Smith said. "I saw it through the clear water; I knew it was big." Smith followed as the bass headed for the boat's stern.

"I reached down to grab the net and the fish jumped straight out of the water," a couple feet beyond reach, said Smith, estimating it was 7-plus pounds.

Smith, 32, an assistant manager of the industrial refrigeration department of Publix, fishes tournaments statewide and in other Southeastern states.

In January he won the Wal-Mart Bass Fishing League Gator Division tournament, also on Lake Toho. That five-fish catch of 28 pounds, 12 ounces earned him $6,875.

Smith has lived in Plant City since he was 17 and began fishing at age 10.

Reporter George Wilkens can be reached at (813) 627-4769.

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