HomeNewsRusty Brown Wins 2013 WON Bass U.S. Open Rusty Brown 2013 U.S. Open Champion – photo by Dan O’Sullivan Las Vegas, Nev. –  September 11, 2013 – The rule for the week at the 31st Anniversary WON Bass Nitro Boats / Mercury U.S. Open had been consistency.  The anglers that seemed to fare the best had been those who had managed to put together steady limits, avoiding the wild swings that can happen in a event on Lake Mead. Rusty Brown proved that one more time on the final day, and claimed the title of U.S. Open Champion. The Tustin, Calif. pro posted his third consecutive limit weighing in excess of 10 pounds to claim his first U.S. Open victory. His final day limit of 10.81 pounds pushed his three day total to 31.25 pounds and help him eclipse a hard charging Clifford Pirch; a two-time U.S. Open Champion who bagged a 15.48-pound bag to give him his second consecutive runner up finish with a total weight of 30.32 pounds. Day two leader Brett Hite stumbled slightly in his quest for three consecutive 10 pound limits, and brought 9.03 pounds to the Callville Bay Marina scales and slipped to third place with 30.09 pounds. Brown credited three lures, and his ability to slow down and fish his areas thoroughly with the win. “I knew there were quality fish in the Greg’s Basin area, so I just had to slow down and fish back and forth around grass beds to try and trigger the big fish into biting,” I caught my fish on a Rapala Skitter Walk and a few on a Vixen, a shad colored Pro Line spinnerbait with smaller sized willowleaf blades and a size 3 Storm Arashi Squarebill crankbait.” He said he used erratic retrieves around grass beds trying to contact the grass without bogging the baits down. he also said that he tried to focus on grinding out the right kinds of bites. “I fished really hard for three days, after a good practice, and knew that if I just kept fishing without getting in a hurry, I would get the right bites,” he said. “Everything went great this week, and I couldn’t be happier with the result.” He also said he has dreamed of being a U.S. Open Champion, and humbled by the accomplishment. “I can’t believe I’m standing here with my name on the same list of the guys I’ve watched win this tournament for so many years,” he said. “I’ve got great sponsors who have stood behind me in working at this for many years and it’s really great to be one of the guys who have won this tournament.” Merlin Nunes of Vacaville, Calif. fished with Pirch on the final day, and his participation in the 15.47-pound limit brought his three day total weight to 31.78 pounds to claim the AAA Division championship. He was followed by Robert Jeannotte, who finished with 30.55 pounds to finish in second place for the third consecutive day. Day two AAA leader Scott Palumbo finished in third place with 28.95 pounds. Complete Standings are below. The WON Bass Nitro Boats / Mercury Marine U.S. Open Live Webcast was by presented by Costa Sunglasses, the event was also brought to you by Nitro Boats, Mercury Outboards, Costa Sunglasses, Bass Pro Shops, Adoption Awareness, Big Hammer, Bridgford Foods, Cousins Tackle, Daiwa, Frog Toggs, Fuji, Global Fish Mounts, Lobina Lures, Lowrance, Mustang Survival, Optimum Baits, Plano Molding, Pro Boats, Pro Mar, Seaguar, Snug Top, SPRO, St.Croix Rods, Star Tron, YoZuri and Zip Baits 2013 WON Bass Nitro Boats / Mercury U.S. Open Day One Pro Standings Place Name Hometown Weight Penalty Big Fish Total 1 Rusty Brown Tustin CA 31.25 3.92 31.25 2 Clifford Pirch Payson AZ 30.72 0.4 5.2 30.32 3 Brett Hite Phoenix AZ 30.09 3.04 30.09 4 Justin Hanold Poway CA 29.66 3.49 29.66 5 Tommy Jonovich Phoenix AZ 29.82 0.2 29.62 6 Gary Dobyns Yuba City CA 28.89 2.52 28.89 7 Joe Uribe, Jr. Lake Forest CA 28.56 0.2 3.47 28.36 8 Chris Bozarth Henderson NV 27.26 2.82 27.26 9 Morizo Shimizu Osaka JP 26.85 3.16 26.85 10 Jamie Cyphers Cedar City UT 26.77 3.14 26.77 11 Todd Herman Gilbert AZ 26.07 4.49 26.07 12 Aaron Leon Henderson NV 26.44 0.4 2.8 26.04 13 Ben Byrd Moab UT 25.72 25.72 14 Bill Brown Grand Junction CO 25.64 25.64 15 Todd Woods San Dimas CA 25.42 2.59 25.42 16 John Perkins Lake Havasu City AZ 25.35 2.91 25.35 17 Shaun Bailey Lake Havasu City AZ 25.59 0.4 3.73 25.19 18 Paul Hodges Glendale AZ 24.96 24.96 19 Randy Blaukat Joplin MO 24.88 4.11 24.88 20 Ray Arbesu Henderson NV 25.22 0.4 3.1 24.82 21 Garrett Howard Riverside CA 24.75 0.4 3.3 24.35 22 Johnny Johnson Lakeside AZ 24.17 24.17 23 Randy Estrada, M.D. Corona CA 24.04 24.04 24 Klayton Belden El Cajon CA 23.95 23.95 25 Kenichi Tanaka Minamikawachigun 23.89 2.7 23.89 26 Patrick Whitaker Gilbert AZ 23.87 23.87 27 Dorne Soto Henderson NV 23.62 0.2 23.42 28 Brett Allen Leber Dixon CA 23.35 23.35 29 John Murray Phoenix AZ 23.22 3.32 23.22 30 Josh Rhodes Lakeside CA 23.08 3.87 23.08 31 Gary Pinholster Lake Havasu City AZ 23.19 0.2 22.99 32 Steve Gibson Las Vegas NV 22.73 3.06 22.73 32 Claude Sims Boerne TX 22.93 0.2 22.73 34 Sean Stafford Fairfield CA 22.83 0.2 22.63 35 Andy Manahl Mesa AZ 22.77 0.2 22.57 36 Roy Hawk Lake Havasu City AZ 22.47 3.23 22.47 37 Kyle Grover Trabuco Canyon CA 22.36 0.2 22.16 38 Phillip Dutra Antioch CA 21.96 3.15 21.96 39 Rich Tauber Camarillo CA 21.85 3.99 21.85 40 Aaron Martens Leeds AL 21.78 21.78 41 Kevin Norling San Diego CA 21.77 21.77 42 Gabe Bolivar Ramona CA 21.72 3.45 21.72 43 Matt Shura Gilbert AZ 21.62 21.62 44 Justin Kerr Lake Havasu City AZ 21.51 2.88 21.51 45 Derek Yamamoto Boulder City CO 21.49 21.49 46 David Valdivia Norwalk CA 21.66 0.2 21.46 47 Shawn Lee Arroyo Grande CA 21.55 0.2 3.32 21.35 48 Clayton Meyer Henderson NV 21.32 3.12 21.32 49 Ken Whalen Lompoc CA 21.25 0.2 21.05 50 Byron Velvick Del Rio TX 21.02 21.02 51 Raymond Archer Greeley CO 21 21 52 Bobby Lanham Cave Creek AZ 20.78 20.78 53 Stephen Pike Las Vegas NV 20.71 20.71 54 Dick Watson Alta Loma CA 20.7 0.4 20.3 55 Kevin Wiggins Las Vegas NV 20.27 20.27 56 John Weisfuss Oxnard CA 20.45 0.2 20.25 57 Vu Au Tucson AZ 20.37 0.2 20.17 58 Marco Valdez Mesa AZ 20.14 20.14 59 Rick Mason Glendale AZ 19.99 2.3 19.99 60 Garrett Lorenzen Escondido CA 19.89 2.7 19.89 61 Kevin Caruso Glendale AZ 19.87 3.2 19.87 62 Jamie Shaw Coolidge AZ 19.82 19.82 63 Devin McDonald Las Vegas NV 19.65 3.04 19.65 64 Dave Wendrich Elko NV 19.59 19.59 65 Ricky Shabazz Rialto CA 19.56 19.56 66 Bill O’Shinn Granite Bay CA 19.48 2.83 19.48 67 Neil Flores Menifee CA 19.45 19.45 68 Matt Massey Golden CO 19.33 19.33 69 Ed Arledge Valley Center CA 19.23 19.23 70 Jiggs Benn Myrtle Creek OR 19.17 2.67 19.17 71 Rick Clunn Ava MO 18.99 18.99 72 John Mackey Boulder City NV 18.95 18.95 73 Mark Poe Coolidge AZ 18.87 2.94 18.87 74 Randy Cnota Tucson AZ 18.98 0.2 18.78 75 John Morrow Brea CA 18.38 18.38 76 Craig Miller Las Vegas NV 18.33 18.33 77 Keith Beever Aliso Viejo CA 18.47 0.2 18.27 78 Ken Phillips Antioch CA 18.09 18.09 79 Neil Campbell Fallbrook CA 17.44 17.44 79 Jay Wright Pasadena CA 17.44 2.75 17.44 81 Gary Freeman Las Vegas NV 17.41 17.41 82 Ernie Stumpf Carrollton TX 17.6 0.2 2.77 17.4 83 Michael Caruso Peoria AZ 17.32 5.08 17.32 84 Jonathan D. Demonet Downey CA 17.2 17.2 85 Vern Ridgway Chandler AZ 17.12 17.12 85 Ed Shaver Lake Havasu City AZ 17.12 17.12 87 Mike Brillhart Waddell AZ 16 16 88 Nick Young Ontario OR 15.93 15.93 89 Gary Boyd Reseda CA 15.75 2.42 15.75 90 Mike Folkestad Villa Park CA 15.84 0.2 2.27 15.64 91 Guy Savidan Yorba Linda CA 15.58 2.68 15.58 92 William Ruehle Peoria AZ 15.41 15.41 93 Shane Moline Kingman AZ 15.16 15.16 94 Stephen Patek Chula Vista CA 14.84 2.62 14.84 95 David Peltier Acton CA 14.82 14.82 96 Gerald Kimzey Willcox AZ 14.69 2.83 14.69 97 Scott Wingo San Diego CA 14.57 3.35 14.57 98 Jason Burchfield Las Vegas NV 14.91 0.4 14.51 98 Thomas Wennerlund Gilbert AZ 14.51 14.51 100 Clyde Evans Las Vegas NV 14.4 14.4 101 Marvin Barellano Monterey Park CA 14.27 14.27 102 George Kramer Lake Elsinore CA 14.45 0.2 14.25 103 Michael Phua Chino CA 14.16 14.16 103 Joseph Raftery Las Vegas NV 14.16 14.16 105 Steve Molinari Waddell AZ 14.01 14.01 106 Trey Campbell Gardena CA 13.95 13.95 107 Max Bauer La Mesa CA 13.94 13.94 108 Pete Marino Moreno Valley CA 13.9 13.9 109 Travis Richards Henderson NV 13.78 13.78 110 Melvin Williams Chula Vista CA 13.67 13.67 111 Philip Roesener Parowan UT 13.48 2.39 13.48 112 Ty Sandefer Escalante UT 13.4 13.4 113 Gary Robbins Burbank CA 13.36 13.36 114 Robert Schoessler Henderson NV 13.3 13.3 115 Cody Compton Palisade CO 13.11 13.11 116 Clay Lippincott Goodyear AZ 13.04 13.04 117 Wade Strelic El Cajon CA 12.87 12.87 118 Trevor Young Fontana CA 12.7 12.7 119 Kevin Stewart Elk Grove CA 12.23 12.23 120 Vince Gennaro Henderson NV 12.22 12.22 121 Mike Lavallee Sandy UT 11.74 11.74 122 Zachary Elrite San Jose CA 11.87 0.2 11.67 123 Christopher Dixon Granada Hills CA 11.58 0.2 11.38 124 Chester Baxter Glendale AZ 11.29 11.29 125 Tony Lain Menifee CA 11.15 11.15 126 Sean Coffey Mesa AZ 10.74 10.74 127 Jason Borofka Salinas CA 10.18 3.22 10.18 128 Ron Hammett La Mesa CA 9.66 9.66 129 Keith Ferlanie Henderson NV 9.23 9.23 130 Michael McFarland Corona CA 8.69 3.15 8.69 131 David Kemper Tempe AZ 8.82 0.2 8.62 132 Brent Becker Henderson NV 8.5 8.5 133 Robert Jenks Diamond Bar CA 7.54 7.54 134 Chris Studinger Oceanside CA 7.64 0.2 7.44 135 Tom Pryor Page AZ 7.32 7.32 136 John O’Brien Henderson NV 7.28 0.2 7.08 137 John Browning Payson AZ 7.22 0.2 7.02 138 David Patrick San Jacinto CA 6.8 2.92 6.8 139 Paul Brockmann Lomita CA 6.73 0.2 6.53 140 Bill Snyder Las Vegas NV 4.4 4.4 141 Oscar Torrado Mira Loma CA 4.27 4.27 142 Jeffery Klicka Brawley CA 2.06 2.06 2013 WON Bass Nitro Boats / Mercury U.S. Open Day One AAA Standings Place Name Hometown Weight Penalty Big Fish Total 1 Merlin Nunes Vacaville CA 31.78 3.12 31.78 2 Robert Jeannotte Henderson NV 30.55 2.61 30.55 3 Scott Palumbo Phoenix AZ 28.95 3.5 28.95 4 Todd Kline San Clemente CA 28.08 3.48 28.08 5 Chris Beverly Mesa AZ 27.65 27.65 6 Barry Johnson Carson City NV 27.42 4.49 27.42 7 Tim Irwin LaVerne CA 26.34 26.34 8 Gabriel Diaz Nuevo CA 26.44 0.2 3.32 26.24 9 Mark Dalton Fountain Hills AZ 25.86 3.15 25.86 10 Charles Fleisher Las Vegas NV 25.67 3.42 25.67 11 Josh Paxton Spring Creek NV 24.67 3.08 24.67 12 Marty Rolph Paradise CA 24.46 2.31 24.46 13 Vince Dwan Rancho Mirage CA 24.33 2.95 24.33 14 Darian V. Stumpf Las Vegas NV 24.32 24.32 15 Ronald Cross Pahrump NV 24.09 24.09 16 Paul H. Matthews Peoria AZ 24.07 0.2 2.8 23.87 17 Chris Patek Chula Vista CA 23.77 0.2 2.85 23.57 18 Shannon Henry Anthem AZ 23.46 23.46 19 R J Nevarez Bonsall CA 23.42 23.42 20 Carl Limbrick, Jr. Bonita CA 23.2 4.56 23.2 21 Seth Hausman Sandy UT 23.32 0.4 22.92 22 Coy Nelson Las Vegas NV 23.07 0.2 2.39 22.87 23 Doug Delgado West Lake Village CA 22.91 0.2 22.71 24 Eric Hammer Peoria AZ 22.77 0.2 2.38 22.57 25 David Burrows Placentia CA 22.34 3.76 22.34 26 Michael D. Sisco Henderson NV 22.32 1.71 22.32 27 Robert Schneider Temecula CA 22.22 22.22 28 Andrew Moreau Satatoga Springs UT 21.71 2.44 21.71 29 Duke Ayers Flagstaff AZ 21.7 2.47 21.7 30 Craig Hammett Eagle ID 21.61 21.61 31 Geoff Peterson Huntington Beach CA 21.53 21.53 32 Chad May Mesa AZ 21.43 21.43 33 Jason Swearengin Rancho Mirage CA 21.42 21.42 34 Bill Wentworth Dixon CA 21.61 0.2 21.41 35 David Bebawy Chandler AZ 21.4 3.57 21.4 36 Brian P. Day Rncho Snta Margarita CA 21.27 4.58 21.27 37 Gerard Thomas Ralston WY 21.26 21.26 38 Randy Okubo Evanston WY 21.44 0.2 2.06 21.24 39 Blaine Christiansen San Francisco CA 21.22 21.22 40 Stephen Foster Tazewell TN 21.09 21.09 41 Ken Cates LaQuinta CA 21.07 21.07 42 Stephen Lamb Lakeside CA 20.84 3.37 20.84 43 Tracy Purtee Payson AZ 20.8 20.8 43 Brent Benish San Diego CA 20.8 20.8 45 Allan Ruddock Klamath Falls OR 20.74 3.03 20.74 46 Michael Bidak Pheniox AZ 20.72 0.2 3.79 20.52 47 Tracy Smart Lake Havasu City AZ 20.21 20.21 48 Rob Larson Fountain Green UT 20.11 20.11 49 Kevin Gross Claremont CA 20.06 4.46 20.06 49 Bobby Steele Goodyear AZ 20.06 20.06 51 Mike Hyland Lompoc CA 20.05 20.05 52 James Broughton Henderson NV 20.03 20.03 53 Dave Della Sparks NV 20.17 0.2 19.97 54 Chuck Kavros Grass Valley CA 19.87 2.2 19.87 55 Gabriel Jones Granite Falls NC 19.59 2.56 19.59 56 Glenn Kierstead Coventry CT 19.47 19.47 57 John D. Helm Tempe AZ 19.86 0.4 19.46 58 Allison Shaw La Quinta CA 19.59 0.2 19.39 59 Conrad Demecs Scottsdale AZ 19.57 0.2 1.83 19.37 60 Jerome Peacock Visalia CA 19.34 19.34 61 Dave Kiesgen Peorea AZ 19.33 2.83 19.33 62 David Hudson Henderson NV 19.28 19.28 63 Bill Lansford Lake Havasu City AZ 19.36 0.2 19.16 64 Greg Galloway Valencia CA 19.11 19.11 65 Dale Howard Las Vegas NV 18.83 18.83 65 Duane Mierop Escondido CA 18.83 18.83 67 Mark Torrez Camarillo CA 18.81 18.81 68 Paul A. Williams Lake Havasu City AZ 18.67 18.67 69 Mike Byrum Lakewood CA 18.72 0.2 2.84 18.52 70 Steve Amata East Vale CA 18.45 18.45 71 Chris Martens Leeds AL 18.33 18.33 72 Bob Nokley Las Vegas NV 18.42 0.2 18.22 73 Matthew Rivera Aliso Viejo CA 18.21 2.79 18.21 74 Liz Jones Conoga Park CA 18.26 0.2 18.06 75 Steven Cook Phoeniz AZ 18.04 2.26 18.04 76 Mona Dunlap Lake Arrowhead CA 17.97 17.97 77 Dante Ray Sparks NV 17.86 17.86 78 Erik Bomstad Temecula CA 17.85 17.85 79 Eddie Lero Bryan TX 17.87 0.2 17.67 80 Brian Pierce Colorado Springs CO 17.65 0.2 17.45 81 Layne Gray Milford UT 17.35 17.35 82 Robert Nicholson Grand Terrace CA 17.42 0.2 17.22 82 Edward Smith Blythe CA 17.22 17.22 84 Steve Lindner Lake Havasu City AZ 17.36 0.2 17.16 85 Brad Ankrum Grand Junction CO 17.11 17.11 86 Robert Jones Clayton CA 17.09 17.09 87 Yoki Usuki 17.22 0.2 17.02 88 Robert Rick Adams Signal Hills CA 17 17 89 Shawn Cooke Wilcox AZ 16.72 16.72 90 Norman Santos Rosamond CA 16.71 0.2 16.51 91 Chang Won Park Palmdale CA 16.49 16.49 92 Larry Holona Las Vegas NV 16.65 0.2 16.45 93 Jason Caine Las Vegas NV 16.62 0.2 16.42 94 Andrew M. Schadegg Reno NV 16.17 16.17 95 Allen Todd Gardnerville NV 16.16 16.16 96 Tim Demecs Pheonix AZ 16.08 16.08 97 Christian Borucki Scottsdale AZ 16.03 1.85 16.03 98 Brant List Huntington Beach CA 15.78 15.78 99 Yasuhiro Okada Los Angeles CA 15.72 15.72 100 Bryan Klem San Diego CA 15.67 15.67 101 Butch Nessline Peoria AZ 15.61 15.61 101 Tim S. Wells, Sr. Clovis CA 15.61 15.61 103 James Cope Las Vegas NV 15.46 15.46 104 Bill Hart Temecula CA 15.34 1.98 15.34 105 Rick Melead Yorba Linda CA 15.25 0.2 15.05 106 Julius Mazy Phoenix AZ 14.94 14.94 107 Chris Mason South Gate CA 14.92 14.92 108 Paul Reutlinger West Jordan UT 14.74 14.74 109 Stephen Watte Calipatria CA 14.6 14.6 110 Patrick McLaren Las Vegas NV 14.69 0.2 14.49 111 Brian Grizzle Dahlonega GA 14.97 0.6 3.35 14.37 112 Laythe Moore Banning CA 14.33 14.33 113 Dan Zehring Gilbert AZ 14.26 14.26 114 Kevin Tucker Ontario OR 14.21 14.21 115 Rafael Gonzalez, Jr. Las Vegas NV 14.39 0.2 14.19 116 Larry Triplett Aurora CO 14.29 0.2 2.73 14.09 117 Oliver Merrick Carpinteria CA 13.93 13.93 118 Mike Lepori Saint Helena CA 13.8 13.8 119 Bret Nagelhout Red Rock AZ 13.96 0.2 13.76 120 Phillip Hudnall Huntington Beach CA 13.75 13.75 121 Andrew Napoleon Mesa AZ 13.28 13.28 122 Jess Torre Corona CA 13.16 13.16 123 Kirk Russell Payson AZ 13.52 0.4 13.12 124 Daniel Bonaccorso Concord, Sydney, NSW 12.38 2.95 12.38 125 Andy Sanchez Antioch CA 12.2 12.2 126 Troy Blankenship Orange CA 12.11 12.11 127 Robert Lutes Saugus CA 12.06 12.06 128 Bob Keck Las Vegas NV 11.59 11.59 129 Mark Rauenzahn San Diego CA 11.28 11.28 130 Gunnar Stanton Boulder City NV 11.25 11.25 131 Dan Cranston Visalia CA 10.72 10.72 132 Darin Guglielmo Santa Barbara CA 10.88 0.2 2.11 10.68 133 Zach Holt 10.32 3.26 10.32 134 Carson Sims Boerne TX 10.27 10.27 135 Todd Dunlap Lake Arrowhead CA 9.9 9.9 136 Szu Nien Yeh Las Vegas NV 9.69 9.69 137 Vincent Alcantara Glendale AZ 8.83 8.83 138 Sonny Gibson Las Vegas NV 7.35 7.35 139 Dave Cunningham Hawthorne CA 6.98 6.98 140 Ralph Wells Castaic CA 6.42 6.42 141 Dino Uwanawich Camarillo CA 6.25 6.25 142 Tom Nguyen Lawndale CA 2.13 2.13
