Winning bass tournaments is a Fernandes family legacy.

It started with Frank, was continued by son Louis and now Frank’s 4-year-old grandson is showing signs that the litany may well trickle down to the third generation.

The Santa Maria anglers were back in form last weekend. Louis, along with partner Patrick Touey, crafted a victory Saturday in a WON Bass Central Coast contest on Santa Margarita Lake. Louis, who cashed a major check several years back in the FLW pro series, celebrated his birthday several days early. Louis and Touey won by a margin of 82-hundredths of a pound. He turns 33 today.

“It was a grind,” Louis Fernandes said. “We had only four good bites and they came early. On back-to-back casts I caught our big fish (7.74 pounds) and a 5-pounder.” The duo used jigs and Senkos to land 15 fish off main lake points. “Most of our fish were 2-pounders,” Fernandes said.

Fernandes and Touey won $1,080.

Louis Fernandes said his 4-year-old son Troy is already casting and catching fish. It runs in the family. Grandfather Frank placed eighth and in the money as a 17-year-old at Cachuma Lake in 1968. Two years later he logged his first win, also at Cachuma, in a West Coast Bass event.

The Chatterlys, Dana and son Clayton earned $755 for their 20.95-pound limit. Big fish honors went to Prunedale’s Dan Tracy and Josh Sanderson. Their 8.06-pound bass paid $240.

WON Bass, Central Coast Top 10 (all 5-fish limits), Weight, Winnings

1. Louis Fernandes, Santa Maria, Patrick Touey, Nipomo, 21.77 pounds, $1,080; 2. Dana & Clayton Chatterly, Lompoc, 20.95 pounds, $755; 3. Sam James, Chris Rains, Salinas, 20.64 pounds, $525; 4. Danny Knotts, Santa Maria, Tim Sharpe, Grover Beach, 20.11 pounds, $260; 5. Nick Salvucci, San Miguel, Dusty Kahler, Atascadero, 19.43 pounds; 6. Mead Hedricks, Tom Vienola, Lompoc, 18.61 pounds; 7. Steve Bereda, Santa Margarita, Dale Ball, Creston, 18.54 pounds; 8. Neal Franklin, Atascadero, Brad Austin, San Miguel, 18.49 pounds; 9. Clark Small, Solvang, Randy McAbee, Sr., Bakersfield, 16.16 pounds; 10. Dustin Selck, Atascadero, Sal Rocha, Grover Beach, 15.28 pounds.

1st Big Fish, 8.06 pounds, Dan Tracy & Josh Sanderson, Prunedale, $240; 2nd Big Fish, 7.74 pounds, Fernandes & Touey, $160.

First win for Selck, Rocha

While they make their living on the ocean, a group of old salts are beginning to make an impression in freshwater bass tournaments.

Patriot Sportfishing deckhand Dustin Selck and skipper Sal Rocha registered their second win in Western Rookie League competition Sunday at Lake San Antonio.

Although Selck has a 100-ton marine skipper’s license, he’s opted for a deckhand role the past two years in order to spend more time with his two children.

“We culled a bunch en route to our 15.30-pound team limit,” he said. Crankbaits fetched 25 fish for them.

Pacific Horizon combo deckhand and cook Mike Otto and Dan Barrios, a consistent saltwater jackpot winner prior to a back injury, placed second with a 13.77-pound limit.

On Saturday, Selck and Rocha placed 10th in the WON Bass event. Their best series placing is sixth.

Barrios and Selck are in 14th place after five ABA tourneys. Selck and Morro Bay’s Phil Vanzee are fifth after four 101 Bass tests.

Selck said: “Had I known bass fishing was this much fun, I would have started sooner. Obviously, I’ve still got a lot to learn.”

WON Bass, Central Coast Top 10 (all 5-fish limits), Weight, Winnings

1. Louis Fernandes, Santa Maria, Patrick Touey, Nipomo, 21.77 pounds, $1,080; 2. Dana & Clayton Chatterly, Lompoc, 20.95 pounds, $755; 3. Sam James, Chris Rains, Salinas, 20.64 pounds, $525; 4. Danny Knotts, Santa Maria, Tim Sharpe, Grover Beach, 20.11 pounds, $260; 5. Nick Salvucci, San Miguel, Dusty Kahler, Atascadero, 19.43 pounds; 6. Mead Hedricks, Tom Vienola, Lompoc, 18.61 pounds; 7. Steve Bereda, Santa Margarita, Dale Ball, Creston, 18.54 pounds; 8. Neal Franklin, Atascadero, Brad Austin, San Miguel, 18.49 pounds; 9. Clark Small, Solvang, Randy McAbee, Sr., Bakersfield, 16.16 pounds; 10. Dustin Selck, Atascadero, Sal Rocha, Grover Beach, 15.28 pounds. 1st Big Fish, 8.06 pounds, Dan Tracy & Josh Sanderson, Prunedale, $240; 2nd Big Fish, 7.74 pounds, Fernandes & Touey, $160.

Lintner’s steady climb

Arroyo Grande’s Jared Lintner climbed the standings ladder steadily after getting off to a 49th-place finish on the first day of the Bassmaster Elite series event on Florida’s Lake Okeechobee last week. He followed his 12-pouund, 1-ounce first-day limit with a day two 14-pound, 3-ounce limit to move up to 43rd place. He capped matters with a 21-pound, 6-ounce third day bag that shot him up to a 20th-place finish and a $10,000 payday.

Season opens April 7

Virg’s Landing has an opening-day salmon trip from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. for $89, limited to 16 anglers. A minimum of 10 passengers is needed for weekday trips.

Call 772-1222 for details about Thursday specials. An 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. sanddab trip for $59 and weekend whale watching trips are iffy because of threatening weather.

Patriot Sportfishing has one slot to fill for the 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 7 salmon opener. Cost is $84. Patriot is closed Easter Sunday but has a salmon trip scheduled for April 9. A crab and sanddab trip is scheduled for Friday from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Cost is $60 for adults and $40 for children 12 and under. Call 595-7200 for trip schedules.

Santa Margarita Lake

On Sunday, Butch Phillips caught an 11-pound, 13-ounce bass in front of the marina store using a Banjo Minnow. San Luis Obispo’s Justin Goodman reeled in an 11.20-pound bass March 20. A Nipomo couple caught 14 crappie near the stickups.

Lopez Lake

Marina manager Aaron Boyd says bass are being taken by drop shotting and crankbaits and spinnerbaits near Vista Lago and the dam. The best crappie action is off the F dock.

Nacimiento Lake

Heritage Ranch resident Dave Rymal said that resident Craig Eckert caught two 4-pound spotted bass and a pair of 2-pounders. He was fishing from shore with Senkos.

Cachuma Lake

The 17th-annual Trout Derby is set for April 14-15, Entry fee is $40 for adults until Saturday. Afterward Saturday, cost is $40 for adults. Cost for children ages 4-10 is $10.

Lake water temperature came up a few degrees last week, spurring all species to be on the chew.

Those trolling for trout in Santa Cruz Bay hooked up from the surface to down two feet. A 4,500-pound Calaveras trout plant is scheduled for Wednesday. A variety of baits are working for bass in 2 to 20 feet of water.