Taking the Steve Kennedy approach is paying off for Bradley Hallman at the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Central Open on Lewisville Lake.
Kennedy is known for his lack of practicing for tournaments and still doing well in Elite Series events. Even though he has never been on Lewisville, Hallman decided to imitate Kennedy and limit his practice time for this Open.
“I practiced about 11 hours,” said Hallman. “Part of it was intentional, and then the third day, I didn’t go out at all. Practice was so bad that I didn’t have a bite in two days. I have watched Steve for the last six years not practice at all and still go out and catch them.”
Hallman slept-in the last day of practice. “A buddy of mine’s aunt and uncle were here, and they were going to IHOP, so I thought that was better than going out on the lake,” he said.
The Oklahoma pro skipped the last practice day thinking he could locate fish the first day, but he caught only one keeper weighing 4 pounds, 12 ounces. Staying on one stretch of bank longer made a difference for Hallman today as he caught the only limit of the day, weighing 15-8 to take over the lead with 20-4.
“I think the sunshine helped more than anything else,” said Hallman. “The wind also made a difference. I slowed down a little bit, too.”
“I am fishing shallow and covering a lot of water,” said the Oklahoma pro. “There are definitely prespawn staging fish here. They are really winter fish more than anything, though.”
Day One leader Brad Lankford blanked today yet only dropped to second place with 18-1.
“I just couldn’t get the fish to go today,” Lankford said. “The wind was really brutal on me, and I stayed in it all day. Then my trolling motor died about 2:15. It was just one of those things. I couldn’t get them to bite, and I was too pigheaded to leave my spot. I just don’t have anything else to go by. That is the only thing that has produced all week, and I wasn’t about to leave it.”
Josh Bertrand also blanked today and dropped from second place to third with 18 pounds. Elite Series pro Terry Butcher jumped into fourth place with 16-4 and fellow Elite Series competitor Mike McClelland moved into fifth with 13-6.
Texan Rick Parker added a couple of keepers today to boost his total to 11-1 and stay in the lead on the co-angler side.
“I caught them on a shaky head and a Chatterbait,” said Parker. “I started throwing the Chatterbait, because as slow as these fish are biting, I tried to find something to get them to react to it.”
The other top five non-boaters are Brent Haggard in second place with 10-5; Christopher Warren, third, 8-5; Keith Glasby, fourth, 7-6; and Patti Campbell, fifth, 6-14.
