Photo by Doug Cox / B.A.S.S. Communications
The top weights shocked
most of the field on Day One of the second 2011 Bass Pro Shops
Bassmaster Southern Open on North Carolina’s Lake Norman.
Those atop the leaderboard, who brought in more than most had
thought possible, were sight fishing all day for spawning fish; and
they’re cautiously optimistic that the bedding bite will be on Friday as
well, despite an anticipated drop in temperature.
Bobby Lane of Lakeland, Fla., took the top spot with 18 pounds, 13
ounces. He was flipping a Berkley Havoc Craw Fatty into beds, avoiding
the smaller, male bass until the larger female would bite. He dipped the
tip of the bait into chartreuse J.J.’s Magic
Dippin’ Dye, a garlic-smelling coloring dye.
“I’ve gotten a lot of practice bed fishing these last few weeks,”
Lane said. “We sight fished at the first Elite event on the Harris
Chain, then again on the St. Johns River, so I just picked it up here
again.”
However, Lane hasn’t found any more big fish that he feels are
worth pursuing for Day Two. He plans on rounding up a limit of five bass
early, then hunting for another big female or two. Lane’s stringer was
anchored by a 5-5 largemouth.
Hot on Lane’s heels is Tracy Adams of Wilkesboro, N.C., who managed
17-8. He relied on a Zoom Speed Craw to catch most of his bag. He says
that the high winds early played havoc on his sight fishing bite, but he
was still able to see and catch several
of his fish.
“I couldn’t see all of ‘em, but I knew about where they were so I
could throw in there to the general area,” he said. “I covered a lot of
water today and fished bunches of places I know from my history here. I
had a few bites today that I didn’t set on,
so hopefully I can go back tomorrow and catch ‘em.”
In third place is Gerald Swindle of Warrior, Ala. Swindle won the
first Bass Pro Shops Southern Open on Florida’s Lake Toho. With that
win, he claimed the first 2012 Bassmaster Classic berth along with
$10,000 cash and a fully rigged boat-and-motor package;
the pro prize for this event is a Triton/Mercury package, a Classic
berth and $10,000.
Swindle caught 16-7 on Thursday. Right behind him is Brandon Card
of Caryville, Ky., with 15-9, and in fifth place is Jason Quinn of York,
S.C., with 15-4.
On the co-angler side, Dan Jolly of Houston, Texas, and Glynn Goodwin of Marietta, Ohio, are tied for the lead with 8-9.
Jolly said that fishing slow was the key to his day; otherwise he played his hand close to his vest.
“This was a heck of a day,” he said. “I was lucky to get a few good bites then get them in the boat!”
Goodwin’s pro was sight fishing, which usually makes for a long,
boring day in the back of the boat, but he managed to make good on his
less-than-ideal situation.
“It seemed like every time that he put his Power-Poles down to fish
for a spawner, I got hooked up!” he said, remaining secretive about the
technique he used and only adding that he’s going to do it again
tomorrow. “This day was a real blessing.”
In third is Robert Jeffrey, who caught 7-14; in fourth is Marc Mode
of Mooresville, N.C., with 7-11; and in fifth is Tom McDermott of
Madison, N.C., with 7-8.
