Grigsby Busts Big Limit on Seminole at Elite Serie

If bed fishing’s the game, Shaw Grigsby’s the name.

And that’s just how it went  Thursday, the first day of the Dick Cepek Tires Bassmaster Elite at Lake Seminole presented by Hardee’s. Out of Bainbridge, Ga., the event is the 2014 Elite Series season opener.

Well-known for his bed fishing talents, Grigsby led the 108-pro field by 3 pounds, 7 ounces, with a 30-pound, 5-ounce day’s total.

“It was a perfect day,†said Grigsby, who caught the entire 30-plus pounds by  10 a.m., and then sat back and ate cold chicken. “One of those great days — amazing.â€

Grigsby took the first step toward duplicating his 2011 season-opener victory in Florida, the ninth and most recent win of his storied Bassmaster career. Two of those titles were taken at Lake Seminole.

Grigsby’s 3-7 lead was over Bernie Schultz, who weighed 26-14. A largemouth of 10-10 was the jewel of Schultz’s bag — and the largest single bass brought to the scales  Thursday.

Coincidentally, the two leaders both hail from Gainesville, Fla.

Kevin Short of Mayflower, Ark., was in third place with 25-9, trailing the leader by 4-12. Fourth place was pegged at 24-11 by Brett Hite, a 2014 Elite rookie from Phoenix, Ariz. In fifth was Tommy Biffle of Wagoner, Okla., with 23-13.

Local favorite J Todd Tucker of Moultrie, Ga., who calls Lake Seminole his home water, ended his first day in 18th place. His Day 1 weight of 18-14 was for four bass, one short of the five-fish limit.

The first-place prize of the event is $100,000 and an automatic berth in the 2015 Bassmaster Classic. Pros also earn points that count toward the Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year award and a Classic qualification.

Grigsby said his largest bass of the day were two over 7 pounds. They came from one of his several bed-fishing spots, he said, as did most of the bass he hooked into  Thursday.

For the second round  on Friday, Grigsby said he’d go back to his magical spot.

“I don’t know whether I’ll get a bite in that same area, but I’ve got a couple more areas to hit, and then I can always go sight-fishing to get decent little sacks,†he said.

Grigsby said he’s targeting prespawners moving up to beds, as well as fish actually on beds.

The cold front that came through  Wednesday  night did not affect his bite  Thursday, unusual behavior for spawning fish, he said.

Schultz’s behemoth largemouth of 10-10 set the bar high for the event’s Carhartt Big Bass bonus of up to $1,500. He said he caught the bass sight fishing at about  noon.

“She was on a bed with a male that weighed about 4 pounds; I caught him next,†Schultz said.

Fish came in pairs for Schultz. He caught a second couple (male and female) soon after the first two. A fifth bass soon finished his limit.

Short, unlike many in the field, was not bed fishing or sight fishing. He established a pattern during practice and stuck to it.

“You gotta love it when the plan comes together,†Short said.

Neither did Biffle try to “look at ’em.â€

“I haven’t seen one on the bed. If I did happen to, I’d try for it. But I don’t like to hunt them,†said Biffle, who would describe his pattern only as “just fishing.â€

 

Standings after Day One:

1.   Shaw Grigsby Jr.             Gainesville, FL                   5   30-05   100

Day 1: 5     30-05

2.   Bernie Schultz                 Gainesville, FL                   5   26-14     99

Day 1: 5     26-14

3.   Kevin Short                       Mayflower, AR                       5   25-09     98

Day 1: 5     25-09

4.   Brett Hite                         Phoenix, AZ                           5   24-11     97

Day 1: 5     24-11

5.   Tommy Biffle                     Wagoner, OK                           5   23-13     96

Day 1: 5     23-13

6.   Hank Cherry Jr                 Maiden, NC                             5   23-03     95

Day 1: 5     23-03

7.   David Walker                     Sevierville, TN                   5   21-04     94

Day 1: 5     21-04

8.   Mark Davis                         Mount Ida, AR                       5   21-00     93

Day 1: 5     21-00

9.   Todd Faircloth                 Jasper, TX                             5   20-15     92

Day 1: 5     20-15

10. Chad Morgenthaler           Coulterville, IL                 5   20-10     91

Day 1: 5     20-10

11. Brian Snowden                   Reeds Spring, MO                 5   20-03     90

Day 1: 5     20-03

12. Takahiro Omori                 Emory, TX                               5   19-11     89

Day 1: 5     19-11

13. Cliff Crochet                   Pierre Part, LA                   5   19-07     88

Day 1: 5     19-07

13. Charlie Hartley               Grove City, OH                     5   19-07     88

Day 1: 5     19-07

13. James Niggemeyer             Van, TX                                   5   19-07     88

Day 1: 5     19-07

16. Britt Myers                       Lake Wylie, SC                     5   19-03     85

Day 1: 5     19-03

17. Morizo Shimizu                 Osaka JAPAN                           5   19-02     84

Day 1: 5     19-02

18. J Todd Tucker                   Moultrie, GA                         4   18-14     83

Day 1: 4     18-14

19. Dennis Tietje                   Roanoke, LA                           5   18-11     82

Day 1: 5     18-11

20. Dean Rojas                         Lake Havasu City, AZ         5   18-09     81

Day 1: 5     18-09

21. Davy Hite                           Ninety Six, SC                     5   18-08     80

Day 1: 5     18-08

22. Clifford Pirch                 Payson, AZ                             5   18-07     79

Day 1: 5     18-07

23. Chris Lane                         Guntersville, AL                 5   18-06     78

Day 1: 5     18-06

23. Brandon Lester                 Fayetteville, TN                 5   18-06     78

Day 1: 5     18-06

25. Ott DeFoe                           Knoxville, TN                       5   17-11     76

Day 1: 5     17-11

26. Kevin VanDam                     Kalamazoo, MI                       5   17-09     75

Day 1: 5     17-09

27. Josh Bertrand                   Gilbert, AZ                           5   17-08     74

Day 1: 5     17-08

27. Justin Lucas                     Guntersville, AL                 5   17-08     74

Day 1: 5     17-08

29. Matt Reed                           Madisonville, TX                 5   17-07     72

Day 1: 5     17-07

30. Aaron Martens                   Leeds, AL                               5   17-05     71

Day 1: 5     17-05

31. Marty Robinson                 Lyman, SC                               5   17-01     70

Day 1: 5     17-01

32. Kurt Dove                           Del Rio, TX                           5   17-00     69

Day 1: 5     17-00

32. Randall Tharp                   Port Saint Joe, FL             5   17-00     69

Day 1: 5     17-00

34. Gerald Swindle                 Warrior, AL                           5   16-15     67

Day 1: 5     16-15

35. Brandon Card                     Caryville, TN                       5   16-10     66

Day 1: 5     16-10

35. Jamie Horton                     Centerville, AL                   5   16-10     66

Day 1: 5     16-10

37. Skeet Reese                       Auburn, CA                             5   16-07     64

Day 1: 5     16-07

37. Byron Velvick                   Boenre, TX                             5   16-07     64

Day 1: 5     16-07

39. Boo Woods                           Oneida, KY                             5   16-06     62

Day 1: 5     16-06

40. Jeremy Starks                   Scott Depot, WV                   5   16-00     61

Day 1: 5     16-00

41. Yusuke Miyazaki               Forney, TX                             5   15-15     60

Day 1: 5     15-15

42. Trevor Romans                   Plano, TX                               5   15-14     59

Day 1: 5     15-14

43. Andy Montgomery               Blacksburg, SC                     5   15-10     58

Day 1: 5     15-10

44. Rick Morris                       Lake Gaston, VA                   5   15-09     57

Day 1: 5     15-09

45. Kelly Jordon                     Palestine, TX                       5   15-05     56

Day 1: 5     15-05

45. Nate Wellman                     Newaygo, MI                           5   15-05     56

Day 1: 5     15-05

47. Matt Herren                       Trussville, AL                     5   15-04     54

Day 1: 5     15-04

48. Kelley Jaye                       Dadeville, AL                       5   15-03     53

Day 1: 5     15-03

49. Scott Rook                         Little Rock, AR                   5   15-02     52

Day 1: 5     15-02

50. Casey Ashley                     Donalds, SC                           5   14-13     51

Day 1: 5     14-13

51. Jacob Powroznik               Port Haywood, VA                 5   14-12     50

Day 1: 5     14-12

52. Stephen Browning             Hot Springs, AR                   5   14-11     49

Day 1: 5     14-11

53. Greg Vinson                       Wetumpka, AL                         5   14-10     48

Day 1: 5     14-10

54. Alton Jones                       Lorena, TX                             5   14-09     47

Day 1: 5     14-09

54. Jared Lintner                   Arroyo Grande, CA               5   14-09     47

Day 1: 5     14-09

56. Mike Kernan                       Wylie, TX                               5   14-08     45

Day 1: 5     14-08

57. Jason Christie                 Park Hill, OK                       5   14-05     44

Day 1: 5     14-05

57. Bobby Lane                         Lakeland, FL                         5   14-05     44

Day 1: 5     14-05

59. Chad Pipkens                     Holt, MI                                 5   14-04     42

Day 1: 5     14-04

60. John Crews Jr                   Salem, VA                               5   14-00     41

Day 1: 5     14-00

61. Michael Iaconelli           Pitts Grove, NJ                   5   13-15     40

Day 1: 5     13-15

62. James Elam                         Tulsa, OK                               4   13-15     39

Day 1: 4     13-15

63. Cliff Prince                     Palatka, FL                           5   13-08     38

Day 1: 5     13-08

64. Bill Lowen                         Brookville, IN                     5   13-03     37

Day 1: 5     13-03

65. Casey Scanlon                   Shawnee Mission, KS           5   13-01     36

Day 1: 5     13-01

66. Zell Rowland                     Montgomery, TX                     5   12-15     35

Day 1: 5     12-15

67. Brent Chapman                   Lake Quivira, KS                 5   12-13     34

Day 1: 5     12-13

68. Gary Klein                         Weatherford, TX                   5   12-12     33

Day 1: 5     12-12

69. Bradley Roy                       Lancaster, KY                       5   12-10     32

Day 1: 5     12-10

70. Russ Lane                           Prattville, AL                     5   12-08     31

Day 1: 5     12-08

71. Kotaro Kiriyama               Moody, AL                               5   12-03     30

Day 1: 5     12-03

71. Ish Monroe                         Hughson, CA                           5   12-03     30

Day 1: 5     12-03

73. BJ Haseotes                       Centerville, MA                   5   11-14     28

Day 1: 5     11-14

74. Fred Roumbanis                 Bixby, OK                               4   11-12     27

Day 1: 4     11-12

75. Terry Scroggins               San Mateo, FL                       5   11-11     26

Day 1: 5     11-11

76. John Murray                       Phoenix, AZ                           5   11-10     25

Day 1: 5     11-10

77. Tracy Adams                       Wilkesboro, NC                     5   11-09     24

Day 1: 5     11-09

78. Keith Combs                       Huntington, TX                     5   11-03     23

Day 1: 5     11-03

78. Fletcher Shryock             New Philadelphia, OH         5   11-03     23

Day 1: 5     11-03

80. Jason Williamson             Aiken, SC                               4   11-00     21

Day 1: 4     11-00

81. Chris Zaldain                   San Jose, CA                         5   10-15     20

Day 1: 5     10-15

82. Tim Horton                         Muscle Shoals, AL               4   10-07     19

Day 1: 4     10-07

83. Kevin Hawk                         Guntersville, AL                 2   10-05     18

Day 1: 2     10-05

84. Boyd Duckett                     Guntersville, AL                 3   09-12     17

Day 1: 3     09-12

85. Edwin Evers                       Talala, OK                            4   09-01     16

Day 1: 4     09-01

86. Brandon Palaniuk             Hayden, ID                             5   09-00     15

Day 1: 5     09-00

87. Glenn Browne                     Ocala, FL                               5   08-13     14

Day 1: 5     08-13

88. Steve Kennedy                   Auburn, AL                             5   08-09     13

Day 1: 5     08-09

89. Scott Ashmore                   Broken Arrow, OK                 3   07-15     12

Day 1: 3     07-15

90. Keith Poche                       Pike Road, AL                       4   07-13     11

Day 1: 4     07-13

91. Pete Ponds                         Madison, MS                           3   07-08     10

Day 1: 3     07-08

92. Mike McClelland               Bella Vista, AR                   3   07-04       9

Day 1: 3     07-04

93. Billy McCaghren               Mayflower, AR                       3   06-11       8

Day 1: 3     06-11

94. Randy Howell                     Springville, AL                   2   06-10       7

Day 1: 2     06-10

95. Rick Clunn                         Ava, MO                                   4   06-09       6

Day 1: 4     06-09

96. Jonathon VanDam               Kalamazoo, MI                       3   06-05       5

Day 1: 3     06-05

97. Paul Elias                         Laurel, MS                             2   06-03       4

Day 1: 2     06-03

98. Jeff Kriet                         Ardmore, OK                           5   06-01       3

Day 1: 5     06-01

99. Derek Remitz                     Grant, AL                               3   05-12       2

Day 1: 3     05-12

100. Greg Hackney                     Gonzales, LA                         2   05-00       1

Day 1: 2     05-00

101. Kenyon Hill                       Norman, OK                             1   04-10       0

Day 1: 1     04-10

102. Michael Simonton             Fremont, OH                           2   03-15       0

Day 1: 2     03-15

103. Joel Baker                         Talala, OK                             2   03-04       0

Day 1: 2     03-04

103. David Mullins                   Mt Carmel, TN                       2   03-04       0

Day 1: 2    03-04

105. Jared Miller                     Norman, OK                             2   02-12       0

Day 1: 2     02-12

106. David Smith                       Del City, OK                         2   02-07       0

Day 1: 2     02-07

107. Joseph Sancho                   New Windsor, NY                   1   02-03       0

Day 1: 1     02-03

108. Grant Goldbeck                 Boerne, TX                             1   02-00       0

Day 1: 1     02-00