Lester Leads Tight Field on First Day of 2016 Bassmaster Elite Series

Brandon Lester brought 23 pounds, 13 ounces of St Johns River bass to the scale in Palatka, Fla. to take the Day 1 lead at the first Elite series derby of 2016.

Lester’s lead of less than a pound is substantial in light of the tight weights that dominate the leader board. His competitors follow with 3 sacks of better than 22 pounds, 5 more that are heavier than 21 and another 5 that are north of the 20 pound mark. After that the weights remain packed down the 110 man field. Ties, even 3-way ties, are numerous.

 

 

Lester, who weighed in the days first 9-pound class fish actually found the fish late on the final practice day. “I originally thought that fish was around 6 to 6-1/2 pounds when I found her yesterday (Wednesday) Then when I hooked her today and got her in the boat I realized I was way off.”

Elite Series rookie Drew Benton of Panama City, Fla. is 2nd with 22-15.  Benton fishing his first tournament on the St. Johns River was pretty excited about his day and his chances tomorrow. “The weather will dictate a lot of what I do tomorrow. I need to go out and catch all I can early and then see what the rest of the weekend holds. The clouds don’t bother me as much as the wind, I’m looking at them like most of the field and would like for the wind to stay down.”

Veteran pro Cliff Crochet is sitting in 3rd with 22-14 and is “feeling good.” Says Crochet. “Its great to get out of the gate on a good start, everyone is at zero and the hardest thing to do is climb out of a hole, so I am glad to kick this year off to a good start.” Crochet added, “Its like being in a tie game and hitting a 3-pointer, its exciting, unlike being down by 20 points and hitting a 3-pointer, that ain’t exciting…”

Crochet will be one to watch as he told us he was not fishing in the crowds, but had his own little deal going. “I’m looking for certain things and certain areas and then I go to work, I’m covering water..”

Veteran Randall Tharp had 22-10. Good enough for 4th place.

Cliff Pace and Jason Williamson (what did we say about those ties) round out the top 5 with 21-10 apiece.

Newly-crowned Classic Champ Edwin Evers had the day’s biggest bass at 9 pounds, 13 ounces. She anchors a 20-5 sack that is good for 12th place. They say momentum is a big deal in the sport of bass fishing. Evers is giving some credibility to that assertion.

Nobody zeroed today. Only one angler failed to catch a 5-fish limit. The river is fishing extremely well and we should be in for a show this week!

Of course, this means that everybody still has a shot at this thing. The guys who find a couple of the big girls tomorrow will be fishing on Saturday. There will be movement in the standings by this time tomorrow.

As for technique, it looks as though the majority were sight fishing, with a few guys doing something else, but for all intent and purpose, this is a hunting derby. Lake George was crowded and, due to warm weather, anglers weren’t the only ones out there. Jet skiers and airboaters paraded around and over the spawning flats.

 

Lester foud the big one today, Can he do it again tomorrow? Who will join him on Sunday after the cut is made?

We will find out tomorrow! Check back here at Anglerschannel.com