Sabine River Challenge Continues To Challenge Elite Anglers
| PLACE | NAME | DAY 1 | DAY 2 | TOTAL FISH | TOTAL WEIGHT | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FISH | WEIGHT | FISH | WEIGHT | ||||
| 1 | Todd Faircloth | 5 | 10- 7 | 5 | 16- 8 | 10 | 26-15 |
| 2 | Dean Rojas | 5 | 15-10 | 5 | 10-14 | 10 | 26- 8 |
| 3 | Cliff Crochet | 5 | 13- 0 | 5 | 12- 0 | 10 | 25- 0 |
| 4 | Terry Scroggins | 3 | 9-11 | 5 | 14-10 | 8 | 24- 5 |
| 5 | Mark Davis | 5 | 13-13 | 4 | 8- 6 | 9 | 22- 3 |
Ike ended up high and dry. photo by B.A.S.S.
Todd Faircloth took the lead at the Bassmaster Elite Series event on the Sabine River which straddles the Texas/Louisiana border. He brought 16-8, the day’s biggest bag, and ran his total to 26-15.
Day 1 leader, Dean Rojas is less than a half-pound behind with 26-8.
Cliff Crochet, Terry Scroggins and Mark Davis are 3rd, 4th, 5th.
Alton Jones is catching bass. He’s even catching keepers. He’s solved two pieces of the puzzle but he’s still dealing with one problem that concerned most anglers – crowding. “There have been 6 limits out of that spot,” said Jones of prime area.
The Sabine River was stingy again but a win is a win and the winner will still make $100,000 and gain a lead in the angler of the Year Race.
Half the field will, at least, take home ten-grand. “When you catch one that’s a pound and 10 ounces and you know it’s a $10,000 fish, you get pretty jacked,” said Garry Klein.
Klein missed the cut but Kelly Jordon bounded into the cut with a 13-15 limit that made up for a 3-pound day 1. “It’s all about decisions, where you go, being in the right place at the right time. I got fortunate,” concluded Jordon.
Talk about being in the right place at the right time (and knowing it). Chris Lane called his shot. “I told the camera boat ‘y’all are gonna leave and I’m gonna catch a 2-pounder out of that mat and y’all are going to miss it’.” The camera crew stayed to watch Lane make one more flip. He caught a 2-pounder. On cue. Some guys couldn’t catch a 2-pounder all week.
Long runs are part of the story this week. “I’m averaging 1 fish for every 41 gallons of gas,” quipped Gerald Swindle.
Jeremy Starks – “I ran 175 miles one-way to Morgan City, Louisiana to catch one fish that weighs 1 pound, 1 ounce.”
Considering that Starks blanked yesterday, that one fish was worth valuable points. Without it he would have gone the way of Jami Fralick, Matt Greenblatt and Kelley Jaye, who all leave Orange TX with no points as they did not weigh a single keeper.
Brandon Card said of his 73 mile run – “It’s like Deliverance. I’m Passing all these weird houses; weird people walking around.” Apparently he passed the right houses. Card is squarely inside the cut at 13th.
Mike Iaconelli wishes he had passed more weird houses. Instead, he lost control of his boat and parked it high and dry on a thicket of shoreline trees. No one was hurt in the accident.
