Ashley Back On Top As Pros Take A Break At Bassfest On Lake Texoma
Long rods, heavy fluorocarbon line and lightly weighted lures dominate as anglers continue to pitch into thick bushes and other flooded cover.
Casey Ashley retook the lead today but Gerald Swindle is becoming a story in his own right as he attacks Greg Hackney’s lead in the Angler of the Year race. Swindle downplayed the AOY race,”I try not to even look at the points at this time of the year. We’ve got a long way to go.” He did say he is having a good week, making adjustments – and they all seem to be the right ones.
How strong is Hackney right now? Randall Tharp had this to say about him, “Hackney’s not gonna slip up. That guy is making us work for it. This is my 3rd top 12 (this season) and I’m still 100 points behind him.”
Kevin VanDam said “A guy like Greg Hackney can read those bushes and he knows where the fish should be. It’s an art, just like sight fishing or anything else and I’m not a master at it.” KVD hinted he’d be happy with a Top 20 finish because this event doesn’t suit his strength. Even KVD is interested in watching what Hackney can do on the final day.
Water leve isl dropping, but fish are still in the bushes. Will that change while the pros have Saturday off to participate in BASSFest?
Hackney doesn’t seem to think so. “I really like the day off. I’m gonna sleep in and come out here and enjoy BASSFest. I don’t think (the day off) can hurt (his pattern).”
Despite the attention on Hackney, Ashley is actually in the lead again. He feels the fishing a bit of a hit-and-miss deal. “It’s random. Any flip can be a 7-pounder.” “Random, – that’s the word I keep hearing,” said tourney emcee Dave Mercer.
Rick Clunn, in 4th place, shared his thoughts on that subject, “It’s not random at all.” He had one of the best practices he’s ever had. He dialed-in on the bite and is doing fine now. A lot of us are rooting for Clunn to make the Classic on Conroe this year. He has a great shot at it.
The official word from B.A.S.S.:
DURANT, Okla. — Casey Ashley of Donalds, S.C., bounced back to reclaim the lead today after bringing 17 pounds, 5 ounces to the scale during the semi-final round of GEICO Bassmaster BASSfest presented by Choctaw Casino and Resort at Lake Texoma.
Ashley’s limit of bass bumped his three-day total to 51-15, which is more than 3 pounds ahead of Gerald Swindle of Warrior, Ala., who now sits in second.
“The morning hours are very important to producing a solid limit,” Ashley said. “Once the sun gets high, the fish seem more reluctant to bite. It’s flat-out challenging to cull up during the afternoon.”
Even after three days of competition and several official practice days, the 2015 Bassmaster Classic champion said that he still isn’t locked in on a specific pattern, but the fishing remains good in his area.
“During most tournaments you can often predict when and where the fish will bite, but here it’s not that way at all. The fish are setting up in submerged bushes that are typically on dry land. When one does bite, it’s very random compared to how and where the last fish did.”
Ashley said that covering water and keeping his lure in the brush is the best way to find and catch active fish.
Swindle caught 16 pounds today pushing this total weight to 48-5, and he attributes his success to fishing ultra slow and giving the brush-hugging bass several opportunities to see and eat his presentation.
“I missed a lot of fish today. They were biting it, but not fully eating it, which makes it hard to get a good hookset,” Swindle said. “I personally believe that the receding water makes the bass uncomfortable, which results in half-hearted bites. I am catching good fish, though, and with a weather change in the forecast, I bet it gets even better on Sunday”
Each day of competition, Swindle has improved his placement in the daily standings. The only way to better today’s finish is to win on Sunday, and in order for that to happen, he thinks at least 19 pounds will be required.
Greg Hackney of Gonzales, La., weighed in a five-bass limit for 12-7 and fell two spots to third place today. He is currently 4 pounds, 13 ounces out of the lead.
“I didn’t get the big bites today, but to be honest I’m very happy with how things have gone so far,” Hackney said. “I came here to finish strong and improve on my Angler of the Year standings, and now I’ve got a shot at winning this thing.
“I’m glad we have a day off, which I believe will help me and the fishing. There is a pending weather system pushing through by the end of the weekend, and I think that will help what I’ve got going on.”
Randall Tharp of Port St. Joe, Fla., caught a bass that weighed in at 7-6, which is the derby’s new Phoenix Boats Big Bass. If a bigger bass isn’t caught during Championship Sunday, Tharp will take home a $1,500 bonus.
Rounding out the Top 10 are Rick Clunn (44-0), Chad Morgenthaler (43-8), Brandon Card (43-1), Randall Tharp (42-9), Bradley Roy (42-3), Ott DeFoe (41-10) and Keith Poche (41-6).
Following today’s weigh-in, the field will be cut to the Top 12 anglers who will compete on Sunday for the $100,000 first-place prize and a berth to the 2017 GEICO Bassmaster Classic presented by GoPro.
Takeoff will be held Sunday morning at Dam Site Park in Denison, Texas, at 6:15 a.m. CT, and weigh-in will take place at 3:45 p.m. at Choctaw Casino in Durant, Okla.
There will be no fishing on Saturday, as Bassmaster University will take place at Choctaw Casino & Resort in Durant, Okla., in the same location as daily weigh-ins. Gates open at 10 a.m., and it’s completely free to the public. Bassmaster fans will have opportunities to visit sponsor booths, attend pro seminars, ask their favorite anglers questions and even gather autographs.
Also on Saturday, the Bassmaster High School All-American Fishing Team has been invited to participate in a special tournament Saturday on Lake McGee. Each All-American angler will be paired with an Elite Series pro for the one-day derby with weigh-in at Choctaw Casino Resort beginning at 2:30 p.m.
2016 GEICO Bassmaster BASSfest presented by Choctaw Casino and Resort 6/8-6/12
Lake Texoma, Durant OK.
(PROFESSIONAL) Standings Day 3
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Casey Ashley Donalds, SC 15 51-15 110
Day 1: 5 20-01 Day 2: 5 14-09 Day 3: 5 17-05
2. Gerald Swindle Guntersville, AL 15 48-05 109
Day 1: 5 14-11 Day 2: 5 17-10 Day 3: 5 16-00
3. Greg Hackney Gonzales, LA 15 48-03 108 $500.00
Day 1: 5 15-10 Day 2: 5 20-02 Day 3: 5 12-07
4. Rick Clunn Ava, MO 15 44-00 107
Day 1: 5 14-00 Day 2: 5 15-06 Day 3: 5 14-10
5. Chad Morgenthaler Reeds Spring, MO 14 43-08 106
Day 1: 5 19-06 Day 2: 4 11-02 Day 3: 5 13-00
6. Brandon Card Caryville, TN 15 43-01 105
Day 1: 5 16-00 Day 2: 5 10-08 Day 3: 5 16-09
7. Randall Tharp Port St. Joe, FL 15 42-09 104
Day 1: 5 14-06 Day 2: 5 12-02 Day 3: 5 16-01
8. Bradley Roy Lancaster, KY 15 42-03 103
Day 1: 5 09-15 Day 2: 5 18-12 Day 3: 5 13-08
9. Ott DeFoe Knoxville, TN 15 41-10 102
Day 1: 5 18-05 Day 2: 5 12-00 Day 3: 5 11-05
10. Keith Poche Pike Road, AL 15 41-06 101
Day 1: 5 16-00 Day 2: 5 12-15 Day 3: 5 12-07
11. Jordan Lee Grant, AL 15 41-04 100
Day 1: 5 12-06 Day 2: 5 14-02 Day 3: 5 14-12
12. Dean Rojas Lake Havasu City, AZ 15 40-12 99
Day 1: 5 12-14 Day 2: 5 15-08 Day 3: 5 12-06
13. Adrian Avena Vineland, NJ 15 40-12 98 $11,000.00
Day 1: 5 14-09 Day 2: 5 11-15 Day 3: 5 14-04
14. Chris Zaldain Laughlin, NV 15 40-11 97 $11,000.00
Day 1: 5 14-11 Day 2: 5 12-11 Day 3: 5 13-05
15. David Walker Sevierville, TN 15 40-07 96 $11,000.00
Day 1: 5 16-08 Day 2: 5 11-00 Day 3: 5 12-15
16. Keith Combs Huntington, TX 15 39-14 95 $11,000.00
Day 1: 5 13-03 Day 2: 5 12-04 Day 3: 5 14-07
17. Jacob Powroznik Port Haywood, VA 15 39-10 94 $11,000.00
Day 1: 5 11-01 Day 2: 5 13-03 Day 3: 5 15-06
18. Mark Menendez Paducah, KY 14 39-09 93 $11,000.00
Day 1: 5 14-00 Day 2: 4 10-02 Day 3: 5 15-07
19. Bobby Lane Jr. Lakeland, FL 15 39-05 92 $11,000.00
Day 1: 5 14-00 Day 2: 5 12-00 Day 3: 5 13-05
20. Mike McClelland Bella Vista, AR 15 38-12 91 $11,000.00
Day 1: 5 13-13 Day 2: 5 11-08 Day 3: 5 13-07
21. David Williams Newton, NC 15 38-00 90 $11,000.00
Day 1: 5 08-13 Day 2: 5 14-03 Day 3: 5 15-00
22. Kevin VanDam Kalamazoo, MI 15 37-13 89 $11,000.00
Day 1: 5 15-09 Day 2: 5 09-13 Day 3: 5 12-07
23. Edwin Evers Talala, OK 15 37-12 88 $11,000.00
Day 1: 5 18-08 Day 2: 5 10-08 Day 3: 5 08-12
24. Marty Robinson Lyman, SC 14 37-08 87 $11,000.00
Day 1: 4 10-03 Day 2: 5 14-08 Day 3: 5 12-13
25. Tommy Biffle Wagoner, OK 15 37-07 86 $11,000.00
Day 1: 5 08-15 Day 2: 5 15-15 Day 3: 5 12-09
26. Michael Iaconelli Pitts Grove, NJ 15 36-05 85 $11,000.00
Day 1: 5 15-15 Day 2: 5 09-11 Day 3: 5 10-11
27. Brett Preuett Monroe, LA 15 36-02 84 $11,000.00
Day 1: 5 15-07 Day 2: 5 10-08 Day 3: 5 10-03
28. Yusuke Miyazaki Forney, TX 15 35-08 83 $11,000.00
Day 1: 5 16-05 Day 2: 5 07-08 Day 3: 5 11-11
29. Clent Davis Montevallo, AL 15 35-03 82 $11,000.00
Day 1: 5 12-04 Day 2: 5 14-02 Day 3: 5 08-13
30. Justin Lucas Guntersville, AL 15 35-01 81 $11,000.00
Day 1: 5 09-05 Day 2: 5 16-05 Day 3: 5 09-07
31. Jared Lintner Arroyo Grande, CA 15 35-01 80 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 13-03 Day 2: 5 10-10 Day 3: 5 11-04
32. Ken Iyobe Tokoname Aichi JAPAN 14 34-11 79 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 11-10 Day 2: 5 13-03 Day 3: 4 09-14
33. Brandon Coulter Knoxville, TN 15 34-10 78 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 11-11 Day 2: 5 10-10 Day 3: 5 12-05
34. Takahiro Omori Emory, TX 13 34-08 77 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 10-05 Day 2: 4 14-15 Day 3: 4 09-04
35. Gary Klein Weatherford, TX 13 34-02 76 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 13-04 Day 2: 3 09-11 Day 3: 5 11-03
36. John Murray Spring City, TN 15 33-13 75 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 12-00 Day 2: 5 10-08 Day 3: 5 11-05
37. Seth Feider Bloomington, MN 15 33-12 74 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 12-06 Day 2: 5 10-00 Day 3: 5 11-06
38. Steve Kennedy Auburn, AL 13 33-06 73 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 11-09 Day 2: 5 17-00 Day 3: 3 04-13
39. Josh Bertrand Gilbert, AZ 14 33-04 72 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 11-10 Day 2: 5 11-14 Day 3: 4 09-12
40. Chris Lane Guntersville, AL 13 33-03 71 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 13-08 Day 2: 3 11-04 Day 3: 5 08-07
41. Fred Roumbanis Bixby, OK 15 33-01 70 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 09-10 Day 2: 5 13-03 Day 3: 5 10-04
42. Brandon Palaniuk Rathdrum, ID 11 32-15 69 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 18-03 Day 2: 5 12-08 Day 3: 1 02-04
43. Ish Monroe Hughson, CA 13 32-07 68 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 15-02 Day 2: 3 08-09 Day 3: 5 08-12
44. Brett Hite Phoenix, AZ 14 30-04 67 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 10-06 Day 2: 5 12-11 Day 3: 4 07-03
45. Chad Grigsby Maple Grove, MN 13 29-11 66 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 11-06 Day 2: 5 12-04 Day 3: 3 06-01
46. Drew Benton Panama City, FL 14 28-14 65 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 10-09 Day 2: 5 11-13 Day 3: 4 06-08
47. Bill Lowen Brookville, IN 12 27-05 64 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 13-10 Day 2: 5 11-01 Day 3: 2 02-10
48. Jeff Kriet Ardmore, OK 12 26-15 63 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 14-04 Day 2: 5 09-07 Day 3: 2 03-04
49. Alton Jones Lorena, TX 11 24-14 62 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 12-10 Day 2: 5 11-01 Day 3: 1 01-03
50. Luke Clausen Otis Orchards, WA 11 24-08 61 $10,000.00
Day 1: 5 08-15 Day 2: 5 14-03 Day 3: 1 01-06
———————————————————————–
Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 91 508 1176-04
2 79 490 1151-06
3 38 223 544-04
———————————-
208 1221 2871-14
