Dudley Opens With Big Lead On Day 1 Of 2014 Forrest Wood Cup!
“The fish are in 1-to-30 feet of water and I have no idea where my next bite is coming from,” said Brent Ehrler backstage after weighing 13-05 – a very respectable limit that put him in the Top 10 after the first day of the 2014 Forrest Wood Cup on Lake Murray.
Ehrler’s sentiments sum-up the nature of the mid-August bite on a lake known for producing eye-popping bags of bass in spring.
Most pundits figured that 13 pounds-per-day would make a winner out of a man this week. Indeed, there were only 3 sacks better than 14 pounds brought to the scales today.
David Dudley leads all pros with 17 pounds, 14 ounces.
Bryan thrift and Cody Meyer are tied for 2nd with 14-09 apiece. The juxtaposition of Meyer and Thrift illustrates the variety of techniques in play among the3 scattered bass population: West Coast deep water master Meyer caught 2 fish on a drop shot, two on swimbaits and one on a top water. Thrift, of Shelby North Carolina, stayed in his comfort zone. Tomorrow he may fish even shallower.
Dudley mixed it up shallow and deep.
Most guys are moving to new water tomorrow. Fish aren’t replenishing here this time of year as they do in spring. Andy Morgan (in 8th with 12-10) joked with Thrift that he would trade spots with him on day 2. In all seriousness, that is likely to happen.
Witnesses put local favorite Anthony Gagliardi down by the dam today. He had 13-02, good for 7th place.
Everybody is chasing Dudley now. A lead of 3 pounds, 5 ounces is huge in a tourney where the next 9 spots are separated by 3 pounds, 1 ounce.
But this is a 4-day event and things are bound to change.
Morgan said he will certainly head down the lake tomorrow. “I should have moved this afternoon,” noted the newly-crowned 2014 FLW Tour Angler of the Year. “I could have improved my weight if I had. I will definitely move to new water tomorrow.” AnglersChannel.com Insider Vance McCullough spent over 5 hours filming Morgan today. The back-to-back AOY Champ beat the bark off the dead willow trees in Little Saluda River. Three years of high water has killed the willows. Grass carp have eradicated the grass – and the fishing that was so productive in 2008 when Fred Roumbanis won a Bassmaster Elite Series tourney up there. Morgan managed in a limit in what many locals consider to be dead water. Watch for that footage on an upcoming episode of The Progressive Bass Wrap Up Show!
And stay with us at anglersChannel.com and our Facebook page as we bring you the action from Lake Murray, site of this year’s Forrest Wood Cup!
Your Day 1 Top 10:
| 1 | DAVID DUDLEY | 17-14 (5) | 17-14 (5) | – | ||
| 2 | CODY MEYER | 14-09 (5) | 14-09 (5) | 3-05 | ||
| 3 | BRYAN THRIFT | 14-09 (5) | 14-09 (5) | 3-05 | ||
| 4 | BRAD KNIGHT | 13-07 (5) | 13-07 (5) | 4-07 | ||
| 5 | SCOTT MARTIN | 13-06 (5) | 13-06 (5) | 4-08 | ||
| 6 | BRENT EHRLER | 13-05 (5) | 13-05 (5) | 4-09 | ||
| 7 | ANTHONY GAGLIARDI | 13-02 (5) | 13-02 (5) | 4-12 | ||
| 8 | ANDY MORGAN | 12-10 (5) | 12-10 (5) | 5-04 | ||
| 9 | JACOB WHEELER | 12-05 (5) | 12-05 (5) | 5-09 | ||
| 10 | BARRY WILSON | 11-08 (5) | 11-08 (5) | 6-06 |
