The Bassmaster Elite Series Mississippi River Rumble resumed for the 3^rd of 4 competition days and it did so without the man who led the tournament when the scales had closed on Day 2.

A protest was filed late Friday that said, while competing on Day 2, Brandon Palaniuk inadvertently culled a fish in Minnesota waters where culling is not allowed by state law. His 2^nd round weight was disqualified and he failed to make the 50 cut, failed to cut a paycheck and now needs to regain his head of steam and win one of the remaining Elite Series events if he is to fish his 4^th consecutive Bassmaster Classic.

Tommy Biffle (47-5 total weight) took a temporary lead early in the weigh in show. The he really served notice of his intent, and perhaps ability, to win. “I’ve got a spot I’ve been saving. I’ll just go there and catch one or two each day. I think it’s absolutely loaded.”

Biffle threatens Martens’ lead. Photo credit B.A.S.S./Seigo Saito

If it is ‘absolutely loaded’ and Biffle pounds on the spot tomorrow maybe he can retake that short-lived lead from Aaron Martens who weighed more than 16 pounds today to claim the top spot with a total of 47-12 before weigh in concluded.

Martens finished 2^nd in Lacrosse, WI last year. “Can’t happen two years in a row, can it?” asked A-Mart.

Maybe not. Martens certainly has some momentum going. He not only wrestled the outright lead from Biffle (who sacked 20 pounds today) but also took big bass honors from Biffle (who had a 4-4) with a 4 pound, 15 ounce fish.

John Crews is 3^rd and he lags Biffle by nearly 4-and-a-half pounds so this is shaping up to be a two-man race in a fishery where a guy can get 100 bites a day but maybe none will top the 5-pound mark.

The Top 12 looks like this:

1        Aaron Martens     5        14- 4 5        17- 3 5        16- 5 15      47-12

2        Tommy Biffle       5        14- 0 5        16- 0 5        17- 5 15      47- 5

3        John Crews           5       15- 7 5        13- 1 5        14- 6 15      42-14

4        Brandon Card      5        14- 9 5        13- 9 5        14- 6 15      42- 8

5        Fred Roumbanis   5        14- 4 5        13- 6 5        13-15 15      41- 9

6        Takahiro Omori    5        14- 3 5        12- 9 5        14-12 15      41- 8

7        Bobby Lane         5        14- 5 5        11- 9 5        15- 4 15      41- 2

8        Cliff Pirch            5        14-11 5        11-12 5        14-11 15      41- 2

9        Todd Faircloth     5        14- 5 5        13-15 5        12-14 15      41- 2

10      Edwin Evers         5        13- 5 5        12- 6 5        15- 3 15      40-14

11      Cliff Crochet        5        13-12 5        13- 0 5        14- 2 15      40-14

12      Randy Howell      5        13-14 5        13- 8 5        13- 8 15      40-14

Greg Vinson continues to have a solid season. He nearly made the 12 cut but ended up being the first man out with a total weight of 40-12.

 

A majority of the bass are being caught on frogs and swimjigs in shallow water on the bank side of grass beds that are clearing sediment from otherwise muddy waters. Bass are holed up in small stretches and many pros camped in a favorite area for nearly all of their weight over three days.