Kimberling City, MO—The fishing was good enough for Texan Gene Lowrey today at Table Rock Lake that he hardly had to touch any of the spots he found while practicing for the BASS Federation Nation Central Divisional.
"I fished some different water today," said Lowrey, a 41-year-old cattle feed lot manager who caught a 15-pound 5-ounce limit to move into first place in the divisional. "I fished mostly my partner's (Lee Wubbels of Nebraska) water all day but other than that I'm using the same baits that I have been throwing since I've been here."
Although he has never seen Table Rock's blue waters before, the Dalhart, Texas angler has some experience fishing clear-water reservoirs. "I grew up in the Southeast in Alabama and now I live in the Texas Panhandle where we fish a lot of deep clear water."
The Tiptop Bass Club member got a chance to fish his strengths today as he used soft plastics and some topwaters to catch postspawn bass along main lake points. "I caught a few fish on a swim bait today which is something that I am not real proficient at," said Lowrey, who is competing in his second divisional as a boater.
Lowrey leads competitors from eight states in this contest for individual and team honors.
Anglers who finish at the top of their team standings qualify for a berth to amateur bass fishing's premier event, the B.A.S.S. Federation Nation Championship. Their daily catches are also added to their team's score as the eight Federation Nations compete for divisional bragging rights and the grand prize of a Skeeter bass boat/Yamaha outboard rig valued at $40,000.
Topping the team standings is the Oklahoma squad with 81 pounds, 14 ounces, while Texas is in the runner-up spot with 80-10. Lowrey also is Texas' top angler, and the seven other state leaders include Zachary King,, Arkansas; Travis Tunnell, Kansas; Jamie Laiche, Louisiana; Blaine Davis, Mississippi; Dale Hightower, Oklahoma; Greg Cooper, Missouri; and Kenny Wasmund, Nebraska.
Central Divisional state champions and the top divisional team will be determined at the conclusion of this three-day event on Friday.
Daily launches and weigh-ins are being held at Ahoy's at Kimberling Inn. Weigh-ins begin at 2 p.m. CDST each day.
