For the third straight day, the anglers competing here will have dramatically different weather conditions. It's been raining hard at times this morning on DeGray Lake. It's 42 degrees, but the thermometer may only rise a few degrees the rest of day.
There are only six competitors on the water today. The Arkansas Fishers of Men team of Flannagan Fife and Royce Davis captured the first-ever Toyota Bonus Bucks Bassmaster Team Championship yesterday.
Today the members of the top three teams are fishing as individuals from identically rigged Skeeter/Yamaha boats. Their total weights over the next two days will determine a Bassmaster Classic berth.
Both Fife and Davis agreed that today's weather is likely to produce the best fish catches of the tournament so far. And tomorrow, when it's predicted to be 62 degrees and sunny, will likely be the worst. It was in the 50s with no clouds on Wednesday, then in the 40s and overcast on Thursday during the team competition.
Davis caught a non-keeper on his fourth cast this morning.
Photos by Bassmaster Marshal Theron Asbery
