Brent Chapman added a 3-pound, 1-ounce bass at 11:33 a.m. to give him 15-6 on the day and keep him in contention. More importantly, Chapman will leave this event ranked No. 1 in Angler of the Year points.
It’s good to see him back up there. The 45-year-old Lake Quivira, Kansas, pro has been in a long slump since his Toyota Angler of the Year title in 2012. Beginning in 2013, he finished 19th, 52nd, 56th, 59th and 63rd in the AOY standings, a seemingly inexplicable decline.
“I told myself this year I’m going back to basics,” Chapman said yesterday. “I’m doing what I like to do. When I saw that dirty water up the river at Lake Travis, I knew where I was fishing. It’s what I’m confident in.”
Chapman’s previous finishes this season were 19th at Lake Martin, 29th at Grand Lake and 9th at Kentucky Lake.