We got word that Hank Cherry had caught a big one, not far from where James Overstreet and I were following Aaron Martens, so we made a move. And Cherry was on the move when we got close.
We followed him into Yellowjacket Creek, under a bridge and then Cherry shut it down to fish a boat dock. When we pulled up, he said, "You want a picture of that big one?"
He pulled a largemouth bass from his livewell that Cherry estimates at 7 or 8 pounds. This iPhone photo, taken from a distance, doesn't reveal how big it looked to Overstreet and me. We agree with Cherry's assessment. It's a game-changer, possibly.
Cherry started the day in 8th place – 3 pounds, 3 ounces behind Day Three leader Tommy Biffle. He's got another 1 1/2- to 1 3/4-pounder in the livewell.
"If I get three more bites, they're going to have to beat me," he said.
Cherry is swimming a white jig and trailer around boat docks.
By the way, he said he swung that big one in the boat. Cherry deserves some good fortune after the heartbreaker he missed during the Bassmaster Classic on Grand Lake.