Clunn, Benton sharing water

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Rick Clunn and Drew Benton have been fishing the same area of a small creek that’s only 50 to 70 yards wide, just like they have been at times the previous two days. It has worked out quite well for them, as Benton was 5th after Day 2 and Clunn was 6th, separated by only 3 ounces.

Clunn wouldn’t have been in 6th place yesterday without an assist from Benton yesterday. Clunn caught the second-biggest bass of Day 2 – a 9 1/2-pounder – right before his check-in time. It was the thrill of victory, followed suddenly by the agony of defeat when Clunn tried to crank his outboard and discovered his battery was dead. That’s when Benton came to him and provided a jump start.

Benton and Clunn are working this area with two different strategies. Benton is fishing the shoreline and Clunn is staying in the middle of the creek. Clunn thought he’d hooked another big bass earlier, near where he caught the 9 1/2-pounder yesterday. He said it bit like a bass and fought like a bass before it revealed itself as a catfish.

At 11 a.m. on BassTrakk, Benton has remained in 5th place with 4 bass weighing 7-13, and Clunn has dropped to 14th with one 1 1/2-pound keeper.