Bob Downey primarily fished backwater areas the first two days at Neely Henry. But he’s moved out to the main river this morning, and he’s surged from his 5th place start to the top of the leaderboard with a 12-pound, 14-ounce limit. Interestingly, Downey is catching bass on a swim jig in the main river vegetation that some other anglers have abandoned today, hence the reference to “leftovers.”
However, rather than leftovers, this may actually be a case where the famous Coosa River spotted bass are finally showing up. That’s been the question among the anglers at the weigh-in tanks the past two days, repeatedly, “Where are the spots?” They’re revealing themselves today as the water falls in the upper lake and the current subsides a bit.
This marks only the 20th B.A.S.S. tournament in 33-year-old Downey’s career. The Hudson, Wis., resident has extensive experience on the upper Mississippi River. His best Elite Series performance came earlier this year when he finished 12th on the Tennessee River.