Four hours in, four to go. Or around about there anyway. With a delayed takeoff due to fog and only the first flight due in at 3, we’re essentially halfway through the day. Will Davis Jr has taken the lead, on the back of a critical decision made a few minutes ago.
Davis has been sitting directly below Logan Martin Dam all morning but decided to make a small move to try to make something happen, and it worked. He boated a 3- and 3/4-pound spot within a cast or two of relocating. This was fish number four for Davis and it pushed him into the lead with 10-12 on the day. Davis is one bite away now from averaging 16- to 17- pounds per day, the pace many thought would win easily here this week.
Day 1 and 2 leader Brandon Palaniuk was on the high end of that pace after two days, averaging 17-14. That bar has proven hard for him to meet this morning. But a big bite or two could certainly put Palaniuk right back on track to make a run at the title tomorrow. Only the Top 10 will have a chance after the other 40 anglers are eliminated today. Let’s look at what they’ll need to do to get there.
With half a day of fishing left, Matt Arey currently sits on the Top 10 bubble, with 8-2 on the day and 34-8 for the event. Scott Canterbury sits in 14th unofficially, and he predicted prior to the event that 14 pounds per day would give an angler a good chance to fish on Sunday. That puts the bar at 42 pounds for three days and may prove slightly heavier than the actual weight needed at weigh-in today. Justin Atkins sat in 10th after Day 2 with 27-12, just off the 14-per-day predicted pace. Look for an angler to possibly sneak in with 40 pounds, 10 ounces.
