With a little less than 4 hours left to fish before the first boats are due in, let’s take a look at BassTrakk.
Hunter Shryock has moved up a spot to take the lead, switching places with Day 2 leader Drew Benton who now sits in second. Shryock is 2 pounds ahead and in even better position than he appears, with a small bass under 2 pounds in his bag and far ahead of his normal pace this time of day. Benton is in good shape too though with the better half of the day to fish, as long as the winds don’t completely blow out his sight fishing deal. Still, he’s a hammer with a topwater too and can adjust if need be.
Patrick Walters remains consistent, lurking in third place and a real threat to run away with this one tomorrow. He has the most experience here of the Top 5, and perhaps the whole field. The post-frontal conditions tomorrow could play into the local’s hands big time, as he’ll be able to pull from his lush history here to adjust. Bryant Smith and Mike Iaconelli have rallied into the Top 5, both with around 20 pounds. They are nearing the 20-pound-per-day mark that it will likely take to fish on Championship Sunday. One more big bite for either will probably have him fishing tomorrow.
The Top 10 cutline is where all the focus will be for the remainder of the day. After Day 2, John Cox sat in 10th just one ounce shy of 40 pounds. Shockingly, Cox will likely need more than his average across the first two days to stay in the Top 10. There’s a good chance over 60 pounds will be needed to make the cut, considering the way the lake has fished this morning and the fact that the winds should help the herring bite this afternoon. The cut sits at 53-14 already, Joseph Webster hanging on there for now.
The biggest bag we’ve seen so far weighed 25-8 and came by way of Day 1 leader Matt Robertson. Knowing 25 pounds is more than possible and guessing 60 pounds is the mark to make, Matty Wong with 35-1 for two days has a legitimate shot to fish tomorrow. That weight had him sitting in 41st to start the day. The Elite Pros have wrecked them this week.
