Del Rio, TX – In the 1968 sci-fi series, “Land of the Giants,” two crew members and four passengers of the sub-orbital spacecraft Spindrift are drawn through a space warp that crashes them onto a planet where everything is 12 times its normal size. Just like the crew and passengers of the Spindrift, is seems as though the kick-off event of the 2007 Elite Series has 108 pros and their co-anglers surrounded by giants as well…only of a different species.
While the day may have started off on the chilly side, by the time the weigh-in was over the ensuing big-fish buzz set the stage on fire! Unless someone pulls the plug at the dam and the lake dries up, the pre-tournament predictions of at least 100 pounds needed to win will turn out to be on the conservative side. This could get really stupid and become another record-breaking event by the time Sunday rolls around.
Ken Cook took early honors Thursday with a very respectable limit that weighed 28-15. It wasn’t long until he was unseated by Terry “Big Show” Scroggins, who toted 30-12 to the stage, besting Cook by nearly two pounds. It was about then that things started to get out of hand as four more anglers crossed the stage with limits besting both Scroggins and Cook.
Leading the pack was Steve Kennedy who brought a bag of monsters to the scales that weighed 36-10. It would be great to be able to say that Kennedy is looking for that “break-out” tournament, or the much needed jump-start to his career – or even redemption after a lackluster Classic. The truth of it is that none of the above would be true given the 2006 season he had, and a better-than-average Classic finish. This boy can just flat out fish!
Second-place on day one went to Elite Series rookie Scott Campbell whose five best weighed 36-00. Scott’s bag was anchored by a 12-7 giant that nearly dwarfed Paul Elias’ 10-pound lunker that held down big fish honors for most of the weigh-in. The fish held on to earn Big Bass honors and put $1,000 in Campbell’s pocket.
In third place when the curtain fell on Thursday was the man in pink, Kevin Short. Short’s limit of Tex-Mex bass was over three-pounds shy of the lead, but still weighed an impressive 33-06. Fourth place was occupied by former leader, and the practice-period heavyweight, Terry Scroggins
who weighed in five bass at 30-12.
Rounding out the top five was Edwin Evers with a five-fish limit weighing 29-11. Veteran pro Ken Cook – who held the top spot for half of the weigh-in – closed out the super six with 28-15.
Here’s what the remainder of the top 12 looked like:
7. Alton Jones 5 for 28-07
8. Cliff Pace 5 for 28-03
9. Mike Iaconelli 5 for 27-09
10. Dean Rojas 5 for 27-00
11. Jeff Kriet 5 for 26-14
12. Charlie Hartley 5 for 26-12 .
Kennedy’s First Time
Stepping off the stage, it was clear that the Alabama pro and defending Toyota Rookie of the Year was on cloud nine. Not necessarily because he’d taken over the lead, but because he’d caught them the way that he had. “I had a blast today…I really don’t know what to say,” he said.
“I’m doing something I’ve never done before. I’m out there throwing a big
swimbait! I have never caught a fish before this week on a
swimbait! I decided that if I was going to win it, I was going to have to throw a
swimbait.”
Known as an all-round versatile angler, the move to a big swimbait doesn’t shock anyone. However, the swimbait wasn’t something that Steve thought he’d rely on – particularly after the first morning of practice. “They were catching some big ones out here on it last year, so I spent a whole day of practice trying to catch them,” he said.
“I was halfway through that day before I had my first bite on it, but when I did it was an eight, and then I caught a seven within a few casts. With the overcast skies that we had this morning and a little bit of wind, it was on! I mean it was just unreal!” |
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Steve explained that he’s fishing a classic “‘tweener” pattern, meaning some of his fish are post spawn and some are pre-spawn. Regardless of the stage the bass are in when hooked, he knows the bait he’s using is much easier than the deep-jig he was using last year. “I figured coming in that I could have 20 to 25 pounds fishing a deep jig around mesquite trees,” he said.
“This is much easier…just letting them swim out of the trees with the bait! Last year on the final day I missed 20 fish flipping those trees. Today I didn’t miss a fish – I’ve been shaking all day. I had 30 pounds by 9:00 this morning. It was just sick!”
Campbell Swims to Second
Elite Series rookie Scott Campbell almost did what no rookie before him has done – steal the stage on the first day of a tournament at Amistad. Okay, that’s not really a fair statement as he did steal the stage with the massive 12-7 beauty he weighed in for Big Bass honors. “It’s crazy…just crazy,” he said.
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“This morning as the wind started blowing and it started getting windier, the swimbait bite just turned on big time.”
Campbell admits that during practice he felt that he was on a decent bite, but knows that he was a missed opportunity away from being middle-of-the-road on day one. “My practice was pretty solid,” he explained. “I didn’t catch nearly the size that I caught today.
“I knew that I could go out and catch 25 pounds, and then go from there. The whole key is fishing clean – you have to make sure that you get every fish to the boat in order to bump up.” |
With high skies, the water temperatures skyrocketed this afternoon. Like most, Campbell is keeping a close eye on the shallows. He has a 10+ on a bed that should be ready to go for a boat ride tomorrow afternoon. “I think I have a place that I can go fill a limit of decent fish pretty quick,” he said.
“From there I’ll move out to some spawning fish that I found this afternoon. By the time the weekend rolls around, this place is going to be out of control with the big fish that are moving onto beds.”
Short and Pink
Kevin Short had a miserable tournament the last time he was here, only made worse by the fact that he stuck around for a couple days after it was all over and had the opportunity to witness firsthand what the lake’s potential really was.
On his mind in the year that’s past was the real potential that all of the publicity had hurt the Rio Grande impoundment. “I really thought that after we came down here last year and the lake got all of the publicity that it would be tough,” he said.
“After what I’ve seen this week, this lake isn’t hurt at all – this lake is just so full of fish.”
Short explained that his day started deep and ended shallow as a result of the change in light. “I started this morning off shore trying to follow fish as they’re moving up,” he said. “Because of the clouds, I didn’t get bit so I moved up shallow.
“I started getting bit, and had to make another little adjustment when the sun popped out. By the end of the day, I had them dialed into the point where I could look at a little pocket and know if it had what I needed.” |
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Short is playing tomorrow one cast at a time. “If the wind doesn’t blow, or if the sun doesn’t shine like it did today, things will be a lot different,” he explained. “The fish aren’t going anywhere, it’s just a matter if I can make the adjustments to stay with it.”
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Evers Mixes and Matches
Always hanging around near the top of the leader board is Oklahoma pro Edwin Evers. With a new sponsor he acquired in the off-season, Edwin came armed with a whole slew of choices in presentations and techniques – making his typical front-running status all the more threatening. “It was a good day,” he said. “I caught them three different ways, on three different PRADCO baits.
“I’m just glad to have them as a sponsor because they make some baits that are just unbelievable.”
Coming into to Thursday’s start, Evers didn’t have much to fall back on as a result of a sub-par practice. He was able to figure out what he needed to do throughout the day, and looks forward to more of the same Friday. “I’m fortunate,” he explained, “because I didn’t have a great practice. I’m real, real happy with what I had today.” |
Cook Comes out Strong
Veteran pro Ken Cook knows a thing or two about good starts as he’s been around the game for years and years. One thing he knows for sure is that he doesn’t want a repeat of last year’s event at this lake to follow him into ’07. “I started out strong in this tournament last year,” he said, “I just hope that I don’t have the same second day as I did then.
“It was a slow start today, but I finally got cranked up on the right deal.”
Cook had four peanuts and a good kicker by mid-morning, but was able to get on the right group just before lunch. As a result, he feels sure that he can go out and have a solid day Friday. “At 10:00 I have five, but only one of them was a good one,” he said.
“I finally got on a wad of good fish and caught two sixes back-to-back. This place is just amazing. When you find a mess of good fish, you can just stay on them and wear ‘em out.”
Iaconelli Going for Consistency
Defending Angler of the Year Mike “Ike” Iaconelli isn’t sitting back resting on his haunches. Instead, he plans to make another run at the title in ’07. It all started Thursday, and if his weight for the day is any predictor, this could be another salty season for the New Jersey pro. “Today was just awesome,” he said.
“I ran two different patterns today dependant on what the light conditions were. When it was cloudy, you could run a reaction pattern. Once the sun came out they really shifted and you had to get a lot more precise.”
With room to spare, Ike is running on all cylinders. “I have three or four areas that I’m rotating through that are capable of producing in all different conditions,” he said. “This place is just absolutely loaded with big fish…it’s just a matter of finding the right concentration and adjusting your technique to suit it.” |
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“To be honest, my only goal this week is to stay consistent,” he added. “The shallower fish – say less than 10-feet of water – are just going to get beat up. My best area had 12 local boats in it, so that’s going to be critical…preserving my fish.”
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VanDam Seeking Revenge...........
The fish should be very scared…
Anytime that KVD has a tougher-than-expected day where the conditions didn’t mesh with his game plan, odds are good that he’s going to blast back the following day and exact his form of revenge. According to him, Thursday was just such a day. “I really thought today was going to be awesome with the clouds and the wind,” he said.
It could be the charity-bowling event set for Friday night where he’s set to defend his title, or it could be that his bite just didn’t materialize that he hoped that it would. Either way, he learned something at the end of the day that should make more an interesting Friday. “I really had a hard time this morning and really struggled,” he explained.
“I finally managed to put something together that should be a little more productive tomorrow. I’m just proud to be able to put together what I did today to tell you the truth.” |
Day
One Standings
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Day
1 |
Day
1 |
| Place |
Pro
Angler |
Hometown,
State |
# |
Weight |
|
|
|
|
|
| 1 |
Steve
Kennedy |
Auburn,
Ala. |
5 |
36-10 |
| 2 |
Scott
Campbell |
Springfield,
Mo. |
5 |
36-00 |
| 3 |
Kevin
Short |
Mayflower,
Ark. |
5 |
33-06 |
| 4 |
Terry
Scroggins |
San
Mateo, Fla. |
5 |
30-12 |
| 5 |
Edwin
Evers |
Talala,
Okla. |
5 |
29-11 |
| 6 |
Ken
D Cook |
Lawton,
Okla. |
5 |
28-15 |
| 7 |
Alton
Jones |
Waco,
Texas |
5 |
28-07 |
| 8 |
Cliff
Pace |
Petal,
Miss. |
5 |
28-03 |
| 9 |
Michael
Iaconelli |
Runnemede,
N.J. |
5 |
27-09 |
| 10 |
Dean
Rojas |
Grand
Saline, Texas |
5 |
27-00 |
| 11 |
Jeff
Kriet |
Ardmore,
Okla. |
5 |
26-14 |
| 12 |
Charlie
Hartley |
Grove
City, Ohio |
5 |
26-12 |
| 13 |
Gary
Klein |
Weatherford,
Texas |
5 |
26-09 |
| 14 |
Kevin
VanDam |
Kalamazoo,
Mich. |
5 |
26-08 |
| 15 |
Takahiro
Omori |
Emory,
Texas |
5 |
26-04 |
| 16 |
Jared
Lintner |
Arroyo
Grande, Calif. |
5 |
26-02 |
| 17 |
Grant
Goldbeck |
Gaithersburg,
Md. |
5 |
26-00 |
| 18 |
Davy
Hite |
Ninety
Six, S.C. |
5 |
25-15 |
| 19 |
Paul
Elias |
Laurel,
Miss. |
5 |
25-11 |
| 20 |
Greg
Hackney |
Gonzales,
La. |
5 |
25-03 |
| 21 |
Ishama
Monroe |
Hughson,
Calif. |
5 |
25-02 |
| 21 |
Skeet
Reese |
Auburn,
Calif. |
5 |
25-02 |
| 23 |
Ken
Brodeur |
Niantic,
Conn. |
5 |
23-07 |
| 24 |
John
Crews |
Salem,
Va. |
5 |
23-04 |
| 25 |
Brent
Chapman |
Lake
Quivira, Kan. |
5 |
23-01 |
| 26 |
Greg
Gutierrez |
Red
Bluff, Calif. |
5 |
22-15 |
| 27 |
Timmy
Horton |
Muscle
Shoals, Ala. |
5 |
22-09 |
| 28 |
Steve
Daniel |
Clewiston,
Fla. |
5 |
22-08 |
| 29 |
Scott
Rook |
Little
Rock, Ark. |
5 |
21-13 |
| 30 |
Gerald
Swindle |
Warrior,
Ala. |
5 |
21-12 |
| 31 |
Aaron
Martens |
Leeds,
Ala. |
5 |
21-10 |
| 32 |
Marty
Stone |
Fayetteville,
N.C. |
5 |
21-06 |
| 33 |
Jimmy
Mize |
Ben
Lomond, Ark. |
5 |
20-14 |
| 34 |
Brian
Snowden |
Reeds
Spring, Mo. |
5 |
20-11 |
| 35 |
Bryan
Hudgins |
Orange
Park, Fla. |
5 |
20-09 |
| 36 |
Mark
Tyler |
Vian,
Okla. |
5 |
20-08 |
| 37 |
Ben
Matsubu |
Hemphill,
Texas |
5 |
20-03 |
| 37 |
Derek
Remitz |
Hemphill,
Texas |
5 |
20-03 |
| 39 |
Randy
Howell |
Springville,
Ala. |
5 |
20-01 |
| 40 |
Kotaro
Kiriyama |
Moody,
Ala. |
5 |
20-00 |
| 41 |
Kenyon
Hill |
Norman,
Okla. |
5 |
19-15 |
| 41 |
Matthew
Sphar |
Pavilion,
N.Y. |
5 |
19-15 |
| 43 |
Chris
Lane |
Winter
Haven, Fla. |
5 |
19-07 |
| 44 |
John
Murray |
Phoenix,
Ariz. |
5 |
19-04 |
| 44 |
Jason
Quinn |
Lake
Wylie, S.C. |
5 |
19-04 |
| 46 |
Denny
Brauer |
Camdenton,
Mo. |
5 |
19-02 |
| 47 |
Shaw
E Grigsby, Jr |
Gainesville,
Fla. |
5 |
19-00 |
| 47 |
Mark
Menendez |
Paducah,
Ky. |
5 |
19-00 |
| 49 |
Todd
Faircloth |
Jasper,
Texas |
5 |
18-02 |
| 49 |
Britt
Myers |
Lake
Wylie, S.C. |
5 |
18-02 |
| 49 |
Dave
Wolak |
Wake
Forest, N.C. |
5 |
18-02 |
| 52 |
Terry
Butcher |
Talala,
Okla. |
5 |
18-01 |
| 53 |
Stephen
Browning |
Hot
Springs, Ark. |
5 |
18-00 |
| 54 |
Jeff
Connella |
Bentley,
La. |
5 |
17-14 |
| 55 |
Bradley
Hallman |
Norman,
Okla. |
5 |
17-06 |
| 55 |
Keith
Phillips |
Calera,
Ala. |
5 |
17-06 |
| 57 |
Boyd
Duckett |
Demopolis,
Ala. |
4 |
17-05 |
| 58 |
Russ
Lane |
Prattville,
Ala. |
5 |
17-04 |
| 59 |
Matt
Amedeo |
Clinton,
Ohio |
5 |
17-03 |
| 60 |
Ray
Sedgwick |
Cross,
S.C. |
5 |
17-00 |
| 61 |
Guy
Eaker |
Cherryville,
N.C. |
5 |
16-14 |
| 61 |
Paul
Hirosky |
Guys
Mills, Pa. |
5 |
16-14 |
| 63 |
Mark
Rogers |
Naples,
Fla. |
5 |
16-07 |
| 64 |
Kevin
Wirth |
Crestwood,
Ky. |
5 |
16-06 |
| 65 |
Jason
Williamson |
Aiken,
S.C. |
5 |
16-00 |
| 66 |
William
Smith |
Somerset,
Ky. |
5 |
15-11 |
| 67 |
Kevin
Langill |
Terrell,
N.C. |
5 |
15-09 |
| 67 |
Morizo
Shimizu |
Murrieta,
Calif. |
5 |
15-09 |
| 69 |
Mike
Wurm |
Hot
Springs, Ark. |
5 |
15-07 |
| 70 |
Tommy
Biffle |
Wagoner,
Okla. |
4 |
14-15 |
| 71 |
Zell
Rowland |
Montgomery,
Texas |
4 |
14-14 |
| 72 |
Bill
Lowen |
North
Bend, Ohio |
5 |
14-12 |
| 73 |
Lee
Bailey |
Boaz,
Ala. |
5 |
14-05 |
| 73 |
Kurt
Dove |
Fairfax,
Va. |
5 |
14-05 |
| 73 |
Matt
Reed |
Madisonville,
Texas |
5 |
14-05 |
| 76 |
Jami
Fralick |
Martin,
S.D. |
5 |
14-04 |
| 77 |
Frank
Scalish |
Cleveland
Heights, Ohi |
5 |
13-12 |
| 78 |
Kelly
Jordon |
Mineola,
Texas |
5 |
13-10 |
| 79 |
Darrin
Schwenkbeck |
Silver
Spring, Md. |
5 |
13-08 |
| 79 |
Byron
Velvick |
Del
Rio, Texas |
5 |
13-08 |
| 81 |
Mark
Tucker |
Saint
Louis, Mo. |
5 |
13-07 |
| 81 |
Rick
Ash |
Pottstown,
Pa. |
4 |
13-07 |
| 83 |
James
Charlesworth |
Saint
Cloud, Fla. |
5 |
13-04 |
| 83 |
Doc
Merkin |
Downers
Grove, Ill. |
4 |
13-04 |
| 85 |
Rick
Clunn |
Ava,
Mo. |
5 |
12-12 |
| 86 |
Bradley
Stringer |
Huntington,
Texas |
4 |
12-10 |
| 87 |
Eric
Nethery |
Acworth,
Ga. |
4 |
12-07 |
| 88 |
Preston
Clark |
Palatka,
Fla. |
5 |
12-03 |
| 89 |
Pete
Ponds |
Madison,
Miss. |
4 |
11-14 |
| 90 |
Charlie
Youngers |
Geneva,
Fla. |
5 |
11-08 |
| 91 |
Marty
Robinson |
Landrum,
S.C. |
5 |
11-05 |
| 92 |
Jeff
Reynolds |
Idabel,
Okla. |
5 |
11-04 |
| 93 |
Mike
McClelland |
Bella
Vista, Ark. |
5 |
11-02 |
| 94 |
Yusuke
Miyazaki |
Mineola,
Texas |
5 |
10-11 |
| 94 |
Dave
Smith |
Del
City, Okla. |
5 |
10-11 |
| 96 |
Bernie
Schultz |
Gainesville,
Fla. |
5 |
10-10 |
| 97 |
Rick
Morris |
Virginia
Beach, Va. |
5 |
10-09 |
| 98 |
Fred
Roumbanis |
Auburn,
Calif. |
5 |
10-05 |
| 99 |
Peter
E Thliveros |
Jacksonville,
Fla. |
5 |
9-05 |
| 100 |
Glenn
Delong |
Bellville,
Ohio |
5 |
8-11 |
| 101 |
Jim
Murray |
Arabi,
Ga. |
4 |
8-11 |
| 102 |
Jon
Bondy |
Windsor,
Canada |
5 |
8-04 |
| 103 |
Elton
Luce Jr |
Brookeland,
Texas |
5 |
8-03 |
| 104 |
Jeremy
Starks |
Charleston,
W.Va. |
2 |
8-02 |
| 105 |
Jimmy
Mason |
Rogersville,
Ala. |
3 |
7-04 |
| 106 |
James
Kennedy |
Lacombe,
La. |
4 |
7-02 |
| 107 |
Casey
Ashley |
Donalds,
S.C. |
5 |
6-15 |
| 108 |
James
Niggemeyer |
Van,
Texas |
3 |
5-07 |
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