Posted  April 28th, 2007  7:17pm CST

Quinn, Scroggins and KVD Lurking

Story by Dan O'Sullivan, Photos by Mark Jeffreys

Less than a pound behind the two leaders in third place is 38-year-old Terry Scroggins of Palatka, Fla. who smashed a 20-pound, 1-ounce limit to give him a two-day total of 41 pounds, 3 ounces. Lurking only five ounces behind Scroggins is three time Toyota Tundra Angler of the Year, Kevin Van Dam of Kalamazoo, Mich. The 39-year-old pro finds himself in the fourth place position after his second day, 19-pound, 10-ounce limit gave him a total of 40 pounds, 14-ounces.

Rounding out the top five is 37-year old Yusuke Miyazaki from Mineola, Texas. Who bagged an impressive 20-pound, 12-ounce sack to grab fifth place with a total of 39 pounds, 2 ounces. 


Here is the rest of the top 12:
6. Mark Tucker 37-12
7. Kelly Jordan 37-0
8. Shaw Grigsby 35-12
9. Kotaro Kiriyama 35-9
10. Ben Matsubu – 35-1
11. Timmy Horton – 34-11
12. Alton Jones 34-6

Butcher Had to Go to Backup Pattern
Terry Butcher made his primary stop in the morning on the spot that produced his early 22-pound limit, and was only able to get one 15-inch fish there in two hours, he went to his backup stuff after that. “I started to get a little concerned this morning early,” Butcher said. “I know that I need a couple of big bites to have a really good bag out here, and that didn’t happen.”

Scroggins, Likes His Chances
“Big Show” Terry Scroggins went to his first morning spot and found them covered by local boat traffic, so he ran around looking for more shad spawn areas to key on. “My partner wore me out on my first little hump this morning, and while he can’t tell me anything, I looked at what he was throwing to try and match it,” Scroggins reported. “He was throwing a Booyah spinnerbait, so I tied it on and caught a few fish.”

After the early shad spawn bite died off by 9:30 a.m., Scroggins went to his bed fish that he had located and then to his afternoon deep cranking bite to bolster his weight. “I’ve got two or three things going on here between the shad spawn and my other things,” Scroggins exclaimed, feeling good. “I’m looking forward to tomorrow, I think I can catch ‘em again!”

Tucker said that he is fishing shallower than most competitors, and there is a reason. “The area I am on is a big spawning flat, and the shad are spawning so thick that the bass haven’t retreated to the river channel yet,” Tucker reported. “ Hopefully there won’t be as much traffic tomorrow, but if so, I will look for other areas, and just keep fishing, my pattern should work anywhere on the lake.”

Notable: 
Unusual: 
The Southern Challenge marks the first event in 2007 without Skeet Reese in the top 12; including the Bassmaster Classic at Lay Lake, and the first four stops on the 2007 Elite Series schedule. This was Reese’s first tournament without a paycheck since the final major of the 2006 season.

Stunner: 
The Southern Challenge is the fourth straight event in which 2006 Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year Mike Iaconelli has failed to cash a check for a top 50 finish.

Amazing: 
Both Ben Matsubu and Kelly Jordan made huge moves to make the top 12 cut. Matsubu pounded out a 19-pound, 6-ounce limit to move from 31st place to 10th. While Jordan smashed a 21-pound, 15-ounce bag to leap from his 36th place day one position to a 7th place.

Ungracious Hosts: 
Several anglers reported boat traffic problems throughout the day, Jason Quinn, Kevin Van Dam, and Mark Tucker; all in the top 12, said that local traffic may have contributed to lighter limits on Saturday. Van Dam reportedly had as many as 20 to 25 boats following him, and Tucker said that some locals fished within a cast of him and boated fish on his best area.
.  Check out Harold Allen's web video interview with Terry after the day two weigh-in.  

DAY TWO STANDINGS