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Trenton, Mich. – Friday was the second day of the Chevy Open, the final regular season event on the Wal-Mart FLW Tour series. 200 pros contended for the ten spots in the finals and a shot at $200,000.00.
The rough water, which plagued the field on Thursday, yielded way to calmer conditions on day two. As expected the weights didn’t drop off and local favorites continued to dominate the leader board.
Day one leader and Lake Erie specialist, Steve Clapper came in with another good weight. After an eight ounce fish care penalty, Steve’s limit totaled 20-14 giving the Ohio angler the top spot going into the third day. Thomas Moleski held onto a spot in the finals with his day two weight of 19-7.
The remaining anglers will start fresh on Saturday with all weights being zeroed. They will compete on Saturday and Sunday for the most weight and a shot at $200,000.00.
Ohio fisherman James Richardson, Sr., leads the charge on the co-angler side with a combine total of 37-8. The top ten co’s have one day left to compete for the crown and a possible prize of $40,000.00.
Top Ten
1. Steve Clapper 42-14
2. Shad Schenck 41-3
3. Thomas Moleski 40-11
4. Terry Baksay 39-7
5. Clifford Pirch 38-5
6. Trevor Jancasz 38-0
6. Christopher King 38-0
8. Josh Meyers 36-13
9. Kevin Long 36-12
10. Clark Wendlandt 36-12
Yelas Wins AOY
Skeeter pro, Jay Yelas has accomplished almost everything achievable in the world of competitive bass fishing. The only thing missing from his mantel is a FLW Championship trophy. He will vie for the award and the $1,000,000.00 prize at next month’s Forrest L. Wood Cup on Lake Quachita. At this week’s event, Jay secured his second Land O Lakes Angler of the Year title.
The Texas angler came to the Detroit River with a slim lead and lost ground after day one. His 15-12 on Thursday left the door open for Shinichi Fukae and fellow Skeeter team member, Mark Davis. Shin put the pressure on with a first day limit of 18-14 and unofficially took the lead away from Jay.
Jay entered every other tournament this year with his mind set on winning. Going into this event, Jay fished not to lose the AOY title. In fact, prior to the success he has enjoyed so far this year, Jay contemplated not even making the trip to Detroit. “The last time we were here, I hurt my back real bad. Lake Erie can be the some of the roughest water in the country.”
Doing his home work before the tournament began; Jay figured he needed 34 pounds to win his second FLW angler of the year title. Needing a 26th place finish to leave no doubt, Jay started the tournament with a limit that weighed 15-12 and went into Friday’s round in 45th place. Off pace and feeling the title slip away, Jay return to Lake St. Clair on the second day with the hopes of catching a little better fish.
“It is amazing that we fish six tournaments all across the country and it can come down to just ounces,” Jay said about the race for AOY. “I knew I needed a better day to have a chance.” Jay’s first fish of the day was his best. The Lake St. Clair smallmouth weighed in just over five pounds and anchored his day two weight of 18-4. “My co-angler had me down three fish to none before the big fish bit. I caught her on ten pound test line and a spinning reel so it got pretty exciting.”
A two day combined weight of 34 pounds –exactly what Jay predicted he would need— put the Skeeter pro in 25th and secured his second Angler of the Year title.
Schenck Ready for the Weekend
Competing in his seventh year as a FLW pro, Shad Schenk came to the Detroit River looking for his first win. A day one weight of 18-7 put him contention just out of the top ten. Returning to the big waters of Lake Erie, Shad boated the biggest limit of the tournament at 22-12 and planted himself in the finals at the number two spot. “The conditions were better today and I had a chance to move around more,” the Yamaha pro said. “Regardless of what the weather does, I will fish Erie all weekend. I’m here to win.”
Shad used a combination of the new professional Berkley Fluorocarbon line and Berkley Gulp baits to put over 41 pounds of bass in the boat over the first two days. He has no intentions of letting up for the weekend. “It will take another 40 pounds to win this thing,” he said. “I have no reason to let up know.”
Trevor Moves to the Front
Trevor Jancasz is an accomplished angler on the FLW Tour, but he’s been content to do his work from the back of the boat. He has won three tournaments as a co-angler, including the 2005 Wal-Mart FLW Championship. The Michigan angler has already qualified for his third championship and decided to jump to the front of the boat for the Chevy Open. “This is the first major tournament I’ve fished from my own boat,” the Yamaha pro said. “I’ve had some success here and this was a good chance to jackpot for $200,000.00.
The Ranger pro started this tournament with a limit of smallies weighing 18-9. He followed day one’s success with 19-7 on Friday. His two day total of 38 pounds put him squarely in the top ten.
Even with his limited tournament experience from behind the wheel, Trevor committed his self to fishing Lake Erie. “I practiced on Erie and decided that I would stick with it as long as it’s not too rough. The wind is going to blow hard tomorrow so we will see. I do have some other areas to go to.”
Trevor knows he’s around the right fish to win this event, but it comes down to getting the bites. “23 pounds is not out of the question,” Trevor said. “I left my area early today so hopefully there are some quality fish left out there.”.
DAY
TWO TOP 100
| Pl. |
Pro
Angler |
Hometown |
Winnings |
| 1 |
STEVE
CLAPPER |
LIMA,
OH |
5 |
22-00 |
5 |
20-14 |
10 |
42-14 |
|
| 2 |
SHAD
SCHENCK |
WAYNETOWN,
IN |
5 |
18-07 |
5 |
22-12 |
10 |
41-03 |
|
| 3 |
THOMAS
MOLESKI |
ELKHART,
IN |
5 |
21-04 |
5 |
19-07 |
10 |
40-11 |
|
| 4 |
TERRY
BAKSAY |
EASTON,
CT |
5 |
19-05 |
5 |
20-02 |
10 |
39-07 |
|
| 5 |
CLIFFORD
PIRCH |
PAYSON,
AZ |
5 |
18-10 |
5 |
19-11 |
10 |
38-05 |
|
| 6 |
TREVOR
JANCASZ |
WHITE
PIGEON, MI |
5 |
18-09 |
5 |
19-07 |
10 |
38-00 |
|
| 6 |
CHRISTOPHER
KING |
SOUTH
AMHERST, OH |
5 |
18-09 |
5 |
19-07 |
10 |
38-00 |
|
| 8 |
JOSH
MYERS |
CHATHAM,
ON |
5 |
18-01 |
5 |
18-12 |
10 |
36-13 |
|
| 9 |
KEVIN
LONG |
BERKLEY,
MI |
5 |
19-02 |
5 |
17-10 |
10 |
36-12 |
|
| 10 |
CLARK
WENDLANDT |
LEANDER,
TX |
5 |
17-14 |
5 |
18-14 |
10 |
36-12 |
|
| 11 |
SCOTT
DOBSON |
CLARKSTON,
MI |
5 |
15-14 |
5 |
20-10 |
10 |
36-08 |
$15,000 |
| 12 |
CARL
SVEBEK III |
SILOAM
SPRINGS, AR |
5 |
18-05 |
5 |
18-00 |
10 |
36-05 |
$15,000 |
| 13 |
DAVID
WALKER |
SEVIERVILLE,
TN |
5 |
19-05 |
5 |
16-07 |
10 |
35-12 |
$15,000 |
| 14 |
TONY
DEFILIPPO |
CEDAR,
MI |
5 |
18-00 |
5 |
17-07 |
10 |
35-07 |
$15,000 |
| 15 |
TIM
KLINGER |
BOULDER
CITY, NV |
5 |
16-04 |
5 |
19-01 |
10 |
35-05 |
$15,000 |
| 16 |
GLENN
CHAPPELEAR |
ACWORTH,
GA |
5 |
16-05 |
5 |
18-11 |
10 |
35-00 |
$14,000 |
| 17 |
ERIC
STRUIF |
LAKE
VILLA, IL |
5 |
19-05 |
5 |
15-09 |
10 |
34-14 |
$14,000 |
| 18 |
MICHAEL
MURPHY |
GILBERT,
SC |
5 |
16-10 |
5 |
18-03 |
10 |
34-13 |
$14,000 |
| 19 |
SHINICHI
FUKAE |
MINEOLA,
TX |
5 |
18-14 |
5 |
15-13 |
10 |
34-11 |
$14,000 |
| 20 |
ANDRE
MOORE |
ALABASTER,
AL |
5 |
18-04 |
5 |
16-07 |
10 |
34-11 |
$14,000 |
| 21 |
ART
FERGUSON III |
ST.
CLAIR SHORES, MI |
5 |
15-11 |
5 |
18-07 |
10 |
34-02 |
$13,000 |
| 22 |
CHIP
HARRISON |
BREMEN,
IN |
5 |
14-09 |
5 |
19-08 |
10 |
34-01 |
$13,000 |
| 23 |
GABE
BOLIVAR |
RAMONA,
CA |
5 |
15-05 |
5 |
18-12 |
10 |
34-01 |
$13,000 |
| 24 |
JOHN
PETERS |
OKEECHOBEE,
FL |
5 |
16-05 |
5 |
17-12 |
10 |
34-01 |
$13,000 |
| 25 |
JAY
YELAS |
TYLER,
TX |
5 |
15-12 |
5 |
18-04 |
10 |
34-00 |
$13,000 |
| 26 |
MARK
ROSE |
MARION,
AR |
5 |
14-06 |
5 |
19-07 |
10 |
33-13 |
$12,000 |
| 27 |
DANNY
PIERCE |
GREENBRIER,
AR |
5 |
19-04 |
5 |
14-09 |
10 |
33-13 |
$12,000 |
| 28 |
BRYAN
COATES |
AMHERST,
OH |
5 |
16-11 |
5 |
16-15 |
10 |
33-10 |
$12,000 |
| 29 |
KATSU
FURUSAWA |
JAPAN |
5 |
19-00 |
5 |
14-08 |
10 |
33-08 |
$12,000 |
| 30 |
CRAIG
POWERS |
ROCKWOOD,
TN |
5 |
13-09 |
5 |
19-13 |
10 |
33-06 |
$12,000 |
| 31 |
MARK
DAVIS |
MOUNT
IDA, AR |
5 |
16-08 |
5 |
16-12 |
10 |
33-04 |
$11,000 |
| 31 |
DARREL
ROBERTSON |
JAY,
OK |
5 |
16-08 |
5 |
16-12 |
10 |
33-04 |
$11,000 |
| 33 |
MIKE
TROMBLY |
PERRYSBURG,
OH |
5 |
13-05 |
5 |
19-12 |
10 |
33-01 |
$11,000 |
| 34 |
KEITH
MONSON |
BURGIN,
KY |
5 |
16-05 |
5 |
16-11 |
10 |
33-00 |
$11,000 |
| 35 |
MARK
PACK |
MINEOLA,
TX |
5 |
11-10 |
5 |
21-04 |
10 |
32-14 |
$11,000 |
| 36 |
DAVE
LEFEBRE |
UNION
CITY, PA |
4 |
15-05 |
5 |
17-09 |
9 |
32-14 |
$11,000 |
| 37 |
JASON
KNAPP |
UNIONTOWN,
PA |
5 |
16-01 |
5 |
16-11 |
10 |
32-12 |
$11,000 |
| 38 |
JT
KENNEY |
DAYTONA
BEACH, FL |
5 |
11-13 |
5 |
20-13 |
10 |
32-10 |
$11,000 |
| 39 |
GREG
PUGH |
CULLMAN,
AL |
5 |
14-13 |
5 |
17-11 |
10 |
32-08 |
$11,000 |
| 40 |
BRENT
EHRLER |
REDLANDS,
CA |
5 |
15-14 |
5 |
16-09 |
10 |
32-07 |
$11,000 |
| 41 |
DAVID
HAYWARD |
SYLVANIA,
OH |
4 |
10-01 |
5 |
22-04 |
9 |
32-05 |
$10,000 |
| 42 |
MARK
HARDIN |
JASPER,
GA |
5 |
16-05 |
5 |
16-00 |
10 |
32-05 |
$10,000 |
| 43 |
ALVIN
SHAW |
STATE
ROAD, NC |
5 |
14-05 |
5 |
17-12 |
10 |
32-01 |
$10,000 |
| 44 |
RICKY
D SCOTT |
VAN
BUREN, AR |
5 |
17-00 |
5 |
15-01 |
10 |
32-01 |
$10,000 |
| 45 |
ANDY
SANDERS |
OTTAWA,
OH |
3 |
13-05 |
5 |
18-10 |
8 |
31-15 |
$10,000 |
| 46 |
JIM
TUTT |
LONGVIEW,
TX |
5 |
14-15 |
5 |
16-13 |
10 |
31-12 |
$10,000 |
| 47 |
KEVIN
VIDA |
CLARE,
MI |
5 |
10-13 |
5 |
20-13 |
10 |
31-10 |
$10,000 |
| 48 |
BRANDON
COULTER |
KNOXVILLE,
TN |
5 |
14-14 |
5 |
16-11 |
10 |
31-09 |
$10,000 |
| 49 |
TRACY
ADAMS |
WILKESBORO,
NC |
5 |
15-07 |
5 |
16-00 |
10 |
31-07 |
$10,000 |
| 50 |
TOM
BURNS |
CARBONDALE,
IL |
5 |
13-07 |
5 |
17-13 |
10 |
31-04 |
$10,000 |
| 51 |
DAVID
DUDLEY |
LYNCHBURG,
VA |
5 |
15-11 |
4 |
15-09 |
9 |
31-04 |
$10,000 |
| 52 |
MIKE
HAWKES |
SABINAL,
TX |
5 |
14-03 |
5 |
17-00 |
10 |
31-03 |
$10,000 |
| 53 |
ANTHONY
GAGLIARDI |
PROSPERITY,
SC |
5 |
15-11 |
5 |
15-08 |
10 |
31-03 |
$10,000 |
| 54 |
CHRIS
MCCALL |
JASPER,
TX |
5 |
14-04 |
5 |
16-14 |
10 |
31-02 |
$10,000 |
| 55 |
TEE
WATKINS |
EAST
POINT, KY |
5 |
13-06 |
5 |
17-04 |
10 |
30-10 |
$10,000 |
| 56 |
SCOTT
MARTIN |
CLEWISTON,
FL |
5 |
13-10 |
5 |
16-15 |
10 |
30-09 |
$10,000 |
| 57 |
KEVIN
BISHOP |
HILTON,
NY |
5 |
15-08 |
5 |
15-01 |
10 |
30-09 |
$10,000 |
| 58 |
BOBBY
CURTIS |
SILOAM
SPRINGS, AR |
3 |
8-07 |
5 |
21-13 |
8 |
30-04 |
$10,000 |
| 59 |
RICHARD
LOWITZKI |
ST
CHARLES, IL |
5 |
16-02 |
5 |
13-14 |
10 |
30-00 |
$10,000 |
| 60 |
CODY
BIRD |
GRANBURY,
TX |
5 |
16-03 |
5 |
13-12 |
10 |
29-15 |
$10,000 |
| 61 |
JASON
REYES |
HUMBLE,
TX |
5 |
14-14 |
5 |
14-15 |
10 |
29-13 |
$7,000 |
| 62 |
JOHN
DEVERE |
BEREA,
KY |
5 |
13-15 |
5 |
15-13 |
10 |
29-12 |
$7,000 |
| 63 |
JONATHAN
NEWTON |
ROGERSVILLE,
AL |
3 |
9-13 |
5 |
19-13 |
8 |
29-10 |
$7,000 |
| 64 |
LEWIS
DENNEY |
INDIAN
MOUND, TN |
5 |
14-11 |
5 |
14-15 |
10 |
29-10 |
$7,000 |
| 65 |
MICHAEL
YAWGEL |
CROMWELL,
CT |
5 |
14-03 |
5 |
15-06 |
10 |
29-09 |
$7,000 |
| 66 |
TERRY
BOLTON |
PADUCAH,
KY |
5 |
16-13 |
5 |
12-11 |
10 |
29-08 |
$7,000 |
| 67 |
GARY
YAMAMOTO |
MINEOLA,
TX |
5 |
16-04 |
5 |
13-03 |
10 |
29-07 |
$7,000 |
| 68 |
ROB
KILBY |
HOT
SPRINGS, AR |
5 |
14-13 |
5 |
14-09 |
10 |
29-06 |
$7,000 |
| 69 |
JOHN
SAPPINGTON |
WILLARD,
MO |
5 |
13-07 |
5 |
15-12 |
10 |
29-03 |
$7,000 |
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