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Marbury, MD – George Washington once envisioned the Potomac River as the lifeblood of our young nation. His dream was to use a series of canals off the Potomac to connect the Old East to the New West thus ensuring the continuity of the United States. The history books reflect that our country later split on a North/South line negating the purpose of the Potomac but not it’s importance.
This week the Potomac River takes center stage in the bass fishing world as the Wal-Mart FLW Tour makes its fifth stop of the year. Thursday was first day of the event and once again “the Nation’s River” showed why it continues to be a mainstay on the professional circuits.
Skeeter pro, Mark Davis bested the 199 other competitors on Thursday with a five fish limit of 21-4. His impressive weight gave him a small lead over Tennessee angler Jack Wade. Wade fell into second with a one-day total of 20-15.
Randy Blaukat held the coveted 10th place spot with 17-09 leaving many to believe the cut line would be around 33 pounds after two days of fishing.
Cloud cover and high tides played a huge role in the angler’s decisions on Thursday. However, with the weather clearing and the temperature rising different choices would be made on Friday.
As the weigh-in progressed there wasn’t much movement on top of the leader board. Mark Davis posted another good weight and stayed near the top in third. Jack Wade also found his fish cooperative as the Ranger pro finished the day in first.
A few anglers were able to take advantage of the aggressive bite and make a move in the standings. Arkansas angler, Ray Scheide moved up from 62nd to fifth with a limit of 21-6 on Friday. Sandy Melvin of Boca Grande, Florida, moved from 37 to 4th with his 20-8.
87th to ninth was the route David Dudley took on his way to finals. Dudley weighed in just over 20 pounds to finish with a two day total of 33-3.
Jim Moynagh brought 14-6 in on Thursday and followed it up with 18-7 on the second day. Unfortunately, the Minnesota angler fell just ounce short of making the cut and finished in 11th.
Top Ten
1. Jack Wade 37-13
2. Bobby Lane 36-13
3. Mark Davis 36-10
4. Sandy Melvin 35-5
5. Ray Scheide 35-4
6. Ken Wick 34-14
7. Jerry Williams 34-0
8. Chris Baumgardner 34-0
9. David Dudley 33-3
10. Shad Schenk 33-3
Right Time, Right Place for Wade
Jack Wade didn’t have a fish at 10:30 Friday morning. He ran to a spot and proceeded to load the boat with keeper bass. “I hit the tide just right and caught a limit pretty quick,” said the Ranger pro. “If the conditions are right and the fish are there its pretty easy.”
When you fish tidal waters, there are two types of strategies: stick with one spot and make the fish bite or chase the tide and hit areas when the conditions are optimal. Jack is chasing the tides. “I’ll spend 40 to 60 minutes on a spot and then move to the next area. I the fish are there it does not take long to work an area.”
Jack isn’t thinking of a specific number to win, instead he is catching what he can. “I’m catching everything that bites, he said. “I have one area that I have not been to yet and it is holding a lot of two pound bass. Hopefully, I want need it, but you never know.”
Lane Looking for top Ten
Bobby Lane went out Friday looking for 12 pounds. He returned to the launch site with nearly 17 pounds. His day two limit touched down at 16-14 and put him firmly in the cut at the second position. “I had a limit by 8:30 a.m.,” said the Yamaha pro. “I was able to cull up around noon and I landed another four pound fish late this afternoon.”
Bobby went looking for new water once he had his limit and his better fish came from an area he didn’t fish on Thursday. “I think my main spot will keep producing, but it is nice to have options. The tide was better today and hopefully the low water conditions will last.”
Captain Sandy in 4th
Sandy Melvin is a licensed salt water captain and an advocate for the National Safe Boating Council. He is also a pretty salty stick when it comes to bass fishing. Knowing he needed to make up some ground after a day-one performance of 14-13, the Florida resident put his head down and went fishing. “I flipped a Berkley Chigger Craw for most of my bites on Thursday,” said Sandy. “Today, I went to spawning areas and looked for post-spawn bass in the grass.” Sandy only had 5 keeper bites all day, but they gave him a two day total of 35-5.
Switching to light line and soft plastic stick bait, Sandy looked for fry in the main river grass. “I’ll give the top-water bite a little more time tomorrow,” he said. “I really caught them good on top during practice and with the weather warming back up, the bite should pick up.”
Top
75 After Day Two
| Pl. |
Pro
Angler |
Hometown,
State |
Earnings |
| 1 |
JACK
WADE |
KNOXVILLE,
TN |
5 |
20-15 |
5 |
16-14 |
10 |
37-13 |
|
| 2 |
BOBBY
LANE |
LAKELAND,
FL |
5 |
19-15 |
5 |
16-14 |
10 |
36-13 |
|
| 3 |
MARK
DAVIS |
MOUNT
IDA, AR |
5 |
21-04 |
5 |
15-06 |
10 |
36-10 |
|
| 4 |
SANDY
MELVIN |
BOCA
GRANDE, FL |
5 |
14-13 |
5 |
20-08 |
10 |
35-05 |
|
| 5 |
RAY
SCHEIDE |
RUSSELLVILLE,
AR |
5 |
13-14 |
5 |
21-06 |
10 |
35-04 |
|
| 6 |
KEN
WICK |
STAR,
ID |
5 |
19-12 |
5 |
15-02 |
10 |
34-14 |
|
| 7 |
JERRY
WILLIAMS |
CONWAY,
AR |
5 |
19-10 |
5 |
14-06 |
10 |
34-00 |
|
| 8 |
CHRIS
BAUMGARDNER |
GASTONIA,
NC |
5 |
15-06 |
5 |
18-10 |
10 |
34-00 |
|
| 9 |
DAVID
DUDLEY |
LYNCHBURG,
VA |
5 |
12-12 |
5 |
20-07 |
10 |
33-03 |
|
| 10 |
SHAD
SCHENCK |
WAYNETOWN,
IN |
5 |
19-08 |
5 |
13-11 |
10 |
33-03 |
|
| 11 |
JIM
MOYNAGH |
CARVER,
MN |
5 |
14-06 |
5 |
18-07 |
10 |
32-13 |
$12,500 |
| 12 |
GEORGE
JEANE JR |
EVANS,
LA |
5 |
13-05 |
5 |
18-12 |
10 |
32-01 |
$12,500 |
| 13 |
GABE
BOLIVAR |
RAMONA,
CA |
5 |
15-15 |
5 |
16-01 |
10 |
32-00 |
$12,500 |
| 14 |
JIMMY
HOUSTON |
COOKSON,
OK |
5 |
15-12 |
5 |
15-07 |
10 |
31-03 |
$12,500 |
| 15 |
THOMAS
C LAVICTOIRE |
WEST
RUTLAND, VT |
5 |
18-13 |
5 |
11-15 |
10 |
30-12 |
$12,500 |
| 16 |
ANDRE
MOORE |
ALABASTER,
AL |
5 |
12-01 |
5 |
18-10 |
10 |
30-11 |
$12,000 |
| 17 |
ANDY
MONTGOMERY |
BLACKSBURG,
SC |
5 |
15-14 |
5 |
14-13 |
10 |
30-11 |
$12,000 |
| 18 |
SHINICHI
FUKAE |
MINEOLA,
TX |
3 |
11-10 |
5 |
18-13 |
8 |
30-07 |
$12,000 |
| 19 |
JAY
YELAS |
TYLER,
TX |
5 |
15-14 |
5 |
14-06 |
10 |
30-04 |
$12,000 |
| 20 |
JACOB
POWROZNIK |
PRINCE
GEORGE, VA |
5 |
16-13 |
5 |
12-12 |
10 |
29-09 |
$12,000 |
| 21 |
DARREL
ROBERTSON |
JAY,
OK |
5 |
12-13 |
5 |
16-12 |
10 |
29-09 |
$11,500 |
| 22 |
KATSUTOSHI
FURUSAWA |
TOKYO
JAPAN 1920153, JP |
5 |
11-15 |
5 |
17-08 |
10 |
29-07 |
$11,500 |
| 23 |
LARRY
NIXON |
BEE
BRANCH, AR |
5 |
12-14 |
5 |
16-09 |
10 |
29-07 |
$11,500 |
| 24 |
JIM
TUTT |
LONGVIEW,
TX |
5 |
15-11 |
5 |
13-12 |
10 |
29-07 |
$11,500 |
| 25 |
ROBERT
SHERRY |
SAINT
CHARLES, IL |
5 |
14-10 |
5 |
14-12 |
10 |
29-06 |
$11,500 |
| 26 |
MARK
ROSE |
MARION,
AR |
5 |
14-11 |
5 |
14-11 |
10 |
29-06 |
$11,000 |
| 27 |
TERRY
OLINGER |
THE
PLAINS, VA |
5 |
15-05 |
5 |
13-14 |
10 |
29-03 |
$11,000 |
| 28 |
DAN
MOREHEAD |
PADUCAH,
KY |
5 |
15-12 |
5 |
13-03 |
10 |
28-15 |
$11,000 |
| 29 |
ANTHONY
GAGLIARDI |
PROSPERITY,
SC |
5 |
14-13 |
5 |
13-15 |
10 |
28-12 |
$11,000 |
| 30 |
CHRIS
ELLIOTT |
BEAUFORT,
NC |
5 |
13-12 |
5 |
14-15 |
10 |
28-11 |
$11,000 |
| 31 |
LUKE
CLAUSEN |
SPOKANE,
WA |
5 |
13-11 |
5 |
14-15 |
10 |
28-10 |
$10,500 |
| 32 |
RANDY
MORRIS |
GARFIELD,
AR |
5 |
12-04 |
5 |
16-03 |
10 |
28-07 |
$10,500 |
| 33 |
JACK
GADLAGE |
BENTON,
KY |
5 |
15-15 |
4 |
12-07 |
9 |
28-06 |
$10,500 |
| 34 |
TIM
SHMIGAL |
AKRON,
OH |
5 |
13-14 |
5 |
14-08 |
10 |
28-06 |
$10,500 |
| 35 |
CHRIS
DAVES |
HOPEWELL,
VA |
5 |
13-15 |
5 |
14-07 |
10 |
28-06 |
$10,500 |
| 36 |
KEITH
WILLIAMS |
CONWAY,
AR |
5 |
15-15 |
5 |
12-03 |
10 |
28-02 |
$10,500 |
| 37 |
KEVIN
LASYONE |
DRY
PRONG, LA |
5 |
14-09 |
5 |
13-04 |
10 |
27-13 |
$10,500 |
| 38 |
BRENT
LONG |
CATAWBA,
NC |
5 |
17-05 |
5 |
10-07 |
10 |
27-12 |
$10,500 |
| 39 |
JOHN
SAPPINGTON |
WILLARD,
MO |
5 |
14-03 |
5 |
13-09 |
10 |
27-12 |
$10,500 |
| 40 |
GLENN
CHAPPELEAR |
ACWORTH,
GA |
5 |
16-02 |
4 |
11-09 |
9 |
27-11 |
$10,500 |
| 41 |
CRAIG
DOWLING |
MANY,
LA |
5 |
13-02 |
5 |
14-09 |
10 |
27-11 |
$10,000 |
| 42 |
CHAD
COOK |
SUMMERVILLE,
SC |
5 |
15-00 |
5 |
12-08 |
10 |
27-08 |
$10,000 |
| 43 |
TOMMY
MARTIN |
HEMPHILL,
TX |
5 |
10-11 |
5 |
16-11 |
10 |
27-06 |
$10,000 |
| 44 |
KOBY
KREIGER |
OKEECHOBEE,
FL |
5 |
13-05 |
5 |
14-00 |
10 |
27-05 |
$10,000 |
| 45 |
JERRY
GREEN |
DEL
RIO, TX |
3 |
10-04 |
5 |
17-00 |
8 |
27-04 |
$10,000 |
| 46 |
RAMIE
COLSON JR |
CADIZ,
KY |
5 |
16-02 |
5 |
11-02 |
10 |
27-04 |
$10,000 |
| 47 |
JOEL
RICHARDSON |
KERNERSVILLE,
NC |
5 |
14-04 |
5 |
12-15 |
10 |
27-03 |
$10,000 |
| 48 |
KEVIN
LONG |
BERKLEY,
MI |
5 |
14-12 |
5 |
12-06 |
10 |
27-02 |
$10,000 |
| 49 |
GUIDO
HIBDON |
GRAVOIS
MILLS, MO |
5 |
14-02 |
5 |
13-00 |
10 |
27-02 |
$10,000 |
| 50 |
GEORGE
COCHRAN |
HOT
SPRINGS, AR |
5 |
12-11 |
5 |
14-05 |
10 |
27-00 |
$10,000 |
| 51 |
CURT
LYTLE |
ZUNI,
VA |
5 |
16-07 |
5 |
10-08 |
10 |
26-15 |
$2,500 |
| 52 |
TERRY
SEGRAVES |
KISSIMMEE,
FL |
5 |
14-07 |
5 |
12-07 |
10 |
26-14 |
$2,500 |
| 53 |
JOE
THOMAS |
MILFORD,
OH |
5 |
13-00 |
5 |
13-13 |
10 |
26-13 |
$2,500 |
| 54 |
JAMES
SCHNEIDER |
ALBANY,
NY |
5 |
16-04 |
4 |
10-04 |
9 |
26-08 |
$2,500 |
| 55 |
MARK
HARDIN |
JASPER,
GA |
5 |
11-08 |
5 |
15-00 |
10 |
26-08 |
$2,500 |
| 56 |
CHRIS
MCCALL |
JASPER,
TX |
5 |
17-15 |
4 |
8-08 |
9 |
26-07 |
$2,500 |
| 57 |
MATT
HERREN |
TRUSSVILLE,
AL |
4 |
10-10 |
5 |
15-12 |
9 |
26-06 |
$2,500 |
| 58 |
MICHAEL
MURPHY |
GILBERT,
SC |
5 |
13-00 |
5 |
13-06 |
10 |
26-06 |
$2,500 |
| 59 |
OTT
DEFOE |
KNOXVILLE,
TN |
4 |
9-10 |
5 |
16-09 |
9 |
26-03 |
$2,500 |
| 60 |
BRENT
EHRLER |
REDLANDS,
CA |
5 |
13-13 |
5 |
12-06 |
10 |
26-03 |
$2,500 |
| 61 |
HARRY
BARTON |
STERRETT,
AL |
5 |
13-03 |
5 |
13-00 |
10 |
26-03 |
$2,000 |
| 62 |
HANK
CHERRY |
MAIDEN,
NC |
5 |
14-04 |
5 |
11-14 |
10 |
26-02 |
$2,000 |
| 63 |
TOM
MONSOOR |
LA
CROSSE, WI |
5 |
12-06 |
5 |
13-12 |
10 |
26-02 |
$2,000 |
| 64 |
CRAIG
POWERS |
ROCKWOOD,
TN |
5 |
13-05 |
5 |
12-13 |
10 |
26-02 |
$2,000 |
| 65 |
MARK
PACK |
MINEOLA,
TX |
5 |
17-12 |
3 |
8-03 |
8 |
25-15 |
$2,000 |
| 66 |
TOM
MANN JR |
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