Steve Kennedy weighed in a five fish limit yesterday at Amistad that weighed 36 pounds 10 ounces and only has a ten ounce lead. Two stringers of 36 pounds is pretty incredible. Anybody else up for a trip to Lake Amistad?
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Steve Kennedy weighed in a five fish limit yesterday at Amistad that weighed 36 pounds 10 ounces and only has a ten ounce lead. Two stringers of 36 pounds is pretty incredible. Anybody else up for a trip to Lake Amistad?
Yea, imagine weighing in a 20 lb bag and and holding a 40th place spot. I can't even fathom that...I wish I could make a trip down there!
I had a 23 pound bag (6 fish limit) on Nolin once and didn't get in the money. It was one of those days when every fish in the lake was biting.
We came in 5th with 23.11. First place was 28.
I know these guys have to catch fish to make a living, but I don't. I can promise you one thing, if I EVER caught five bass weighing 36 pounds, I would have a smile that would last for a long time LOL!
Day Two:
KENNEDY MAINTAINS SLIM LEAD IN ‘BATTLE ON THE BORDER’
Most In The Field Struggle For Amistad’s Lunkers
DEL RIO, Texas – Despite what he called a “frustrating” day on Texas’ Lake Amistad, Steve Kennedy of Auburn, Ala., continued to lead the 108-pro field of the Bassmaster Elite Series “Battle on the Border presented by Longhorn,” but only by 9 ounces.
With a combined weight of 53 pounds, 0 ounces for the first two days, Kennedy’s slim lead held off two challengers: Scott Campbell of Springfield, Mo., and two-time Bassmaster Angler of the Year Gary Klein, who tied for second with 52-7.
With 52-1, 2006 Bassmaster Angler of the Year Mike Iaconelli moved up from ninth to fourth. Three-time Angler of the Year Kevin VanDam captured fifth place with 51-0.
The 2007 Elite event pays a total purse of $673,150 to the top 50 pros, including a $100,000 first prize. Fishing fans can catch all of the on-the-water action on The Bassmasters on Saturday March 17 at 9 a.m. ET on ESPN2.
The first-day leader, Kennedy wasn’t able on Friday to duplicate his Thursday success with a swimbait, a new type of lure for him.
“I just didn’t get the big bites that I did yesterday with the swimbait,” said Kennedy, who was the 2006 Toyota Rookie of the Year. “I have absolutely no game plan for tomorrow. I just hope the fish move up shallow so I have a chance.”
With the field cut to the top 50 for Saturday’s round, the pros are trying to figure out the changing fishery of Amistad, especially how to track bass in the rapidly rising water temperatures.
Though Campbell managed to stay in second, his Friday catch was 19 pounds, 9 ounces below his Thursday bag. His struggles were similar to Kennedy’s in that both relied on a swimbait to entice bigger bass.
“I caught a big fish first thing in the morning and I really felt it was going to be a similar day to yesterday,” the 24-year-old said. “But the wind didn’t blow enough and the water temperatures are rising, causing the fish to move in shallow.”
Klein was more consistent. The Weatherford, Texas, pro targeted deep fish for his two daily limits, each over 25 pounds.
“I feel like I could be sitting at 60 pounds but I blew some opportunities,” the 49-year-old said. “My bite is going away a little, so I think I will have to run all new water tomorrow and fish shallow.”
Other anglers who finished above the 50th-place cutline included 1999 Bassmaster Classic champ Davy Hite in 11th with 48-0; Bassmaster Elite Series rookie Matthew Sphar in 23rd with 43-10; and 2006 “Battle on the Border” champion Ish Monroe who with 43-3 sat in 26th place.
Leading the co-angler division was Texan David Stewart with 37 pounds, 13 ounces. He held off fellow Texan Dennis Lala, who had 35-8, and New Mexico’s Franco Vallejos, in third with 35-3