FLW action ensues at Lake Murray
COLUMBIA, S.C. – The water level is low, but the catch weights won’t be this week at Lake Murray as Wal-Mart FLW Tour anglers took off at sunrise Wednesday with visions of 5-pound largemouths dancing in their heads. Competitors are looking forward to a week of catching big South Carolina bass during the third FLW Tour stop of the season.
The lake level is about 15 feet below normal pool due to repair work on the Saluda Dam. In addition, the bass are on the move, getting ready to spawn, and that has anglers on the hunt looking for new fishing areas and ways to corner the active bass.
When they can find them, it’s generally worth the trouble. Reports have a number of anglers catching 4-, 5- and 6-pound largemouths during practice.
“There are going to be some big bags caught here this week,” pro Al Gagliarducci said before day-one takeoff.
The weather couldn’t be better for this week’s $500,000 fishing tournament. The wind is calm, the sun is out and highs are expected to climb to almost 80 degrees Wednesday.
This is a crucial tournament for pros looking to score some points in the standings race and qualify for the year-end Jacobs Cup, where the top prize is a half-million dollars. Currently, veteran angler Gary Klein of Weatherford, Texas, leads the points race with 379, followed closely by Evinrude pro Dan Morehead of Paducah, Ky., who lags just three points behind, and Yamaha pro Dave Lefebre of Erie, Pa., who is just seven points off the pace. The top 48 pros and co-anglers at the end of the six-event regular season will compete in the Jacobs Cup.
Wednesday’s 3 p.m. weigh-in will be held at Lighthouse Marina, which is located at 1925 Johnsons Marina Rd. in Chapin.
Wednesday’s conditions
Sunrise: 6:39 a.m.
Temperature at takeoff: 54 degrees
Expected high temperature: 78 degrees
Water temperature: 56 degrees
Wind: from the south-southwest at 9 mph
Relative humidity: 86 percent
Day’s outlook: partly cloudy
Day-one links: