Powroznik powers up at Santee Cooper
Jacob Powroznik leads EverStart Series Eastern event
MANNING, S.C. – On a day when Lake Moultrie’s big-bass factory was running out of steam, Jacob Powroznik of Prince George, Va., stayed in Lake Marion and caught 26 pounds, 9 ounces of bass to take the day-one lead in the Santee Cooper EverStart Series tournament.
After such a prolific spring, many anglers were baffled by Santee Cooper’s sudden change in demeanor today. Out of 400 anglers, the productive fishery yielded just 25 five-bass limits and only three 20-pound-plus bags.
Santee Cooper legends like Brent Riley of Ridgeville, S.C., (86th) and Ken Ellis of Bowman, S.C., (35th) were scratching their heads at weigh-in.
“The fish are leaving,” Ellis told the crowd at weigh-in. “They have spawned and now they are going away.”
“I think the fish in the lower lake (Moultrie) are done spawning and are moving out,” said Riley. “This upper lake (Marion) has been so muddy, I think the fish have held off and are just getting ready to spawn.”
Maybe that is why Powroznik chose to stay in the upper lake today. “I threw a spinner bait and pitched a jig in muddy water,” Powroznik said. “I had a limit by 8:30 a.m. and then left the area to save some for tomorrow.”
The lower lake did produce for some anglers. Sandy Melvin of Boca Grande, Fla., is in second place with 25 pounds, 7 ounces. Melvin caught six fish on an 8-inch Berkley Power Lizard with a 3/16-ounce Gambler screw-in weight on 15-pound Trilene line.
“Fishing slow is a big key for me,” Melvin said. “I am catching post-spawn fish that have moved out off the bank. I am fishing open water, so if the wind blows, I might be in trouble.”
In third place is Scott Dameron of Ghent, W.Va., with 24 pounds, 4 ounces. Dameron reported catching his fish on spinner baits in the lower lake. “There are a bunch of people fishing in there,” he said. “I am hoping the pressure does not hurt me too bad.”
Okeechobee EverStart champion Andy Morgan of Dayton, Tenn., turned in four fish today that weighed 19 pounds, 3 ounces. “I lost a couple today that would have put me over the 20-pound mark for sure,” he commented.
Rounding out the top five in the Pro Division is Glenn Browne of Ocala, Fla., in fifth place with 16 pounds, 9 ounces.
Eastern EverStart points leader Tony Christian of Hull, Ga., looks like he is serious about defending his points position. He checked in 16 pounds, 6 ounces today to hold down seventh place.
The top-20 weight cut on the pro side is 12 pounds, 4 ounces.
Hill leads co-angers
James Hill of Ozark, Ala., leads the Co-angler Division with three fish that weighed 12 pounds, 15 ounces. “I caught two bass pitching a Gambler tube with a 1/4-ounce weight, and one on a Senko,” he said.
In second place is John Deak of Phillipsburg, Ohio, with 12 pounds, 12 ounces.
The rest of the best
Rounding out the top five in the Co-angler Division are Sean Stepp of Dumfries, Va., (third) with 11 pounds, 7 ounces; Tee Watkins of East Point, Ky., (fourth) with 9 pounds, 11 ounces; and Carl Dillard of Columbia, S.C., (fifth) with 9 pounds even.
Day-two competition starts tomorrow at 6:30 a.m. at the John C. Land boat launch near Santee.
Click here for a preview of day two.
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