Three limits, three contenders left at Atchafalaya
Baumgardner leads pros, but not by much
MORGAN CITY, La. – Chris Baumgardner says he’s gaining confidence with each fish he catches this week at the Atchafalaya Basin, but he’s still feeling the heat after Friday’s first half of the Pro Division finals. The Gastonia, N.C., native caught 13 pounds, 4 ounces of bass and will lead the top 10 pros into the final day of Wal-Mart FLW Tour competition – but not by much.
Baumgardner leads second-place Sam Swett (12 pounds, 14 ounces) by a scant 6 ounces and third-place Tom Monsoor (12-6) by just 14 ounces. They were the only three anglers to bring in five-bass limits Friday, and Baumgardner knows this one will likely be a close, three-way horserace Saturday.
“It’s tight. There are a lot of good fishermen behind me. Anyone of them could come up with a heavy sack tomorrow,” he said. “I just hope I can catch one big one.”
The relentless rain and cold continued for Friday’s fishing at the basin. Baumgardner – an FLW veteran whose previous best finish was eighth place at Beaver Lake in 1999 – found a protected area of canals about a 10-minute run from Belle River Boat Launch that hasn’t surrendered to the muddy conditions plaguing other anglers. Many fishing locations throughout this expansive waterway have succumbed to the mud following day after day of wind and rain, and that has hindered the flipping bite.
Baumgardner landed his limit by 10:30 a.m. and eventually culled a couple of bass to reach 13-4. He mainly flipped a black-and-sapphire Zoom Vibe craw with a 1-ounce tungsten weight. Targeting grass mats in the canals, he said they have been key staging spots for bass looking to stay warm.
“They’re suspended right under the grass,” he said. “Where I’m at, it’s really protected. I think the cold is probably keeping them under the mats.”
Indeed, his largest bass – about a 4-pounder – was so discolored that it looked like it hadn’t seen the light of day in quite some time (which isn’t surprising; no creature – man or animal – has seen the sun in this part if the country for at least a week.)
But it’s not the color that counts; it’s the weight. And Baumgardner knows he needs to maintain his pace Saturday if he hopes to collect that $100,000 winner’s check.
“I’m going to catch all I can,” he said. “If I get 15 pounds, I’ll be happy.”
Swett, Monsoor right behind
Swett, the local favorite from Covington, La., is fishing a natural bayou in the tide-affected region of the basin. He caught his 12-14 limit not by flipping, but by using a Booyah spinnerbait. He said the key to his success was finding the clear water and staying patient while he waited for the intermittent bites.
“I’ve just got one area, and it’s going to be do-or-die for me tomorrow,” he said. “But it’s going to be influenced by the tide and the wind.”
Monsoor, the pro from La Crosse, Wis., who led the opening round with an astonishing 32-plus pounds, continued throwing his homemade swimming jig with a Yamamoto grub into cypress trees to land his 12-6 limit Friday. His execution was perfect, he said, since he didn’t lose any fish, but he was mystified by the water’s behavior at his fishing location this morning.
“The water went down 4 or 5 inches from yesterday,” he said. “With all of this rain, how does that happen?”
Not done yet
While the top three pros have a substantial lead, it’s not over yet for the rest of the finalists. Steve Tosh, Randy Blaukat and Dean Rojas are still going to be a threat from the fourth-, fifth- and sixth-place positions, respectively.
Tosh caught four bass weighing 8 pounds, 6 ounces; Blaukat caught four worth 7-12; and Rojas caught three worth 7-5. All three of them are just one nice kicker bass from taking the win tomorrow, which is a distinct possibility in light of Mark Pack’s 8-pound largemouth on day one.
“I caught them early, but I missed a couple of fish today,” said Tosh, who hails from Waterford, Calif. “I caught my fourth fish with 10 minutes left before I had to run in. I needed sunshine today, and my bite is going away. I can get five bites whether the sun is out or not, but to get the big bites, I’m going to need some sun.”
“I had a pretty good day,” said Blaukat, of Lamar, Mo. “I was making a long run. I lost two keepers. I just wanted to be within striking distance after today. This place is so up-and-down that even if someone zeros, they can still make a comeback here. This is my favorite (stop) on the tour this year.”
As for Grand Saline, Texas’ Rojas, this is his second top-10 showing in two FLW tournaments this season. He admitted that he’s gunning for the coveted Angler of the Year title as well as his first FLW victory.
“That’d be awesome to go to Wal-Mart and buy a Kellogg’s box with my photo on it,” he said.
Rest of the best still have a shot, too
If Blaukat’s optimistic take on Atchafalaya is true, even the last four pros in the top 10 have a chance to win if they can just pop a big bayou stringer Saturday.
Mike Surman of Boca Raton, Fla., place seventh with a two-bass weight of 6 pounds, 4 ounces; Cody Bird of Granbury, Texas, placed eighth with two bass weighing 5-7; Bill McDonald of Indianapolis, Ind., placed ninth with two bass weighing 4-0; and Mark Rose of Marion, Ark., placed 10th with one bass weighing 1-11.
The final day of FLW Tour competition at the Atchafalaya Basin begins Saturday at 7 a.m. CST as the 10 pro finalists take off from Belle River Boat Launch in Belle River, La. The heaviest two-day weight from Friday and Saturday combined will determine the tournament’s $100,000 winner.