The pendulum swings

On-again, off-again bite on Kentucky Lake could be back off today as anglers face considerable weekend pressure

BENTON, Ky. – It’s been a yo-yo kind of week at the EverStart Series Central Division event on Kentucky Lake, as weights were high on day one, then cooled off on day two before heating back up on day three. True to form, the weights will probably fall back off today for a couple of different reasons, the most notable being another tournament taking off from the Tennessee side of Kentucky-Barkley.

A few anglers mentioned yesterday that the fishing pressure generated by other tournaments taking off today could very well slow down the bite, and Paducah pro Terry Bolton concurs.

“I’m really expecting it to be tougher,” he said. “There’s going to be a lot more pressure. They’re going to be sitting places.”

Sharing honeyholes with other competitors is a challenge indeed, and adding to it all is the fact that the current may also be affected.

“They’re not going to run as much water today,” Bolton said.

But on Kentucky-Barkley, a slow bite still means impressive numbers. Take, for instance, opening-round leader William Davis – he came onstage yesterday and said his bite had cooled off, but he still brought in more than 15 pounds.

The current leader, Curt McGuire, holds a 12-ounce advantage over local stick Larry Frasier heading into the final day. Competitors will weigh in their final catches at today’s weigh-in, which begins at 4 p.m. at the Wal-Mart store located at 310 W. Fifth St. in Benton.

Friday’s conditions:

Sunrise: 5:34 a.m.

Temperature at takeoff: 57 degrees

Expected high temperature: 81 degrees

Wind: from the north-northeast at 9 mph

Maximum humidity: 53 percent

Day’s outlook: plentiful sunshine