Hartsell takes 2-pound lead into Sam Rayburn finals

Guillory dominating co-anglers with second-largest sack of Stren Central event

JASPER, Texas – Livingston, Texas, pro Toby Hartsell will carry a 2-pound, 2-ounce buffer into the Stren Series Central finals after catching a five-bass limit weighing 15 pounds, 10 ounces Friday at Sam Rayburn Reservoir. But by far the largest sack of the day – the second-heaviest of the entire tournament to date, in fact – weighed a jaw-dropping 22-5 and belonged to local co-angler Bill Guillory of Jasper, Texas.

Another 10 anglers were cut from each division at today’s weigh-in as well, leaving only the top 10 pros and the top 10 co-anglers to fish in Saturday’s finals. Winners in each division will be determined by their two-day accumulated weight, so today’s results will carry over into the finals.

Though Hartsell has an enviable position heading into the final day of Stren Central action, a 2-2 lead isn’t insurmountable by any means, and local pro Chris McCall – who led the first two days of the event – only tops the list of skillful pros who will all be pulling out the stops Saturday.

“I just keep fishing,” Hartsell said of his attack plan. “I’m fishing a lot of spots; this wind has been hampering my ability to get to some of them. Physically, I’ve pretty much taken all the beating I can take.”

The north wind that has been blowing a cold front through the area all week has wreaked havoc on many a pattern, but conditions are expected to be warmer and calmer tomorrow. This is good news for Hartsell, who said he has been “running on both ends” of the reservoir.

“Tomorrow I’m going to settle down into my two best spots,” he said, adding that he believes he can crack 16 pounds if he gets the bites. He said he has left enough fish of “decent quality” to have a shot at the win.

“I had a great day today,” he said. “I’m ready to go tomorrow.”

Hartsell is fishing “mainly grass and certain bushes” in either ankle-deep water or at a depth of about 8 feet. He said he is fishing an Eakins jig with a Kicker Fish trailer, a Senko, a Zoom Trick Worm and an imitation Chatterbait.

McCall falls to second

After leading the opening round, McCall dropped to second today with a five-bass limit weighing 13 pounds, 8 ounces. McCall has been fishing his Sam Rayburn “milk run,” which includes several undisclosed locations on the lake.

“I went back to where I fished the first day,” he said Friday. “I caught a lot of keepers; I just didn’t get a big one today. I don’t know where the big ones went.”

That main area, which McCall said he will disclose after the competition, helped him reel in a catch of 22-11 on day one, so there is no doubt that large bass can be found there. Obviously the local pro is still a strong contender for the win, though he said Wednesday that the cold and wind actually seemed to help his pattern, which may have an effect on his game plan for tomorrow.

“I’m riding it,” he said of the plan.

Reyes rattles his way into third

Placing third in the Pro Division was Jason Reyes of Humble, Texas. The five-bass limit he brought to the scale Friday weighed 12 pounds, 6 ounces.

“I’ve been catching a couple good fish each day on a Rat-L-Trap,” he said, adding that he has also done a little sight-fishing.

Reyes is fishing several areas on the south end of Sam Rayburn, mainly in 3 to 5 feet of water. His two main spots were ditch-like drainage areas in the backs of creeks, but he said he may have overworked them.

“I’m going to have to add a couple new areas tomorrow,” he said.

Bird in fourth slot

Granbury, Texas, pro Cody Bird has been one of the most consistent anglers this week. He brought in a five-bass limit weighing 12 pounds, 4 ounces to find fourth place today after weighing limits of 12-6 and 11-13 over the first two days of the tournament.

Bird earned his third Stren Central top-10 on Sam Rayburn today and his 16th overall in FLW Outdoors competition since 1998. His others include five on the Wal-Mart FLW Tour and seven in the Wal-Mart BFL, three of the latter having been at Sam Rayburn as well.

Huckaby hangs in fifth

Trent Huckaby of Fort Stockton, Texas, maintained his No. 5 position by bringing in a limit today weighing 11 pounds, 1 ounce. Though he said he is pleased to have made the top-10 cut and to be in fifth, he has had some stiff competition from within his own boat.

“My co-anglers keep catching more than I do,” he said with a smile.

Huckaby was fishing with Guillory today, who was on fire, to say the least, and Thursday he fished with Rodney Dotson, who weighed in 15-3 compared to Huckaby’s 12-8. However, the pro has never been lower than eighth in the standings all week, so his own skill speaks for itself.

Rest of the best

Rounding out the top 10 pros competing on day three in the Stren Central event on Sam Rayburn who will fish the finals:

6th: Randy Millender of Teague, Texas, five bass, 10-8

7th: Sean Hoernke of Magnolia, Texas, five bass, 10-5

8th: Dick Newberry of Houston, four bass, 9-7

9th: Art Garza of Buna, Texas, four bass, 9-6

10th: David Cochran of Royal, Ark., three bass, 8-13

Guillory blasts Co-angler Division

Guillory once again showed his prowess on his home waters Friday by bringing in the second-heaviest sack of the entire tournament at 22-5 – including the pros. He now heads into the finals with a 6 1/2-pound lead in his division.

“I’m just going to do the best I can,” he said of his plan for tomorrow. “It’s a different day with a different pro.”

But for those who think Guillory’s lead means he’s the predetermined winner, they are wrong. Granted, he does have a lot of insurance, but Guillory also zeroed on day two after bringing in 21-2 on the first day of the event.

“I just didn’t catch them,” he said of Thursday, but admitted that having a different partner fishing a different pattern was the main reason. “These guys have to do what they have to do.”

Whether Guillory will be able to adjust to Hartsell’s fishing style remains to be seen. However, Hartsell has been fishing two different patterns at entirely different depths so far, so there’s a chance that Guillory will be able to mesh with one of them.

Guillory added that calmer, warmer conditions would help his pattern. He found success today fishing a Carolina rig with Zoom plastic and a white Mr. Blitz spinnerbait. Today with Huckaby, Guillory was fishing “drops with grass” in 8 feet of water on the south end of the reservoir

Tom Medlock of Licking, Mo., sits in second place in the Co-angler Division after catching a limit weighing 15 pounds, 13 ounces.

Third place belongs to local Jasper, Texas, co-angler Bill Rogers, who weighed in five bass worth 12-13.

In fourth is Brian Branum of Longview, Texas, with four bass weighing 12-3.

Fishing his way into fifth place among co-anglers was Phillip Hudnall of Newkirk, Okla., who had five bass for 9-15.

Rest of the best

Rounding out the top 10 co-anglers on day three of the Stren Central event on Sam Rayburn who will fish the finals:

6th: Gilbert Herald of Pittsburg, Texas, three bass, 6-13

7th: Michael Herron of Paris, Texas, four bass, 6-12

8th: Thomas Szwankowski of Hope, Ark., two bass, 5-9

9th: Stetson Blaylock of Benton, Ark., two bass, 4-11

10th: Rodney Dotson of Silsbee, Texas, two bass, 4-9

Stren Central action resumes Saturday at 6:30 a.m. Central when the top 10 boats launch onto Sam Rayburn Reservoir from Umphrey Family Pavilion outside of Jasper, Texas.