Becoming a thorn in their side

Rose opens up 6-pound FLW Series lead at Pickwick

FLORENCE, Ala. – If you are curious about what the fishing is like at Pickwick Lake right now – it’s a drag, but in a good way.

After day two, the Wal-Mart FLW Series BP Eastern Division event on Pickwick is being dominated by jig draggers out in deep water.

All of the top five pros have reported that dragging some kind of jig in deep water has been the key to their success.

Suave pro Mark Rose of Marion, Ark. – who caught 15 pounds, 15 ounces today to open up a healthy lead of 6 pounds, 2 ounces with a two-day total of 34 pounds, 14 ounces – makes no bones about his technique.

“I’m dragging a ¾-ounce Strike King football-head jig, green-pumpkin, teamed with a new Rage-Tail trailer in about 14 to 16 feet of water,” Rose said candidly.

“I really can’t believe I’m on Pickwick,” he continued. “The fishing is so good. With each good keeper I catch, I have to ask myself, Is this really the same Lake Pickwick I’ve fished before?

“My fish actually bit better for me today than yesterday. I probably caught a dozen solid keepers. I’d like to say it was the wind or current or something, but I really think it’s just the sun and moon and stars lining up for me right now. I feel great, I’m fishing well, and I’ve been blessed so far this week.”

Another testament as to how good the fishing was in Rose’s boat today, his co-angler, Stetson Blaylock, caught a five-bass limit weighing 13 pounds, 8 ounce behind him.

Bolton holds on to second

Terry Bolton of Paducah, Ky., reeled in five bass for 12 pounds, 5 ounces today to hold on to to his second-place position with a two-day total of 28 pounds, 12 ounces.

“The places I’m fishing remind me a lot of the kinds of places I like to fish back home (on Kentucky Lake),” Bolton said. “I’m fishing ledges and breaks down to about 26 feet with my `skirted lure.'”

Bolton says that his fishing is all about timing and sequencing his water to the rhythm of the water being discharged from Wilson Dam.

“I pulled up on one spot and caught four in a row,” he said. “And that’s the deal: being there when they’re biting. But it’s real easy to get out of rhythm. It’s very possible to be wasting time on one spot when they’re biting like crazy on another. So timing is everything.”

Martin jumps to third

Tommy Martin of Hemphill, Texas, made a nice jump into third place on the power of his 14-pound, 6-ounce catch today. He now has a two-day total of 28 pounds even.

And here’s a big surprise: Martin is dragging a jig as well.

“They were running water this morning, and when I got to my best spot, they were biting good,” Martin said. “I had a limit by 9:15.”

Martin is dragging a Jewel football-head jig and an Oldham’s football-head jig, both in a 5/8-ounce size and both with a peanut-butter-and-jelly-colored skirt. His two trailers are a Paca Craw and a big Zoom Critter Craw, both in green-pumpkin.

“I’ve got a rock pile right on the river channel in about 15 to 18 feet of water,” he added. “It’s got plenty of fish on it, but other boats are trying to get on it, so I had to stay there all day and guard it. Once I got my limit, I wanted to go try some other stuff, but I kind of got trapped in there just holding my spot.”

Pugh moves to fourth

Pedigree pro Greg Pugh of Cullman, Ala., continued to climb the leader latter today into fourth with a 13-pound, 15-ounce catch for a two-day total of 27 pounds, 15 ounces.

Pugh said he is fishing deep, down to 21 feet, though he did not want to reveal his lure just yet. However, a certain amount of deductive reasoning might lead to what that bait is.

“It got tougher on me today,” Pugh said. “I did not finish my limit until about 1 o’clock, and I lost two in the 4-pound class. So I’m actually a little dissapointed in what I had today. But I know where they live, and I’m going to see if I can’t keep them buttoned up a little better tomorrow.”

Mann fifth

Tom Mann Jr. of Buford, Ga., weighed in 11 pounds, 7 ounces today for a two-day total of 27 pounds, 3 ounces to claim the fifth-place position.

Any guesses of Mann’s pattern? That’s right, the jig strikes again.

“Yesterday I used a 5-inch worm on a Spot Remover, and today I switched to a big Buckeye Lures 1/2-ounce football jig to see if I could get some bigger bites, and my fish actually got smaller,” Mann laughed.

“I’m still fishing about 20 feet deep,” he added. “It’s not so much in a specific spot as an area, and I’m just dragging around down there until I get bit.”

Rest of the best

Rounding out the top 10 pros in the Wal-Mart FLW Series BP Eastern event on Lake Pickwick after day two:

6th: Art Ferguson of St. Clair Shores, Mich., two-day total of 26-4

7th: Larry Nixon of Bee Branch, Ark., two-day total of 26-1

8th: Jim Moynagh of Carver, Minn., two-day total of 25-10

9th: David Walker of Sevierville, Tenn., two-day total of 25-5

10th: Jim Dillard of Bauxite, Ark., two-day total of 24-2

Big bass

Brad Wilemon of Booneville, Miss., caught the Snickers Big Bass in the Pro Division on day two weighing 6 pounds, 12 ounces.

Gildernew still leads co-anglers

Edward Gildernew of Zelienople, Pa., has opened up a sizable lead of 6 pounds in the Co-angler Division with a two-day total of 21 pounds, 7 ounces.

He brought in four bass today for 9 pounds, 14 ounces to add to his 11 pounds, 9 ounces from yesterday.

Just as he did yesterday, Gildernew dragged his own homemade jig behind his pro today to catch his fish.

“I fish a jig a lot back home,” Gildernew said. “I feel very comfortable with a jig, so that’s what I’ve stuck with here.”

Rest of the best

Gilbert Herald of Pittsburg, Texas, weighed in one bass today, but it was a big one weighing 4 pounds, 14 ounces and moved him up into second with a two-day total of 15 pounds, 6 ounces.

James Richardson Sr. of Harrison, Ohio, caught three large spotted bass today weighing 6 pounds, 8 ounces. He is now in third place with a two-day total of 13 pounds 12 ounces.

After zeroing yesterday, Berkley co-angler Stetson Blaylock of Benton, Ark., drew out with leading pro Mark Rose and went from zero to hero with a five-bass limit weighing 13 pounds, 8 ounces for fourth place.

Chris Cox of Bethel Springs, Tenn., holds down the fifth-place position with a two-day total of 13 pounds, 2 ounces.

Rounding out the top 10 co-anglers in the FLW Series Eastern event on Lake Pickwick after day two:

6th: Kevin Koone of Greenbrier, Ark., two-day total of 12-9

7th: Ronald Aikin of Valley Station, Ky., two-day total of 12-6

8th: Chuck Thurlow of Auburn, Ala., two-day total of 12-3

9th: Ben Hand of Memphis, Tenn., two-day total of 11-13

10th: Brad Rodrigue of Pierre Part, La., two-day total of 11-6

Big bass

Jim Smith of Georgetown, Ky., caught the Snickers Big Bass in the Co-Angler Division on day two weighing 6 pounds, 15 ounces.

Day three of the FLW Series event on Lake Pickwick begins Thursday morning at 7 at McFarland Park located on James M. Spain Drive in Florence, Ala.