The big Four Oh!
The 40-pound barrier could be broken on day three at Falcon Lake
ZAPATA, Texas – Turning the `big 4-0′ in age is a once-in-a-life-time experience – and so is catching a five bass limit weighing 40 pounds.
There are not many people on earth who can claim they have weighed in five bass for 40-plus pounds in a major tournament.
In fact, in the history of FLW Outdoors tournaments, there has never been a 40-pound limit weighed in. That could change on the third and final day of the Walmart FLW Series East-West Fish-Off.
Over the last two days, several pros have come close to the 40-pound mark.
Terry Bolton recorded a 36-13 catch on day one. Then David Fritts broke the standing FLW Outdoors heaviest five-fish limit with 37-2.
On day two, Koby Kreiger moved the new record to 37-4 but then Greg Hackney crushed it with a 39-11 catch.
Thirty-nine pounds and 11 ounces – that’s just 5 ounces shy of 40 pounds.
At the day-three takeoff this morning, many pros still believe that the 40-pound mark will be broken today.
“After what I’ve seen here the last two days, anything is possible,” said Terry Bolton, who hopes to sit on his honey hole until he gets a 40-pound catch today. “I have not really sat there and fished it longer than an hour or two either of the last two days. If there is no one on it this morning, I’m going to get all I can get.”
Tournament leader Greg Hackney has not really pressured his fish very hard either.
“In a multiple-day tournament like this you’re always worried about catching too many off a spot or spooking the school away,” Hackney said. “So the last couple of days I’ve treaded lightly on my best spots, just showing them a couple of lures, catching a big one or two and then getting off it. But there’s no holding back today – I’m going to really work my best areas over with a variety of lures.”
As for the 40-pound mark, Hackney explained that from a technical aspect, catching 40 pounds is very difficult to do.
“There have probably been a dozen or so guys in this tournament that’s had 40 pounds worth of bites, but getting everyone of those 7 to 11 pounders in the boat is hard to do. I’m telling you, it’s hard to have a perfect scorecard in the execution department on giant fish like this – everything has to go just right. And they have so much junk down there to get you hung up in – the home court advantage is theirs, not yours. So in order for the 40-pound barrier to be broken someone has to have one of those perfect days where they get all their big fish in.”
Hopefully that day will be today. Conditions should be in the anglers favor with cloudy skies, calmer winds and warmer temperatures than yesterday.
The day three weigh-in begins at 3 p.m. at the Zapata County Boat Ramp.
Saturday’s conditions
Sunrise: 7:03 a.m.
Temperature at takeoff: 49 degrees
Expected high temperature: 67 degrees
Water temperature: 65 degrees
Wind: N 5 to 10 mph
Day’s outlook: cloudy and cool