No one’s out
Guntersville’s lunkers can quickly erase steep deficits
GUNTERSVILLE, Ala. – On most lakes, the Chevy Open would be a two-man tango between first- and second-place pros Scott Canterbury and Sam Newby. Newby caught 18 pounds on day three and Canterbury managed 20-11. But Lake Guntersville is no ordinary fishery and any of the top 10 pros have a realistic shot at taking home the $200,000 first-place purse.
Craig Dowling who lives in nearby Grant, Ala., is currently last among the 10 pro finalists with 7 pounds, 15 ounces. Although he trails Canterbury by nearly 13 pounds, he isn’t ready to concede the title.
“I have a chance,” he said. “It isn’t a great chance, but they live out here – it’s possible. Right now my goal is to move into the top five but this thing is definitely not over.”
During practice Dowling averaged roughly 20 to 25 pounds per day. Over the years he’s caught a handful of 30 pound-stringers on Guntersville – although most came in the fall.
“There’s definitely enough quality fish in this lake to catch 30 pounds. The problem is that this time of year there is no magic bait for catching big fish. The trap bite is the deal and if you’re throwing something else, you’re wasting a cast.”
Fourth-place pro John Tanner disagrees and is going with a different game plan than Dowling. He’s used the same bait in the same area for three consecutive days.
“Today I’m actually going to try different stuff,” said the Quitman, Texas, native who is fishing in his first top 10. “I’m going to throw this red Frenzy Rattl’r and this Talon jig tipped with a Chigger Craw. You’ve just got to give these fish a different look in order to make them bite. I’ll throw the Frenzy for most of the day but occasionally I’ll drop the jig in particular patches of grass where I know the big ones live.
“That’s a bad dude right there,” Tanner said of the jig and plastic combo. “That’s breakfast for an 8-pounder this morning.”
With excellent fishing conditions on the docket for the fourth consecutive day, expect a bountiful catch, and a few surprising comeback’s, at the weigh-in.
Tournament notes
Today represents the fourth and final day of competition at the FLW Tour event on Lake Guntersville. First place in the Pro Division will go to the angler who brings in the heaviest two-day combined stringer 
over Saturday and Sunday. The winning pro is guaranteed a top prize of $150,000, with a chance to win $200,000 if he is a registered owner of a Ranger boat.
The action continues at today’s weigh-in, which is scheduled to take place at 4 p.m. Central time at the Von Braun Center, located at 700 Monroe St. in Huntsville. The free Family Fun Zone will open its doors at noon. One lucky member of the audience will win a new Ranger boat during the final 4 p.m. weigh-in. Admission is free and you must be present to win.
On the Web
For those who can’t catch the weigh-in action in person, FLWOutdoors.com offers FLW Live, an online application that brings fans real-time weigh-in results, streaming video and audio.
Sunday’s conditions
Sunrise: 6:30 a.m.
Temperature at takeoff: 42 degrees
Expected high temperature: 54 degrees
Water temperature: 44-55 degrees
Wind: N at 8 mph
Maximum humidity: 60 percent
Day’s outlook: morning clouds, afternoon sunshine