FLORENCE, Ala. – Team Yamaha pro Alton Jones, Waco, Texas, will lead 20 of the nation’s top bass anglers into Friday’s semifinal round of the $550,000 Wal-Mart FLW Tour event on Lake Wheeler with a two-day, opening-round total of 10 bass weighing 35 pounds, 13 ounces.
Jones caught five bass weighing 19 pounds, 3 ounces Thursday to flush out Wednesday’s five-bass, 16-pound, 10-ounce catch and retain his No. 1 ranking. Jones has landed the tournament’s two heaviest catches, which makes him the favorite heading into the semifinals. If he continues his dominating performance Friday and Saturday, he stands to win $110,000 cash in the four-day tournament presented by Pepsi and Frito-Lay. Anglers start each of the final two days from zero and fish for the heaviest five-bass limit each day.
“I know exactly the kind of water fish are holding in, so I can run around and catch a big fish at each spot that I’ve found,” said Jones, who is fishing main creek channels in Decatur Flats. “I could have caught a really big sack, but I pulled off. I’m going back there (Friday) to fish my best spots until I have at least 15 pounds. Then I’ll be pretty confident about making the finals.”
Mark Rose, Marion, Ark., climbed from 11th place to claim the No. 2 spot in the semifinal round with a two-day total of 10 bass weighing 26 pounds, 1 ounces.
Rounding out the top-five pros are Team Fujifilm angler Wesley Strader, Spring City, Tenn. (10 bass, 23 pounds, 13 ounces); Chevy Pro Staff angler Larry Nixon, Bee Branch, Ark. (eight bass, 22 pounds); and Eric Holt, Galena, Mo., (10 bass, 21 pounds, 6 ounces).
After coming up empty on opening day, Jone’s partner, Armil Morgan, Mineral Springs, Ark., claimed the No. 1 co-angler spot heading into Friday’s competition with a two-day total of four bass weighing 16 pounds. His impressive catch ranks as the third heaviest pro or co-angler catch of the tournament.
Morgan also earned co-angler big bass honors and $500 Thursday with a 6-pound, 14-ounce bass that tied him with pro Robin Cummings, Cullman, Ala., who landed a 6-pound, 14-ounce smallmouth on opening day. Morgan and Cummings split the $1,000 Snickers big bass award for the opening round’s heaviest bass. Yamaha pro Dean Rojas, Lake Havasu City, Ariz., earned $750 and pro big bass honors Thursday with a 5-pound, 13-ounce bass.
Rounding out the top-three co-anglers are Doug Caldwell, Kane, Pa., (nine bass, 13 pounds, 10 ounces) and John Beason, Jonesboro, Ark., (nine bass, 12 pounds, 5 ounces). Co-angler competition ends Friday with the winner taking home $15,000 cash.
The original field of 350 anglers included 175 pros and 175 co-anglers representing 34 states and Japan.
Overall, 659 bass were caught Thursday including 54 five-bass limits. More than 99 percent of the bass were released. If Wal-Mart FLW Tour anglers maintain a 98-percent live release rate throughout 2002, Energizer will donate $25,000 to the Children’s Miracle Network.
Competition continues at 8 a.m. Friday at Joe Wheeler State Park located at 4401 McLean Drive in Rogersville. Friday’s weigh-in begins at 5 p.m. at the Wal-Mart Supercenter located at 3100 Hough Road in Florence. Saturday’s final takeoff from Joe Wheeler State Park starts at 6:15 a.m. followed by a 2 p.m. weigh-in at Wal-Mart.
A Family Fun Zone in the Wal-Mart parking lot will feature free children’s games and product samples from 3:30 to 5 p.m. Friday and 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday.