Klein climbs into FLW lead at Lake Ouachita

Pro Gary Klein of Weatherford, Texas, used a 9-pound, 1-ounce catch to grab the top qualifying position heading into the final round of competition. Photo by Gary Mortenson. Angler: Gary Klein.

March 15, 2002 • Gary Mortenson • Archives

Fishing legends, veteran experience dominate top-10 pro field

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – In what could amount to one of the most competitive and experienced final-day pro fields of the FLW season, Gary Klein of Weatherford, Texas, emerged as the frontrunner to grab the top prize of $110,000 after landing a first-place catch of 9-pound, 1-ounce in today’s action. However, with names like Rick Clunn, Kevin VanDam and Paul Elias – all fishing legends in their own right – advancing to the final round, it is clear that the FLW Lake Ouachita title is up for grabs.

Klein, a veteran angler with multiple FLW titles and a household name to bass-fishing enthusiasts throughout the nation, said he was excited to be competing in tomorrow’s finals. However, he also acknowledged that the battle for the tournament title would not be easy given the tough conditions and even tougher competition.

“It’s been a fun week for me, but had I not made the top 10, I would have been very disappointed,” he said. “Overall, I feel very fortunate to be here. I’m in the hunt, but I really haven’t been tearing it up. And I still haven’t had a day on the water where I’ve felt totally in control. But if I figure things out tomorrow, watch out. Because I’m very capable of winning this event.”

Klein said he is focusing primarily on a drop-shot technique, fishing a 4-inch Berkeley worm on 6-pound fluorocarbon test line in 45 to 60 feet of water.

“It’s a really fun technique,” he said. “But even on a perfect day, I’m only capable of bringing in an 11- to 12-pound stringer.”

Consequently, Klein said he will consider changing strategies if the conditions dictate as such.

“Tomorrow is going to be a short day of fishing, so we’re really not going to have too much room for error,” said Klein on the 6:15 a.m. start time and 1 p.m. check-in time during Saturday’s final day of competition. “Given that fact, the morning bite could be crucial for me. I’m still going to fish deep. But at the same time, I’m going into tomorrow’s competition very open-minded.”

Although Klein said he probably isn’t capable of landing a massive stringer, he said he was pleased to see that the competition was struggling out on Lake Ouachita as well.

“I would not have been comfortable coming into today’s weigh-in with any of the weights (brought in) by the top-10 guys. Basically, if those guys could have caught 15 pounds today, they would have,” he said. “So, what that tells me is that none of my competition held back (in the semifinals). And that’s good. Because I should be right in the thick of things tomorrow.”

Second … by an ounce

Kenneth Strickland of Oak Ridge, N.C., landed in the second qualifying position after turning in a 9-pound stringer – only 1 ounce off Klein’s lead. However, Strickland said he was more than happy to qualify for the finals – a reality that seemed like a far-fetched idea a few days ago.

“Coming into this tournament, I really felt terrible about my chances,” he said. “I did pretty poorly the first day fishing deep, so I decided to change tactics and fish shallow. From that point on, things started to pick up.”

The decision paid immediate dividends. After abandoning his deep bite, which netted him 0 pounds on the first day of competition, Strickland focused his attention on fishing shallow grass clumps with spinnerbaits on day two. The result was a five-fish limit weighing 12 pounds, 12 ounces.

“Tomorrow, I’m going back to the same area I fished today,” he said. “I only caught five keepers there, but I have a lot of confidence in that area. I saw a lot of fish today, so I’m feeling pretty good about tomorrow.”

Power surge

Day-two leader Craig Powers of Rockwood, Tenn., turned in another steady performance despite running all over the lake looking for fish for the third consecutive day.

“I’ve caught all of my fish in different spots each of the past three days,” said Powers, who recorded an 8-pound, 5-ounce catch in the semifinals. “And if I could just catch a limit tomorrow – I haven’t caught one all year – I just might be dangerous. Hopefully, I’ll be able to put it all together in the finals.”

Powers, who said he is using a “textbook” spring fishing pattern, is targeting largemouth bass in shallow water on crankbaits.

“To tell you the truth, my pattern is really about putting in lot of hard work and going out there and making about 1 million casts a day,” he said. “The key is to work your butt off. Because once you make it to (the finals), you never know what will happen.”

Jumping jack bass

Rick Clunn of Ava, Mo., finished in the fourth qualifying position … the hard way. Although he ultimately weighed in three bass for 8 pounds, 3 ounces, all Clunn could talk about was the fish that got away.

“I had four fish coming back to the weigh-in, but when I looked back in my livewell, one of the fish jumped right out of the boat. And it was probably my second biggest fish,” he said. “That’s never happened to me before. So, I feel very fortunate to be here.”

Wesley Strader of Spring City, Tenn., grabbed the fifth qualifying position after landing a total catch weighing 6 pounds, 8 ounces.

Best of the rest

Rounding out the top-10 qualifiers were Mark Rose (sixth) of Marion, Ark., with a catch of 6 pounds, 4 ounces; Paul Elias (seventh) of Pachuta, Miss., with a catch of 5 pounds, 14 ounces; Curt Lytle (eighth) of Suffolk, Va., with a catch of 5 pounds, 11 ounces; Kevin VanDam (ninth) of Kalamazoo, Mich., with a catch of 5 pounds, 10 ounces; and Shad Schenck (tenth) of Waynetown, Ind., with a catch of 5 pounds, 7 ounces.

Tomorrow’s final takeoff is scheduled to take place at 6:15 a.m. at Mountain Harbor Resort, located 2 miles off Highway 270.