Wise Guice
Alabama pro takes 5-pound lead at Lake Okeechobee
CLEWISTON, Fla. – Edward Guice of Decatur, Ala., moved into first place in the EverStart Series Southeast Division on Lake Okeechobee today with a five-bass limit weighing 20 pounds, 7 ounces.
Unlike his competitors, who are grinding it out in the same area most of the day, Guice has developed a unique run-and-gun pattern on the Big O.
“I probably ran over 100 miles total today,” he said. “I`ve got about eight spots around the lake that I’m fishing. I’ll spend about 45 minutes in an area and then run to the next one.”
Guice is reluctant to reveal exactly what he is doing or how he is fishing, but he did say that he fishing Okeechobee very similar to the way he fishes Lake Guntersville in Alabama.
“I’m honed in on certain things I think I’ve keyed in on something different,” said Guice, who reported catching 20 bass today. “I can call it when I’m fixing to get a bite.”
Lane moves to second
Bobby Lane of Lakeland, Fla., moved up to his best position of the week, second, with 15 pounds, 7 ounces.
Lane has been flipping in the Monkey Box this week, and he caught nine keepers today.
“It seems like the bite is turning on later and later,” he said. “The best bite has been from about 1 o’ clock to 3 o’ clock, and we have to leave about 2:15 to be checked in by 3. I think another hour in there today and we would all have had better bags.”
Lane says he plans to return to the same area tomorrow.
Williams third
David Williams of Maiden, N.C., is in third place with 13 pounds, 14 ounces.
He has been fishing in South Bay this week, but today the wind switched a little and began to muddy his best water.
“I moved inside about 100 yards to get in some cleaner water, and it seemed to have helped,” he said. “I started to get a few more bites once I moved, so I might move back in even farther tomorrow and see what happens.”
Melvin moves up
NASCAR pro Sandy Melvin of Boca Raton, Fla., has steadily chugged his way up through the field and currently holds his best position of the week, fourth, with 13 pounds, 3 ounces.
Melvin is fishing in the Monkey Box area and caught eight keepers today.
“The crowd was much thinner up there today,” Melvin said. “It looked like an empty parking lot compared to the last two days.”
Like other pros, Melvin complained of losing several big fish today.
“I’m fishing big baits for big bass, but the big ones came off and little ones stayed on,” he said. “That’s the way it goes some days.”
The king stumbles
7 UP pro J.T. Kenney of Frostburg, Md., watched in agony as five of his best fish came unbuttoned in thick mats today.
He still managed to sack a limit, which weighed 13 pounds for fifth place.
“It wasn’t my day,” he said. “With this type of fishing [flipping matted vegetation], the landing percentage is only about 50 percent. The first day I was batting a hundred, which is why I had such a big bag. It was just the opposite today, I lost all the ones that counted.”
“I have no explanation for it,” he said of the lost fish. “Some days it seems they just don’t get the bait right or something. I did land one about 6 pounds, but that was the only big one I got in the boat.”
Rest of the best
Rounding out the top 10 anglers in the Pro Division are Steve Kennedy of Auburn, Ala., in sixth with 12 pounds; Daryl Deka of Wellington, Fla., in seventh with 10 pounds, 10 ounces; Chad Morgenthaler of Coulterville, Ill., in eighth with 8 pounds, 2 ounces; Flash Butts of Roanoke Rapids, N.C., in ninth with 7 pounds, 1 ounce; and Matt Herren of Trussville, Ala., in 10th with 6 pounds, 8 ounces.
Wilcox leads co-anglers
This is the first EverStart event Aymon Wilcox of Lauderdale Lakes, Fla., has ever fished, but that has not stopped him from taking the lead in the Co-angler Division with 11 pounds, 11 ounces.
To catch his fish this week, Wilcox had to pull nearly everything out of the tackle box.
“I’ve caught them flipping, on spinnerbaits, on Rat-L-Traps, on worms – whatever it takes,” he said.
Local angler Ed Dixon of Moore Haven, Fla., is in second with 9 pounds.
Kenneth Owens of Wise, Va., is in third with 7 pounds, 3 ounces.
Edwin Kimbrough of Sebastian, Fla., is in fourth with 6 pounds, 9 ounces.
And Alan Weis of Greensburg, Pa., is in fifth with 5 pounds, 15 ounces.
Rest of the best
Rounding out the top 10 co-anglers are Randy Vriesman of Oviedo, Fla., in sixth with 5 pounds, 1 ounce; Mike McClenaghan of Jacksonville, Fla., in seventh with 3 pounds, 1 ounce; Lloyd Meyers of Jacksonville, Fla., in eighth with 2 pounds, 13 ounces; Reginald Pickett of Greensboro, N.C., in ninth with 2 pounds, 5 ounces; and Johnnie Parker of Elk Horn, Ky., in 10th with 1 pound, 8 ounces.
The top 10 pros and top 10 co-anglers will begin day-four competition at Roland and Mary Ann Martin’s Marina at 7 a.m.