Waterfall

Rain, lake level dropping at Kerr for day two

HENDERSON, N.C. – EverStart Series anglers are fishing under soggy skies Thursday morning for the second half of the opening round in Northeast Division competition at Kerr Lake.

While wet conditions are expected to continue throughout the day, don’t expect the catch weights to drop too significantly from day one. If anything, the cloud cover has helped ignite a strong postspawn bite this week at Kerr. Under similar conditions yesterday, over half the Pro Division caught five-bass limits.

Another key factor helping anglers target bass on the move is the falling water. While the lake is about at normal pool for this time of year, the water level dropped significantly prior to day one. Especially on the flats on that upper end of the lake and on mainlake points, that should group schools of bass into even tighter clumps. Plus, it shrinks the field of play for the anglers by keeping the bass out of the vegetation on the bank.

“It’s close to normal pool,” said co-angler leader Richard Angel, a local fisherman, “but if the water drops just a little bit, it makes a big difference here.”

Still, with all the rain seen here the last couple days, it could have an equalizing effect on the lake level.

Pete Gluszek leads the Pro Division with 22 pounds, and the 10th-place weight is sitting at 16-1. Look for the pro cut to come in around 30 pounds or so.

Angel’s 16 pounds, 4 ounces leads the Co-angler Division, and their cut weight should hover around 19 or 20 pounds.

Both divisions will be cut to the top 10 anglers apiece following Thursday’s fishing. Day-two weigh-in festivities begin at 2:30 p.m. Eastern time at Satterwhite Point located at 6470 Satterwhite Point Road in Henderson.

Thursday’s conditions:

Sunrise: 5:57 a.m.

Temperature at takeoff: 58 degrees

Expected high temperature: 65 degrees

Wind: NE at 9 mph

Maximum humidity: 94 percent

Day’s outlook: light rain