Big Mac
Curt McGuire grabs EverStart Central lead on Kentucky Lake
BENTON, Ky. – On day three of the EverStart Central event on Kentucky Lake, the bite cranked up and anglers brought in limit after limit, proving that the cooler morning air and the heavy fishing pressure of days one and two had little to no effect on the Kentucky-Barkley bass.
The tournament began with a hot bite but cooled off a bit on day two, leaving question marks as to how they’d bite today for the top 10 pros and co-anglers who advanced to day three. As it turned out, nine of the top 10 pros brought in a limit of five, and the leader, Curt McGuire of Lawrenceburg, Tenn., brought in an eye-popping stringer weighing 18 pounds, 8 ounces.
Going into the final day, McGuire holds a slim 12-ounce lead over No. 2 Larry Frasier of Owensboro, who appears to be a looming threat with a hot spot full of bass that he abandoned early this morning after fleshing out a limit.
But McGuire is very familiar with Kentucky-Barkley, and he says the key to his success this week was a solid practice uncluttered by dock talk and local advice.
“I came up here, went practicing and didn’t talk to anybody,” McGuire said. “By the time the tournament started, I had 23 or 24 spots, and I’ve just been running through them every day.”
McGuire said he fished 12 or 13 of those areas today and claims he caught them on every spot he went to.
“I probably caught 13 or 14 keepers,” he said. “I lost one really big one, but I had a good day.”
McGuire has been catching his fish this week on a football jig, a 10-inch ribbontail worm and a Fat Free Shad. The difference today was that he was able to get bigger bites compared to what he’s been weighing in over the course of the week.
“I’ve been just catching 3-pounders,” he said. “Today I didn’t have as many fish, but I had a couple of good ones. I’m fishing a lot of stuff way south, and I’ll probably have a lot of company tomorrow.”
A tournament taking off from the Tennessee side of the lakes is scheduled to begin tomorrow, which will undoubtedly put pressure on the anglers fishing the south end of Kentucky-Barkley.
Frasier’s hot spot puts him in second
Kentucky Lake regular Larry Frasier of Owensboro brought in a day-three limit of bass weighing 17 pounds, 12 ounces to enter the final day in the No. 2 spot. He says he’s fishing Barkley Lake this week and practically has it to himself.
“About mid-morning the bite turns on,” said Frasier, who’s been catching his bass on a jig. “I culled three and left them. After that last fish I caught, I didn’t make another cast. I can’t wait to get back there tomorrow.”
Indeed, Frasier is gunning for the win, which would be his first on the EverStart trail.
“I’ve been doing this for several years among these boys,” he said. “I watched Terry (Bolton) and Shawn (Penn) grow up. I’m enjoying it.”
Bolton shoots to third
Paducah pro Terry Bolton caught five bass today weighing 16 pounds, 4 ounces to land in third place on day three, only 2 pounds, 4 ounces out of the lead.
Bolton said he started the day fishing new locations, and the change paid off. Though they may be new today, they’re places the Kentucky Lake local has fished for years.
“I ran a bunch of water I haven’t fished this week,” Bolton said. “It started out pretty slow, but seems the fish are biting better in the afternoon.”
Bolton said he has no particular place where he can say he can catch a big one, but so far, his pattern is working. He’s catching his bass on a 10 1/2-inch Zoom Ole Monster worm and a 5/8-ounce homemade jig with a Zoom Chunk on it in 12 to 22 feet of water.
“I got fortunate,” he said. “I had one big fish bite today and I didn’t lose him. If it’s your time, it’s your time.”
Schroeder, Davis within striking distance
Billy Schroeder of Paducah brought in another five bass today weighing 15 pounds, 6 ounces to enter the final day in fourth.
“I struggled,” he said. “I think I fished the places right, but I probably fooled around a little too long in too many places. I’m going to totally change my game plan tomorrow.”
Russellville, Ala., pro William Davis led the first two days but fell to fifth on day three with a limit of bass weighing 15 pounds, 4 ounces.
“I found a lot of fish, but a lot of places have dried up on me,” Davis said. “I just go out there and put my time in and hope for the best.”
Best of the rest
Rounding out the top 10 Kentucky Lake pros after day three:
6th: Sam Lashlee of Camden, Tenn., five bass, 15-1
7th: Shawn Penn of Eddyville, five bass, 14-11
8th: Rodney Tidwell of Murray, five bass, 14-1
9th: David Curtis of Trinity, Texas, five bass, 11-7
10th: Kelly Albert of Goodlettsville, Tenn., four bass, 8-6
Rounds leads co-angler contingent
The bite was good on the co-angler side today as well, and local angler Chuck Rounds of Benton leads the pack with a day-three limit weighing 14 pounds, 14 ounces. Overall, seven of the top 10 co-anglers caught a limit today.
“It was great; I caught a lot of fish,” Rounds said. “They’re still biting a jig. I’ve not had a bite on a worm, and I like the worm.”
Rounds estimates he caught three limits’ worth of keepers today and that they bit morning and afternoon.
“I caught them all day,” he said.
Newsom close behind
The No. 2 co-angler after day three is Memphis, Tenn., resident Keith Newsom, who caught five today worth 13 pounds, 5 ounces.
“This is becoming a good place for me to fish,” he said. “I’ve got one bait that I like to throw – a 7 1/2-inch ringworm. I have a lot of confidence on that smaller worm.”
Herald No. 3
Gilbert Herald of Pittsburg, Texas, is enjoying his second top-10 finish of the year, and he brought in a limit of five today that weighed 12 pounds, 13 ounces to put him just more than 2 pounds out of the lead.
“I think I can handle it,” he said. “If I can get in the right spot and get on the right bite, I’ll be there.”
Hargett, Blaylock round out top five
David Hargett of Sherwood, Ark., is the No. 4 co-angler after day three thanks to five bass that weighed 12 pounds, 12 ounces. Behind him in fifth is young angler Stetson Blaylock of Benton, Ark., with five that weighed 12 pounds, 3 ounces.
Rounding out the top 10 co-anglers after day three on Kentucky Lake:
6th: Melinda Mize of Ben Lomond, Ark., four bass, 11-15
7th: Emmet Barnett of Waldron, Ark., five bass, 11-11
8th: Brad Taylor of Catlettsburg, four bass, 11-9
9th: Mark King of Gurdon, Ark., five bass, 11-4
10th: Rick Turner of Tyler, Texas, zero bass
The final takeoff will commence tomorrow at 6 a.m. from Moors Resort and Marina, located at 570 Moors Road in Gilbertsville.