Montgomery leads sopping day one at Kerr
South Carolina pro uses jig to bag 17-5, lead Stren Northeast event
HENDERSON, N.C. – Call them soaked. Call them sopped. Call them steeped. Many of the 394 anglers that fished day one of the first Stren Series Northeast event of the season on Kerr Lake Wednesday were as wet as the fish in their weigh-in bags.
From the moment they put the boats in the water this morning to the moment they crossed the weigh-in stage this afternoon, anglers endured soaking rains that ranged from a drizzle to a downright downpour.
And as predicted, the rain did little to dampen the fishing, as a total of 353 anglers caught fish, and 82 limits were brought to the stage.
Andy Montgomery of Blacksburg, S.C., fended off the weather with five bass for 17 pounds, 5 ounces to take an early lead.
Montgomery, who has had a red-hot season as a co-angler on the Wal-Mart FLW Tour this year with three top-10s, relied on a jig to catch most of his 15 keepers today.
“I fished both shallow and deep,” Montgomery said. “But I had a jig in my hand the whole day.”
In the shallows, Montgomery swam a jig, and out deep he dragged and hopped, or “stroked,” a heavy jig.
“Of the five bass I weighed in, two came from swimming the jig shallow, two came from stroking the jig and two came from dragging it deep,” he said. “The jig is the common denominator, but I’m varying how I fish it, based on where I’m fishing at the time.”
Baldwin second
Local pro Chris Baldwin of Lexington, N.C., is in second place with five bass for
16 pounds, 11 ounces.
Baldwin also fished both shallow and deep to catch a total of six keepers.
“The fish are really scattered out,” Baldwin said. “I caught some on topwater this morning, and by the end of the day, I was catching some out in 20 feet of water.”
Baldwin thinks the cloudy, dark weather actually hurt the shallow bite.
“I’ve been catching them on top a whole lot better when the sun has been out, even in the middle of the day,” he said. “But it seemed that topwater bite went away by about 9 o’ clock this morning. I think the sun actually helps position the fish on the shallow cover better.”
Baldwin noted he dodged a bullet with his good catch today.
“I usually do better when the sun is out, and I struggle when it’s dark like this,” he said. “So I’m glad to have caught what I did today. Maybe if the sun comes out the rest of the week, things will get even better.”
Baumgardner switches tactics for third, McDonald shares slot
Chris Baumgardner of Gastonia, N.C., had planned to throw a topwater all day, but when he went fishless for a couple hours this morning, he switched to a spinnerbait to reel in 16 pounds, 4 ounces for third place, including the day-one Pro Division big bass, weighing 5 pounds, 13 ounces.
“I was really counting on that topwater this morning, and I don’t know what happened,” Baumgardner said. “I guess this weather messed it up. Thankfully, I made the right adjustment by going to a 1/2-ounce Zone spinnerbait (double willow blades), which produced all my fish.”
Tied for third is Tim McDonald of Hagerhill, Ky., who caught most of his 16 pounds, 4
ounces shallow today.
Watkins fifth
Closing out the top five after one day of competition in the four-day Stren Northeast season opener is Tracy Watkins of Williamston, S.C., with 15 pounds, 7 ounces.
Rest of the best
Rounding out the top 10 pros in the Stren Series Northeast event on Kerr Lake:
6th: Keith Monson of Burgin, Ky., five bass, 15-0
7th: Vinston Nettles of Pittsboro, N.C., five bass, 14-10
8th: David Wickenheiser of Edgewood, Md., five bass, 14-6
9th: Mark Burgess of Norton, Mass., five bass, 14-5
10th: Curt Tindall of Brandon, Vt., five bass, 14-4
Local Eakes leads Co-angler Division
Phillip Eakes of nearby Bahama, N.C., leads the Co-angler Division with a five-bass limit for 15 pounds, 15 ounces.
“I just have a lot of confidence in this lake,” Eakes said. “I fish it quite a bit, and it’s full of fish. I’ve got one particular bait I’ve had a lot of success with here, and as long as my partner has got me in water less than 10 feet deep, it’s all I throw.”
High five
Daniel Peterman of Hollidaysburg, Pa., is in second place with five bass for 12 pounds, 14 ounces.
Andy Bailey of Beckley, W.Va., is in third place with five bass, weighing 12 pounds, 10 ounces.
Christopher Foley of Philipsburg, Pa., is in fourth place with five bass, weighing 11 pounds, 8 ounces.
Chet Beam of Apex, N.C., holds down fifth place with four bass for 11 pounds, 1 ounce.
Rest of the best
Rounding out the top 10 co-anglers in the Stren Series Northeast event on Kerr Lake:
6th: Tim Bailey of Oceana, W.Va., four bass, 11-0
7th: William Henning of Kernersville, N.C., four bass, 10-14
8th: Andrew Smith of Durham, N.C., five bass, 10-5,
9th: Moo Bae of West Friendship, Md., four bass, 10-4
9th: Gaetan Hardy of Higganum, Conn., four bass, 10-4
Day two starts at 6 a.m. at Satterwhite Point Marina.