Running against the wind

Blustery weather continues on day three

BULL SHOALS, Ark. – Nothing against Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band, but Stren Series Central Division anglers are about to redefine the phrase “running against the wind.” That aforementioned wind continues to howl on Bull Shoals Lake, but there is no holding back today as each and every angler takes a final crack at making the top-10 cut.

The top three pros – Randall Hutson, Tim Fleetwood and Jerry Weisinger – have a considerable cushion over the rest of the competition. Those three were the only anglers to catch limits each of the first two days. A closer look at the leaderboard reveals nearly a 5-pound difference between third-place Weisinger and pros Jim Byler and Jeff Evans, who are tied for fifth.

Barring a huge sack of fish, somewhere in the 15-pound range, this looks like a two- or three-man race. But after that, anyone who can scratch out a limit could skyrocket up the standings and make a push for the cut.

While a limit sounds great, its difficultly can’t be overstated this week. Even early in the week, most anglers were only getting a few bites per day. Now it’s become increasingly more difficult to feel those few bites. The cold front can also have a mental effect on competitors. For example, today’s takeoff temperature is approximately 30 degrees lower than yesterday’s temperature at takeoff. No wonder several pros were spotted shaking their heads as they blasted off into the choppy Arkansas impoundment this morning.

Co-angler leader Ed Shay summed it up at weigh-in yesterday: “If this was easy, we’d call it golf.”

Day-three weigh-in festivities begin at 3 p.m. Central time at Bull Shoals Lake Boat Dock located just off Highway 178 in Bull Shoals.

Following Friday’s competition, the top 10 pros and 10 co-anglers will advance to Saturday’s final round based on cumulative three-day weight.

On the Web

For those who can’t catch the weigh-in action in person, FLWOutdoors.com offers FLW Live, an online application that brings fans real-time weigh-in results, streaming video and audio.

Friday’s conditions

Sunrise: 6:40 a.m.

Temperature at takeoff: 37 degrees

Expected high temperature: 55 degrees

Water temperature: 43 to 48 degrees

Wind: W at 22 mph

Maximum humidity: 36 percent

Day’s outlook: sunny and windy