Clapper closes in on Chevy Open victory

Extreme conditions make for wild day three in Detroit

DETROIT – Today, FLW Outdoors might have made history by introducing the world to a new sport: extreme bass fishing.

Steady winds of 20 to 30 miles per hour thrashed the top-10 anglers in the Wal-Mart FLW Tour Chevy Open on day three, leaving one pro and co-angler stranded (safely) in Canada.

Top-10 pro Chris King of South Amherst, Ohio and his co-angler Truman White of Myersville, Md., could not make it back to weigh-in on time and had to be trailered back around from Canada late Saturday afternoon.

Whether they went to Lake Erie or St. Clair, the fact that the rest of the nine pros and co-anglers all made it back to weigh-in on time is a testament to the incredible equipment built by Ranger Boats, Evinrude, Yamaha and Minn Kota.

During weigh-in, FLW Outdoors rolled raw footage of the day’s action from Erie and it looked like something akin to big wave surfing in Hawaii as anglers “surfed” up and down 6- and 7-foot rollers while fishing.

Needless to say, when this show hits FSN it will certainly be one to watch.

How someone actually fishes in those kinds of conditions is almost incomprehensible – unless of course it’s Steve Clapper of Lima, Ohio, who basically pioneered that style of extreme fishing. And as he proved today, he is one of the best at doing it.

Despite the surreal conditions, Clapper boated 23 pounds, 3 ounces of smallmouth to continue his Chevy Open lead by nearly 3 pounds.

“That was absolutely brutal today,” said Clapper. “I am so worn down right now. I ran about 30 to 35 miles out into Erie to my best spot where I have fished the last two days and caught a limit by about 8:40 this morning.

“I was really concerned about the shorter shaft on those trolling motors (Clapper’s personal boat is equipped with an extra-long shaft) but it worked out fine. I was able to hold my position in those big waves.”

Clapper said he fishing a pair of “rough spots” on the bottom of Erie in about 23 to 26 feet of water.

“It’s not a major break or vertical drop, just a couple of nice, subtle rises with some rock on them.”

Although he has been mostly drop-shotting to this point in the event, today he had to go to an ISG tube on 3/4-ounce Big Dude head to keep his bait on the bottom.

“When it gets like that out there, a drop-shot is just hard to keep up with,” he explained.

Perhaps the worst is over for Clapper though as calmer conditions are expected tomorrow.

“I’ve got another really good spot about another 15 or 20 miles further that I really would like to try tomorrow,” he added. “If it’s calm enough, I’ll probably check it out.”

Baksay second

Terry Baksay of Easton, Conn., continued to work his St. Clair game plan to perfection today.

The Yamaha pro weighed in 20 pounds, 5 ounces to claim second place after day three.

“It was definitely a `two-sock day,'” said Baksay referring to the number of drift socks he had out to slow his drift.

“I’m mostly dragging Mizmo tubes and drop-shot rigs around grass out in St. Clair,” he added. “But when the sun pops out, I’m also throwing a jerkbait, which produced my three best fish today.”

Jancasz third

Trevor Jancasz of White Pigeon, Mich., continued his fish catching ways on Erie today, despite the wind.

Jancasz is catching his fish remarkably shallow compared to other anglers on Erie – 4 to 8 feet.

“I really figured my area out a little better yesterday,” he said. “The key spot is a shallow sand strip that runs out into deep water and it’s got rocks, weeds, and bait all over it. It’s just a unique little spot.”

Jancasz is throwing a drop-shot Berkley Gulp! Fry and Pointer 100 jerkbait in his area.

“I caught some good ones on the jerkbait yesterday,” he added. “And when they come up to look at the jerkbait and don’t bite it, I just pitch my little Fry in there and they eat it.”

Moleski fourth

Thomas Moleski of Elkhart, Ind., holds down the fourth spot with 19 pounds, 5 ounces.

Moleski is fishing deep water out in Erie on breaks that are about 25 feet deep.

Long fifth

B.F. Goodrich pro Kevin Long of Berkley, Mich., moved up to his best of the week, fifth, with 18 pounds, 13 ounces caught out of Lake St. Clair.

“I’m fishing about 18 feet deep, keying on patches of deep cabbage,” Long said. “Normally I like to hold position with the trolling motor and cast, but today I had to put out the drift sock and go with the wind.”

Long’s best tactics include drop-shotting and “snapping” a tube.

Rest of the best

Rounding out the top-10 pros in the Wal-Mart FLW Tour Chevy Open on the Detroit River:

6th: Josh Myers of Chatham, Ont., five bass, 17-3

7th: Shad Schenck of Waynetown, Ind., five bass, 16-1

8th: Clark Wendlandt of Leander, Texas, five bass, 15-7

9th: Clifford Pirch of Payson, Ariz., five bass, 13-11

10th: Christopher King of South Amherst, Ohio, 0-0

The fourth and final day of the Chevy Open begins at 6:30 Sunday morning at Elizabeth Park Marina located at 202 Grosse Isle Pkwy. in Trenton, Mich.