Browne capitalizes on schooling fish

Berkley pro catches 27-6 for FLW Tour opening-round lead

JASPER, Ala. – The stormy weather had a profound impact on day two of the Wal-Mart FLW Tour qualifier on Smith Lake. For some, it greatly improved their fishing. For others, it made it nearly impossible to sight-fish. But for Glenn Browne, it opened up a rare schooling opportunity that led to a 15-pound, 2-ounce limit and the overall lead with a two-day total weight of 27 pounds, 6 ounces.

On day one, Browne caught his fish flipping upriver. That’s how day two started as well. But then he witnessed a shad bust the surface of the water. And then another. And yet another. At that point the Ocala, Fla., pro picked up a Pop-R and a Lucky Craft Sammy and went to work on top.

“The fish just started busting, and it got stupid for about an hour,” said the pro leader. “I was completely done at 9:15 this morning. It was just crazy; I bet we saw 30 to 40 fish bust the surface.”

Browne said the area he is fishing is a natural passageway for prespawn and spawning fish. It is located 25 minutes from the Smith Dam, and he described it as a channel bend at the mouth of a creek. When the fish are not schooling, he flips a Berkley Power Tube on 20-pound 100% Trilene flourocarbon around willow trees and bushes in 5 feet of water.

“They’re moving; they’re thin, slender and not quite ready to spawn.”

Since Browne caught his fish early in the day, he’s worried what the strong afternoon rains did to his water. The weather was severe at times Friday afternoon, as the nearby city of Cullman had downed trees and power lines and even a few missing roofs.

“I’m really hoping it didn’t mess them up. It was fine when I left.”

Browne said he never once saw the bass school in practice. In fact, he spent over $100 a day on gas, looking for dirty water just so he could flip. Either way, he knows where he is returning Saturday morning.

Canterbury up to second

Scott Canterbury, an Alabama native who calls Logan Martin home, is enjoying fishing the waters of Smith Lake. In only his second FLW Tour event, he has made the top-10 cutoff. After catching 11 pounds, 8 ounces on day one, he caught 15-4 on day two, pushing his two-day total to 26-12.

“I’m power fishing and covering as much water as I can,” said the FLW Tour rookie. “I’m cruising the bank, and if I see one on bed, I’ll stop and fish for it.”

Yesterday, Canterbury caught all five of his keepers sight-fishing. On day two, he caught two off beds and three with a reaction bait. To catch the spawning bass, he throws a tube.

“I love catching Coosa River spots, but I’ve had all largemouths in this tournament. All my fish have come from water 10 feet or less.”

Pugh surges to third

Those who counted Cullman, Ala., native Greg Pugh out are doing some serious back-pedaling today. After catching only four bass on day one that weighed 8 pounds, 10 ounces, the Snickers pro rallied on day two with a limit weighing 17-11, which currently stands as the heaviest stringer of the tournament. At the conclusion of the opening round, his two-day total registered 26 pounds, 5 ounces.

“I went back and sight-fished again today,” he said. “I had three left on bed and I caught those and went to a new area and caught two.”

Pugh’s biggest fish weighed 4 pounds, 12 ounces, and he had another that barely surpassed 4. These bass are coming from pockets in some hard-to-reach places. Not surprisingly, he’s fishing the Cullman side of the lake because he’s more familiar with it.

“Aaron Hall got on me yesterday about beating up my Snickers wrap, but I’ve got to do what I’ve got to do.”

The third-place pro is catching his fish on a 5/16-ounce jig and a 7-inch Berkley Shaky worm. He also occasionally mixes in a white Berkley tube.

“It looks like a little bream running across the bed.”

His limit Friday consisted of four largemouths and one spotted bass.

“Yesterday there was a lot of boat traffic up there, and the fish were real spooky. Today I had the area pretty much all to myself. I’m happy to be in the top 10 and to be representing the lake. When I came with only four yesterday and lost a 7- or 8-pounder, I was really hearing it.” 

Robertson fourth

Castrol pro Darrel Robertson is back in the top 10 after catching 13 pounds, 12 ounces on day two, pushing his total to 25 pounds, 10 ounces. 

Robertson said he sight-fished all day yesterday in 4 to 5 feet of water. On day two he again caught bedding bass, but he couldn’t really see them. His limit consisted of one spot and four largemouths.

“I’m using the new Sinkworms from Berkley,” said the Jay, Okla., pro. “I’m fishing colored-up water and blind-casting to spawners.”

Robertson said he doesn’t know whether he really has any fish left. He has two 2 1/2-pounders located, but they aren’t worth the time because they absolutely refuse to bite. While others are worried that the rain will hurt their area, Robertson thinks it will help his.

“I’ve been all over this lake, and nothing else has worked.”

Coulter fifth

Brandon Coulter of Knoxville, Tenn., experienced a much more difficult second day on Smith Lake. At noon he had only one fish in his livewell – a 15-inch squeaker.

“All my pockets were pollened up,” said Coulter, who made his first FLW Tour top-10 in his second season.

It took him a while to adjust, but when he did it made all the difference in the world. Throwing a Pop-R and a frog, Coulter finally got his spawning largemouths to commit. On day one he was searching for bedding bass with a Swim-O. Once he had them located, he would pitch an Amp Craw to the nest.

On the way back to the dam Friday afternoon, he killed some time by checking a backup area of spotted bass. There he was able to cull up to 11 pounds, 8 ounces – giving him a two-day weight of 25 pounds, 5 ounces.

“If there’s a whole bunch of sight-fishermen left, I say bring on the rain.”

Rest of the best

Rounding out the top 10 pros who made the cut on day two at Smith Lake:

6th: Michael Bennett of Roseville, Calif., 25-1
7th: Danny Pierce of Greenbrier, Ark., 23-1
8th: Koby Kreiger of Okeechobee, Fla., 22-15
9th: Jason Christie of Park Hill, Okla., 22-11
10th: Luke Clausen of Spokane, Wash., 22-7

Each of the top 10 pros caught limits, except for Christie. However, the limit count was down Friday compared to Thursday. The pros weighed in only 30 five-bass limits.

Divis continues to dominate

Dominating the Co-angler Division is becoming old-hat for Frank Divis Sr. After winning the 2007 FLW Tour event on Lake Travis and accumulating nearly $200,000 in FLW Outdoors career earnings, Divis is in the driver’s seat for yet another victory. After catching 8 pounds, 9 ounces on day one, the Fayetteville, Ark., angler caught 11 pounds, 8 ounces on day two for a total of 20 pounds, 1 ounce.

It isn’t surprising to see Divis on top of the leaderboard, and it isn’t surprising to hear how he is catching his fish.

“I threw the jig a lot today,” he said in reference to his beloved PJ’s finesse jig. “At noon I changed to a 5-inch Senko rigged wacky style in 30 feet of water, and all heck broke loose.

“It just shows that tomorrow I can catch them shallow and deep.”

Divis reported that he caught nearly 30 fish on day one, but only seven keepers Friday. Three came on the jig and four came on the Senko.

“I’ve got taxes coming up; I’ve got prom coming up; so I need to make some money tomorrow.”

Hostetler second

Second place for the co-anglers went to Larry Hostetler of Floyds Knobs, Ind., with seven bass weighing 17-4. On day two he fished with Browne, the pro leader, and caught two keepers that weighed 6 pounds, 3 ounces.

“We started to flip, and then they came up and started to feed on shad,” said Hostetler, who is making his first trip into the top 10. “It was real exciting there for a while. I caught my biggest fish flipping a red tube with green on the inside. If I get someone who sight-fishes tomorrow, I’ll take my shaky head and my 6-pound-test line and throw towards points.”

Rest of the best

Jasper, Ala., angler Lynn Oswalt grabbed third on the co-angler side with 15 pounds, 4 ounces. He caught 11 pounds, 4 ounces on day two, the second-heaviest limit of the day among the co-anglers.

Co-angler Paul Mueller of Southbury, Conn., placed fourth with 15-3.

Masahiro Yanase of Japan placed fifth for the co-anglers with 14 pounds, 12 ounces.

Rounding out the top 10 co-anglers who made the cut on day two at Smith Lake:

6th: Greg Edwards of Jasper, Ala., 13-9
7th: Stetson Blaylock of Benton, Ark., 12-3
8th: Chad Hillis of McMinnville, Tenn., 11-14
9th: William Grantham of Mobile, Ala., 11-7
10th: Teddy Roberts of Faubush, Ky., 10-13

Local angler David Hudson claimed the Snickers Big Bass award and $500 in the Co-angler Division with a 5-pound largemouth.

Day three of competition on Smith Lake begins as the 10 pros and 10 co-anglers take off from the dam at 7 a.m. Central time Saturday for the second half of competition. The co-anglers will wrap up competition Saturday while the pros are fishing the first half of a two-day final round.