Shaffer leads showdown in Stren Series

Stren Series anglers seine big limits off Kentucky Lake; 10 limits top 20-pound mark

MURRAY, Ky. – Kentucky Lake once again proved why it’s a bass angler’s paradise on day one of the Stren Series Central Division event.

Consider that it’s July, it’s as hot as a burned-out trailer bearing, and water temperatures are in the 85-degree range: It’s supposed to be the “dog days” of summer, right?

Don’t tell that to the bass on Kentucky and Barkley lakes. They happily slurped down jigs and big worms today to put a lot of smiles on a lot of anglers’ faces at weigh-in.

In all, 10 bags of bass pushing the scales past the 20-pound mark crossed the stage today, and the current cut weight in the Pro Division stands at 19 pounds, 6 ounces. Not too bad for the dog days of summer.

Dick Shaffer of Rockford, Ohio, leads the event after day one with five bass weighing 23 pounds, 10 ounces, which he says all came from Kentucky Lake.

“Nobody is more surprised by this than me,” Shaffer said of his leading weight. “Coming into this event, I really didn’t think I could catch this kind of quality fish.”

While many pros camped out deep on ledges, Shaffer “mixed it up” with some shallow fish as well.

“I’m fishing a little bit of everything,” he said. “I did catch a couple of bonus big fish from around shallow grass this morning, but the rest came out deep.”

Shaffer, who scored a top-10 here in May, looks like he’s well on his way to another Stren Series cut.

“I’m going to need two more miracles like I had today,” Shaffer said of his chances over the next two days.

Wooley second

Michael Wooley of Collierville, Tenn., brought in five bass for 22 pounds, 6 ounces to start the event in second place.

Wooley finished in fifth place here in May and hopes to do even better this time around.

“I’m fishing 60 miles to the south on Kentucky Lake,” Wooley said. “I’m using a big worm in 10 to 15 feet of water, and my best bite came pretty early this morning. I caught about 10 keepers by 7:30.

“I feel pretty good about the next couple of days,” he added. “I only fished one of my spots today, and I have several others that I didn’t even touch – so I’m pretty excited.”

Ward third

Mike Ward of Paris, Tenn., hauled in five bass weighing 22 pounds, 2 ounces to start the Kentucky Lake event in third place.

Ward, too, is fishing to the south on Kentucky Lake.

“I’m from Paris, so I’m fishing down in my home area,” Ward said. “In fact, I’m actually running even farther south than Paris.

“I’m not finding the fish stacked up like they have been the past few weeks,” he continued. “It’s more of a one-fish-here-one-fish-there kind of thing. I’ve got about nine different ledges I’m rotating down there to catch this kind of weight.”

Ward also added that his primary lure has been a new Strike King Anaconda, an oversized 10-inch worm that will be on the market soon.

Schroeder fourth

Kentucky Lake legend Billy Schroeder of Paducah, Ky., started the Stren Series event with 21 pounds, 14 ounces, good enough for fourth place.

Like the other leaders, Schroeder is fishing in Kentucky Lake.

“The first four places I ran to I did not catch a fish,” Schroeder recounted. “But at about 9:30 I stopped on a spot and got into them pretty good. By 11 o’clock I had what I weighed in.”

Schroeder said he has found the better fish to be deep – in the 15- to 30-foot range.

“I feel pretty good about the fish I’ve found,” he added. “In five days of practice I have not had a day where I’ve caught less than 20 pounds. It’s been pretty good. I’ve got one place where my son and I caught a 7(-pounder), a 6 and three 5s, and I didn’t even go to it today.”

King fifth

Rounding out the top five is Stacey King of Reeds Springs, Mo., with 21 pounds, 12 ounces.

King also stayed in Kentucky Lake today to catch his fish.

Big bass

Mike Terry of Troy, Tenn., caught the big bass in the Pro Division on day one weighing 6 pounds, 3 ounces.

Rest of the best

Rounding out the top 10 pros in the Stren Series event on Kentucky Lake after day one:

6th: Lloyd Pickett of Bartlett, Tenn., five bass, 21-3

7th: Mike Terry of Troy, Tenn., five bass, 20-12

8th: Mark Rose of Marion, Ark., five bass, 20-3

9th: Jim Nolan of Bull Shoals, Ark., five bass, 19-9

10th: Rodney Brown of Eddyville, Ky., five bass, 19-4

Jackson leads co-anglers

Ben Jackson of Paducah, Ky., leads the Co-angler Division of the Stren Series event on Kentucky Lake with a limit weighing 21 pounds, 14 ounces.

Jackson’s limit was anchored with the big bass in the Co-angler Division weighing 6 pounds, 1 ounce.

Jackson fished with pro Keith Amerson (14th) of Bethel Springs, Tenn., on the south end of Kentucky Lake to catch his impressive limit.

“That’s the biggest limit I’ve ever weighed in a tournament,” Jackson commented.

Rest of the best

Alan Johnson of Crestwood, Ky., is in second place with five bass weighing 20 pounds even.

Mike Perdue of Auburn, Ky., is in third place with five bass weighing 18 pounds, 1 ounce.

Chris Darby of Mount Ida, Ark., is in fourth place with 16 pounds, 6 ounces.

Steve Freeman of Eddyville, Ky., rounds out the top five co-anglers with five bass weighing 16 pounds, 6 ounces.

Rounding out the top 10 co-anglers in the Stren Series event on Kentucky Lake after day one:

6th: Howard Fulgham Jr. of Ash Flat, Ark., five bass, 15-12

7th: Chad Kerr of Burlington, Iowa, five bass, 15-11

8th: James Tucker of Pacific, Mo., five bass, 14-5

9th: Craig Rose of Olathe, Kan., five bass, 13-14

10th: Kurt Evans of Hardy, Ark., five bass, 13-12

Day two of the Stren Series Central Division event on Kentucky Lake will begin at 5:30 a.m. from Kenlake Marina located at 888 Kenlake Marina Lane in Hardin, Ky.