Defoe leads first lap at FLW Series event

Tennessee pro goes mud-daubing for early lead at Eufaula

EUFAULA, Ala. – Despite rolling, mud-red conditions, Walmart FLW Series pros went to work on Lake Eufaula today and proved that muddy water only makes Eufaula bass meaner.

When the day-one weigh-in of the BP Eastern Division event ended, it took over 18 pounds to be considered a candidate for the top 10, leaving a lot of pros asking, “Can you imagine what this lake would be like if the water was stable?”

The general consensus among the leaders after Wednesday is that Eufaula bass are still spawning in spite of the muddy water and that many bass have actually finished spawning. Most of the fish presented for the Folgers Big Bass award today were clearly skinny, postspawn females.

According to several locals, bass were on the beds hard for several weeks before the muddy deluge, which would explain why so many fish are already spawned out.

Land O’Lakes pro Ott Defoe of Knoxville, Tenn., took the early lead with a five-bass limit holding the scale down at 22 pounds, 2 ounces.

Defoe, who enjoys the mud-dauber style of fishing, made it clear that he was fishing shallow today.

“A lot of the fish are either still spawning or are postspawn,” Defoe said. “And I actually think that the muddy water has made the spawning fish more agitated – they can’t see as well and are more willing to snap at moving baits intruding their area. It’s not like when it’s clear and they can keep up with everything going on around their nests visually, which makes them more finicky. Now they’re trying to defend their house with the lights out, and it makes them mean.”

Defoe caught nine keeper bass on the day from about four or five different areas.

“Sometimes the fish give themselves away by swirling and waking in the grass, like when they are chasing something off the bed,” he added. “I might not catch that fish right then, but if I make careful note of where that place is, I can come back later and sometimes get it to bite.”

Jenkins second

Scott Jenkins of Franklin, Ga., is in second place with a five-bass limit weighing 20 pounds, 15 ounces.

Jenkins is fishing shallow and is convinced that most of his fish are postspawn fish.

“I’m fishing about a one-mile area of the lake, and I probably caught 20 bass today,” Jenkins said. “With where and how I’m fishing, I definitely think these are postspawn fish. The biggest thing for me is clouds – I need it to stay dark and cloudy like this. The sun coming out could put an end to my pattern. But as long as it stays cloudy and rainy, I should be all right.”

Hoernke third

Sean Hoernke of The Woodlands, Texas, grabbed the third-place spot after day one with five bass weighing in at 20 pounds, 14 ounces.

Hoernke is fishing places he found the first day of practice when he could still see bass, beds and fry – before the mudslide hit.

“I’m going back to those same areas because I know those fish are still there,” Hoernke said. “Just because it gets muddy does not mean they leave. Several of my fish were postspawn bass. In fact, my biggest fish was completely laid out – long and skinny.

“Some of the bass are guarding fry – you can see the little fry hop and scatter at times, so I know that’s going on. This is a really good fishery – I can’t imagine what would happen if the water were to stabilize and clear up just a little bit. I still think the best is yet to come from this tournament in terms of weight.”

Kreiger fourth

Iams pro Koby Kreiger of Okeechobee, Fla., is in fourth place after day one with a five-bass limit weighing 19 pounds, 9 ounces.

Kreiger loves Lake Eufaula. He has made seven top-10s here including two Stren Series wins, which mostly came from sight-fishing.

Even though Krieger can’t see the fish bedding because of the muddy water this time around, there is little doubt that all his years of sight-fishing here have taught him to almost sight-fish by feel – kind of visualizing what the fish is doing without actually seeing it.

“Yeah, there is some history in what I’m doing, both in the area and in the technique,” Kreiger said. “I’m fishing a little place that I have not fished in years. I’m trying to get the fish to give themselves away on a reaction bait. If they miss it, that’s fine. All I want to know is where they live. Once they give up their address, then I kind of slowly feel my way around their house with a different lure to get them to bite.”

Hibdon fifth

When it comes to being around the biggest fish, BP pro Guido Hibdon of Sunrise Beach, Mo., might be the man to watch in this tournament.

His day-one catch of 19 pounds, 3 ounces for fifth place is certainly something to brag about on its own merits, but also consider that Hibdon’s co-angler – Derrick Snavely of Rogersville, Tenn. – caught a whopping 26 pounds from the back of Hibdon’s boat.

“You think I’m around some fish or what?” Hibdon asked after realizing that some 45 pounds of bass had come from his BP-wrapped Ranger boat.

“We actually got on these fish quite by accident,” Hibdon laughed. “I’m not going to say what we were fishing, but let’s just say I flipped up there a little too far, got hung, and when I shook my lure free – whammo – the first bass of the day hit. That’s when the light bulb came on – we were not fishing shallow enough on this stuff – these big fish were way up in it. Once we figured that out, we mauled them.”

Big bass

Tommy Martin of Hemphill, Texas, and Thanh Le of Lake Havasu City, Ariz., tied for the Folgers Big Bass in the Pro Division on day one. Both caught a bass weighing 7 pounds, 5 ounces, and each earned $250.

Rest of the best

Rounding out the top 10 pros in the FLW Series on Lake Eufaula after day one:

6th: Randall Tharp of Gardendale, Ala., five bass, 18-15

7th: Tom Mann Jr. of Buford, Ga., five bass, 18-13

8th: Scott Hayes of Newnan, Ga., five bass, 18-8

8th: Scott Martin of Clewiston, Fla., five bass, 18-8

10th: Kevin Long of Clewiston, Fla., four bass, 18-3

Snavely snares co-angler lead with memorable day

Derrick Snavely of Rogersville, Tenn., had the fishing day of a lifetime on day one of the FLW Series event at Lake Eufaula.

For starters, he drew legendary pro Guido Hibdon, which alone is quite a treat.

Then he boated a 9-pound, 8-ounce bass, which was the Folgers Big Bass of the day worth $333 and also Snavely’s personal best.

And before the day was over, he ended up with a five-bass limit weighing 26 pounds, the biggest limit he has ever caught.

“I’m speechless,” Snavely said. “I don’t even know what to say. Guido is an incredible guy – just to fish with him is a privilege – and then to catch that with him, I’m ecstatic.”

Needless to say, Snavely’s monster bag of bass leads the Co-angler Division of the FLW Series.

Thurlow second

Chuck Thurlow of Auburn, Ala., is another co-angler who had a big day one, weighing in 22 pounds, 3 ounces for second place.

“I brought my boat, practiced, and got a feel for how the fish were set up in the grass and what they would bite,” Thurlow said. “Even though my pro went to muddy water today, my lure and technique still worked.”

Rest of the best

Tim Peek of Sharpsburg, Ga., is in third place with five bass weighing 16 pounds, 11 ounces.

Rayfield Reeves of Tamarac, Fla., is in fourth place with four bass weighing 15 pounds, 13 ounces.

Steve Harwood of Weaverville, N.C., rounds out the top five co-anglers with three bass weighing 15 pounds, 9 ounces.

Rounding out the top 10 co-anglers in the FLW Series on Lake Eufaula after day one:

6th: Rob Hicks of Lula, Ga., five bass, 15-8

7th: Larry Hostetler of Floyds Knob, Ind., five bass, 14-12

8th: Butch Zadlo of Boone, N.C., five bass, 13-8

9th: Trevor Fitzgerald of Ocklawaha, Fla., four bass, 13-7

10th: Ronald Aikin of Valley Station, Ky., four bass, 13-5

Day two of the FLW Series Eastern event begins Thursday at 7 a.m. at Lakepoint State Park on Lake Eufaula.