Sunny day schooling
Ohio State leads Central Regional Championship by more than 3 pounds
MURRAY, Ky. – Competitors fishing the National Guard FLW College Fishing Central Regional Championship on Kentucky Lake may have been the only ones in town disappointed with a clear, calm, mild forecast for Halloween. Though these post-frontal conditions might make for good trick-or-treating, they were a little tough on a field of anglers who’ve been practicing during a week of high winds and torrential downpours. Only two of the 20 teams caught full six-fish limits at a time of year when Kentucky Lake typically produces world-class bass fishing.
Still, this is Kentucky Lake and it is October, even if not for much longer, and the leading team, Ohio State’s Kevin Moeller and Casey Hammann, nailed five solid largemouths weighing 16 pounds, 14 ounces. Interestingly, the anglers, though happy with today’s results and their comfortable lead, weren’t quite so optimistic for tomorrow. 
Most of their fish were caught in a bay that is set aside as a waterfowl sanctuary. It becomes off limits to anglers to prevent disturbance to waterfowl on Nov. 1.
“When we were practicing, we knew we’d probably whack them in there one day for the simple reason that we wouldn’t be able to go back the next day,” Moeller said. “But we were after fish that were schooling on some secondary points that had some depth to them. We caught all of our keeper fish on one spot between 10 (a.m.) and 1 (p.m.).”
If you’re looking to glean some specific lure and pattern information here, you’ll likely have to wait until the final day, as these competitors have $50,000 and qualification for the FLW College Fishing National Championship on the line. Throw in the difficult fishing conditions currently at hand, and it’s understandable why they become very quiet when asked, “How y’all catching your fish?”
But, schooling fish can typically be caught on a variety of shallow-running reaction baits this time of year on Kentucky Lake. Crankbaits, spinnerbaits and topwaters are all commonplace lures, although savvy anglers will usually keep a jig or soft plastic handy as well. Moeller and Hammann said they were fishing both fast and slow presentations.
Murray State sitting second, Eastern Kentucky right behind
Hometown favorite
s Kalem Tippett and Steve Miller, representing Murray State University, finished day one in second place with 13 pounds, 9 ounces. The duo caught one of the only two six-fish limits of the day. Eastern Kentucky University’s Tyler Moberly and Richard Cobb V had the other limit and were a scant 2 ounces behind Murray State with 13 pounds, 7 ounces.
“We ran south this morning and began with some schooling fish that we’d been on in practice,” MSU’s Miller said. “We could see them, but we just couldn’t get them to bite. We finally left midmorning with only one keeper and began hitting other stuff we’d found in practice to catch the rest of our fish. The weather has really slowed it down, and we’re not sure what to expect tomorrow. We’d much rather have the wind and rain.”
Moberly and Cobb had endured a slow practice and reportedly “just put the trolling motor down and went fishing.”
“We caught lo
ts of small schooling fish,” said EKU’s Moberly, whose father, Terry Moberly, won $1 million as the winner of FLW Outdoors’ Fantasy Fishing grand prize at the Forrest Wood Cup this past summer. “But all of our primary spots were just too muddy. So we just started hitting new stuff. The more water we covered, the more fish we caught.”
University of Missouri in fourth
University of Missouri’s Andrew Bornholdt and Scott Dooley finished in fourth place on day one with four bass weighing 9 pounds, 7 ounces. 
“We had a good early-morning spot, but we didn’t pick up much there,” Bornholdt said. “In fact, we barely caught anything today where we’d been catching them yesterday. We wish we still had the wind, rain and big waves.”
Fifth belongs to Truman State
Spencer Clark and Mike McCarthy Jr., representing Truman State University, rounded out the top five on day one with four bass weig
hing 9 pounds, 6 ounces.
“The rain didn’t hurt us any, but our patterns are definitely changing with the sun popping in and out,” McCarthy said.
Rest of the best
Rounding out the top 10 teams at the Central Regional Championship:
6th: Tyler Zschiedrich and Steven Bressler of Indiana University, 6-8
7th: Richard Dunham and Travis Gould of Southern Illinois University, 6-7
8th: John Gipson Jr. and Matt Monroe of Western Michigan University, 6
9th: David Stephens and Adam Hock of Western Kentucky University, 5-15
10th: Philip Roberts and Daniel Chapman of University of Arkansas, Monticello, 5-6
Day two of the National Guard FLW College Fishing Central Regional Championship continues Sunday. Anglers will take off from Kenlake Marina in Hardin, Ky., at 7 a.m. The weigh-in will begin at 4 p.m. at Murray State University in front of the Roy Stewart Stadium.