Racing for the cut

Top-5 cut, FLW Series AOY tighten up

HIXSON, Tenn. – It’s cut day at the FLW Series event on Lake Chickamauga. After the weigh-in this afternoon, only five pros will advance to fish on Saturday.

The qualifying weights are tight: Only a pound separates fourth-place pro Scott Suggs, with 26-1, from ninth-place pro Terry Bolton, with 25 pounds.

At the same time, the FLW Series Eastern Division Angler of the Year race has become very interesting.

John Cox of Debary, Fla., led the points race coming into the final event at Chickamauga with 572 points. Behind him were JT Kenney (567), Scott Canterbury (561) and Bryan Thrift (558).

Cox stubbed his toe on day one, weighing in 4 pounds, 1 ounce and leaving the door open for his pursuers. Thrift, Kenney and Canterbury took advantage of the slip-up, gaining ground on Cox.

But Cox rebounded big time on day two, checking in the biggest limit of the day – 16-5 – to keep the AOY trophy within reach.

As it stands now, there is quite a juggernaut between Thrift, Kenney and Cox. Based on their day-two standings, these three pros are now within a single point of each other for the points title, with Canterbury behind them by about five points.

Over the last two days, Kenney has been the most consistent, but Cox definitely figured something out yesterday.

If Thrift were to win the series points, that would mean he would be both the FLW Tour Angler of the Year and the FLW Series Angler of the Year – pretty impressive.

The day-three weigh-in will begin Friday at 2:30 p.m. at Chester Frost Park on Lake Chickamauga.

Friday’s conditions

Temperature at takeoff: 72 degrees

Expected high temperature: 92 degrees

Water temperature: 81 degrees

Wind: NW at 7 mph

Day’s outlook: partly cloudy