Day one of the Costa FLW Series Central Division opener presented by T-H Marine at Lake Dardanelle was hit and miss, but location wasn't as important as speed and presentation.

The morning started cool at 50 degrees. It warmed to 54 degrees by noon. A 10-mph west wind coupled with low, thick clouds made it seem a lot colder. More importantly, the wind whipped the main lake into a fury of high, choppy waves that battered those that made the long ride upriver to clearer water.

Fishing was tough in the lower part of the lake, but those that slowed down and worked over small patches of water methodically did very well.

Tennessee pro Wesley Anderson had five keepers in the boat that he estimated to weigh about 13 pounds by 11 a.m., as did Ohioan Chris Helfer. Gerald Andrews, a co-angler from Benton, Ky., fishing with pro Marshall Halverson of Ankeny, Iowa, had four keepers by noon. Marion Yahn of Missouri, a co-angler fishing with Tennessee pro Mickey Beck, caught a nice keeper, as well.

Fish are definitely on the beds, and they are hitting aggressively, even in the muddy water. Anderson says each of his strikes has been a single hard thump followed by the line slicing fast through the water.

All 406 pros and co-anglers will fish Friday in the second round, and the field will be cut to the top 10 in both divisions for the championship round on Saturday. Weigh-in will be at 3 p.m., at the tournament facility at Lake Dardanelle State Park, 2428 Marina Rd., Russellville, Ark.