Houchin Holds the Lead on Dardanelle
Dardanelle sticks will duke it out on day three (updated)
Quincy Houchin of Mabelvale, Ark., vanquished his closest challengers from the first round of the Costa FLW Series Central Division opener presented by T-H Marine, but new challengers made strong charges Friday at Lake Dardanelle.
Houchin will defend his lead with a fading pattern in Saturday's championship round.
Battling blue, windless skies, Houchin cobbled together a limit of bass that weighed 14 pounds, 1 ounce to bring his two-day total to 33-13. That widened the gap from second place from 3 ounces Thursday to 12 ounces, but losing 5-11 in weight alarmed Houchin, who found the bites more sparse than on Thursday.
“I think I caught seven keepers total,” Houchin says. “I didn't have a limit until 2:30.”
Despite dramatically different conditions from Thursday, Houchin fished the same cover with the same baits.
Finishing second Friday was Zach King of Clarksville, Ark., who boated five fish weighing 15-14 for a two-day total of 33-1. Tom Silber of Labadie, Mo., was in third (31-9), followed by Shannon Pierce of Pine Bluff, Ark. (31-5), and Brandon Lee of Ratcliff, Ark. (31-4).
“I fished mainly wood and rock,” Houchin says. “I actually culled one near the weigh-in in the last 20 minutes.”
Houchin says he cast crankbaits and jigs to wood in depths of 6 to 8 feet. He used dark colors because the water was very dirty. His preferred spots were in or near deep water with no current. He fished slowly and picked apart his water.
He says his areas will continue producing, but Houchin is well aware that other anglers are in more productive water.
“That's what I'm worried about,” Houchin says. “Zach [King] and them are fishing places that I can't get into. I don't know how to get into them. They're going to catch 15 again tomorrow, and I don't think I can.”
Houchin said the same thing Thursday.
“Yes, I did,” he acknowledged with a chuckle, “but I struggled.”
He thinks wind will help him immensely on Saturday, but there’s none in the forecast.
“When I'm that close on them, I need something to break it [the water’s surface] up.”
Bartoszek Takes Over Co-angler Lead
Robert Bartoszek of Hampshire, Tenn., caught five fish weighing 13 pounds, 15 ounces for a two-day total weight of 27-11 to seize the co-angler lead entering the championship round.
Bartoszek has had an efficient and diverse tournament. He has caught 10 keepers on six different baits, including five Friday on three different baits.
“I haven't lost a fish all week,” Bartoszek adds.
Like almost everyone else, he had to sweat out a lull and caught his last keeper late in the day.
“It wasn't easy by any means,” Bartoszek says.
He fished in the mid-lake area Friday and caught his fish in depths of 8 to 10 feet using shad-colored crankbaits and a black/blue jig.
“I was sitting in 10 to 12 feet throwing into 6 to 10 feet,” Bartoszek says.
In two days, Bartoszek says he's caught fish on crankbaits, jigs, a swimbait, a creature bait and a shaky head. He's used 3/8-ounce weights and jigs. The swimbait was 5 inches long in Tennessee shad color.
“I just swam it off a point,” Bartoszek adds.