Andrew Nordbye from Northwest Missouri State University is pleased to catch this beauty as he fights to keep his team at the top of the leaderboard. Photo by Colin Moore.

March 21, 2015 • Colin Moore • Abu Garcia College Fishing

The sun is shining, the weather is warmer and the bass aren’t biting, at least not for most of the first-round leaders here in the FLW College Fishing Kentucky Lake Open. As the second and final day of competition unfolds, the leaders are struggling to maintain their positions. First-round leaders Andrew Nordbye and Adam Almohtadi of Northwest Missouri State University had most of their fish within an hour and a half after takeoff Friday, but had only two keepers by 9 a.m. today. Likewise, the second-place team, Ryan Collins and Hunter Fulcher of the University of Kentucky didn’t have a 15-inch keeper in the boat as of 10 o’clock. The University of Alabama also reported slow fishing.

What’s different? The clouds have left and the air temperature is about 10 degrees warmer. The odds favored improved fishing, if anything, especially since just about all the anglers in the top 20 are using umbrella rigs to catch their fish. It hasn’t followed the formula yet today, though, and nobody has a good explanation why. Perhaps fishing will improve this afternoon, but with the 3 p.m. weigh-in fast approaching, there isn’t much wiggle room.

In the meantime, a number of teams in the logjam from fifth through 15^th places are likely to shake up the standings. One team from Bethel University, for instance, was reported to have about 24 pounds in the boat before noon. Whether that squad was one of the two Bethel teams in the top 10 remains to be seen. If Kentucky Lake is stingier to most of the 194 teams fishing, that favors local anglers such as those from Bethel or Murray State University, who might be better prepared to deal with tougher conditions.

Stay tuned for the live weigh-in at 3 p.m. to see who can make a move and lock in a spot for the National Championship.