Thrift Approaches Another Record
Reigning AOY is a day away from the limit streak
Back in the spring of 2017, Bryan Thrift established a new record for consecutive FLW Tour top 10s at five after making the cut on Saturday at the FLW Tour event on the Harris Chain. Finishing “only” 12th at Lake Cumberland in the next event, the 2017 Pennzoil Marine Angler of the Year saw his streak come to an end by just a few ounces. Now Thrift heads back to Lake Cumberland for the fourth stop of the 2018 FLW Tour with another streak on the line: the consecutive limits record.
Cody Meyer set the bar for consecutive five-bass limits in Tour competition at 50 in 2014, and now Thrift is poised to raise the bar. Sitting at 49 limits in a row after his performance on Lanier, the North Carolina pro could tie the record on day one of competition at Cumberland and break it on day two if he can rustle up five keepers each day.
Since day two of the 2016 FLW Tour event on Pickwick Lake, Thrift has caught a limit every time out. If he does break Meyer’s record, he’ll do it in just 17 events – two fewer than Meyer needed to compile his. Most of the difference is due to Thrift’s ability to make the fourth day, something he’s done six times during his streak. Meyer only made the final day three times during his limit streak.
According to Thrift, the closest call during the streak came last year on day four of the Beaver Lake tournament. Then, under extremely flooded conditions, Thrift didn’t box his fifth until after 2 o’clock. He was the only pro in the field to catch a limit that day, and he actually culled once after that.
With a few days at Cumberland as the only obstacle to securing the record, Thrift is feeling confident, especially considering that the keeper size limit for the Cumberland tournament has been reduced from 18 inches for smallmouths and 15 inches for largemouths to 12 inches for all black bass. One thing is for sure: Thrift won’t change his fishing style to chase it.
“I always try to catch a limit,” says Thrift. “People always say they fish to win, and I fish to get bites. I figure the more bites you get the better your odds of catching a big one.”