RUSSELLVILLE -- Quincy Houchin of Mabelvale retained his lead in the second round of the FLW Costa Series Central Division bass tournament by catching five bass weighing 14 pounds, 1 ounce Friday at Lake Dardanelle, but he's under pressure from several challengers.
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 today's championship round.
The top 10 pros and top 10 co-anglers will fish in today's final round. The pro champion will receive $50,000 and a fully rigged Ranger boat. The co-angler champion will win a fully rigged Ranger boat as well.
Battling blue, windless skies, Houchin brought his two-day total to 33-12. In second place Friday was Zach King of Clarksville, who boated five fish weighing 15-14 for a two-day total of 33-1. Tom Silber of Labadie, Mo., was in third (5/5/16-11; 31-9), followed by Shannon Pierce of Pine Bluff (5/5/16-8; 31-5) and Brandon Lee of Ratcliff (5/5/11-11; 31-4).
Despite dramatically different conditions from Thursday, Houchin fished the same cover with the same baits.
"I think I caught seven keepers total," Houchin said. "I didn't have a limit until 2:30. I fished mainly wood and rock. I actually culled one near the weigh-in in the last 20 minutes."
Houchin said he cast crankbaits and jigs to wood in depths of 6 feet to 8 feet. There is no current in his areas. He said he will continue fishing the same areas, but he is well aware that other anglers are in more productive water.
"That's what I'm worried about," Houchin said. "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 [pounds] again tomorrow, and I don't think I can."
King is jumping his boat over beaver dams to gain exclusive access to fish that nobody else can reach or is willing to abuse his equipment to reach. There, he's punching thick grass with 1-ounce jigs and Strike King Rage Craws and Chigger Craws.
"It doesn't matter what you throw," King said. "They'll come out and eat it."
If a fish follows the jig but doesn't take it, he pitches them a green pumpkin/red flake Senko.
"The Senko has been my go-to bait," King said. "The jig is more to get them to bite."
Pierce is using an even more extreme strategy. He is locking downriver about 25 miles. He said the long ride coupled with long lock times has limited his productive fishing time to a total of five hours in two days.
"It's the only way to get away from 200 boats, and you've got to get them fast when you get there," Pierce said.
Pierce said he is fishing varied cover in a variety of backwaters.
"[Thursday] the water was right, like it should be," Pierce said. "Today it had dropped about 3½ feet, and it was even better. It put current in places it hadn't been, and that pulled fish off their beds to feed."
Bartoszek has had an efficient and diverse tournament. He has caught 10 keepers on six different baits, including five Friday on three different baits. He has not lost a fish in two days.
Today's weigh-in will be at Lake Dardanelle State Park.
FLW Series
Pro division leaders of the FLW Costa Series Central Division bass tournament on Lake Dardanelle after Friday’s second round:
NAME, HOMETOWN TOTAL WT.
- Quincy Houchin, Mabelvale 33-13
- Zach King, Clarksville 33-1
- Tom Silber, Labadie, Mo. 31-9
- Shannon Pierce, Pine Bluff 31-5
- Brandon Lee, Ratcliff 31-4 (tie) Josh Ray, Alexander 31-4
Sports on 04/01/2017