ORANGE, Texas – Chris
Lane knows things can change quickly on an unpredictable fishery like the
Sabine River.
So he can’t say for sure if the pattern he’s fishing will hold up long enough
for him to win the Bassmaster Elite at Sabine River presented by STARK Cultural
Venues.
But for the moment, it certainly seems to be serving him well.
After a fog delay of more than two hours Friday — the second such delay in as many days — Lane
caught five bass that weighed 12 pounds, 13 ounces and pushed his two-day total
to 28-7. That mark put him in the lead for the second straight day, with Aaron
Martens (25-14), Shaw Grigsby (24-6), Todd Faircloth (23-8) and Scott Rook
(21-6) trailing behind him.
The field will be trimmed to the Top 53 anglers for Saturday’s round, and those in
contention will be forced to chase fish that have experienced heavy pressure
all week.
“I really think I’m going to need 13 to 15 pounds each day the next two days to
win,” Lane said. “Aaron is catching them, Shaw is catching them — and they’re
all coming from similar areas. Will that hold up to win? That’s going to be the
question.”
Lane continued targeting spawning fish in water less than 2 feet deep — and
once again, his best fish came during one brief period of the day. He said it
started between noon and 1 p.m., and was influenced heavily by tidal flows.
“I pulled in to where I was yesterday, and there were five or six boats in the back,” Lane said. “So I
stayed out, and I caught one as soon as I got there — my first flip. Then I
caught another one, caught another one, caught another one and then I culled
one. It happened just that fast.”
Martens, who crossed paths with Lane several times Thursday, caught five bass Friday that weighed 12-0 with
Grigsby close enough to see his every move. The Alabama pro and two-time Toyota
Bassmaster Angler of the Year is running a similar shallow pattern to Lane’s
and watching closely for those moments when the tidal flow is just right.
“I stayed in one area all day because I’m not planning on going back, and I
beat it up as best I could,” Martens said. “The fishing is getting a little
tougher because the easy ones are getting caught. The ones that are left are
hard to catch.
“Hopefully I can go to a different area tomorrow that nobody has been hammering, and it will pay
off.”
Grigsby didn’t seem thrilled with the increased level of company he had in the
spot that was so good to him on Day 1. But he still put together a solid
five-fish limit that weighed 11-2.
Widely known as one of the top sight-fishing anglers in the world, Grigsby said
he has been catching bedding fish this week. But with a heavy stain on the
water in most places, he said “sight” has had little to do with the technique
he’s using.
“They’re spawners,” Grigsby said. “So they’ll bite it and swim off with it —
and when you set the hook, you miss 50 percent of them. As soon as you think ‘I
got him,’ you ain’t got Jack.
“On clearer lakes like Harris Chain, I can watch them and know when the hook is
in their mouths. You can’t do that here.”
Martens wasn’t the only contender who milked the same area as Grigsby on Friday.
Texas angler Todd Faircloth, who won the 2013 Bassmaster Elite Series event on
the Sabine River, was without a keeper at noon. But he started on the outer edge of the inlet
where Grigsby, Martens and several others were fishing and quickly put together
a catch of 13-0.
“Things started off slow for me today just like they did yesterday,” Faircloth said. “But
I was able to salvage the day. I think it has more to do with that area. I
haven’t been able to get to that area until later in the day, and there’s a lot
of fish being caught out of there.
“I don’t know if that area is going to hold up. I didn’t think it would today,
but it did.”
After Saturday’s round, only the Top 12
anglers will advance to Sunday’s championship.
Lane will take home the Livingston Lures Leader Award of $500 for leading on
Day 2.
Daily takeoffs are scheduled for 7:10 a.m. Saturday and Sunday at the City of Orange
Boat Ramp with weigh-ins at the same location at 4 p.m. The Outdoor Expo and Orange County River
Festival open Saturday and Sunday at 11 a.m. All Bassmaster
events are free.
Follow daily live coverage online at Bassmaster.com.
The Bassmasters TV show on ESPN2 will feature the Sabine event
on Sunday, April 5 at 8
a.m. ET.
2015 Bassmaster Elite
Series Premier Sponsors: Toyota, Bass Pro Shops, Berkley, Evan Williams Bourbon, GoPro, Humminbird, Mercury, Minn
Kota, Nitro Boats, Skeeter Boats, Triton Boats, Yamaha
2015 Bassmaster Elite
Series Supporting Sponsors: A.R.E.
Accessories, Carhartt, Dick Cepek Tires & Wheels,
Huk Performance Fishing, Livingston Lures, Lowrance,
Power-Pole, Rigid Industries, Shimano
About B.A.S.S.
B.A.S.S. is the
worldwide authority on bass fishing and keeper of the culture of the sport.
Headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., the 500,000-member organization’s fully
integrated media platforms include the industry’s leading magazines (Bassmaster
and B.A.S.S. Times), website (Bassmaster.com), television show (The Bassmasters on ESPN2),
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dedicated to access, conservation and youth fishing.
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