KISSIMMEE, Fla. — Slow fishing be darned. Those who are on fish are on them, and those who aren’t are desperately searching. The first Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Southern Open on Florida’s Lake Tohopekaliga is on pace to beat the all-time three-day tournament record of 85-08 set by Byron Velvick on California’s Clear lake in 2000. In the driver’s seat for the event is Elite Series pro Gerald Swindle.
Swindle managed 30 pounds,-13 ounces in the first day of competition, but he is only 14 ounces ahead of second-place angler Trevor Fitzgerald.
“I only had three days of practice, and I started by staying out from the bank and just casting,” Swindle said. “I only had two bites in about nine hours of fishing, but I stayed disciplined and stuck with it. I’m learning how to fish this place. This is as good as I’ve ever caught ‘em here.”
Swindle hauled in his hefty stringer with a crankbait.
Hot on his heels is Fitzgerald, a police officer from Ocklawaha, Fla. Fitzgerald caught all of his 29-15 limit on a lipless crankbait, including a 9-16 lunker.
“That big fish was my second fish of the day,” Fitzgerald said. “However, I didn’t get a lot of bites, so that kind of concerns me. I may go elsewhere tomorrow.”
Leaving a spot where you caught a 30-pound stringer takes some guts, but Fitzgerald believes it could be worthwhile.
“I’ve got a good reason to leave it,” he smiled.
In third place is Elite pro Terry Scroggins of San Mateo, Fla. It should be no surprise that Scroggins’ pattern is eerily similar to Swindle’s; the pair are fishing roughly 800 yards apart. Scroggins managed 25-05 for Day 1.
In fourth is Larry Cahan of East Palatka, Fla., with 24-09, and in fifth is Bobby Lane of Lakeland, Fla., with 21-07. In his bag was an 11-08, which earned him big bass honors for the first day.
“I caught that fish off of a bed, and afterward I was shaking so bad I couldn’t rig another bait for five minutes,” he said. “That’s the biggest fish I’ve ever weighed in a tournament.”
Leading the co-angler division is John Avalos of Jacksonville, Fla. Avalos’ 12-04 limit was anchored by a 7-2 kicker that fell for a white Zoom Super Fluke dipped in J.J.’s Magic Dippin’ Dye.
“That’s the only bait I threw all day,” he said. “I plan on doing it tomorrow, too, regardless of the weather.”
In second place is co-angler Randy Gabel of Boyertown, Pa., with 12-02. In third is Daniel Lanier of Florida with 9-08, in fourth is Vance McCullough of Jacksonville, Fla., with 9-07, and in fifth is Brant Grimm of Tennessee with 9-0.
Fishing fans are invited to daily launches and weigh-ins, located at Big Toho Marina, 101 Lakeshore Dr. in Kissimmee. Daily launches begin at 7 a.m., with Friday’s weigh-in beginning at 3 p.m. On Saturday, the weigh-in will take place at 4 p.m. at Bass Pro Shops Orlando, located at 5156 International Drive in Orlando. All events are free and open to the public.
Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Open Series Title Sponsor: Bass Pro Shops
Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Open Series Official Sponsors: Toyota Trucks, Berkley, Mercury, Skeeter, Yamaha
Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Open Series Supporting Sponsors: Bass Pro Shops, Humminbird, Lowrance, Minn Kota, Nitro Boats, Triton
About B.A.S.S.
For more than 40 years, B.A.S.S. has served as the authority on bass fishing. The organization advances the sport through advocacy, outreach and an expansive tournament structure while connecting directly with the passionate community of bass anglers through its Bassmaster media vehicles.
The Bassmaster brand and its multimedia platforms are guided by a mission to serve all fishing fans. Through its industry-leading publications — Bassmaster Magazine and B.A.S.S. Times — comprehensive website Bassmaster.com, and ESPN2 television programming, Bassmaster provides rich, leading-edge content true to the lifestyle.
The Bassmaster Tournament Trail includes the Bassmaster Elite Series, Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Open Series, B.A.S.S. Federation Nation events presented by Yamaha and Skeeter Boats and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the Bassmaster Classic.
B.A.S.S. offers an array of services to its more than 500,000 members and remains focused on issues related to conservation and water access. The organization is headquartered in Celebration, Fla.
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