Georgia rookie Gross leads Day One of Walmart FLW Tour on Pickwick Lake
Category: press release
May 6th, 2016 by OutdoorsFIRST
Modified May 6th, 2016 at 12:00 AM
Rookie pro Buddy Gross of Ringgold, Georgia, weighed a five-bass limit totaling 25 pounds, 8 ounces, to take the early lead after day one of the Walmart FLW Tour at Pickwick Lake presented by Quaker State. He will hold a 2½-pound advantage over second place pro Michael Neal of Dayton, Tennessee, (23-0) to start day two in the four-day event that features 163 of the world’s best bass-fishing anglers competing for a top cash award of up to $125,000.
“My home lakes are Chickamauga and Guntersville and it’s the same kind of deal here as it is at home,” said Gross, who rooms with Neal while traveling on Tour. “I’m catching them at their first stop as they’re coming off the spawn. I had six keeper bites today.
“They’re pretty close to the grass,” Gross continued. “I’m catching them in 8 to 15 feet. The grass is growing in 8 foot. I pull up on the grass, and then back out. I’ve got two good places that I fished in the same general area today, but the wind got bad and I know that they got dirtied so I’m not sure what’s going to happen tomorrow.”
Gross wasn’t ready to mention his specific baits or technique just yet but said that he thinks he has keyed in on something different that he is doing different from his competitors.
“I can’t talk about it just yet, but there is a key thing that I’m doing,” Gross said. “I did find a few other areas that looked good, but I couldn’t get close to them today because of the wind. These fish have moved a long ways since practice; I’m hoping I can connect with them again tomorrow.”
Twenty-four anglers had their day one weights disqualified and four were penalized for violating FLW Tour Rule No. 15 regarding late check-ins. The anglers had locked up into Lake Wilson to fish, which is legal, but were unable to get back through the lock on time after an issue with a barge that was locking through. Rule No. 15 states that contestants who are not at the check-in area at the appointed time will be penalized 1 pound per minute, deducted from the total weight. Any contestant more than 15 minutes late will lose credit for that day’s weight.
The top 10 pros after day one on Pickwick Lake are:
1st: Buddy Gross, Ringgold, Ga., five bass, 25-8
2nd: Michael Neal, Dayton, Tenn., five bass, 23-0
3rd: Quaker State pro Scott Canterbury, Springville, Ala., five bass, 21-10
4th: Scott Suggs, Alexander, Ark., five bass, 21-5
5th: Travis Fox, Rogers, Ark., five bass, 20-12
6th: Rick Cotten, Guntersville, Ala., four bass, 18-14
7th: Glenn Browne, Ocala, Fla., five bass, 18-9
8th: Jamie Horton, Centerville, Ala., five bass, 18-3
9th: Keith Amerson, Selmer, Tenn., five bass, 17-11
10th: Bryan Schmitt, Deale, Md., five bass, 17-7
For a full list of results visit FLWFishing.com.