Gross extends lead at Walmart FLW Tour on Pickwick Lake
Category: press release
May 6th, 2016 by OutdoorsFIRST
Modified May 6th, 2016 at 12:00 AM
Georgia pro Buddy Gross, brought a five-bass limit to the scale weighing 21 pounds, 3 ounces Friday to extend his lead after day two of the Walmart FLW Tour at Pickwick Lake presented by Quaker State. Gross now brings an 8-pound, 13-ounce lead into day three of the four-day tournament that features 163 of the world’s best anglers competing for a top cash award of up to $125,000.
In second place is Michael Neal of Dayton, Tennessee, who weighed in five bass totaling 14-14 Friday for a two-day cumulative total of 10 bass worth 37-14. The field is now trimmed to the top 20 on Saturday, with only the top 10 anglers fishing on the final day Sunday.
“I’m running a half-mile stretch at the end of a huge mid-lake flat where bass are heading out from the spawn towards the main river,” said Gross, who is fishing in just his fourth event as a professional on the FLW Tour. “Just about every bass I’ve caught in this event has been postspawn.”
Gross said his fish are congregating on shell beds and in isolated, clumpy grass.
“There’s a shad spawn going on in the morning and I think I’m catching the tail-end of it when I get to my area,” said Gross. “Yesterday, I caught four shortly after I arrived, but today I only was able to get two and had to grind out the other three. I lost a big one midday today which definitely would’ve helped me out. Hopefully there will be five more there tomorrow.
“I’m just worried about running out, that’s my problem right now,” continued Gross. “All seven of my bites today happened before 10:30 a.m. There isn’t much action after 11. I’ve wasted an afternoon for two days now, so tomorrow I’m going to have to go find something else to fish.”
Gross said he’s used one lure to catch the majority of his bass.
“One of my sponsors makes the bait I’m throwing and it’s doing well,” said Gross. “It’s a single-hook bait and I’m not losing many fish.”
The Georgia rookie said he plans on dissecting the same stretch on day three before hitting ledges in the afternoon.
“I’ll be out there looking for another school,” said Gross. “I’m going to head towards the river and just throw anything that will produce a good fish.”
The top 20 pros that made the Buck Knives Cut and will fish Saturday on Pickwick Lake are:
1st: Buddy Gross, Ringgold, Ga., 10 bass, 46-11
2nd: Michael Neal, Dayton, Tenn., 10 bass, 37-14
3rd: Scott Suggs, Alexander, Ark., nine bass, 36-7
4th: Travis Fox, Rogers, Ark., 10 bass, 34-8
5th: Jamie Horton, Centerville, Ala., 10 bass, 34-2
6th: Rick Cotten, Guntersville, Ala., eight bass, 33-7
7th: Quaker State pro Scott Canterbury, Springville, Ala., 10 bass, 32-15
8th: Keystone Light pro Jeff Sprague, Point, Texas, 10 bass, 31-15
9th: Randy Haynes, Counce, Tenn., 10 bass, 31-9
10th: Barry Wilson, Birmingham, Ala., 10 bass, 31-8
11th: Walmart pro Mark Rose, West Memphis, Ark., 10 bass, 30-10
12th: Glenn Browne, Ocala, Fla., 10 bass, 30-9
13th: Lew’s pro Peter Thliveros, Saint Augustine, Fla., 10 bass, 30-3
14th: Mike Surman, Boca Raton, Fla., 10 bass, 29-14
15th: Stephen Patek, Dallas, Texas, 10 bass, 29-12
16th: Livingston Lures pro Stetson Blaylock, Benton, Ark., 10 bass, 29-11
17th: Jay Kendrick, Grant, Ala., 10 bass, 29-7
18th: Wesley Strader, Spring City, Tenn., 10 bass, 29-6
19th: Livingston Lures pro Andy Morgan, Dayton, Tenn., 10 bass, 28-15
20th: Yamamoto Baits pro Tom Monsoor, La Crosse, Wis., eight bass, 28-11
For a full list of results visit FLWFishing.com.