Robertson leads Day One of Walmart FLW Tour on Lake Hartwell
Mar 17th, 2016 by OutdoorsFIRST
Modified Mar 17th, 2016 at 12:00 AM
Oklahoma pro Darrel Robertson, brought a five-bass limit to the scale weighing 20 pounds, 6 ounces Thursday to grab the early lead after day one of the Walmart FLW Tour at Lake Hartwell presented by Evinrude. Right behind him in second place is Jamie Horton of Centerville, Alabama, who weighed in five bass totaling 19-12. Robertson now brings a 10-ounce lead into day two of the four-day tournament that features 168 of the world’s best anglers competing for a top cash award of up to $125,000.
“I’m very blessed to have caught what I did today,” said Robertson, an eight-time Forrest Wood Cup qualifier. “It’s kind of a junk fishing deal out there, but I like it.”
Robertson said he spent his day concentrating on a specific set of spawning pockets on the lower-end of the lake. He said he caught two of his stringer fish – including a 4-pounder – sight-fishing off of beds.
“I knew what pockets to enter and which to avoid,” said Robertson. “I caught a limit of bedding fish, but they only would’ve weighed around 12 pounds so I knew I needed to mix things up.
“Earlier this week I had dialed in on some big bass that were cruising in these pockets,” Robertson continued. “I threw a worm on a drop-shot rig and a shaky-head jig and was able to catch three more good ones to put me at 20 pounds.”
Robertson said that his game-plan for the remainder of the tournament is to use as much of the lake as possible.
“Tomorrow I’m going to run up north near Seneca and try something else,” said Robertson. “I’m hoping I can get 15 pounds. I’ve just got to keep moving.”
The top 10 pros after day one on Lake Hartwell are:
1st: Darrel Robertson, Jay, Okla., five bass, 20-6
2nd: Jamie Horton, Centerville, Ala., five bass, 19-12
3rd: Yamamoto Baits pro Larry Nixon, Bee Branch, Ark., five bass, 19-4
4th: Charlie Evans, Berea, Ky., five bass, 18-12
5th: Bryan Thrift, Shelby, N.C., five bass, 18-3
6th: Blake Smith, Lakeland, Fla., five bass, 18-2
7th: Tom Redington, Royse City, Texas, five bass, 17-13
8th: Clark Wendlandt, Leander, Texas, five bass, 17-9
9th: Chris Baumgardner, Gastonia, N.C., five bass, 17-6
10th: Scott Martin, Clewiston, Fla., five bass, 17-4
For a full list of results visit FLWFishing.com.