Wheeler regains lead at Forrest Wood Cup
Category: press release
Aug 22nd, 2015 by OutdoorsFIRST
Modified Aug 22nd, 2015 at 12:00 AM
Professional angler Jacob Wheeler of Indianapolis, Indiana, brought a five-bass limit to the scale Saturday weighing 14 pounds even to regain the lead after day three of the four-day Forrest Wood Cup at Lake Ouachita presented by Walmart. Wheeler, with a three-day total of 15 bass for 41-1, holds a 12-ounce lead over Brad Knight of Lancing, Tennessee, who has a three-day total of 15 bass for 40-5 in professional bass fishing’s world championship that features 50 of the best professional anglers from around the world casting for the sport’s top award of $500,000.
“I fished clean today and you can’t ask for much more than that,” said Wheeler, who is seeking to become the first ever two-time Forrest Wood Cup champion after winning this event in 2012. “I should have had 14 pounds yesterday, but I lost some fish and didn’t fish clean Today was much better.”
Wheeler estimated that he caught 9 or 10 keeper bass today, with six of them coming on various topwater baits and the rest coming on baits that he fished in the mid-depths. Although he declined to mention any specifics, he said that he was bouncing back and forth between covering water on the bank and targeting schooling fish in the mid-depths.
“The schooling fish are very conditional and fickle,” Wheeler said. “They are not my main pattern, though. I’m catching a few that are schooling then I’m going to the bank and covering water. I’m extremely confident in how I am fishing and just doing what I love to do.”
“This tournament is still wide open and anyone in the top-10 could absolutely win this thing,” Wheeler continued. “The guys behind me are so good. Brad Knight is an unbelievable fisherman. Ramie Colson is right there. Then we’ve got Bryan Thrift sneaking around – he’s capable of catching a giant bag anytime. Somebody is going to catch a big bag tomorrow and whoever gets that big bite is going to be the guy that wins this.
“My gameplan for tomorrow is just to go out and have fun,” Wheeler went on to say. “I live for this moment. I live for the Forrest Wood Cup, every single year. I told Brad (Knight) that he could have the money, I want the Cup. That’s how much that trophy means to me. I want to become the first ever to win the Cup twice. If I can get the right bites and put five fish in the boat tomorrow, I like my odds.”
The top 10 pros advancing to the final day of competition are:
1st: Jacob Wheeler, Indianapolis, Ind., 15 bass, 41-1
2nd: Brad Knight, Lancing, Tenn., 15 bass, 40-5
3rd: Ramie Colson Jr., Cadiz, Ky., 14 bass, 37-9
4th: Bryan Thrift, Shelby, N.C., 15 bass, 35-13
5th: Brandon Cobb, Greenwood, S.C., 15 bass, 34-13
6th: Chris Baumgardner, Gastonia, N.C., 14 bass, 33-11
7th: Scott Martin, Clewiston, Fla., 13 bass, 32-12
8th: Larry Nixon, Bee Branch, Ark., 14 bass, 32-10
9th: Mark Daniels Jr., Tuskegee, Ala., 15 bass, 32-1
10th: Zack Birge, Blanchard, Okla., 15 bass, 31-5
Finishing in 11th through 20th are:
11th: Walmart pro David Dudley, Lynchburg, Va., 15 bass, 30-8, $15,000
12th: Wesley Strader, Spring City, Tenn., 15 bass, 30-5, $15,000
13th: Dave Lefebre, Erie, Pa., 15 bass, 29-12, $15,000
14th: Livingston Lures pro Stetson Blaylock, Benton, Ark., 15 bass, 28-3, $15,000
15th: Todd Auten, Lake Wylie, S.C., 10 bass, 26-3, $15,000
16th: James Biggs, Euless, Texas, 14 bass, 25-1, $15,000
17th: Luke Clausen, Spokane, Wash., 10 bass, 24-12, $15,000
18th: Quaker State pro Matt Arey, Shelby, N.C., 12 bass, 24-12, $15,000
19th: Lowrance pro Ishama Monroe, Hughson, Calif., nine bass, 23-2, $15,000
20th: Clark Wendlandt, Leander, Texas, 11 bass, 22-13, $15,000
Final results for the remaining field can be found on FLWFishing.com.