MONROE, La. (March 9, 2005) - Matt Herren of Trussville, Ala., caught a five-bass limit weighing 24 pounds, 14 ounces to take the lead on opening day of the FLW Tour bass fishing tournament on the Ouachita River. The event features 200 pros in the hunt for a top award of $100,000 cash. Two hundred co-anglers are also competing for a top award of $20,000 cash.
Clouds loomed ominously in the horizon on the morning of day one, and anglers experienced everything from rain to hail and cool temperatures before the day was over. While some anglers reported having a slow morning until the clouds broke, a few anglers said they had their best luck in the worst of the weather.
Several boats raced more than 50 miles of sprawling river and locked through to the Felsenthal National Wildlife Refuge in southern Arkansas with hopes of finding a big limit of bass away from the rest of the field. Ninety-eight boats locked through to begin the morning, however, so plans to escape the crowd quickly evaporated.
Herren made the long run to Felsenthal and found the fish willing to cooperate early and often. "It took over an hour to get up there, but it only took me an hour to catch my limit," Herren said. "I could call my shots today. I literally knew on which pitch and flip I was going to catch a bass." He culled several times after his initial limit.
Herren reported catching bigger bass in practice but remains concerned with how the current will lessen Thursday. "They're supposed to stop pulling water Wednesday night and that could really affect me on Thursday," he said. "This place fishes just like the Mobile Delta, so I feel like I know where the fish will position themselves in the current."
Rounding out the top-five pros are David Walker of Sevierville, Tenn. (five bass, 20 pounds, 1 ounce); reigning Bassmaster Classic champion Takahiro Omori of Emory, Texas (five bass, 19 pounds, 13 ounces); Todd Ary of Birmingham, Ala. (five bass, 18 pounds, 7 ounces); and Keith Pace of Monticello, Ark. (five bass, 17 pounds, 12 ounces).
Omori caught a 6-pound, 12-ounce bass Wednesday to earn Big Bass honors in the Pro Division. He earned $750 for his big bass.
Roy Altman Jr. of Augusta, Ga., leads the Co-angler Division thanks to his catch Wednesday of four bass that weighed 12 pounds, 2 ounces. He fished with Gary Yamamoto of Mineola, Texas, who is currently 60th on the pro side.
"Man we had a great day out there today," Altman said. "All my success is due to my partner and his area."
Yamamoto and Altman, both successful lure manufacturers in their own rights, made the run to Felsenthal, and Altman said it didn't take long to start feeling good about the day.
"I zeroed both days at the last tournament, so I just prayed to catch a keeper in this tournament," Altman said. "I threw my Buckeye spinnerbait by one of those cypress trees, and I saw this huge fish come out of the tree after it. I wrestled her into the boat and got her in the livewell when I noticed the boat had spun around back to that same tree. I threw in there again and caught a 2-1/2 pounder off the same tree. At that point Gary laughed and said, 'Don't throw in there again,'"
Rounding out the top-five co-anglers are Todd Lee of Jasper, Ala. (five bass, 12 pounds); Merle Wells Jr. of Hammond, N.Y. (five bass, 11 pounds, 13 ounces); Sondra Rankin of Paducah, Ky. (five bass, 11 pounds, 1 ounce); and the co-angler champion from the last tournament, Ken Chapman of Woodlawn, Tenn. (five bass, 10 pounds, 13 ounces).
Altman claimed the Big Bass award in the Co-angler Division Wednesday thanks to that huge bass that hit his spinnerbait -- a 6-pound, 9-ounce largemouth worth $375.
Anglers will take off from Forsythe Park in Monroe each morning at 7. Thursday's weigh-in will also be held at the marina beginning at 3 p.m. Friday and Saturday's weigh-ins will be held at the Wal-Mart store located at 2701 Louisville Avenue in Monroe beginning at 5 p.m. and 3 p.m., respectively.