Crews Still Leads Bassmaster Elite Tournament On St. Johns

February 11, 2022
B.A.S.S. News - Archived

PALATKA, Fla. — Fighting through a painfully slow morning, John Crews of Salem, Va., capitalized on the afternoon bite and caught a limit of 17 pounds, 3 ounces to retain his lead in the Bassmaster Elite tournament at St. Johns River with a two-day total of 45-3. After posting a Day 1 limit of 28 pounds, Crews edged Bob Downey of Hudson, Wis., by 12 ounces. On Friday, Crews greatly improved his position and will head into Saturday’s semifinal round with a 9-13 lead over Elite Series rookie Masayuki Matsushita of Tokoname-Aichi, Japan. A telling moment that bespoke the attitude driving Crews’ decisions came midmorning when Crews’ cameraman asked if he had a target weight.

“I never do that; I want to catch as much as I can,” Crews said. “If you say, ‘I’ll be okay if I get 15,’ or, ‘I’ll be okay if I get 18,’ if you reach that, you might take your foot off the gas.

“Early on in my career, I settled more than I should have in a tournament, instead of going for the kill. Whether I finish first, second, 12th, 15th or whatever, I’m going to try to catch every fish I can catch.”

Despite high-pressure, postfrontal conditions, Crews did not take his foot off the gas Friday. Retracing his Day 1 game plan, he returned to Rodman Reservoir, where he threw a jerkbait and a drop shot. Rigged with a prototype Missile Baits worm, the latter produced all of his Rodman catches. By the time he left Rodman at 1 p.m., Crews had only a small limit of 10-9 that he anchored with a 4-pounder. The reservoir was much more productive on Day 1, as Crews locked out with a 24-pound bag that included an 8-1.

“I got very fortunate to catch the bag that I caught yesterday, but I made some good adjustments today,” he said.

Specifically, he fished his way out of the Rodman canal and spent the rest of his afternoon targeting shallow cover on the main river. His afternoon effort allowed him to make three upgrades with a 4 1/2-pounder, a 4 and a 2. Crews caught his main-river fish on a 1/2-ounce Z-Man ChatterBait JackHammer with a Missile Baits D Bomb in the bruiser (black/blue) color. While the bulky 4-inch creature bait is typically used for flipping and pitching presentations, Crews said the D Bomb proved appealing to the quality bass he needed.

“It’s a big profile and when the (ChatterBait’s) blade is vibrating, the whole tail portion of it kicks and it looks big,” Crews said. “These big fish are used to eating bream and crappie. If you throw the little stuff, you can catch some fish, but I like the bigger stuff.”

Crews’ most notable catch came around 2:35 when a fish bit and missed his bait. He threw back to the same spot and again missed a bite. On his third cast to the spot, he caught his largest fish of the day.

“I think it was the same fish,” Crews said. “Sometimes, they just get mad that they missed it.”

Crews said he’s unsure if he will return to Rodman on Day 3. After Friday’s flat calm conditions seemed to hinder the bite, he said he needs wind to stimulate the fish. If Saturday looks windy, he’ll go; if not, he’ll work his main-river spots.

Matsushita caught nearly twice what he caught on Day 1 and improved from 41st place to second with a two-day total of 35-6. Spending his day in the main river, Matsushita bolstered his Day 1 weight of 12-1 with 23-5 — the day’s heaviest catch.

“I fished all shallow water; 3 to 5 feet,” he said. “I got bites all day. I caught two big ones in the morning and when the (sun shined brightly) I caught three big bites.”

Matsushita caught all of his bass on a free rig — a Texas-rigged worm with a tear drop weight hanging from his line. He used a 3/16-ounce weight and a Zoom Magnum Finesse worm in junebug and redbug colors.

Stetson Blaylock of Benton, Ark., added 13-5 to his Day 1 limit of 22 pounds and remained in third place with 35-5. Returning to the Rodman canal, Blaylock caught most of his fish on a wacky-rigged watermelon red Yum finesse worm.

Blaylock caught one of his keepers on a Booyah Hard Knocker lipless bait. While the reaction bait played a bigger role on Day 1, he was unable to replicate that success Friday.

“I went through the whole area with moving baits and never got a single bite,” Blaylock said. “It never did feel right and then once I started picking up finesse, I started catching one here, one there. I just knew right off the bat that, as soon as I got the first one, this is what it’s going to take to get bites today.

“I kept the other stuff honest throughout the day, but it just wasn’t working.”

Brandon Cobb of Greenwood, S.C., is in the lead for Phoenix Boats Big Bass honors with the 9-13 largemouth he caught on Day 1.

Crews leads the VMC Monster Bag standings for the event’s heaviest limit with his 28-pound first-round bag.

The Top 47 remaining anglers will take off at 7:30 a.m. ET Saturday from Palatka City Docks. The weigh-in will be held at Palatka Riverfront Park at 3:30 p.m., with only the Top 10 pros advancing to Championship Sunday with a chance at the $100,000 first-place prize.

 

2022 AFTCO Bassmaster Elite tournament at St. Johns River 2/10-2/13
St. Johns River, Palatka  FL.
(PROFESSIONAL) Standings Day 2

Angler                   Hometown              No./lbs-oz  Pts   Total $$$

1.  John Crews Jr          Salem, VA               10  45-03  100
  Day 1: 5   28-00     Day 2: 5   17-03   
2.  Masayuki Matsushita    Tokoname-Shi JAPAN      10  35-06   99
  Day 1: 5   12-01     Day 2: 5   23-05   
3.  Stetson Blaylock       Benton, AR              10  35-05   98
  Day 1: 5   22-00     Day 2: 5   13-05   
4.  Patrick Walters        Summerville, SC         10  34-13   97
  Day 1: 5   17-12     Day 2: 5   17-01   
5.  Bob Downey             Hudson, WI               6  33-15   96
  Day 1: 5   27-04     Day 2: 1   06-11   
6.  David Mullins          Mt Carmel, TN           10  33-12   95
  Day 1: 5   19-07     Day 2: 5   14-05   
7.  Brandon Palaniuk       Rathdrum, ID            10  31-08   94
  Day 1: 5   13-04     Day 2: 5   18-04   
8.  Austin Felix           Eden Prairie, MN        10  30-13   93
  Day 1: 5   12-12     Day 2: 5   18-01   
9.  Bill Lowen             Brookville, IN          10  30-02   92
  Day 1: 5   20-00     Day 2: 5   10-02   
10. Chris Johnston         Otonabee Ontario CANADA 10  29-05   91
  Day 1: 5   17-09     Day 2: 5   11-12   
11. Gregory DiPalma        Millville, NJ           10  29-01   90
  Day 1: 5   13-01     Day 2: 5   16-00   
12. Clent Davis            Montevallo, AL          10  28-05   89
  Day 1: 5   13-02     Day 2: 5   15-03   
13. Jake Whitaker          Fairview, NC            10  28-03   88
  Day 1: 5   12-12     Day 2: 5   15-07   
14. Micah Frazier          Newnan, GA               8  27-13   87
  Day 1: 5   20-04     Day 2: 3   07-09   
15. Wes Logan              Springville, AL         10  27-10   86
  Day 1: 5   13-15     Day 2: 5   13-11   
16. Scott Canterbury       Odenville, AL            9  27-09   85
  Day 1: 5   12-13     Day 2: 4   14-12   
17. Gary Clouse            Winchester, TN          10  26-11   84
  Day 1: 5   12-04     Day 2: 5   14-07   
18. Ray Hanselman Jr       Del Rio, TX             10  26-11   83
  Day 1: 5   14-02     Day 2: 5   12-09   
19. Matty Wong             Honolulu, HI             7  26-10   82
  Day 1: 5   19-14     Day 2: 2   06-12   
20. Caleb Sumrall          New Iberia, LA           9  26-08   81   $1,000.00
  Day 1: 4   08-11     Day 2: 5   17-13   
21. Jonathan Kelley        Old Forge, PA            8  26-07   80
  Day 1: 5   18-04     Day 2: 3   08-03   
22. Jay Yelas              Turner, OR              10  26-07   79
  Day 1: 5   13-12     Day 2: 5   12-11   
23. Brandon Card           Salisbury, NC           10  26-06   78
  Day 1: 5   14-10     Day 2: 5   11-12   
24. Chris Zaldain          Fort Worth, TX           9  26-03   77
  Day 1: 5   19-03     Day 2: 4   07-00   
25. Drew Cook              Cairo, GA                8  25-11   76
  Day 1: 3   04-00     Day 2: 5   21-11   
26. Taku Ito               Chiba JAPAN             10  25-10   75
  Day 1: 5   16-04     Day 2: 5   09-06   
27. Jamie Hartman          Newport, NY             10  25-09   74
  Day 1: 5   12-13     Day 2: 5   12-12   
28. Jacob Powroznik        North Prince George, VA  9  24-15   73
  Day 1: 4   08-09     Day 2: 5   16-06   
29. Tyler Rivet            Raceland, LA            10  24-14   72
  Day 1: 5   11-13     Day 2: 5   13-01   
30. Jason Williamson       Wagener, SC             10  24-14   71
  Day 1: 5   11-14     Day 2: 5   13-00   
31. Justin Atkins          Florence, AL            10  24-13   70
  Day 1: 5   14-13     Day 2: 5   10-00   
32. Lee Livesay            Longview, TX             8  24-07   69
  Day 1: 5   18-15     Day 2: 3   05-08   
33. Jay Przekurat          Stevens Point, WI        8  24-07   68
  Day 1: 4   13-01     Day 2: 4   11-06   
34. Cory Johnston          Cavan CANADA             9  24-02   67
  Day 1: 4   07-07     Day 2: 5   16-11   
35. Matt Arey              Shelby, NC              10  24-01   66
  Day 1: 5   16-07     Day 2: 5   07-10   
36. Bernie Schultz         Gainesville, FL         10  23-09   65
  Day 1: 5   13-07     Day 2: 5   10-02   
37. Brandon Lester         Fayetteville, TN        10  23-08   64
  Day 1: 5   11-03     Day 2: 5   12-05   
38. John Cox               Debary, FL              10  23-03   63
  Day 1: 5   09-06     Day 2: 5   13-13   
39. Clifford Pirch         Payson, AZ               8  23-02   62
  Day 1: 3   08-07     Day 2: 5   14-11   
40. Chad Morgenthaler      Reeds Spring, MO        10  23-01   61
  Day 1: 5   14-05     Day 2: 5   08-12   
41. David Williams         Newton, NC               9  22-07   60
  Day 1: 5   11-11     Day 2: 4   10-12   
42. Bryan New              Saluda, SC               7  21-14   59
  Day 1: 5   18-11     Day 2: 2   03-03   
43. Buddy Gross            Chatanooga, TN           6  21-12   58
  Day 1: 5   17-02     Day 2: 1   04-10   
44. Bryan Schmitt          Deale, MD                9  21-11   57
  Day 1: 4   08-04     Day 2: 5   13-07   
45. Caleb Kuphall          Mukwonago, WI            7  21-11   56
  Day 1: 2   09-08     Day 2: 5   12-03   
46. Chad Pipkens           Dewitt, MI               7  21-06   55
  Day 1: 5   19-00     Day 2: 2   02-06   
47. Luke Palmer            Coalgate, OK            10  20-15   54
  Day 1: 5   10-14     Day 2: 5   10-01   
48. Joseph Webster         Hamilton, AL             9  20-12   53   $2,500.00
  Day 1: 5   11-05     Day 2: 4   09-07   
49. Brandon Cobb           Greenwood, SC            6  20-11   52   $3,500.00
  Day 1: 1   09-13     Day 2: 5   10-14   
50. Jason Christie         Park Hill, OK            9  20-01   51   $2,500.00
  Day 1: 4   10-14     Day 2: 5   09-03   
51. Jeff Gustafson         Keewatin Ontario CANADA 10  19-14   50   $2,500.00
  Day 1: 5   09-03     Day 2: 5   10-11   
52. Gerald Swindle         Guntersville, AL        10  19-14   49   $2,500.00
  Day 1: 5   09-10     Day 2: 5   10-04   
53. Marc Frazier           Newnan, GA               8  19-08   48   $2,500.00
  Day 1: 5   15-00     Day 2: 3   04-08   
54. Josh Douglas           Isle, MN                 6  19-04   47   $2,500.00
  Day 1: 1   02-07     Day 2: 5   16-13   
55. Cody Huff              Ava, MO                  9  19-02   46   $2,500.00
  Day 1: 5   09-07     Day 2: 4   09-11   
56. Scott Martin           Clewiston, FL            8  19-00   45   $2,500.00
  Day 1: 4   09-05     Day 2: 4   09-11   
57. Hank Cherry Jr         Lincolnton, NC           8  18-14   44   $2,500.00
  Day 1: 5   13-14     Day 2: 3   05-00   
58. Greg Hackney           Gonzales, LA             9  18-09   43   $2,500.00
  Day 1: 5   08-00     Day 2: 4   10-09   
59. Clark Wendlandt        Leander, TX              7  18-06   42   $2,500.00
  Day 1: 2   05-14     Day 2: 5   12-08   
60. Seth Feider            New Market, MN           8  18-04   41   $2,500.00
  Day 1: 5   15-00     Day 2: 3   03-04   
61. Matt Robertson         Kuttawa, KY              8  17-15   40   $2,500.00
  Day 1: 5   13-00     Day 2: 3   04-15   
62. Drew Benton            Blakely, GA              8  17-15   39   $2,500.00
  Day 1: 5   11-05     Day 2: 3   06-10   
63. Brock Mosley           Collinsville, MS         8  17-05   38   $2,500.00
  Day 1: 3   04-09     Day 2: 5   12-12   
64. Matt Herren            Ashville, AL            10  17-05   37   $2,500.00
  Day 1: 5   12-10     Day 2: 5   04-11   
65. Ed Loughran III        Richmond, VA             7  17-04   36   $2,500.00
  Day 1: 4   06-14     Day 2: 3   10-06   
66. Cliff Prince           Palatka, FL             10  17-02   35   $2,500.00
  Day 1: 5   08-15     Day 2: 5   08-03   
67. Frank Talley           Temple, TX               7  16-11   34   $2,500.00
  Day 1: 5   14-07     Day 2: 2   02-04   
68. Keith Combs            Huntington, TX           9  16-03   33
  Day 1: 4   07-05     Day 2: 5   08-14   
69. Mark Menendez          Paducah, KY              5  15-00   32
  Day 1: 5   15-00     Day 2: 0   00-00   
70. Carl Jocumsen          Queensland AUSTRALIA     7  15-00   31
  Day 1: 5   09-06     Day 2: 2   05-10   
71. Todd Auten             Lake Wylie, SC           9  14-14   30
  Day 1: 5   06-00     Day 2: 4   08-14   
72. Justin Hamner          Northport, AL            9  14-13   29
  Day 1: 4   07-00     Day 2: 5   07-13   
73. Skylar Hamilton        Dandridge, TN            9  14-06   28
  Day 1: 4   05-10     Day 2: 5   08-12   
74. Shane LeHew            Catawba, NC              6  14-05   27
  Day 1: 4   07-00     Day 2: 2   07-05   
75. Hunter Shryock         Ooltewah, TN             7  14-00   26
  Day 1: 4   09-11     Day 2: 3   04-05   
76. Koby Kreiger           Alva, FL                 7  13-15   25
  Day 1: 2   02-05     Day 2: 5   11-10   
77. Mike Huff              London, KY              10  13-14   24
  Day 1: 5   07-10     Day 2: 5   06-04   
78. Rick Clunn             Ava, MO                  5  13-00   23
  Day 1: 1   03-14     Day 2: 4   09-02   
79. Alex Redwine           Blue Ash, OH             7  12-15   22
  Day 1: 5   09-15     Day 2: 2   03-00   
80. Pat Schlapper          Eleva, WI                7  12-03   21
  Day 1: 5   10-08     Day 2: 2   01-11   
81. Joshua Stracner        Vandiver, AL             8  12-02   20
  Day 1: 5   06-08     Day 2: 3   05-10   
82. Darold Gleason         Many, LA                 6  11-15   19
  Day 1: 4   07-03     Day 2: 2   04-12   
83. Jesse Tacoronte        Kissimmee, FL            6  11-15   18
  Day 1: 3   04-13     Day 2: 3   07-02   
84. Jacob Foutz            Charleston, TN           5  11-10   17
  Day 1: 3   08-14     Day 2: 2   02-12   
85. Kenta Kimura           Osaka JAPAN              4  11-03   16
  Day 1: 3   04-11     Day 2: 1   06-08   
86. Paul Mueller           Naugatuck, CT            5  09-03   15
  Day 1: 3   05-04     Day 2: 2   03-15   
87. Steve Kennedy          Auburn, AL               6  09-01   14
  Day 1: 1   01-11     Day 2: 5   07-06   
88. KJ Queen               Catawba, NC              6  08-13   13
  Day 1: 2   03-15     Day 2: 4   04-14   
89. Kyle Welcher           Opelika, AL              4  06-14   12
  Day 1: 2   03-12     Day 2: 2   03-02   
90. Derek Hudnall          Denham Springs, LA       3  04-11   11
  Day 1: 3   04-11     Day 2: 0   00-00   
91. Brad Whatley           Bivins, TX               3  04-10   10
  Day 1: 2   03-09     Day 2: 1   01-01   
92. David Fritts           Lexington, NC            2  03-15    9
  Day 1: 1   02-06     Day 2: 1   01-09   
93. Michael Iaconelli      Pittsgrove, NJ           3  03-06    8
  Day 1: 1   00-14     Day 2: 2   02-08   
94. Daisuke Aoki           Minamitsurugun Yamanash  2  03-04    7
  Day 1: 0   00-00     Day 2: 2   03-04   
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BIG BASS 
Day
 1   Brandon Cobb             Greenwood, SC       09-13      $1,000.00
 2   Caleb Sumrall            New Iberia, LA      09-07      $1,000.00


VMC MONSTER BAG
Day
 1   John Crews Jr            Salem, VA           28-00          $0.00
 

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Totals
Day   #Limits    #Fish      Weight
 1        59       393      1045-09
 2        50       363       887-09
----------------------------------
         109       756      1933-02