RIDGEDALE, Mo. - Jimmy Mize had always practiced well at Table Rock Lake, but he'd never done well in a bass fishing tournament here.
That all changed for Mize on the opening day of the 'BUSCH Shootout' out of the Big Cedar Lodge.
Mize, of Ben Lomond, Ark., led the way Friday with a five-fish limit weighing 14 pounds, 3 ounces. That stringer included the heaviest bass of the day at 5 pounds, 8 ounces. "I've had some really good practice days here," Mize said. "I've been fishing here 18 years and I've never cashed a check here."
Mize definitely will get a check Saturday. Twelve of the 13 pro anglers who qualified for the unique tournament will go home with $5,000. The winner pockets $100,000.
The field includes the anglers who caught the 10 heaviest single-day stringers during the Bassmaster Tour and the Elite 50 Series, as well as the fishermen who caught the heaviest single-day weights at the 2005 Classic, the 2004 Bassmaster Open Championship and the 2005 Federation Championship.
The location of the Shootout was not revealed until Thursday afternoon and anglers did not get an opportunity to practice. Mize, who qualified by catching the heaviest stringer at the Classic, went to spots where he had done well during past practices and had his limit before 11 a.m. under overcast skies. His big bass came within the first 45 minutes.
"I fished the first bank and didn't catch anything, then I fished the second bank and caught them pretty good," Mize said. "After I got my limit, I left and went to try to find something that'll work for afternoon fishing."
Brent Chapman of Shawnee, Kansas, was second with a limit weighing 12-13. Gerald Swindle of Hayden, Ala., was third with a limit weighing 12-2, followed by reigning Classic champion Kevin VanDam of Kalamazoo, Mich., with three fish weighing 8-10 and Zell Rowland of Montgomery, Texas, with three fish weighing 4-15.
The top five all secured a spot in Saturday afternoon's championship round. The other eight anglers will have their weights zeroed and fish Saturday morning. The angler with the heaviest weight advances to the championship round. Meanwhile, the top five have their weights zeroed and fish Saturday morning. The angler with the heaviest total weight for Saturday wins the $100,000.
"The weather will be different Saturday. It'll probably be clear," Mize said. "Early morning will probably be alright, but the afternoon will be a lot tougher."
Like Mize, Chapman also got off to a fast start, getting six keeper bites in the first 90 minutes.
"I ran about 45 miles," said Chapman, who fishes Table Rock a lot - he qualified for the Shootout with a stringer weighing 22-5 during a Tour event here - and went to an area that had produced in the only other tournament he'd fished here at this time of the year.
"My very first cast, I just threw it out there just to get my line straight, made about two cranks and caught a 2-and-a-half-pounder, so I knew it was going to be a good day."
Swindle was nervous when he found out that the tournament would be in the clear, deep water of Table Rock. He said he packed mostly heavy jigs, frog baits and braided line in the Bassmaster tackle bag provided to the anglers.
Fortunately, the pros were given a 30-minute, $300 shopping spree at the Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World store in nearby Springfield and Swindle loaded up with small hooks, small baits and light line.
"I kind of fished the way I would fish at home on Smith Lake and it worked out," he said. "Instead of fishing in 30 feet on the bottom, I fished for suspended fish on deeper, rocky dropoffs and bridge pilings where the fish were 30 feet deep and I caught a whole lot of fish."
Standings Day 1
Angler Home City, State No./lbs-oz
1. Jimmy Mize Ben Lomond, Ark. 5 13-15
2. Brent Champman Shawnee, Kansas 5 12-13
3. Gerald Swindle Hayden, Ala. 5 12-02
4. Kevin Vandam Kalamazoo, Mich. 3 8-10
5. Zell Rowland Montgomery, Texas 3 4-15
6. Edwin Evers Mannsville, Okla. 2 4-14
7. Scott Rook Little Rock, Ark. 2 4-12
8. Jim Bitter Fruitland Park, Fla. 2 3-01
9. Morizo Shimuzu Suita Osaka, Japan 1 1-15
10. Greg Hackney Gonzales, La. 0 0-00
10. Ed Cowan Greeley, Pa. 0 0-00
10. Frank Ippoliti Smithburg, Md. 0 0-00
10. Guy Eaker Cherryville,N.C. 0 0-00