LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - Two days of consistent catches have given Gerald Swindle of Hayden, Ala., momentum as the third and final Bassmaster Major, the Bassmaster Legends bass fishing tournament on the Arkansas River, heads into its final two days of competition.
Swindle, the 2004 Bassmaster Angler of the Year who is seeking his first BASS win, caught a five-fish limit weighing 10 pounds, 15 ounces on Friday, giving him a two-day total of 21-12 and placing him first among the 12 anglers who qualified to continue in pursuit of the $250,000 first prize.
While many of the original 55 anglers traveled both north and south of Little Rock to fish on the first two days, a unique feature of the Bassmaster Majors will place the 12 finalists on a marked, six-hole course located along a nine-mile stretch of the river on Saturday, including the Little Rock waterfront area.
The finalists, who will fish for 70 minutes in each hole, will start Day 3 equally with no weight to their credit. The anglers choose the order they will fish based on their position in the Bassmaster Angler of the Year standings. Steve Kennedy, who is in second place in those standings, has priority. Only the top six competitors will fish the six-hole course on Sunday, the final day of the tournament, with weights from Saturday carrying over.
Swindle said he caught all of his keeper fish on both days by flipping in the same area. "I've been on a very specific pattern," he said. "I'm going to stay on that same technique (Saturday), but I may have to switch to a buzzbait. Somebody's going to catch a 4-pounder on a buzzbait and it's going to put them in the winner's circle."
Swindle spent two hours exploring the six-hole course area, which was off-limits for fishing. "I found four or five places I want to try," he said. "You can't try to fish the whole course. You'll have to fish it slow and do it right. You're going to need a lot of different stuff."
Little Rock resident Scott Rook was second among the 12 qualifiers with 19-5. "It's anybody's ballgame on the six-hole course," said Rook. "I know that section of the river probably better than all of these guys combined, but that doesn't mean anything against this caliber of competition. It's going to boil down to who catches the biggest fish."
Greg Hackney of Gonzales, La., had the biggest catch on Friday, a five-fish total of 13-4 that placed him fifth among the 12 qualifiers. Hackney said he caught his fish in backwater located south of Little Rock using a crankbait. "I can't really dial in on anything I was doing the first two days," he said. "I think the best fish are going to come from the downtown-area of the course."
Mike McClelland of Bella Vista, Ark., had the second-biggest catch on Friday with 12-5 to make the top 12 while Kevin VanDam of Kalamazoo, Mich., caught 11-13 to also advance in third position.
Joe Green of English, Ind., who served as an observer with Hackney, won a fully-rigged Triton boat valued at $30,000 after Hackney caught the Purolator Big Bass of the Day at 4-8. Hackney also had the Bag of the Day with his 13-4 limit.
The Legends is in honor of BASS founder Ray Scott.
2006 Bassmaster Legends 08/24-08/27
Arkansas River, Little Rock Ark.
(PRO Division) Standings Day 2
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Gerald Swindle Hayden, Ala. 9 21-12 0
Day 1: 4 10-13 Day 2: 5 10-15
2. Scott Rook Little Rock, Ark. 8 19-05 0
Day 1: 5 12-13 Day 2: 3 6-08
3. Kevin VanDam Kalamazoo, Mich. 8 18-15 0
Day 1: 3 7-02 Day 2: 5 11-13
4. Mike McClelland Bella Vista, Ark. 8 17-08 0
Day 1: 3 5-03 Day 2: 5 12-05
5. Greg Hackney Gonzales, La. 7 16-13 0 $2,000.00
Day 1: 2 3-09 Day 2: 5 13-04
6. Brian Snowden Reeds Spring, Mo. 5 15-08 0 $1,000.00
Day 1: 5 15-08 Day 2: 0 0-00
7. Rick Clunn Ava, Mo. 5 15-00 0
Day 1: 3 10-15 Day 2: 2 4-01
8. Gary Klein Weatherford, Texas 7 14-15 0
Day 1: 4 8-14 Day 2: 3 6-01
9. Dean Rojas Lake Havasu, Ariz. 6 13-14 0
Day 1: 3 5-14 Day 2: 3 8-00
10. Steve Kennedy Auburn, Ala. 6 13-13 0
Day 1: 4 9-12 Day 2: 2 4-01
11. Kevin Short Mayflower, Ark. 6 12-09 0
Day 1: 2 4-05 Day 2: 4 8-04
12. Shaw E Grigsby, Jr Gainesville, Fla. 5 11-15 0
Day 1: 3 7-06 Day 2: 2 4-09
13. Aaron Martens Leeds, Ala. 5 11-11 0 $11,700.00
Day 1: 3 7-12 Day 2: 2 3-15
14. Jeff Kriet Ardmore, Okla. 5 11-03 0 $11,600.00
Day 1: 4 9-07 Day 2: 1 1-12
15. Marty Stone Linden, N.C. 4 11-00 0 $11,500.00
Day 1: 2 6-04 Day 2: 2 4-12
16. Michael Iaconelli Runnemede, N.J. 5 10-15 0 $11,400.00
Day 1: 0 0-00 Day 2: 5 10-15
17. Matt Reed Madisonville, Texas 5 10-10 0 $11,300.00
Day 1: 4 8-08 Day 2: 1 2-02
18. Brent Chapman Lake Quivira, Kan. 4 10-03 0 $11,150.00
Day 1: 4 10-03 Day 2: 0 0-00
18. Guy Eaker Cherryville, N.C. 4 10-03 0 $11,150.00
Day 1: 3 8-02 Day 2: 1 2-01
20. Peter E Thliveros Jacksonville, Fla. 5 10-00 0 $11,000.00
Day 1: 3 6-06 Day 2: 2 3-10
21. Kelly Jordon Mineola, Texas 4 9-06 0 $10,900.00
Day 1: 1 3-04 Day 2: 3 6-02
22. Jason Quinn Lake Wylie, S.C. 4 8-15 0 $10,800.00
Day 1: 1 2-00 Day 2: 3 6-15
23. Tommy Biffle Wagoner, Okla. 3 8-03 0 $10,650.00
Day 1: 2 4-07 Day 2: 1 3-12
23. Takahiro Omori Emory, Texas 3 8-03 0 $10,650.00
Day 1: 2 4-06 Day 2: 1 3-13
25. Edwin Evers Talala, Okla. 4 8-02 0 $10,500.00
Day 1: 2 4-00 Day 2: 2 4-02
26. Ishama Monroe Hughson, Calif. 4 8-01 0
Day 1: 3 5-14 Day 2: 1 2-03
27. Denny Brauer Camdenton, Mo. 3 8-00 0
Day 1: 2 5-14 Day 2: 1 2-02
28. Randy Howell Springville, Ala. 3 7-12 0
Day 1: 0 0-00 Day 2: 3 7-12
29. John Murray Phoenix, Ariz. 3 7-11 0
Day 1: 2 5-10 Day 2: 1 2-01
30. Bernie Schultz Gainesville, Fla. 3 7-03 0
Day 1: 1 2-02 Day 2: 2 5-01
31. Kenyon Hill Norman, Okla. 3 7-00 0
Day 1: 2 4-14 Day 2: 1 2-02
32. Jimmy Mize Ben Lomond, Ark. 2 6-15 0
Day 1: 1 3-01 Day 2: 1 3-14
33. Alton Jones Waco, Texas 2 6-10 0 $1,000.00
Day 1: 1 4-12 Day 2: 1 1-14
34. Mark Tucker Saint Louis, Mo. 3 6-08 0
Day 1: 3 6-08 Day 2: 0 0-00
35. Davy Hite Ninety Six, S.C. 3 6-01 0
Day 1: 0 0-00 Day 2: 3 6-01
36. Stephen Browning Hot Springs, Ark. 2 6-00 0
Day 1: 1 2-00 Day 2: 1 4-00
37. Paul Elias Laurel, Miss. 2 5-13 0
Day 1: 1 3-01 Day 2: 1 2-12
38. Mark Menendez Paducah, Ky. 2 5-07 0
Day 1: 1 1-14 Day 2: 1 3-09
38. Charlie Hartley Grove City, Ohio 2 5-07 0
Day 1: 1 2-04 Day 2: 1 3-03
40. Timmy Horton Muscle Shoals, Ala. 3 4-11 0
Day 1: 1 2-06 Day 2: 2 2-05
41. Lee Bailey Boaz, Ala. 2 4-07 0
Day 1: 1 2-06 Day 2: 1 2-01
42. Mike Wurm Hot Springs, Ark. 2 4-04 0
Day 1: 1 2-02 Day 2: 1 2-02
43. Skeet Reese Auburn, Calif. 2 3-15 0
Day 1: 1 2-02 Day 2: 1 1-13
44. Dave Wolak Warrior Run, Pa. 1 2-14 0
Day 1: 1 2-14 Day 2: 0 0-00
45. Chad Brauer Osage Beach, Mo. 1 2-07 0
Day 1: 0 0-00 Day 2: 1 2-07
46. Morizo Shimizu Murrieta, Calif. 1 2-03 0
Day 1: 0 0-00 Day 2: 1 2-03
47. Mike Reynolds Modesto, Calif. 1 2-00 0
Day 1: 0 0-00 Day 2: 1 2-00
48. John Crews Salem, Va. 1 1-14 0
Day 1: 0 0-00 Day 2: 1 1-14
48. Jeff Reynolds Idabel, Okla. 1 1-14 0
Day 1: 1 1-14 Day 2: 0 0-00
50. Kevin Wirth Crestwood, Ky. 1 1-13 0
Day 1: 1 1-13 Day 2: 0 0-00
51. Zell Rowland Montgomery, Texas 1 1-11 0
Day 1: 1 1-11 Day 2: 0 0-00
52. Todd Faircloth Jasper, Texas 0 0-00 0
Day 1: 0 0-00 Day 2: 0 0-00
52. Kotaro Kiriyama Moody, Ala. 0 0-00 0
Day 1: 0 0-00 Day 2: 0 0-00
52. Terry Scroggins Palatka, Fla. 0 0-00 0
Day 1: 0 0-00 Day 2: 0 0-00
52. Mark Tyler Scottsdale, Ariz. 0 0-00 0
Day 1: 0 0-00 Day 2: 0 0-00
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Big Bass
Day
1 Alton Jones Waco, Texas 4-12 $1,000.00
2 Greg Hackney Gonzales, La. 4-08 $1,000.00
Day
1 Brian Snowden Reeds Spring, Mo. 15-08 $1,000.00
2 Greg Hackney Gonzales, La. 13-04 $1,000.00
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Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 2 99 241-15
2 5 90 207-03
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7 189 449-02