NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. – Brian Maloney of Osage Beach, Mo., maintained his lead at the BFL All-American, with five bass weighing 14 pounds, 10 ounces for a two-day total of 10 bass weighing 29-14. He has a 1-pound lead over second place angler Dick Shaffer of Rockford, Ohio, who has a two-day total of 10 bass weighing 28-14.
The tournament, which is being hosted by National Harbor, features the top 49 boaters and top 49 co-anglers from across the country casting for top awards of up to $130,000 in the Boater Division and $60,000 in the Co-angler Division plus the opportunity to compete in the 2012 Forrest Wood Cup on Lake Lanier Aug. 11-14.
Maloney got what he wished for on day 2 of the tournament - bluebird skies and warm temperatures - and he was able to capitalize on his wish bringing in another solid sack of bass.
“We got on a big school of bass early,” said Maloney, who qualified through the Missouri TBF chapter. “But then it really slowed down about 9:30 to 10:00 o’clock, so we moved to a new area to try something different. That was wrong. We went back to the original area where we were fishing and the bite was back. I targeted the same ditches as yesterday; the bass seem to be sliding back in the holes as the tide pulls out.
“The bass I am catching appear to be post-spawn,” Maloney continued. “They are really beaten up and starting to heal, but I’ll take them. I was using shaky-head (rigs) again today and then started using crankbaits. I started using crankbaits just to try and hold the area. There were a lot of guys trying to move in, but I didn’t want the spot getting a lot of pressure so we started playing the waiting game.
“I’m not really familiar with this tidal game, but tomorrow should be a lot of fun.”
Only the top-10 anglers fish on the third and final day of the championship event on the Potomac River and the remaining field is:
3rd: Christopher Jones, Bokoshe, Okla., 10 bass, 28-5
4th: Scott Hamrick, Denver, N.C., nine bass, 27-11
5th: Dicky Newberry, Houston, Texas, 10 bass, 27-4
6th: David Williams, Maiden, N.C., 10 bass, 26-14
7th: Conrad Bolt, Seneca, S.C., 10 bass, 26-1
8th: Corey Saint, Lexington, Ala., 10 bass, 25-9
9th: Marc Snyder, St. Johns, Mich., 10 bass, 24-7
10th: Roger Fitzpatrick, Eldon, Mo., 10 bass, 24-2
Overall there were 146 bass weighing 372 pounds, 15 ounces caught by 49 boaters Friday. The catch included 14 five-bass limits.
Jake Akin of Powder Springs, Ga., leads the Co-angler Division with 10 bass weighing 24-12 followed by Brandon Booher of Bristol, Tenn., in second place with nine bass weighing 23-15.
Rounding out the top 10 co-anglers and fishing tomorrow are:
3rd: James Waller, Cypress, Texas, eight bass, 22-0
4th: Robert Cox, Tippecanoe, Ohio, eight bass, 19-8
5th: Aaron Arning, Walnut Hill, Ill., eight bass, 19-2
6th: Wesley Taylor, Dechard, Tenn., nine bass, 18-14
7th: Bobby Drinnon, Rogersville, Tenn., eight bass, 18-10
8th: Brandon Temples, Ninety Six, S.C., six bass, 17-11
9th: Donnie Woody, Marion, N.C., eight bass, 17-10
10th: Scott Curvin, Jacksonville, Ala., seven bass, 17-1
Overall there were 104 bass weighing 272 pounds, 5 ounces caught by 49 boaters Friday. The catch included seven five-bass limits.
Anglers will take off from the National Harbor Marina located at 137 National Plaza in Oxon Hill, Md., at 8 a.m. Saturday morning with the final weigh-in beginning at 5:30 p.m. also at the marina.