FLORENCE, Ala. (March 1, 2006) - Pro Rob Kilby of Hot Springs, Ark., caught a five-bass limit weighing 20 pounds, 2 ounces to take a commanding lead on day one of the FLW Tour bass fishing tournament on Pickwick Lake. Pros are competing for a top award of $100,000, and the Co-angler Division first-place award is $20,000.
Fishing conditions on Pickwick Lake, along with the adjoining waterways, are tough. Water temperatures are in the high 40s on the main lake. Furthermore, water release from Wilson and Pickwick dams is raising and dropping Pickwick water levels by several feet in a relatively short time each day. As a result of the cold water and fluctuating water levels, only 142 pros and 83 co-anglers caught keepers Wednesday. The entire field only caught 20 limits, but as is usually the case, a handful of anglers caught solid weights.
Kilby surprised everyone when he weighed in such a strong limit and leads by nearly 4 pounds over second place - Brennan Bosley of Benton, Ark., who finished second at the last FLW Tour event on Lake Murray.
"I must have got luckier than most," Kilby said. "I never missed a fish today. I caught them on a jig and jerkbait. I'm going up to Wheeler and fishing in stained water. I caught some fish deep and some shallow, but they're all coming from the same kind of spot, and I caught my best fish early."
Kilby caught seven keepers Wednesday, including a 5-pound, 14-ounce largemouth.
Bosley stepped up to the scale with a smile on his face. He caught a limit that weighed 16 pounds, 4 ounces. "I have a lot of confidence right now after my finish at Murray," he said. "I feel like I can do well. I caught six keepers today."
Gabe Bolivar of Ramona, Calif., who finished second in the Stren Series Championship on Pickwick Lake last November is tied for third with five bass weighing 14 pounds, 4 ounces. Bolivar was casting a custom-made square-lipped Japanese crankbait along rip rap banks in the waterway connecting Bay Springs Lake and Pickwick. Also with a limit weighing 14 pounds, 4 ounces is Ramie Colson Jr. of Cadiz, Ky.
In fifth place in the Pro Division is David Curtis of Trinity, Texas, with five bass weighing 14 pounds, 3 ounces. "I struggled and struggled in practice," Curtis said, "so I'm thrilled to have this limit. I started in an area where I caught a 3-pounder in practice last Saturday, which was the warmest day of practice. Since it was so warm today, I went back to the same place and tried to duplicate what I was doing Saturday, and I culled three times. And I've got the spot all to myself."
Sam Swett of Covington, La., caught a 6-pound, 2-ounce largemouth to win the Big Bass Award in the Pro Division and earn $750.
Judy Israel of Clewiston, Fla., leads the Co-angler Division with four bass weighing 13 pounds, 13 ounces, including a lunker bass weighing 6 pounds. Israel fishing with pro Todd Auten of Lake Wylie, S.C.
Andy Montgomery of Blacksburg, S.C., was one of only three co-anglers to catch a limit Wednesday and is currently in second place with 12 pounds, 8 ounces. Montgomery, who fished with eighth-place pro Mark Pack, of Mineola, Texas, caught his fish shallow with a Chatterbait, which is arguably the hottest lure in the country.
Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Arch Cornett of Huntsville, Ala. (four bass, 10 pounds, 6 ounces); Alex Ormand of Bessemer City, N.C. (three bass, 9 pounds, 1 ounce); and Bill Gift of Alix, Ark. (five bass, 9 pounds).
Anglers will take off at 7 each morning from McFarland Park. Thursday's weigh-in will be held at McFarland Park beginning at 3 p.m. Friday and Saturday's weigh-ins will be held at the Wal-Mart store located at 3100 Hough Road in Florence beginning at 4 p.m.