EUFAULA, Ala. (March 14, 2008) - Pro Travis Adams of Danielsville, Ga., caught a five-bass limit weighing 18 pounds, 1 ounce Friday to capture his lead in the Stren Series Southeast Division bass fishing tournament on Lake Eufaula. With a three-day catch of 15 bass weighing 47-13, he holds a 6-ounce lead over his closest competitor heading into the final day of competition.
"I'm throwing a spinnerbait," Adams said. "I'm trying to fish grass that a lot of people can't see that's a little bit farther off the bank." Adams is running and gunning, covering a lot of area and not staying in one place very long.
"I've figured out how to catch the bigger fish on a spinnerbait," Adams said. "Fourteen of the 15 fish I've caught have been on a spinnerbait."
Adams fished with today's leading co-angler, Alan Hults, on Day 4 of the Stren Series Southeast Division tournament on Lake Eufaula last year, when Hults won the Co-angler Division with 15 bass, weighing 42 pounds, 15 ounces.
"I'm very excited about fishing with Alan tomorrow. It's a special thing for me in this position; if we could finish the deal tomorrow, it'd be even more exciting."
Rounding out the top five pros are Glenn Browne of Ocala, Fla. (15 bass, 47-08); Ryan Ingram of Phenix City, Ala. (15 bass, 46-14); Randall Tharp of Gardendale, Ala. (15 bass, 46-12); and Adam Postelle of Rocky Face, Ga. (14 bass, 46-03).
Also clearing the top 10 cut weight of 42 pounds, 11 ounces in the Pro Division are Tony Davis of Williston, Fla.; Lee McCracken of Ocala, Fla.; Roger Beaver of Dawson, Ga.; Frank Jordan Jr. of Bainbridge, Ga.; and Clint Brownlee of Tifton, Ga.
Mike Todd of Norman, Okla., earned $280 for the Big Bass award in the Pro Division thanks to a 9-pound, 7-ounce bass.
Overall there were 653 bass weighing 1,644 pounds, 1 ounce caught by 183 pros Friday. The catch included 83 five-bass limits.
Alan Hults of Gautier, Miss., leads the Co-angler Division in the chase for a top award of $35,000, including a 198VX Ranger if contingency guidelines are met, thanks to a three-day total of 14 bass weighing 34-13.
"I'm kind of excited tomorrow about fishing with Travis," said Hults, who won the Co-Angler Division of the 2007 Stren Series Southeast Division tournament on Lake Eufaula. "I caught 16 pounds with him here last year and won. I think it was the best day I've ever had." On his fourth trip to Lake Eufaula, Hults has continued to fish in shallow water. He has been catching his fish on crankbaits, jigs and ChatterBaits.
Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Brian Carroll of Smyrna, Ga. (13 bass, 31-07); Matt Smith of Southport, Fla. (12 bass, 31-04); Daniel Beckham of Lake City, Fla. (10 bass, 30-08); and Roger Mason of Heflin, Ala. (11 bass, 29-14).
Also clearing the top-10 cut weight of 27 pounds, 5 ounces in the Co-angler Division are Jay Fagan of Mableton, Ga.; Kenneth Owens of Wise, Va.; Homer Stephens of Noblesville, Ind.; Gill Bristow of Columbia, Ala.; and Johnny Pittman of Somerville, Ala.
Kerry Partain of Elberton, Ga., earned $142 for the Snickers Big Bass award in the Co-angler Division thanks to a 7-pound, 10-ounce bass. Overall there were 394 bass weighing 886 pounds, 5 ounces caught by 183 co-anglers Friday. The catch included 21 five-bass limits.
The top 40 co-anglers from each Stren Series division will also advance to the championship, where they will fish for as much as $70,000. The highest-finishing co-angler from each division at the championship will then advance to the 2009 Forrest Wood Cup.
Anglers will take off at 7 Saturday morning from Lakepoint State Park located at 104 Lakepoint Drive in Eufaula, Ala. Saturday's final weigh-in will be held at the Wal-Mart store located at 1252 South Eufaula Ave. in Eufaula, Ala., beginning at 4 p.m. The takeoff and weigh-in are free and open to the public.
Stren Series tournaments are four-day events consisting of two rounds. The entire field competes Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. At the conclusion of Friday's weigh-in, the field is cut to the top 10 pros and co-anglers based on the heaviest three-day accumulated weights. These anglers continue competition Saturday, with the winners determined by the heaviest accumulated weight from all four days.