JASPER, Texas (March 23, 2006) - Pro Chris McCall of Jasper, Texas, caught a two-day total of 10 bass weighing 34 pounds, 3 ounces to lead day two of the Stren Series Central Division bass fishing tournament on Sam Rayburn Reservoir.
"I tried to stay out of some of my best areas today," McCall said. "I knew if I could catch around 10 pounds that should be OK." McCall was covering lots of water and hitting some of his secondary areas, saving what he called a milk run of his 20 or so best areas for day three.
"I've been catching them in 2 to 8 feet of water over hydrilla," McCall continued. "I've been throwing Gambler plastics and Rat-L-Traps to get my bites."
Rounding out the top five pros are Art Garza of Buna, Texas (10 bass, 33 pounds, 14 ounces); Jerry Dolezal of Bullard, Texas (10 bass, 33 pounds, 1 ounce); Ron Hopkins Sr. of Mounds, Okla. (10 bass, 30 pounds, 12 ounces); and Trent Huckaby of Fort Stockton, Texas (10 bass, 29 pounds, 12 ounces).
Charles Simmons of Waco, Texas, earned $725 for the Snicker's Big Bass award in the Pro Division thanks to a 6-pound, 13-ounce bass.
Phillip Hudnall of Newkirk, Okla., leads the Co-angler Division in the chase for a top award worth as much as $35,000, including a 519VX Ranger if contingency guidelines are met. He caught a two-day total of 10 bass weighing 25 pounds, 7 ounces.
"Today, we were fishing the middle arm of the lake over a big hydrilla flat in about 6 to 8 feet of water," Hudnall said. "I was throwing a 6-inch watermelon candy Zoom Trick Worm, but I also threw a hand-poured fluke for one cast and caught a 5-pounder. I'm hoping that lure produces for me tomorrow."
Rounding out the top five co-anglers are Bill Rogers of Jasper (nine bass, 24 pounds, 10 ounces); Emmett Barnett of Waldron, Ark. (six bass, 22 pounds, 6 ounces); Gilbert Herald of Pittsburg, Texas (eight bass, 21 pounds, 12 ounces); and Bill Guillory of Jasper (five bass, 21 pounds, 2 ounces).
Terry Brandhorst of Waterloo, Iowa, earned $245 for the Snicker's Big Bass award in the Co-angler Division thanks to a 7-pound bass he caught.
Stren Series tournaments are four-day events consisting of three rounds. The entire field competes Wednesday and Thursday, and the top 20 pros and co-anglers - based on two-day accumulated weights - advance to day three. Anglers start at zero Thursday and compete for 10 spots in each division in the final round. Winners are determined by the heaviest accumulated weight from days three and four.