Clarks Hill Lake has confounded, confused and discombobulated the Bassmaster Elite Series field this week at the Pride of Georgia bass fishing tournament, the sixth Bassmaster Elite Series event of the season. But Terry Scroggins of Palatka, Fla., has put together enough pieces of the puzzle to survive the battle of attrition on stingy Clarks Hill to hold a 1-ounce margin over his closest competitor, Tommy Biffle of Wagoner, Okla.
Despite holding the top position with a two-day total of 29 pounds, 7 ounces, Scroggins sunk like a rock Friday as he was only able to tote 12-6 to the scales after posting 17-1 Thursday. With a steady rain pounding Clarks Hill the majority of the day and constant cloud cover, anglers were forced to scramble.
Scroggins couldn't connect with the deep bite that had produced two 4-plus pound bass Thursday and didn't register a fish after 10 a.m.
"It's just extremely tough out there," said Scroggins, who has earned more than $1.2 million in BASS career earnings. "It lasts for about two or three hours early in the morning and then it stops. After 10 a.m., you minus well put your rod down because it's impossible to catch them."
While Scroggins was prone to hyperbole after a tough day, most in the field agreed that pickings are slim after the early flurry. As is, the early bite - always a big part of Clarks Hill - has become the only crutch for most anglers.
On Thursday, Scroggins was able to entice his late bass with a worm but that isn't a factor for his early fish. Scroggins is working about 15 different points - saturated by competitor's boats - with a variety of baits.
"When you get the bait in the right areas, you can get them to bite," said Scroggins, 41. "It's more important to be in the right spot. When you get in the right little spot, they come get it."
While the bite is tough as nails this week, perhaps it is just what the doctor ordered to turn Scroggins' subpar season around. The seven-time Bassmaster Classic qualifier was mired in a relative slump, sitting in 53rd in the Bassmaster Angler of the Year standings heading into this week.
Of the first five Elite events, Scroggins had managed only one Saturday cut. Still, he hasn't done enough to prevent him from notching his seventh consecutive Classic appearance, a constant goal for him. A top finish this week would put him right in the mix for the Classic cut - the top 36 will qualify - with two regular-season events remaining.
Like Scroggins, Biffle is playing it close to the vest on specifics of his pattern. He is exhibiting a slight bit more consistency than Scroggins as he posted two days of 13-plus pounds.
"I'm fishing the way I like to fish," said Biffle, a shallow-water expert. "It's so tough out there, I have just been lucky to run into a few big bites."
Biffle, a four-time Bassmaster winner, felt he was hampered by the gloomy conditions Friday. With that, he mixed up his lure selection. He is scouring one area for all it's worth and has little company. He feels that it should hold up the remainder of the tournament and as such, has no back up plan.
Behind Biffle in third was Elite rookie Cliff Crochet of Pierre Part, La., with 27-5. Crochet's total was boosted by the biggest bass of the tournament, a 6-2 brute landed Friday. In fourth was Mark Davis of Mt. Ida, Ark., with 27-1. Davis still stands as the only angler to win the Bassmaster Classic and Bassmaster Angler of the Year in the same season. He accomplished the feat in 1995.
Rounding out the top five was local favorite Jason Williamson of Aiken, S.C. Aiken is a stones throw away from here and Williamson considers Clarks Hill a home lake.
Qualifying for Saturday was the top 47 anglers. Notables included 2006 AOY Mike Iaconelli (14th), Brent Chapman of Lake Quivira, Kansas (26th), Edwin Evers of Talala, Okla. (38th) and five-time AOY Kevin VanDam (43rd).
Thursday leader Jeff Kriet of Ardmore, Okla., battled mechanical problems and faltered to eighth place. Skeet Reese of Auburn, Calif., finally showed he is human as the hottest angler on the planet struggled to a 59th place finish and missed his first cut of 2010. By virtue of his unprecedented start, he will still hold the lead in the AOY standings - albeit by a decreased margin.
Along with the top prize of $100,000, the Pride of Georgia awards valuable points in the 2010 Bassmaster Angler of the Year race. The top 12 pros in the AOY standings at the end of the regular season will advance to the 2010 Bassmaster Elite Series postseason, in which the Bassmaster Angler of the Year will be determined. The top 36 will qualify for the 2011 Bassmaster Classic.
The tournament will run through Sunday with the top 12 moving on to Sunday. Defending champion Kenyon Hill, who won in 200
DAY 2 STANDINGS- PRIDE OF GEORGIA 2010 Evans, GA 5/20-5/23 Clarks Hill Lake, Evans GA. (PROFESSIONAL) Standings Day 2 Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$ 1. Terry Scroggins San Mateo, FL 10 29-07 305 Day 1: 5 17-01 Day 2: 5 12-06 2. Tommy Biffle Wagoner, OK 10 29-06 295 Day 1: 5 15-13 Day 2: 5 13-09 3. Cliff Crochet Pierre Part, LA 10 27-05 290 Day 1: 5 12-07 Day 2: 5 14-14 4. Mark Davis Mount Ida, AR 10 27-01 285 Day 1: 5 14-12 Day 2: 5 12-05 5. Jason Williamson Aiken, SC 10 26-10 280 Day 1: 5 12-03 Day 2: 5 14-07 6. Derek Remitz Grant, AL 10 25-08 276 Day 1: 5 14-04 Day 2: 5 11-04 7. Matt Herren Trussville, AL 10 25-02 272 Day 1: 5 14-15 Day 2: 5 10-03 8. Jeff Kriet Ardmore, OK 8 24-15 273 Day 1: 5 18-04 Day 2: 3 06-11 9. Kotaro Kiriyama Moody, AL 10 24-13 264 Day 1: 5 12-05 Day 2: 5 12-08 10. Gary Klein Weatherford, TX 10 24-11 260 Day 1: 5 13-14 Day 2: 5 10-13 11. Bobby Lane Lakeland, FL 10 24-06 257 Day 1: 5 13-09 Day 2: 5 10-13 12. Pat Golden High Point, NC 10 24-05 254 Day 1: 5 12-06 Day 2: 5 11-15 13. Terry Butcher Talala, OK 10 24-04 251 Day 1: 5 12-10 Day 2: 5 11-10 14. Michael Iaconelli Pitts Grove, NJ 10 23-15 248 Day 1: 5 12-02 Day 2: 5 11-13 15. Chris Lane Guntersville, AL 10 23-11 245 Day 1: 5 13-11 Day 2: 5 10-00 16. Mike McClelland Bella Vista, AR 10 23-11 243 Day 1: 5 12-08 Day 2: 5 11-03 17. Casey Ashley Donalds, SC 10 23-08 241 Day 1: 5 08-03 Day 2: 5 15-05 18. Morizo Shimizu Osaka JAPAN 10 23-05 239 Day 1: 5 13-12 Day 2: 5 09-09 19. Steve Kennedy Auburn, AL 10 23-02 237 Day 1: 5 14-14 Day 2: 5 08-04 20. Gerald Swindle Warrior, AL 10 23-02 235 Day 1: 5 11-09 Day 2: 5 11-09 21. Boyd Duckett Demopolis, AL 10 22-10 233 Day 1: 5 12-15 Day 2: 5 09-11 22. Rick Clunn Ava, MO 10 22-07 231 Day 1: 5 11-06 Day 2: 5 11-01 23. J Todd Tucker Moultrie, GA 10 22-04 229 Day 1: 5 14-01 Day 2: 5 08-03 24. Mark Tyler Vian, OK 10 21-04 227 Day 1: 5 09-01 Day 2: 5 12-03 25. Bill Lowen North Bend, OH 10 21-04 225 Day 1: 5 10-00 Day 2: 5 11-04 26. Brent Chapman Lake Quivira, KS 10 21-00 223 Day 1: 5 12-01 Day 2: 5 08-15 27. John Crews Salem, VA 10 20-13 221 Day 1: 5 14-03 Day 2: 5 06-10 28. Aaron Martens Leeds, AL 10 20-13 219 Day 1: 5 10-05 Day 2: 5 10-08 29. Todd Faircloth Jasper, TX 10 20-11 217 Day 1: 5 07-13 Day 2: 5 12-14 30. Cliff Pace Petal, MS 10 20-09 215 Day 1: 5 12-13 Day 2: 5 07-12 31. Scott Rook Little Rock, AR 10 20-08 213 Day 1: 5 10-04 Day 2: 5 10-04 32. Russ Lane Prattville, AL 10 20-03 211 Day 1: 5 09-09 Day 2: 5 10-10 33. Shaw E Grigsby Gainesville, FL 10 20-03 209 Day 1: 5 10-15 Day 2: 5 09-04 34. Kenyon Hill Norman, OK 10 20-02 207 Day 1: 5 13-09 Day 2: 5 06-09 35. Charlie Hartley Grove City, OH 10 20-02 205 Day 1: 5 08-07 Day 2: 5 11-11 36. Denny Brauer Camdenton, MO 10 20-01 203 Day 1: 5 09-14 Day 2: 5 10-03 37. Bernie Schultz Gainesville, FL 10 19-15 201 Day 1: 5 11-02 Day 2: 5 08-13 38. Edwin Evers Talala, OK 10 19-12 199 Day 1: 5 06-15 Day 2: 5 12-13 39. Yusuke Miyazaki Forney, TX 10 19-10 197 Day 1: 5 10-07 Day 2: 5 09-03 40. Matt Reed Madisonville, TX 10 19-09 195 Day 1: 5 09-09 Day 2: 5 10-00 41. Dean Rojas Lake Havasu City, AZ 10 19-07 193 Day 1: 5 10-05 Day 2: 5 09-02 42. Kevin Wirth Crestwood, KY 10 19-05 191 Day 1: 5 09-08 Day 2: 5 09-13 43. Kevin VanDam Kalamazoo, MI 10 19-05 189 Day 1: 5 09-03 Day 2: 5 10-02 44. Clark Reehm Russellville, AR 10 18-14 187 Day 1: 5 09-07 Day 2: 5 09-07 45. Marty Robinson Lyman, SC 10 18-11 185 Day 1: 5 13-12 Day 2: 5 04-15 46. Alton Jones Waco, TX 10 18-11 183 Day 1: 5 07-12 Day 2: 5 10-15 47. Stephen Browning Hot Springs, AR 10 18-02 181 Day 1: 5 05-09 Day 2: 5 12-09 48. Jared Lintner Arroyo Grande, CA 10 17-15 179 Day 1: 5 10-11 Day 2: 5 07-04 49. Billy McCaghren Mayflower, AR 10 17-13 177 Day 1: 5 07-08 Day 2: 5 10-05 50. Timmy Horton Muscle Shoals, AL 10 17-11 175 Day 1: 5 09-01 Day 2: 5 08-10 51. Davy Hite Ninety Six, SC 10 17-10 173 Day 1: 5 09-11 Day 2: 5 07-15 52. Dustin Wilks Rocky Mount, NC 10 17-08 171 Day 1: 5 10-05 Day 2: 5 07-03 53. Chad Griffin Cresson, TX 10 17-06 169 Day 1: 5 09-00 Day 2: 5 08-06 54. Peter E Thliveros St Augustine, FL 10 17-06 167 Day 1: 5 08-12 Day 2: 5 08-10 55. Greg Hackney Gonzales, LA 10 17-03 165 Day 1: 5 12-03 Day 2: 5 05-00 56. Jason Quinn Lake Wylie, SC 10 17-03 163 Day 1: 5 09-14 Day 2: 5 07-05 57. Grant Goldbeck Gaithersburg, MD 10 17-03 161 Day 1: 5 08-09 Day 2: 5 08-10 58. Dave Wolak Wake Forest, NC 10 15-15 159 Day 1: 5 07-10 Day 2: 5 08-05 59. Skeet Reese Auburn, CA 8 15-15 157 Day 1: 3 05-07 Day 2: 5 10-08 60. Brian Snowden Reeds Spring, MO 10 15-10 155 Day 1: 5 06-05 Day 2: 5 09-05 61. Bradley Roy Lancaster, KY 9 15-08 153 Day 1: 5 10-12 Day 2: 4 04-12 62. Ish Monroe Hughson, CA 10 15-07 151 Day 1: 5 05-11 Day 2: 5 09-12 63. Kelly Jordon Mineola, TX 9 15-06 149 Day 1: 5 08-06 Day 2: 4 07-00 64. Wade Grooms Bonneau, SC 7 15-06 147 Day 1: 5 10-05 Day 2: 2 05-01 65. Mark Tucker Saint Louis, MO 9 15-05 145 Day 1: 5 08-09 Day 2: 4 06-12 66. Jeff Connella Bentley, LA 10 15-04 143 Day 1: 5 06-02 Day 2: 5 09-02 67. Bradley Hallman Norman, OK 10 15-03 141 Day 1: 5 10-08 Day 2: 5 04-11 68. Byron Haseotes Centerville, MA 6 14-13 139 Day 1: 2 08-11 Day 2: 4 06-02 69. Vince Fulks Purcell, OK 9 14-08 137 Day 1: 4 05-07 Day 2: 5 09-01 70. Mark Menendez Paducah, KY 10 14-02 135 Day 1: 5 07-02 Day 2: 5 07-00 71. John Murray Phoenix, AZ 9 13-07 133 Day 1: 4 05-01 Day 2: 5 08-06 72. Randy Howell Springville, AL 9 13-02 131 Day 1: 4 05-13 Day 2: 5 07-05 73. Paul Elias Laurel, MS 7 13-01 129 Day 1: 5 06-06 Day 2: 2 06-11 74. David Smith Del City, OK 10 12-10 127 Day 1: 5 04-14 Day 2: 5 07-12 75. Byron Velvick Del Rio, TX 9 12-10 125 Day 1: 5 06-03 Day 2: 4 06-07 76. Zell Rowland Austin, TX 8 12-06 123 Day 1: 5 08-09 Day 2: 3 03-13 77. Marty Stone Fayetteville, NC 7 12-05 121 Day 1: 5 10-01 Day 2: 2 02-04 78. Guy Eaker Cherryville, NC 10 11-13 119 Day 1: 5 05-01 Day 2: 5 06-12 79. Matt Greenblatt Palm Beach Gardens, FL 9 11-10 117 Day 1: 4 03-15 Day 2: 5 07-11 80. Britt Myers Lake Wylie, SC 7 11-09 115 Day 1: 4 07-15 Day 2: 3 03-10 81. Scott Ashmore Broken Arrow, OK 8 11-05 113 Day 1: 3 03-09 Day 2: 5 07-12 82. Fred Roumbanis Bixby, OK 9 11-03 111 Day 1: 4 05-02 Day 2: 5 06-01 83. Rick Morris Virginia Beach, VA 7 11-03 109 Day 1: 5 07-01 Day 2: 2 04-02 84. James Niggemeyer Van, TX 5 09-05 107 Day 1: 3 06-09 Day 2: 2 02-12 85. Dennis Tietje Roanoke, LA 6 09-03 105 Day 1: 1 01-14 Day 2: 5 07-05 86. Pete Ponds Madison, MS 6 09-03 103 Day 1: 1 00-06 Day 2: 5 08-13 87. Jami Fralick Martin, SD 6 08-10 101 Day 1: 2 02-07 Day 2: 4 06-03 88. Mark Burgess Norton, MA 6 08-10 99 Day 1: 3 04-06 Day 2: 3 04-04 89. Jeremy Starks Charleston, WV 5 08-00 97 Day 1: 3 03-14 Day 2: 2 04-02 90. Kevin Short Mayflower, AR 6 07-08 95 Day 1: 4 05-01 Day 2: 2 02-07 91. Greg Vinson Wetumpka, AL 6 05-15 93 Day 1: 5 05-04 Day 2: 1 00-11 92. Keith Poche Troy, AL 4 05-07 91 Day 1: 2 02-06 Day 2: 2 03-01 93. Takahiro Omori Emory, TX 4 05-04 89 Day 1: 4 05-04 Day 2: 0 00-00 ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Totals Day #Limits #Fish Weight 1 75 430 865-09 2 73 418 791-06 ---------------------------------- 148 848 1656-15