FLORENCE, Ala. — Denny Brauer’s five largemouth were not unusual on Wednesday. Trick was, his five included a 7-12 and four look-alikes, enough bass to be boss for the day at the bass fishing on Pickwick Lake.
Brauer, with 23 pounds, 10 ounces, was just 2 ounces in front of Davy Hite, who had a mixed smallmouth-largemouth bag that went 23-8. Brauer was also 8 ounces ahead of Jared Lintner’s 23-2 worth of largemouth. Those three put a little distance between themselves and Paul Elias, fourth with 20-11, and Matt Herren, fifth with 20-10.
The leaders in the Bassmaster Elite Series’ third stop of the season successfully targeted largemouth bass on a lake known for its smallmouth. A rough estimate by observers was that 90 percent of Wednesday’s bass were largemouth, a flip from the 2010 event, when many more smallmouth bass — about 75 percent of the total — were brought to the scales.
Brauer, the 1997 Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year and champ of the 1998 Bassmaster Classic — just one of his 16 Bassmaster career wins — said he didn’t expect the weights to be as high as they were.
“I attribute that to the prespawn, rather than to the postspawn when we were here last year,” Brauer said. “Some of the fish are as fat as any I’ve seen. It’s a very, very healthy fishery, and the timing could not be better.”
Brauer targeted largemouth by flipping and pitching, using stout equipment to pull them out of heavy cover.
“Nothing special,” he said. “Just covering a lot of water, trying to get one or two of the right bites, which I did. That’s the key in a tournament like this. I had one in practice over 8 (pounds) so I knew the possibility existed there for a big bite.”
Brauer said he would have locked up into Wilson Lake to get away from fluctuating water levels of Pickwick, but with the lock closed for repairs, he had to figure out how to work around the swelling, then falling, levels. A drop in water might help him Thursday when he tries to repeat his pattern and go for at least one big bite of the day. Despite the fact he’s sharing water with many other anglers, he’ll go back to the same area Thursday and try to repeat his first day.
“I don’t know another way to catch a big bag right now than what I’m doing,” said Brauer, who lives in Camdenton, Mo.
Hite, two-time AOY and 1999 Classic winner from Ninety Six, S.C., said he ran up and down the lake several times, hitting spots up near the Wilson Dam for smallmouth, down the lake for largemouth.
“I had two groups of fish, and unfortunately they were a long way from one another,” he said.
On the lower end of Pickwick, he fished what amounted to private water, but it was the reverse up near Wilson Dam, the smallmouth community hole.
“There’s a lot of people fishing on the upper end,” he said. “It’s just a matter of sticking with a bait and having confidence in it, and being patient.”
He said his bait was critical to his success, including his 6-1, and would keep that information to himself for the time being.
Lintner had the big bass of the day, an 8-pound, 10-ounce largemouth that leads the contest for a $500 Berkley Big Bass of the Tournament bonus.
He caught it right after he had backtracked to give Kevin Wirth a lift back to the dock. Wirth had a small motor glitch minutes after he left the dock, and Lintner stopped to help.
Perhaps, Lintner speculated, that big largemouth might not have been in the one spot if he had not given Wirth a ride.
“I went on my way, and the second fish I caught after that was the big one,” he said. “Any one of these guys would do the same for a fellow competitor. But I did think that maybe 10 minutes earlier, she might not have been there.”
Lintner said he targeted largemouth, shallow, covering a lot of water, looking for the big prespawners.
“This is only the second time I’ve been here, so I’m learning as I go,” said Lintner, of Arroyo Grande, Calif.
DAY 1 STANDINGS- ALABAMA CHARGE
2011 Alabama Charge - Florence, AL 04/06-04/09 Pickwick Lake, Florence Ala.
(PRO Division) Standings Day 1
Angler Hometown No./lbs-oz Pts Total $$$
1. Denny Brauer Camdenton, Mo. 5 23-10
Day 1: 5 23-10
2. Davy Hite Ninety Six, S.C. 5 23-08
Day 1: 5 23-08
3. Jared Lintner Arroyo Grande, Calif. 5 23-02
Day 1: 5 23-02
4. Paul Elias Laurel, Miss. 5 20-11
Day 1: 5 20-11
5. Matt Herren Trussville, Ala. 5 20-10
Day 1: 5 20-10
6. Chad Griffin Cresson, Texas 5 20-04
Day 1: 5 20-04
7. Keith Poche Troy, Ala. 5 20-03
Day 1: 5 20-03
8. Nate Wellman Newaygo, Mich. 5 20-01
Day 1: 5 20-01
9. Steve Kennedy Auburn, Ala. 5 19-13
Day 1: 5 19-13
10. Bobby Lane Lakeland, Fla. 5 19-12
Day 1: 5 19-12
11. Matt Reed Madisonville, Texas 5 19-08
Day 1: 5 19-08
12. Billy McCaghren Mayflower, Ark. 5 19-03
Day 1: 5 19-03
13. Jeff Connella Bentley, La. 5 18-15
Day 1: 5 18-15
14. Greg Hackney Gonzales, La. 5 18-13
Day 1: 5 18-13
15. Shaw Grigsby Gainesville, Fla. 5 18-11
Day 1: 5 18-11
16. Dave Wolak Wake Forest, N.C. 5 18-10
Day 1: 5 18-10
17. Zell Rowland Austin, Texas 5 18-09
Day 1: 5 18-09
18. Gerald Swindle Warrior, Ala. 5 18-08
Day 1: 5 18-08
19. James Stricklin Texarkania, Texas 5 18-06
Day 1: 5 18-06
20. Bradley Roy Lancaster, Ky. 5 17-14
Day 1: 5 17-14
21. Kelly Jordon Palestine, Texas 5 17-13
Day 1: 5 17-13
22. Gary Klein Weatherford, Texas 5 17-05
Day 1: 5 17-05
23. Dustin Wilks Rocky Mount, N.C. 5 17-02
Day 1: 5 17-02
24. Ott DeFoe Knoxville, Tenn. 5 16-15
Day 1: 5 16-15
25. John Crews Salem, Va. 5 16-14
Day 1: 5 16-14
25. Skeet Reese Auburn, Calif. 5 16-14
Day 1: 5 16-14
27. Aaron Martens Leeds, Ala. 5 16-13
Day 1: 5 16-13
28. Alton Jones Waco, Texas 5 16-11
Day 1: 5 16-11
28. Peter Thliveros St Augustine, Fla. 5 16-11
Day 1: 5 16-11
30. Andy Montgomery Blacksburg, S.C. 5 16-10
Day 1: 5 16-10
30. Jason Quinn Lake Wylie, S.C. 5 16-10
Day 1: 5 16-10
32. Boyd Duckett Demopolis, Ala. 5 16-06
Day 1: 5 16-06
32. Charlie Hartley Grove City, Ohio 5 16-06
Day 1: 5 16-06
34. Terry Butcher Talala, Okla. 5 16-04
Day 1: 5 16-04
35. Fred Roumbanis Bixby, Okla. 5 16-02
Day 1: 5 16-02
36. Brandon Palaniuk Rathdrum, Idaho 5 16-01
Day 1: 5 16-01
36. Ben Parker Union City, Tenn. 5 16-01
Day 1: 5 16-01
38. Travis Manson De Pere, Wisc. 5 15-12
Day 1: 5 15-12
39. Jami Fralick Martin, S.D. 5 15-11
Day 1: 5 15-11
40. Matt Greenblatt Port St Lucie, Fla. 5 15-09
Day 1: 5 15-09
40. Yusuke Miyazaki Forney, Texas 5 15-09
Day 1: 5 15-09
42. Terry Scroggins San Mateo, Fla. 5 15-06
Day 1: 5 15-06
43. Jeff Kriet Ardmore, Okla. 5 15-02
Day 1: 5 15-02
43. Brian Snowden Reeds Spring, Mo. 5 15-02
Day 1: 5 15-02
45. Stephen Browning Hot Springs, Ark. 5 14-14
Day 1: 5 14-14
45. David Walker Sevierville, Tenn. 5 14-14
Day 1: 5 14-14
47. Mark Menendez Paducah, Ky. 5 14-12
Day 1: 5 14-12
47. Rick Morris Virginia Beach, Va. 5 14-12
Day 1: 5 14-12
49. Bradley Hallman Norman, Okla. 5 14-11
Day 1: 5 14-11
49. Randy Howell Springville, Ala. 5 14-11
Day 1: 5 14-11
51. Keith Combs Huntington, Texas 5 14-05
Day 1: 5 14-05
52. Kenyon Hill Norman, Okla. 5 14-04
Day 1: 5 14-04
53. Mike McClelland Bella Vista, Ark. 5 14-03
Day 1: 5 14-03
54. Todd Faircloth Jasper, Texas 5 14-02
Day 1: 5 14-02
55. Pat Golden High Point, N.C. 5 14-01
Day 1: 5 14-01
55. Cliff Pace Petal, Miss. 5 14-01
Day 1: 5 14-01
57. Kevin Short Mayflower, Ark. 5 14-00
Day 1: 5 14-00
58. J Todd Tucker Moultrie, Ga. 5 13-14
Day 1: 5 13-14
59. Jason Williamson Aiken, S.C. 5 13-13
Day 1: 5 13-13
60. Dean Rojas Lake Havasu City, Ariz 5 13-11
Day 1: 5 13-11
61. James Niggemeyer Van, Texas 5 13-08
Day 1: 5 13-08
61. Kevin VanDam Kalamazoo, Mich. 5 13-08
Day 1: 5 13-08
63. Bill Lowen Brookville, Ind. 5 13-05
Day 1: 5 13-05
64. Britt Myers Lake Wylie, S.C. 5 13-04
Day 1: 5 13-04
64. Clark Reehm Lufkin, Texas 5 13-04
Day 1: 5 13-04
66. Russ Lane Prattville, Ala. 5 13-03
Day 1: 5 13-03
67. Edwin Evers Talala, Okla. 5 13-02
Day 1: 5 13-02
68. Michael Iaconelli Pitts Grove, N.J. 5 12-13
Day 1: 5 12-13
69. Tommy Biffle Wagoner, Okla. 5 12-10
Day 1: 5 12-10
70. Chris Lane Guntersville, Ala. 5 12-09
Day 1: 5 12-09
71. John Murray Phoenix, Ariz. 5 12-07
Day 1: 5 12-07
72. Brent Chapman Lake Quivira, Kan. 5 12-02
Day 1: 5 12-02
73. Scott Ashmore Broken Arrow, Okla. 5 11-15
Day 1: 5 11-15
74. Kevin Wirth Crestwood, Ky. 5 11-13
Day 1: 5 11-13
75. Derek Remitz Grant, Ala. 5 11-08
Day 1: 5 11-08
76. Dennis Tietje Roanoke, La. 5 11-06
Day 1: 5 11-06
76. Jonathon VanDam Kalamazoo, Mich. 5 11-06
Day 1: 5 11-06
78. Morizo Shimizu Matsugaoka, Japan 5 11-05
Day 1: 5 11-05
79. Dean Alexander Georgetown, Texas 5 11-03
Day 1: 5 11-03
80. Ryan Said Wixom, Mich. 5 11-00
Day 1: 5 11-00
81. Cliff Crochet Pierre Part, La. 5 10-15
Day 1: 5 10-15
81. Greg Vinson Wetumpka, Ala. 5 10-15
Day 1: 5 10-15
83. Craig Schuff Watauga, Texas 4 10-13
Day 1: 4 10-13
84. Ish Monroe Hughson, Calif. 5 10-12
Day 1: 5 10-12
85. Mark Davis Mount Ida, Ark. 5 10-11
Day 1: 5 10-11
86. Rick Clunn Ava, Mo. 5 10-07
Day 1: 5 10-07
87. Russell Parrish Riesel, Texas 5 10-05
Day 1: 5 10-05
87. Scott Rook Little Rock, Ark. 5 10-05
Day 1: 5 10-05
89. Marty Robinson Lyman, S.C. 5 10-04
Day 1: 5 10-04
90. Takahiro Omori Emory, Texas 5 9-15
Day 1: 5 9-15
91. Casey Ashley Donalds, S.C. 5 9-14
Day 1: 5 9-14
91. Pete Ponds Madison, Miss. 5 9-14
Day 1: 5 9-14
93. Timmy Horton Muscle Shoals, Ala. 5 9-04
Day 1: 5 9-04
93. Bernie Schultz Gainesville, Fla. 5 9-04
Day 1: 5 9-04
96. Lee Sisson Winter Haven, Fla. 5 8-08
Day 1: 5 8-08
97. Brent Broderick Oregonia, Ohio 4 8-04
Day 1: 4 8-04
98. David Smith Del City, Okla. 5 7-15
Day 1: 5 7-15
99. Kotaro Kiriyama Moody, Ala. 4 7-05
Day 1: 4 7-05
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Totals
Day #Limits #Fish Weight
1 95 490 1451-08
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95 490 1451-08