Kenney still in charge
The Okeechobee King breaks EverStart Series two-day record
CLEWISTON, Fla. – The weights fell off a bit at the EverStart Series Southeast Division tourney today, but that didn’t stop J.T. Kenney of Frostburg, Md., from bringing in a five-bass limit weighing 16 pounds, 2 ounces to continue his record-breaking ways on the “Big O.”
Kenney’s two-day total of 48 pounds, 14 ounces now stands as the heaviest two-day total in EverStart Series history. The previous heaviest total was held by William Smith of Moncks Corner, S.C., for a two-day total of 48 pounds, 10 ounces caught on Santee Cooper in 2002.
Kenney is fishing in the Monkey Box, an area that has seen a barrage of fishing pressure over the last two days.
He hopes, with a majority of the field now eliminated and more fish moving into the area, it will produce another monstrous stringer like his record-breaking round-one weight of 32-12.
To say the 7 UP pro is dialed in is an understatement.
“I flipped up a 6-pounder first thing this morning and then put the flipping stick down for a while,” he said. “I finished out my limit with a Senko. Then, with about an hour left, I bent my hook point over and went back to flipping just to see if the fish had changed. In that hour I probably had 10 bites, several of which felt like big ones.”
Imagine the luxury of actually shaking off bites in competition.
“I know exactly what to look for now,” he said. “You never know, things could change; but if they stay where they are, I should be in good shape tomorrow.”
Morgenthaler considering big move
With a two-day total of 36 pounds, 15 ounces, Chad Morgenthaler of Coulterville, Ill., is in second place.
He has spent the last two days fishing in the Monkey Box, but he is contemplating a run to South Bay tomorrow.
“There have been about 50 to 60 boats up there [Monkey Box] in a one-mile area,” he said. “It’s no secret, most of the guys are catching the bigger fish flipping. Each day the fish have moved farther to the inside. But it’s going to be interesting to see what happens tomorrow when the boat traffic lightens up.”
What’s pulling Morgenthaler towards South Bay is the promise of clearing water from the stable weather.
“Things got to be getting better in South Bay and I want to keep it honest,” he said. “I’m going to run up to the Monkey Box first thing in the morning, but if I can’t get it going, I’m going to gamble and make a run to South Bay.”
Deka also going south
Daryl Deka of Wellington, Fla., currently in third with 36 pounds, 7 ounces, has already made up his mind to run south tomorrow, despite catching all his weight the last two days by fishing up north.
“I’m going to gamble and go the other way tomorrow,” he said. “Things got a little tougher on me up there today and I want to let that area rest. I want try it south for a day and see what happens.”
Even if Deka scores a big bag south tomorrow, he said he plans to return to his northern area on Saturday.
Move south pays off for Kennedy
The biggest stringer of the day belonged to Pedigree pro Steve Kennedy of Auburn, Ala. His five-fish limit of 27 pounds, 5 ounces propelled him into fourth place with a two-day total of 35 pounds, 4 ounces.
On Wednesday Kennedy tried to make the Monkey Box area work for him but described it as being “covered up with boats.”
Today he went south and found the mother lode.
“I went into an area where I only got two bites in practice,” he said. “But things were much better in there today, and I caught probably 10 fish. My four big ones came from one little 100-yard area. I can’t wait to go back there tomorrow. It could get real interesting.”
Williams grabs fifth
After weighing in 26 pounds, 9 ounces on Wednesday, David Williams of Maiden, N.C., slipped a bit today and brought in just 8 pounds.
He slides to fifth with a two-day total of 34 pounds, 9 ounces.
Rest of the best
Rounding out the top 10 pros who made the cut are Sandy Melvin of Boca Raton, Fla., in sixth with a two-day total of 34 pounds, 9 ounces; Bobby Lane of Lakeland, Fla., in seventh with a two-day total of 34 pounds, 7 ounces; Edward Guice of Decatur, Ala., in eighth with a two-day total of 33 pounds, 10 ounces; Matt Herren of Trussville, Ala., in ninth with a two-day total of 32 pounds, 13 ounces; and Flash Butts of Roanoke Rapids, N.C. in 10th with a two-day total of 29 pounds, 14 ounces.
Kyle claims big bass
The Reaction Innovations Beaver creature bait continues to be a hot commodity on Lake Okeechobee. Today Kyle Walters of Melbourne, Fla., scored the Pro Division’s big bass of 9 pounds, 11 ounces with a Beaver teamed with a 1-ounce weight.
The bass earned him $750.
Parker jumps ahead of co-anglers
Johnnie Parker of Elk Horn, Ky., leads the Co-angler Division with a two-day total of 27 pounds, 9 ounces. He will be paired with J.T. Kenney in tomorrow’s competition.
Yesterday’s Co-angler Division leader Kenneth Owens of Wise, Va., slipped to second with a two-day total of 25 pounds, 5 ounces.
In third place is Aymon Wilcox of Lauderdale Lakes, Fla., with a two-day total of 24 pounds, 12 ounces.
Edwin Kimbrough of Sebastian, Fla., brought in the heaviest weight in the Co-angler Division today, 16 pounds, 13 ounces, which moved him into fourth place with a two-day total of 24 pounds, 6 ounces.
Randy Vriesman of Oviedo, Fla., is in fifth with a two-day total 23 pounds, 14 ounces.
Rest of the best
Rounding out the top 10 co-anglers are Mike McClenaghan of Jacksonville, Fla., in sixth with a two-day total of 23 pounds; Reginald Pickett of Greensboro, N.C., in seventh with a two-day total of 22 pounds, 11 ounces; Lloyd Meyers of Jacksonville, Fla., in eighth with a two-day total of 22 pounds, 7 ounces; Alan Weis of Greensburg, Pa., in ninth with a two-day total 21 pounds, 11 ounces; and Ed Dixon of Moore Haven, Fla., in 10th with a two-day total of 21 pounds, 11 ounces.
Dixon also landed the biggest bass in the Co-angler Division, a 7-pound, 14-ounce largemouth, which won him $250.
The top 10 pros and top 10 co-anglers will begin day-three competition at Roland and Mary Ann Martin’s Marina at 7 a.m.