Collett takes lead at TTT Championship

Numbers small, fish big on tough day one

KILLEEN, Texas – They call this place “Little Amistad,” but on day one of the 2006 Wal-Mart Texas Tournament Trail Championship on Lake Stillhouse, it fished more like somebody’s backyard pond. Overall, 82 competitors caught 205 fish, and only 10 five-bass limits were weighed in. However, some of those bass – those that registered in the 7- and 8-pound range – gave clues as to why this lake has the big-fish reputation it didn’t quite live up to today.

Despite the tough bite, folks around here don’t doubt the potential of Lake Stillhouse. The meager numbers are easily blamed on a variety of factors, the most predominant of which is the weather. The Killeen area had experienced temperatures in the upper 80s in the days preceding the tournament, only to have the wind kick up today with morning temperatures in the upper 30s. An incoming cold front always toys with a bite, and this weekend was no exception. A full moon and cranky barometric pressure – not to mention a lack of cloud cover – didn’t help.

Nevertheless, a select few managed to bring in decent sacks on day one, with the heaviest belonging to pro Robert “Speedy” Collett of Zapata. His five-bass limit weighed in at 14 pounds, 10 ounces and gave him close to a 2-pound advantage heading into tomorrow’s final day of competition.

“It was windy and rough,” Collett said of the conditions on Lake Stillhouse. “I stayed with a contact bait – a spinnerbait or a crankbait. I didn’t do much dropping.”

Collett said perseverance was the key for day-one success on a tough Lake Stillhouse.

“With the cold wind and slow bite, I just had to stay with it,” he said. “I basically had to work for it all day and not give up.”

He caught all of his bass today in deep water and ended up catching his big one – an 8-pound, 13-ouncer – at around 10:30 this morning. He likes his chances for day two, especially since it is expected to warm up a few degrees.

“I think my chances are pretty good,” he said. “Those fish have got to get a little active after this cold front. I’ve got some good spots.”

Collett advanced to the championship by finishing 41st in the TTT points race. His best finish came at the final event of the regular season, when he took ninth place on Lake Texoma.

Griffin slides into second

Chad Griffin of Cresson continues his red-hot TTT season with a five-bass, 12-pound, 15-ounce effort on day one that landed him in second place. Like Collett, Griffin is coming off a top-10 performance on Texoma and hopes to continue his momentum with a solid championship finish.

Griffin took an early lead at today’s weigh-in and ultimately was only bested by Collett, but he leads the No. 3 pro by only an ounce. He caught his fish today dragging in 25 to 32 feet of water.

“I was dragging the treetops,” he said. “I had nine keepers, and my amateur had seven. We were just moving it at all times, never stopping the bait.”

Griffin essentially caught them all day long, as he reported finding bass anywhere from 8:30 this morning to 1 o’clock this afternoon, adding that he missed a couple in the later hours.

“I had a wonderful practice, but the fish moved out deeper,” he said. “They were shallow for here.”

Griffin was the fifth-ranked pro in TTT points this year.

Maynard close behind in third

In third place with a 12-pound, 14-ounce limit is pro D.L. (Bobby) Maynard Jr. of Eastland. For Maynard, Saturday was a solid day for both him and his co-angler, who landed in second place in his division.

“We were fishing in 12 to 18 feet of water, along the hydrilla edges,” he said. “I caught five keepers, and my co-angler caught five keepers. We had a good day.”

Maynard mainly stuck with one presentation all day, and it paid off.

“I was using predominantly worms,” he said. “I caught one on a spinnerbait, but it was mostly worms.”

He, too, is fairly confident he can repeat his success on day two.

“If I can get a good fish, I can get a good stringer,” he said. “I’m confident I can get 8 to 10 pounds.”

Maynard entered the championship from the last qualifying spot, taking 50th place in the points this season.

Burns, Combs round out top five

In fourth place is Rob Burns of Plano with a five-bass limit that weighed 12 pounds, 13 ounces. He caught his bass today deep-cranking the weed edges.

Behind him in fifth is Keith Combs of Temple, who has enjoyed his fair share of TTT success having ended the season ranked second in points. Combs caught a limit of bass today that weighed 12 pounds, 11 ounces.

Rest of the best

Rounding out the top 10 pros after day one of the TTT Championship:

6th: Dean Alexander, Florence, Texas, five bass, 11-11

7th: Jacky Roberts, Georgetown, Texas, five bass, 11-0

8th: Michael Herron, Paris, Texas, three bass, 10-8

9th: Richard Broxton, Temple, Texas, four bass, 10-2

10th: Ricky Campbell, Waxahachie, Texas, five bass, 9-9

Campbell takes commanding co-angler lead

With a five-bass limit totaling 11 pounds, 15 ounces, co-angler Darrell Campbell of Trophy Club gave himself a 3-pound, 7-ounce lead heading into the final day of competition. Campbell was one of two co-anglers to catch a limit today.

Campbell, a TTT rookie, fished with No. 2 pro Griffin today and reaped the benefits.

“We started catching fish about 8:30,” he said. “They’re out a little deeper than most people are fishing.”

Campbell said he caught his fish behind Griffin using a finesse bait.

Rest of co-angler top five in tight competition

In second place is Coby Burns of Gatesville with a five-bass catch that weighed 8 pounds, 8 ounces. One ounce behind him with 8-7 is No. 3 co-angler Anthony Ferdinando of Spicewood.

Edwin Loitz of Trinity caught four bass weighing 8-5 to take fourth, and behind him in fifth is Randy Brewer of Southlake with a four-bass catch weighing 7-10.

Rest of the best

Rounding out the top 10 co-anglers after day one of the TTT Championship:

6th (tie): Michael Pippen of Mansfield (one bass) and Dan Wilson of Pilot Point (two bass), 7 pounds, 2 ounces

8th: Kevin Flowers of Beaumont, two bass, 6-15

9th (tie): Jason Barton of Gatesville (three bass) and Ronnie Bickham of New Boston (three bass), 5-9

The second and final day of TTT Championship competition begins tomorrow at 7 a.m. Central time as the full field takes off from Stillhouse Marina, located on Simmons Road in Belton. Tomorrow’s weigh-in begins at 4 p.m. at the Wal-Mart store located on Heights Drive in Harker Heights, where the pro and co-angler champions will be crowned.