Howell Shakes off Alabama Woes in Stage Six
BRANSON, Mo. – “It really was a mental victory today,” said MLF Randy Howell.
Howell had a rough event during Bass Pro Tour Stage Five on Smith Lake, finishing in 70th place. There were a plethora of bass caught in Cullman, Alabama, but Howell was not one of the pros reaping the benefits. When his competition continued to reel in fish and Howell labored to get bites, doubt began to creep into his head.
“The last couple of events there has been so much weight caught and so many fish caught so quickly, it just really makes it hard to make good decisions,” Howell recapped. “It was intense all day today and I made a 20-minute run that put me over the top. It was a good feeling to finish out strong and make it into the Top 20.”
The Daiwa pro was able to bounce back after a difficult showing in the previous stage thanks to 56 bass for 94 pounds, 13 ounces and a 19th-place finish. Howell was able to fend off a late surge from Justin Lucas and Jason Christie to clinch a spot in the Knockout Round for the fourth time this season. Howell says it was his decision making throughout the day that aided his run to the Top 20.
“I made some good decisions all day long that are the reasons that I made the cut,” Howell said. “I caught a majority of my fish on a wacky-rigged Senko and caught some on topwater to end the day. This morning, the shad spawn was good to me and I was able to catch a lot on Lunker Lure Rattleback jig. A Livingston Lures Pro Ripper crankbait also helped me catch a couple.”
Howell Enjoying the Ozarks
Howell has never won a competition on Table Rock Lake, but that doesn’t mean he still won’t go to bat for the southwest Missouri gem whenever he gets a chance. While the clear water and beautiful scenery are a nice touch, that’s not his favorite part about the Ozark lake.
“I just love that this lake is so full of fish,” Howell gushed. “I think that Table Rock Lake should be called one of the top 10 lakes in the country. It doesn’t have to have a lot of big fish to be a great lake to me. All of us anglers are spread out all across the lake and we barely even see each other because it’s so big. It’s really fun to fish a lake that’s this healthy and has this many bass in it.”
With the sting of a 70th-place finish behind him and a shot at a Championship Round in front of him, Howell is ready to focus on Tuesday’s Knockout Round. Some pros may be happy or satisfied with making the cut, but Howell is ready to erase his near 100-pound two-day total and start from scratch.
“I’m just glad I have the Elimination Round behind me and I can go back to zero,” Howell said. “I just need to make a few adjustments and keep hustling in the Knockout Round. I’d love to catch 25 or 30 pounds off the bat on Tuesday and just keep that pattern. The weather is supposed to be dicey so hopefully, that makes the topwater bite good and keeps the activity level high.”
The Berkley Stage Six Presented by TrueTimber continues on Monday with Elimination Round 2. The 40 pros from Group B will compete to make it into the Top 20 for the right to face the Top 20 pros from Group A in the Knockout Round. Coverage begins with “lines in” at 6:30 a.m. CT with SCORETRACKER® and the MLF NOW! live stream begins at 9 a.m. CT.