LIVE BLOG: Connell Putting on a Show as Time Winds Down on Knockout Round
KISSIMMEE, Fla. – Plenty of movement so far in Knockout Saturday, and reports are coming in from the water. In addition to what’s happening over on SCORETRACKER, here’s what our eyes on the water are seeing:
3:12 p.m. ET – Favorite Rods pro Dustin Connell has gone on the most impressive run imaginable: he caught nine fish for over 43 pounds in 32 minutes, including this 9-4!
We’ll get info on his gear shortly, but, WHOA!
-Joel Shangle
1:32 p.m. ET – We’ve heard some questions/comments about Anthony Gagliardi’s use of two rods today. Per MLF Bass Pro Tour rules, anglers are allowed to have two lines in the water one time per period, with no penalty. Any other two-line occurrences cost the angler a 1-minute penalty.
Gagliardi’s latest was especially interesting because he actually had THREE fish hooked at the same time: One on his first rod, one on his second, and one fish that that had latched onto his fluke bait further up the line. Gags landed two of those fish.
-Joel Shangle
11:35 p.m. – SCORETRACKER has some new names in the Top 5: Jeff Sprague, Alton Jones, Jr., Mike Iaconelli and Edwin Evers have joined Terry Scroggins on top of the official live leader board.
Jones, Jr. fished most of his first two rounds way, way up a creek in Kissimmee, sharing the water most of the day with his dad Alton, Sr. Junior (“Little Alton” as Sr. calls him) has been steady since lines went in this morning, and currently sits in second place with 19-11 on 12 fish.
-Joel Shangle
10:18 a.m. – Brett Hite just put the first official Florida giant on SCORETRACKER: a 9-12. No surprise, according to MLF NOW! analyst JT Kenney.
“When I walked outside this morning and didn’t need a coat or long johns, I knew this was going to happen,” Kenney said.
-Joel Shangle
10:08 a.m. ET – So, we knew this was going to happen, with guys fishing in different groups and not knowing who is fishing the same spot, but it is the Knockout Round and the groups are combined. Two of the most successful anglers this week, Randy Howell and Anthony Gagliardi, are fishing the same area.
It’s a big area of offshore grass and appears to be a community hole. At an given time since we have been here for the 30 minutes there are ten locals fishing the general area. Saturdays are different than midweek fishing.
Gagliardi just went through the area with a jerkbait and caught two fish. He moved on but is still in the vicinity. Almost immediately Randy Howell came driving from around the corner and stopped on the exact same stretch … also with a jerkbait.
-Tyler Brinks
10:05 a.m. ET – The first Florida giant has shown up: Reports coming in of a 9-12 for Brett Hite! More info shortly.
-Joel Shangle
9:01 a.m. – We were late to the party on Marty. Robinson, that is.
Robinson hasn’t caught anything since his hot start. It looks like he’s alternating between a soft jerkbait and a spinnerbait, fishing the outside hard line of grass. There are several anglers in the area, but they’re all fishing inside, in the thicker grass and pads.
-Tyler Brinks
8:35 a.m. – It’s already proving to be a numbers game for a handful of anglers. Alton Jones, Jr., and Marty Robinson already have five scorable fish, while Brent Ehrler and Jeff Sprague have four apiece.
Robinson “played zone” on his best spots most of the day yesterday, so it’s no surprise that he’s back to the water that rewarded the South Carolina pro with 34 fish in his Knockout Round.
-Joel Shangle
8:25 a.m. – Ott Defoe is working up and down a boat lane, flipping the Kissimmee grass near the lock on Lake Toho. Otter has caught two small scorable fish, and is alternating rods pretty regularly as he works back and forth through the grass.
And away he goes. On to the next angler.
-Tyler Brinks