QUOTABLE: The Pros Assess Practice on the Kissimmee Chain
KISSIMMEE, Fla. – Talking to the anglers as they got off the Kissimmee Chain today after the final practice day of the MLF Bass Pro Tour B & W Trailer Hitches Stage One presented By Power-Pole, you would have thought they were reading a script…the same script.
Cold, windy, tough fishing was the plot of this story. They weren’t lying about the weather (it’s been very non-Florida like), but as always, some indeed struggled, while others downplayed their success. A few admitted that they thought the fishing was going to be very good. We’ll see the truth as the SCORETRACKER starts up tomorrow morning at 7:30 a.m. ET
Andy Montgomery
“It’s been pretty dang tough. I don’t think they’ll catch ‘em that good, but these guys always do.”
Gary Klein
“This lake is full of fish, but it hasn’t been easy because of the conditions. The great thing, because of the format, is that we can adjust as we go on. We just need to be in position to advance through each cut.”
Chris Lane
“I didn’t get as many bites as I thought I would, but it is going to get better as the days get warmer. The best thing is we can weigh in anything we catch over a pound, and that is going to come into play this week.”
Jonathan VanDam
“The good thing is that it’s not as cold as it is at home in Michigan. It’s hard to say how I’ll do from practice because I catch one or two and keep going.”
Fletcher Shryock
“I think it’s going to be pretty good. Guys are going to have to decide if they stick with schools of small keepers or go for the big bites.”
Justin Lucas
We asked Justin how practice went, and all he did was proudly show off his biggest catch with a picture on his phone. “It was 11 and a half pounds. I might not catch that much weight tomorrow total.”
Cliff Crochet
“It was horrible. I’m glad I am in Group B and can spend the day tomorrow regrouping.”
Edwin Evers
“It wasn’t great, but I found some decent ones. The bad thing is I didn’t find many of them.”
Dave Lefebre
“It was not as expected, it was not the ‘numbers game’ that I thought it would be. I think it is setting up for the locals and the flippers.”
Mark Rose
“It’s a cold front in Florida so you know it was slow.”
Timmy Horton
“I needed the wind to quit blowing because it made practice difficult. I think if the conditions stay stable we are going to catch them pretty
Greg Vinson
“I’m pretty optimistic. We had two practice days, which seems like a lot, but that it goes very fast. It is hard to cover much water when it is this cold.”
Fred Roumbanis
“It’s a grind, and I knew it would be because if the weather. The bigger bites are going to be key.”
Jeff Sprague
“It was good and once the weather stabilizes these guys are going to put on a clinic. Mark my words, we’re going to catch the daylights out of them.”
Luke Clausen
“I’m left not knowing where to start. I am not disappointed in the number of bites, but there are going to be quite a few non-scoreable bass.”
Aaron Martens
“The lake is fishing good, and it seems healthy. The grass looks great, and I think we’re going to catch a lot of fish.”
Justin Atkins
“I don’t know what to expect. I know some places where I can get some bites, and I’m going to go there and expand on that.”
Where to Watch
Log on to MajorLeagueFishing.com at 7:30 a.m. ET for live, official scoring on SCORETRACKER, and then catch the MLF NOW! live stream, starting at 10 a.m. ET.