Can Anyone Catch Hallman?
Despite tough bite and only four keepers, the Oklahoma pro extends his lead on Lake Okeechobee
The third day of Walmart FLW Tour events always seem to be the stingiest days. Whether it’s due to condition changes or fishing pressure or both, day three is the seam where anglers’ primary locations and patterns from the first two days begin to fray. As a result, anglers fishing in the top-20 round on day three are faced with some difficult decisions that boil down to staying committed to their primary gig or switching up their game to try something else for a new window that might be opening.
This week at the Walmart FLW Tour event presented by Ranger Boats on Lake Okeedhobee, tournament leader Bradley Hallman, who has sacked up about 25 pounds per day the last two days, says his day-three decision was pretty easy: stay committed to flipping and punching matted reed heads.
That decision resulted in being one fish shy of a limit on day three. But one of his four bass weighed 8 pounds, 10 ounces, pushing Hallman’s catch to 14 pounds, 3 ounces to give him a three-day total of 64-10. His lead over second-place angler Alex Davis is now 13 1/2 pounds going into the fourth and final day in this event that is hosted by Roland and Mary Ann Martin's Marina and Resort and the Hendry County Tourism and Development Council.
Watch Hallman catch his 8-10 kicker
“That 8-pounder is why I flip,” Hallman says. “Tomorrow I’m going to flip until the cows come home. I’m not going to get out in the grass and pads and cast a worm around for 7 pounds because while I’m doing that, I could miss the opportunity to catch one of those.
“Last year, Ray Hanselman [winner of four Costa FLW Series events in a row] told me: You don’t have to worry about five fish if they’re the right size,” Hallman continues. “I took that to heart today and kept the big stick in my hand.”
Hallman says it’s not that he didn’t get the bites today that kept him from catching a limit. Rather, the fish just wouldn’t hold on. Hallman committed to the fish, but they would not commit to him.
“I don’t know why that is other than the water temperature dropped 2 1/2 degrees, and with the cloud cover, it did not warm back up much,” he says. “It’s just moody Florida bass I guess.”
Hallman will have to earn his win tomorrow as the forecast now calls for more high winds out of the north to 25 mph and another significant air temperature drop in the wake of a front moving through this evening.
“There is still plenty of clear water in my primary area, and I still think there are plenty of fish there,” he adds. “I’ve got about a dozen reed heads that are key to me; they have produced fish each day. I do try some new ones from time to time, but those dozen or so are what I have relied on, and I am counting on them again tomorrow.”
Read about the top 5 patterns from day three here.
Read the Day 2 Headline Story: Hallman Way in Front
Read the Day 1 Headline Story: Hallman Takes the Lead with 25
Top 10 Pros
1. Bradley Hallman – Norman, Okla. – 64-10 (14)
2. Alex Davis – Albertville, Ala. – 51-01 (15)
3. Shinichi Fukae – Palestine, Texas – 47-08 (15)
4. Chris Johnston – Peterborough, Ontario – 45-11 (14)
5. Michael Neal – Dayton, Tenn. – 45-02 (15)
6. Brandon McMillan – Clewiston, Fla. – 44-03 (15)
7. Charlie Weyer – West Hills, Calif. – 43-07 (15)
8. William(Billy) Shelton III – La Crosse, Va. – 41-11 (15)
9. Joshua Weaver – Macon, Ga. – 40-05 (15)
10. Clark Reehm – Huntington, Texas – 40-00 (15)
Complete results – click here
Photo Galleries
Day 1 On the Water – click here
Day 1 Weigh-in – click here
Day 2 On the Water – click here
Day 2 Weigh-in – click here
Day 3 On the Water – click here
Day 3 Weigh-in – click here
Tournament Details
Presenting sponsor: Ranger Boats
Hosts: Roland and Mary Ann Martin's Marina and Resort and Hendry County Tourism and Development Council
Format: Walmart FLW Tour tournaments are four-day events. Co-anglers are randomly paired with pros and fish for two days, with the winner determined by heaviest cumulative two-day weight. All boaters fish the first two days as well, but only the top 20 after two days based on cumulative weight advanced to the third day. After three days, the top 10 anglers based on cumulative weight advance to the fourth and final day. The champion is determined by heaviest four-day total weight.
Takeoff Time: 7:30 a.m.
Takeoff Location:
Days 1 and 2: Roland and Mary Ann Martin’s Marina and Resort, 920 East Del Monte Avenue, Clewiston, FL
Days 3 and 4: Clewiston Boat Basin & Launch, 709 Hoover Dike Road, Clewiston, FL
Weigh-In Time: Days 1 and 2 at 3 p.m.; Day 3 at 4 p.m.
Weigh-In Location:
Days 1 and 2: Roland and Mary Ann Martin’s Marina and Resort, 920 East Del Monte Avenue, Clewiston, FL
Days 3 and 4: Walmart 2484, 1005 W Sugarland Hwy, Clewiston, FL
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