Elias breaks away from pack

Veteran pro Paul Elias of Pachuta, Miss., will lead 10 contenders into the final round of the $500,000 Wal-Mart FLW Tour event on Louisiana?s Atchafalaya Basin thanks to his five-bass catch Friday weighing 17 pounds, 5 ounces. Photo by Jeff Schroeder. Angler: Paul Elias.

February 14, 2003 • Gary Mortenson • Archives

Chapman, Millsaps, Lefebre pose strongest challenge to Mississippi native as pro field prepares for final day of fishing at Atchafalaya Basin

MORGAN CITY, La. – Although Paul Elias boasts three top-10 appearances, $132,000 in career earnings and a best-ever sixth-place finish on the FLW Tour, the native of Pachuta, Miss., readily admits that he is tired of watching his fellow competitors take their turn at the winner’s podium. However, if today’s performance is any indication, Elias might not have to wait that much longer for that elusive FLW title.

Using a stellar catch of 17 pounds, 5 ounces, Elias raised the bar for the rest of the pro field and grabbed the overall lead heading into tomorrow’s FLW final day of competition at Atchafalaya Basin.

“It feels really good,” said Elias, whose best FLW finish to date was at Lake Eufaula in 1997. “I have some good spots, I executed well and I have a lot of confidence. I haven’t won a major tournament (anywhere) since 1998, so I’m ready to finally win one of these things.”

Employing a Mann’s Classic 3/8-ounce spinner bait, Elias attacked the weedlines and produced one of the largest stringers of the tournament to date.

“I had a great day,” he said. “I saved these fish all tournament and it paid off. I had a limit by 9:30 a.m., and I have a couple of other spots I can go to tomorrow if I get in a real bind. The key is fishing shallow and shallower.”

Elias believes that it will probably take a combined weight of about 32 pounds to prove victorious in tomorrow’s finals.

“I really want to win,” said Elias. “I caught about 40 fish today, and if I have to catch 100 fish tomorrow to win, I’ll do it.”

Chapman prepares to make his move

With less than 2 pounds separating himself from Elias, Bill Chapman of Salt Rock, W. Va., believes he is in a strong position to make a run at the tournament title.

“I really couldn’t have asked for it to go much better today,” said Chapman, who used a catch of 15 pounds, 12 ounces to claim second place after today’s action. “I love fishing this shallow, dirty water. And once I get that flipping stick in my hand, my confidence is always high. Overall, I think I have a good shot to win this tournament.”

Unlike many anglers who spent the day targeting grassy weedlines, Chapman said that his focus has been on submerged wood all week.

“I’ve caught 90 percent of my fish flipping at wood, and the rest has come on spinner baits,” said Chapman, who boasts a career-best third-place finish on the FLW Tour in 2001 on the Red River. “Basically, where I’m going, there’s enough fish to last a whole month.”

Best of the rest

Jimmy Millsaps of Canton, Ga., finished the day in third place after recording a total catch weighing 14 pounds.

Another strong competitor posing a real danger to Elias’ title aspirations is day-two leader Dave Lefebre of Erie, Pa. Lefebre, who used a catch of 12 pounds, 14 ounces to snag fourth place, argued that his day could have been much better had it not been for some bad breaks early in the morning.

“I just didn’t start off very well,” said Lefebre, fishing in only the second FLW tournament of his career. “I lost a 4-pounder right off the bat. But I have been getting about 40 bites a day, so I still think I have a good shot.”

Day-one leader J.T. Kenney of Frostburg, Md., landed in fifth place after registering a catch of 11 pounds, 8 ounces.

Rounding out the top 10 pro finalists were Gary Klein (sixth) of Weatherford, Texas, with a catch of 11 pounds, 5 ounces; Andre Moore (seventh) of Scottsdale, Ariz., with a catch of 11 pounds, 1 ounce; Wes Thomas (eighth) of Hanover, Ind., with a catch of 9 pounds, 2 ounces; Jack Bell (ninth) of Kane, Pa., with a catch of 7 pounds, 4 ounces; and Dwayne Horton (10th) of Knoxville, Tenn., with a catch of 7 pounds, 3 ounces.

Tomorrow’s final takeoff is scheduled to take place at 7 a.m. at the Belle River Boat Launch, located at Highway 70 N. in Belle River, La.