COUNCE, Tenn. – Technically, all the Top 10 anglers have an equal shot at the win in Lithium Pros Stop 3 on Pickwick Lake Presented by Covercraft, thanks to the weights being zeroed on the final day. Realistically though, some have a better shot than others to win the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Presented by Fuel Me event.

Andrew Loberg was the leader after Day 3, but his main area might be drying up similar to how Jacopo Gallelli’s did yesterday. John Hunter’s fish disappeared on Day 3 as well. Even John Cox has no clue if his bedding fish will show up today (though, he says he does know of one that might go 8 pounds on a bed waiting for him).

On the flip side, guys like Ron Nelson, Jon Canada and Mitch Crane all have areas that seem to be reloading and have allowed them to lay off in hopes of flooring it today.

And in between are some pros who could easily hero or zero based on their tournaments thus far.

Stokes Excited to See What Area Holds

For the first two days, Troy Stokes made a long run to fish an area for an hour to catch one big fish each time. Today, he spent half his day there and cracked 20 pounds, 3 ounces.

Just imagine what he can do with a full day.

“I’m excited,” Stokes said of his area. “It seems like they’re coming in that area. It’s prespawners, both largemouth and smallmouth. I haven’t seen many boats there and no one fishing it like I am. It’s an area with a bunch of isolated things, and I’m meticulously picking it apart with a Carolina-rigged NetBait Mad Paca.

“So, if I can catch 20 pounds in a half-day, I really want to see what I can do with a full day down there.”

Hatfield Loves, Hates Shad Spawn

Plenty of pros have been burned by the shad spawn this week. Nick Hatfield was nearly one of them.

Focusing on the marina in Yellow Creek – a well-known shad-spawn area – Hatfield caught a solid limit there to start Day 1, only to lose every fish that bit there on Day 2. Yesterday, he landed all of his shad spawn bites, but to say Day 2 put a sour taste in his mouth is an understatement.

Fortunately, that Day 2 disaster turned around when he found some deep fish he’s pretty excited to lean on today.

“I checked that deep spot yesterday, and they were still there,” Hatfield said. “I even found a few more. I want to fish offshore if I can, because I know there’s some good stuff there.”