Christian takes charge on day three
Tony Christian continues to mine largemouth hotspot at EverStart Eastern tourney
ALEXANDER CITY, Ala. – Tony Christian of Hull, Ga., kept up his steady pace at the Lake Martin EverStart Series event today and is now leading with 12 pounds, 3 ounces. For the third day in a row, Christian brought in a solid stringer dominated by largemouth bass.
All week Christian has had a good feeling about a special spot that seems to be loaded with largemouth bass. On the first day, Christian caught a 6-pound, 6-ounce largemouth. Yesterday he went to his largemouth hole for just 30 minutes and caught two bass before going elsewhere to fill out his limit.
Today he only needed an hour in the area to sack up four largemouths, one of which weighed 5 pounds, 12 ounces. Christian left the area and caught his fifth keeper elsewhere.
“I’m going to work it for all it’s worth tomorrow,” said Christian, who worked jigs and crankbaits in the area today. “Hopefully there are some big ones left.”
Christian has described the structure he is fishing as submerged laydowns.
Barnett begins to make his move
Local angler BJ Barnett of Alexander City, Ala., has been quietly bringing in limits this week, but today he made a little noise. Barnett brought in 12 pounds to take over second place on day three.
“I’m not doing anything special,” said the 26-year-old EverStart rookie. “It’s just basic fishing. I am using a brown 3/8-ounce Davis jig and a peacock-colored X-wire spinner bait.”
Barnett has spent the week in one creek but is focusing his fishing efforts on two main areas within the creek. The two areas are five to six acres in size, and he is fishing down to about 5 to 8 feet deep. Barnett is fishing exclusively for largemouth.
“Today I caught my limit by 11:30 a.m.,” he said. “I’ve been catching them better every day, so hopefully it’s getting progressively better in there.”
Another local shines
Wayne Waldrop of Alexander City, Ala., has been fishing deep water for spots all week. Today he stumbled upon a big largemouth which gave him 10 pounds, 14 ounces: good enough for third place.
“I am fishing about 12 to 25 feet of water for spotted bass,” Waldrop said. “I have been saving some deeper places where I have caught 15- to 17-pound limits of spots in the past. I’ll fish those places tomorrow, and hopefully they will pan out.”
Waldrop enjoyed the luxury of a big largemouth bite today but says that won’t sway his strategy to fish deep tomorrow. “I am committing to spots all day,” he added.
Quinn in again
If Jason Quinn would move from Lake Wylie, S.C., to Lake Martin, Ala., he could probably make a full-time living off the lake. Quinn has had tremendous success on Martin over the last two years. Now he sits in fourth with 10 pounds, 5 ounces.
Quinn says he understands Martin so well because it is like his lakes back home, and it suits his style of fishing.
“This lake has a lot of deep water structure, yet these spots are not afraid to get up on the bank in this clear water,” said Quinn, who has caught mostly spotted bass. “Today I caught some fish in 2 feet of water and some fish in 30 feet of water. I really like to just go fishing and mix it up. That’s my fishing style and this lake fits it.”
Quinn has been fishing a jig, spinner bait and worm throughout the week. He has focused primarily on spotted bass but says he is switching up to largemouth tomorrow. “I am tired of finishing second here with spotted bass. Tomorrow I am going to get a limit, and then I am committing to a largemouth pattern.”
In fifth place on the pro side is Johnny Crase of Lexington, Ky., with 10 pounds even.
Caldwell stumbles but does not fall
After weighing in just two bass for 5 pounds today, it looked as if local favorite Ted Caldwell of Alexander City, Ala., who led the first two rounds, might be down for the count. But when the shooting match was over and the smoke cleared, Caldwell was still standing. He dodged the bullet by an ounce.
Scharber leads co-anglers
In the Co-angler Division, Bobby Scharber of Pulaski, Tenn., leads with 7 pounds, 13 ounces. Scharber caught his bass on a shaky-head worm behind pro David Dudley today.
“I’ll be shakin’ it again tomorrow,” said Scharber.
Best of the rest
Rounding out the top five in the Co-angler Division are Darin Mitchell of Rutledge, Ga., (second place) with 7 pounds, 9 ounces; Sean Stepp of Dumfries, Va., (third) with 7 pounds, 4 ounces; Tommy Carpenter of Senoia, Ga., (fourth) with 7 pounds, 1 ounce; and Brian Wimmer of Christianburg, Va., (fifth) with 6 pounds, 3 ounces.
Final-day competition begins at 6:15 a.m. tomorrow at Wind Creek State Park, 4325 Alabama Highway 128 in Alexander City.
Day-three links: