Locals face off at Guntersville
Morgan leads pro semifinals; Deakins just 1 ounce behind
GUNTERSVILLE, Ala. – Guntersville Lake locals rose to the surface of the leaderboard in day-three competition of the EverStart Series Eastern Division event on Guntersville Lake Friday.
Andy Morgan of Dayton, Tenn., took the Pro Division lead today with 19 pounds, 2 ounces. Morgan, who has already won an EverStart event on Lake Okeechobee this season, is gunning for his second EverStart title at Guntersville.
Morgan is quick to give the credit for his success to his local knowledge of the lake.
“I probably hit about 25 places today,” he said. “I am pure junk fishing – riding down the lake and fishing a single stump here, throwing a top-water on a grass point there, flipping a laydown over here, pitching a dock over there. There is really no pattern to it. They are all little spots that I have learned over the years, and I am fishing each one about 15 minutes and then moving on.”
Morgan said the bulk of his catch over the last three days has been caught on a jig and a Zoom Ol’ Monster worm.
Another well-known local pro angler, Marshall Deakins of Dunlap, Tenn., is in second with 19 pounds, 1 ounce.
“I had a great practice here,” he said. “I still have some spots that I have not been to during the tournament. They are flipping spots that I have been saving for tomorrow.”
Deakins caught most of his fish on a crankbait in grass in 10 feet of water Friday.
“They are humps and drops that hold fish this time of year,” he said. “I fish down here quite a bit so I know a bunch of places that are holding fish; it’s a matter of getting the quality bites.”
Pro Tim Buckner of Scottsboro, Ala., is in third with 16 pounds, 12 ounces. Buckner is catching his fish on a jig and a worm in the grass.
“Tomorrow is Saturday and there will be a bunch of anglers on the water,” he said. “I just hope I can get to my spots before they get covered up.”
Phillip Nunnelley of Cullman, Ala., did not get his sunshine today, and he fell to fourth with 4 fish weighing 16 pounds, 8 ounces.
“The sun came out pretty late today so I was a little off track,” he said. “Hopefully the clouds will burn off earlier tomorrow.”
J. Doug Campbell of Grant, Ala., fought his way from 20th place yesterday to fifth today with 16 pounds, 7 ounces.
Rounding out the top 10 in the pro division are Travis Adams of Danielsville, Ga., in sixth place with 16 pounds, 3 ounces; Wesley Strader of Spring City, Tenn., in seventh place with 15 pounds, 8 ounces; Tony Couch of Buckhead, Ga., in eighth place with 15 pounds, 8 ounces; Pat Fisher of Stone Mountain Ga., in ninth place with 14 pounds, 11 ounces; and David Gray of Section, Ala., in 10th place with 13 pounds, 10 ounces.
Harrison leads co-anglers
In the Co-angler Division, Delane Harrison of Northport, Ala., leads with 16 pounds, 13 ounces.
After getting his limit today, Harrison decided to go for the big bite – and he was not playing around. He tied on a 14-inch plastic worm and within five minutes caught a 3- pound-plus bass that allowed him to cull.
“This lake gets a lot of pressure,” said Harrison who fished with Tim Buckner today. “Not many people have 14-inch worms so it’s something a little different for the fish to see.”
Co-angler Charles Turner of Spring City, Tenn., is in second place with 15 pounds, 5 ounces. He caught his fish behind pro B.J. Barnett of Alexander City, Ala.
“B.J. was throwing a black frog and I was throwing a white one,” Turner said. “He was getting bites, but the big fish were not taking it as good. For some reason they liked my white frog. I have to thank B.J. for my big fish; the fish blew up on my frog and missed it. Instead of throwing at it, B.J. said, `That’s your fish, you catch it,” and I caught that 6-8 on the second cast. B.J. is a first-class guy.”
Richard Angel of Surf City, N.C., led on day one, fell to second on day two, and is now clings to third with 11 pounds, 5 ounces.
Thomas Henderson of Roseland, Fla., is in fourth place with 11 pounds, 4 ounces
A.K. Boatright of Cleveland Ala., is in fifth place with 10 pounds, 11 ounces
Rounding out the top 10 in the Co-angler Division are Christopher Fabrizio of Kernersville, N.C., in sixth place with 9 pounds, 5 ounces; Phillip Terry of Trinity Ala., in seventh place with 9 pounds, 2 ounces; Al Reed of Tequesta, Fla., in eighth place with 7 pounds, 13 ounces; Timothy Little of Acworth, Ga., in ninth place with 7 pounds, 2 ounces; David Parks of Decatur, Ala, in 10th place with 6 pounds, 11 ounces.
The top 10 pros and co-anglers fish for the big money tomorrow. Takeoff is at safe light at Guntersville State Park. The weigh-in will be at the Guntersville Wal-Mart starting at 4 p.m.
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