Stable weather arrives for semifinals
Improved conditions, less pressure should better Friday’s catch
FORT MADISON, Iowa – After two days of vicious thunderstorms, Stren Series Midwest Division anglers will receive a well-deserved break from Mother Nature’s chaos. And with the weights resetting at zero and the field trimmed to 20 boats, this is starting to look like a brand-new tournament.
Pro Gary Thacker qualified for the semifinal round in 19th place with a two-day total of eight bass weighing 19 pounds, 13 ounces. Thacker had a very productive opening day, but he wasn’t pleased with his day-two performance.
“The first day of practice I had 15 keepers,” said Thacker. “The second day of practice I had 17 keepers.”
Despite barely making the cutoff, Thacker definitely appears to be one to watch. His meal ticket so far has been a homemade spinnerbait and a topwater frog. While he fishes with the frog 90 percent of the time, his better fish have come on the spinnerbait. He said he’s mainly targeting the pads near the city of Montrose, Iowa, but he does have a small honeyhole in reserve.
“It’s just a piece of wood in the grass. It’s just one little spot as big as this boat, but I’ve caught a lot of fish off it.”
Much like pro William Davis, he’s fishing the Stren Series Midwest Division as a means of qualifying for the $1 million Stren Series Championship on Wheeler Lake. When he’s not fishing competitively, the Athens, Ala., native is running T&T Tackle on Wheeler Lake.
“I’m around several good fish; I think I can make the top-10. I’m hoping a lot of folks have already used a lot of their fish. I’ve got high hopes for today.”
One angler not using the frog is points leader and fourth-place pro Jim Jones. He’s tried it from time to time, but he’s had more luck flipping a plastic creature bait.
“I think I can catch 13 or 14 pounds for sure,” said the Big Bend, Wis., pro. “If I get a big bite, I could have maybe 15 or more.”
After today’s cut, the top 10 pros and top 10 co-anglers will hit the water again Saturday. The winner in each division will be determined by the angler who brings in the largest two-day combined stringer from Friday and Saturday.
The day-three weigh-in, which is free and open to the public, is scheduled to take place at 4 p.m. Central time at the Wal-Mart store located at 324 W. Agency Road in West Burlington, Iowa.
On the Web
For fishing fans who can’t watch the action in person, FLWOutdoors.com provides FLW Live, a free, real-time viewing application that is the next best thing to being there.
Friday’s conditions
Sunrise: 6:12 a.m.
Temperature at takeoff: 66 degrees
Expected high temperature: 82 degrees
Water temperature: 79-87 degrees
Wind: NE at 9 mph
Maximum humidity: 76 percent
Day’s outlook: partly cloudy