Top pro Ray Hanselman pulls hard and co-angler partner Ryan Lejeune reaches out to net a big keeper. Photo by David A. Brown. Anglers: Ray Hanselman, Ryan Lejeune.

May 2, 2015 • David A. Brown • Archives

It aint’ over ’til it’s over. The fat lady has yet to sing. All the cliches still apply, so in fairness to nine other talented pros, we’ll make no predictions or insinuations about day-two leader Ray Hanselman and possible outcome of the Rayovac FLW Series Texas Division tournament on Lake Texoma.

Much has been said/written about Hanselman’s back-to-back wins in the two previous divisional events on Lake Amistad and Sam Rayburn Reservoir – a feat unmatched in FLW competition. Suffice it to say that sweeping the division with a Texoma win would notch a career achievement of truly superior level magnitude.

It’s basically Hanselman’s game to lose, but facts bear out a sense of optimism for the angler and a sense of amazed anticipation for the rest of us.

Hanselman brought a lead of 8 pounds, 6 ounces. Day three got off to a good start with a solid 4-pound keeper around 8:30 and a limit of about 15 pounds within about two hours.

Hanselmen was working shallow brush and grass lines in the backs of pockets. He caught fish on topwater frogs and Texas-rigged plastics.

Throughout the event, many anglers reported their action improving later in the day, so it will be interesting to see how much more weight Hanselman adds — and who else moves up today.