EUFAULA, Ala. – Robert Griswold’s amazing Day 2 catch of 17 pounds, 3 ounces propelled him into contention to win the Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats event on Lake Eufaula. On the final day, after grinding it out with the rest of the Strike King co-anglers, he found himself edging out Day 1 and 2 leader Larry Mullikin by a single ounce with a three-day total of 23 pounds, 7 ounces.
“I’m feeling blessed, absolutely blessed,” Griswold said. “Day 1, I was overjoyed to have the two fish. Just because I was trying to make it to the Toyota Series Championship with points. But yesterday I started off my day with 5-pounder. Then I caught 14 fish that were all short.”
Fishing with Bill Troyer on Day 2, Griswold didn’t let his head hang over the little fish. Instead, the Lincolnton, North Carolina, angler sat down to re-group, re-tie and reset his head before making a flurried run up the leaderboard.
“Everyone knows that feeling,” he said. “The hair on the back of your neck just starts standing up like you are electric. I didn’t have a keeper for five hours, but we went back to where I caught that 5-pounder. I stopped, re-tied everything, and sharpened my hooks. My boater says, ‘You’re getting ready, aren’t you?’, and my next cast was a 6-pound, 9-ouncer.”
The better part of the next half-hour changed the entire tournament for Griswold as he would work his way up to a limit of 17-3, and within 8 ounces of the lead on Day 2.
“It was 25 minutes of wild and crazy,” he said. “It was like circus monkeys going bananas. My boater set his Power-Poles down and tried to figure out what he could throw. After I made my second cull, I just stopped, took the bait off, and handed it to him. I said, ‘I can catch another big fish, but you need to catch a big fish. It took 20 minutes, but he eventually caught a 6-13.”
Griswold’s Day 3 was a total grinder like Day 1, and he boated only two fish, including his second keeper just 5 minutes prior to check-in. Proving that in his mind, no good deed goes unrewarded.
“Today is an example that a good deed never goes unrewarded,” he said. “With less than 5 minutes left, I saw a sign that said ‘SNAG.’ I chuckled at that and I catch the fish that gave me the win.”
This is a landmark victory for Griswold, who also spends time as a boat official for the Bass Pro Tour and is heavily involved in his local tournament scene in North Carolina. His win on Eufaula marks the fourth boat he’s won in his career. This one is a bit more special than the others, as it comes eight years after a broken back that left him sidelined for over three years.
“In 2015 I broke my back, and it took me three years to learn how to walk again,” Griswold said. “So, to be out here is a grace of God. I’m so thankful, but God gives us everything. This win is a gift, and we will pay it forward to some kids back home.”
1. Robert Griswold – 23 – 7 (9) – $34,350
2. Larry Mullikin – 23 – 6 (8) – $5,525
3. Roger Phillips – 22 – 4 (10) – $4,300
4. William Lewis – 20 – 0 (9) – $3,650
5. James Menold – 18 – 2 (6) – $3,150
6. Joseph Chilcott – 17 – 12 (8) – $2,650
7. William Grantham – 16 – 13 (8) – $2,150
8. Dax Liner – 16 – 3 (10) – $1,825
9. Sean Wooten – 13 – 2 (6) – $1,530
10. Stephen Draghi – 13 – 0 (5) – $1,440