Miller Sets the Pace with 21-6 at Lake of the Ozarks
OSAGE BEACH, Mo. – The fishing may be off, but Lake of the Ozarks still gave up some of the quality bags it’s known for on Day 1 of the Toyota Series Presented by A.R.E. event. Local know-how has helped with a tougher bite, and leading the charge is Justin Miller, who hauled in 21 pounds, 6 ounces to take the early lead by 4 ounces over Brock Reinkemeyer.
Despite only 62 limits brought to the scale in the opening round of the Plains Division Presented by Outlaw Ordnance, Miller didn’t seem to have much of an issue catching bass. In fact, Miller had his bag relatively early.
“I had these fish quick in the morning,” said Miller. “I had everything by 10:30. Then I let off of them and started running some other stuff to see what groups of fish were active and what weren’t.”
One of the biggest benefits of being able to check other spots with pressure taken off his shoulders is that Miller was able to keep tabs on fish that are ready for winter to be over.
“These fish are in a major transition right now,” said the Grain Valley, Mo., pro. “We’re moving out of winter and into spring. They so badly want to move close to the bank and in their springtime places, but the up and down weather hasn’t allowed them to get there. The baitfish are low in the water column, they’re staying low and deep and aren’t making it to the bank yet.
“We’re seeing movement every single day. It could be different in two days.”
Putting plenty of time in on Lake of the Ozarks over the years has set Miller up to know where to look for fish throughout their winter to spring transition. Still, he did his homework for this event, which is presented by Smart Digital.
“Practice was tough,” said Miller. “It was more looking and finding places where the fish are or are going to be. Today it just unfolded the way I had hoped and anticipated based on what I found.
“But it could go either way right now. It’s all a timing thing. You could revisit an area two or three times in a day and all of a sudden, they fire. Tomorrow could be a totally different game, unfortunately. They could move off what they’re using, but I’m around big ones, so I can’t complain there.”
Top 10 Pros
1. Justin Miller – 21 – 06 (5)
2. Brock Reinkemeyer – 21 – 02 (5)
3. Austin Culbertson – 19 – 11 (5)
4. Michael Harlin – 19 – 03 (5)
5. Josh Shirley – 18 – 01 (5)
6. Mark Dunbar – 17 – 15 (5)
7. Spencer Shuffield – 17 – 14 (5)
8. Brad Jelinek – 17 – 04 (5)
9. Grant Akers – 17 – 01 (5)
10. Nicky Parsons – 16 – 13 (5)