MARBURY, Md. – As expected, Day 2 of the Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats Northern Division event on the Potomac River saw plenty of turnover in the leaderboard. With many pros catching a limit by the skin of their teeth, consistency was the key. In the lead, Chad Mrazek tallied 15 pounds, 14 ounces on Day 2 for a 29-14 total. Bryan Schmitt stayed very consistent to move to second with 29-11, and Jason Burger sacked up 17-1 for a 28-11 total to move up to third from 36th.
Glenn Hall leads on the co-angler side with 22-13. Right behind him, Jesse Colie has 22-10, and Justin Bronson is in third with 22-7. On all sides, we’re looking at a tense final weigh-in tomorrow.
Consistency and a diverse game plan power Mrazek
Coming off a Top 10 in the Tackle Warehouse Invitationals Championship, Mrazek appears to be firing on all cylinders after a summertime slump. Fishing with left-handed reels to get around an injury, the 2023 Toyota Series Championship winner has his second big win in his sights.
“It’s pretty tough, but I feel like I’ve got some good areas,” Mrazek said. “I’ve just been practicing for two days, and I stumbled into something the first day, and it’s been working. Today should have been special, I lost a couple real big ones.
“The tide is going to be a little bit different tomorrow, I’m going to lose the part (of the tide) that I want. I want the tide low in the afternoon, and I’m not going to get it. But, the morning has been the best anyway.”
Mrazek has been awfully consistent on the Potomac, nearly always cashing checks and making Day 3 lately. Now, fishing a little off the beaten path as he often does, he’s in the hunt to win.
“I’ve got three shell bars, hard spot deals – it’s pebble or shell. Then, pretty much grass, flipping a big weight,” he said. “What I’m fishing now is the same way I’ve fished in the past. But it’s on a different end of the river, and a place I never imagined what is going down.”
If Mrazek can get a few more bites off his best stuff, he may be well on his way to the win. From the sounds of it, he has a bead on a quality bite that many have lacked this week,
“I expect to have to move around and go practicing again, but, this little area I have, I’ve only caught like three fish a day off it,” he said. “That’s kind of a lot for right now. But, they’re all over 3 pounds there, whenever I get bit there it’s a good one.”
Top 10 pros
1. Chad Mrazek – 29 – 14 (10)
2. Bryan Schmitt – 29 – 11 (10)
3. Jason Burger – 28 – 11 (10)
4. Anthony Buzzeo – 28 – 08 (10)
5. Christian Greico – 27 – 15 (10)
6. Matt McCluskey – 27 – 02 (10)
7. Michael Iaconelli – 26 – 10 (10)
8. Emil Wagner – 26 – 06 (10)
9. Samuel Fish – 26 – 02 (10)
10. Broderick Luckey – 25 – 11 (10)