RUSSELLVILLE, Ark. — Day 1 of the Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats Plains Division event on Lake Dardanelle was very good. Lots of pros sacked up bags in the teens, two weighed more than 20 pounds, and 17 pounds goes all the way down to eighth place.
In the lead, Walker Woodall tallied an even 23 pounds to get his first ever Toyota Series event off to a rollicking start. In second, Drake Hemby knocked out 21-12, and Tripp Berlinsky is third with 19-12.
On the co-angler side, Randy Allen blasted 20-3 for a big lead, and Mason Chambers is in second with 14-7.
None of the potential 7 Brew Angler of the Year winners really distinguished themselves on Day 1, but Cody Santel is in 25th with 14-8, and his closest competition, Cole Breeden, is in 49th. Santel certainly has given his pursuers a little breathing room, but it looks like another solid day tomorrow could wrap it up for him.
Woodall goes hard on Day 1
Just 18 years old and fishing his first Toyota Series event, Woodall has a short but consistent career with MLF. Currently, he’s sitting second in the points in the Phoenix Bass Fishing League Arkie Division, and he’s obviously got it going on at Dardanelle at the moment.
“I’ve been out here a couple weeks – I had a BFL here, and I had a bad day in the Mr. Bass here a couple of weeks ago,” he said. “They’re staging up offshore. I had some really good practice days.”
Woodall got it done early and often on Day 1.
“I made a run to some cleaner water hoping they would set up right,” he said. “They were set up so perfect. I got in the rotation and everything just fell into place. I fished clean, I had a good time with my co-angler. All in all, it was a really good day. God’s will came out today.”
Not fishing the bank, Woodall is feeling pretty good about his pattern. Though Dardanelle has lots of current and water right now, it’s not holding him back.
“It’s hard to judge if they’re going to stay on the bank or in the pads,” the young angler said. “So, I’ve been focusing on main river stretches that hold shell or hard rock. Most of it has been deep cranking with a little bit of ‘Scoping in the couple hours we can.”
Woodall had time to check his secondary patterns some on Day 1, but he thinks he may not need anything other than his fastball.
“Honestly, the first spot I pulled up on, I think there’s enough there I could maybe do it over again in the morning,” he said. “My secondary stuff is mainly an early morning thing, when the shad really set up. I checked some of it and caught a decent one and stopped running that. I’m going to stick to the plan and let God do his thing.”
With such a big start, this is Woodall’s event to lose, and he’s trying to not let that happen.
Top 10 pros
1. Walker Woodall – 23 – 0 (5)
2. Drake Hemby – 21 – 12 (5)
3. Tripp Berlinsky – 19 – 12 (5)
4. Drew Porto – 18 – 9 (5)
5. Roger Fitzpatrick – 17 – 13 (5)
6. Cody Ross – 17 – 12 (5)
7. Brody Campbell – 17 – 8 (5)
8. Erick Hurst – 17 – 0 (5)
9. Brian Funkhouser – 16 – 7 (5)
10. Hunter Baughman – 16 – 6 (5)