David Barnes Sr., of China, Maine, brought a five-bass limit of smallmouth to the scale Thursday weighing 21 pounds even to grab the lead after day 1 of the Rayovac FLW Series Championship on the Ohio River out of Paducah, Ky. Barnes holds a 2-pound edge over Ray Hanselman, who won all three events in the Texas Divisions this year, with the remainder of the field at least 4 1/2 pounds back.
“The good Lord blessed me with seven bites today, and I’m grateful for it,” said Barnes, who is representing the Northern Division of the FLW Series after starting to compete in FLW events just this year. “Hopefully I can do that again tomorrow. I just have to go out there and stick with my instincts.”
Barnes said he targeted rock shelves 8 to 12 feet deep on the Tennessee River in an area halfway between the Ohio border and Kentucky Dam. He said what made these shelves special were the large holes that acted as safe havens for fish.
“There is a significant current right now due to local authorities pulling water from the lake,” said Barnes. “During practice I discovered that bass were actually dropping off the shelves and into these holes to get out of it.
“I had three holes within a 200-yard stretch that I focused on. I would move up to one, put my trolling motor down and drift slowly away from it in the current. Then I’d work my bait from the shelf down to its opening.”
Barnes said he used a Carolina-rigged craw and an unnamed crankbait to catch his fish.
“My biggest fish – a 5-pounder – was caught on the crankbait. My other keepers came on the craw and were in the boat by 10:30 a.m.”
Here's a look at the initial Top 10:
1. David Barnes Sr.: 21-00
2. Ray Hanselman: 19-00
3. Brian Holder: 14-06
4. Bill Chapman: 14-03
5. Dicky Newberry: 13-15
6. Brandon Perkins: 13-10
7. Tyler Suddarth: 13-06
8. (tie) Glenn Browne: 13-02
8. (tie) Wade Curtiss: 13-02
10. Brandon Medlock: 12-15
