By John Johnson
BassFan Senior Editor

Now that he's back in his home region, Kyle Welcher is picking up where he left off prior to the Bassmaster Elite Series' three-tournament northern swing.

Welcher, in his first year with the Elites after competing on the FLW Tour in 2019, weighed a 19-05 bag to take the initial lead at Lake Guntersville as the circuit got back to action following a 5-week break. He'll begin day 2 with a 13-ounce lead over 2nd-place Randy Sullivan.

"I'm doing something a lot different from what most people or doing, but I don't think I'm on them quite as good as it looks like," he said. "I got a couple of lucky bites."

Sullivan boxed 18-08. Chad Morgenthaler (17-10), John Cox (17-03) and David Mullins completed the Top 5.

The lower half of the Top 10 consists of Brandon Cobb (17-00), Austin Felix (16-06), Scott Canterbury and Seth Feider (both with 16-00) and Garrett Paquette (15-13).

The famed Alabama fishery's failure to give up a 20-pound stringer on opening day is confirmation that the bite is tougher than usual for the end of September. Only 49 competitors in the 85-angler field brought a limit to the scale.

Welcher posted finishes of 8th (St. Johns River) and 16th (Lake Eufaula) prior to the trip up north, where he logged a 22nd at Lake Champlain but had two finishes in the 60s. Day 1 was a sparking return to his home state.

His bag was topped by a 6-11 specimen and his other weigh-in fish were all solid 3-plus-pounders.

"On the first day of practice I had a very similar weight," he said. "I only saw one other (competitor's) boat today and he wasn't even close to where I was at."

He caught his big one between 10 and 11 o'clock. He opted to keep quiet about his pattern until the first cut following day 2.

"I definitely think another good bag is possible if I can catch one good one," he said. "I can definitely catch some fish, but getting bites over 3 pounds is extremely difficult."

Sullivan said he accomplished very little in practice and he considered it a good day if he handled five keepers.

"I came out today with a bunch of different ideas and it turned out that Plan A and Plan B worked well," he said. "I caught them throughout the day and I had what I (weighed) by about 12 o'clock, then I went practicing a little big and found some more good stuff."

His bag was topped by a 4 1/2-pounder and he said he broke one off that was at least that big.



B.A.S.S./Seigo Saito
Photo: B.A.S.S./Seigo Saito

Randy Sullivan, who's in 2nd place after day 1, thinks he has fishing moving to him.

"I think the fish are moving to me. When I found what I fished today on the last day of practice, it wasn't that good – it was just okay and I thought it was maybe a place where I could catch some keepers.

"I might have to strategize a little bit tomorrow because I'll have the Bassmaster LIVE! camera with me. I'll maybe save some stuff and burn some other stuff that I wouldn't otherwise burn."

Morgenthaler said he had just on locale that he had confidence in when the day started. He boxed four keepers there, but ended up culling a couple of them later on from other places.

"All in all, it kind of went as expected," he said. "The sun being out helped me a bunch."

He's focusing on grass, but that was as specific as he was willing to get about his pattern for now. His biggest fish weighed 4-10.

"I did the majority of my damage between 7 o'clock and 10:30," he said. "I've got some different types of grass at different depths. I've figured a little deal out and it seems to be working and I've got a couple of stretches that are decent.

"I did lose some, but I don't know how big they were."

Notable

> Day 1 stats – 85 anglers, 49 limits, 16 fours, 7 threes, 6 twos, 6 ones, 1 zero.

> Chris Zaldain is in 15th place with 14-10 despite weighing just four fish. One of that quartet was an 8-06 bruiser that took big-bass honors for the day.

> Clark Wendlandt, Takumi Ito, Paul Mueller and Jamie Hartman – the Top 4 in the Angler of the Year race – are currently all outside the 40-cut. Mullins is No. 5 on the points list.

Day 1 Standings

1. Kyle Welcher -- Opelika, AL -- 5, 19-05 -- 100
Day 1: 5, 19-05

2. Randy Sullivan -- Breckenridge, TX -- 5, 18-08 -- 99
Day 1: 5, 18-08

3. Chad Morgenthaler -- Reeds Spring, MO -- 5, 17-10 -- 98
Day 1: 5, 17-10

4. John Cox -- Debary, FL -- 4, 17-03 -- 97
Day 1: 4, 17-03

5. David Mullins -- Mt Carmel, TN -- 5, 17-01 -- 96
Day 1: 5, 17-01

6. Brandon Cobb -- Greenwood, SC -- 5, 17-00 -- 95
Day 1: 5, 17-00

7. Austin Felix -- Eden Prairie, MN -- 5, 16-06 -- 94
Day 1: 5, 16-06

8. Scott Canterbury -- Odenville, AL -- 5, 16-00 -- 93
Day 1: 5, 16-00

8. Seth Feider -- New Market, MN -- 5, 16-00 -- 93
Day 1: 5, 16-00

10. Garrett Paquette -- Canton, MI -- 5, 15-13 -- 91
Day 1: 5, 15-13

11. Luke Palmer -- Coalgate, OK -- 5, 15-11 -- 90
Day 1: 5, 15-11

12. Bob Downey -- Hudson, WI -- 5, 15-04 -- 89
Day 1: 5, 15-04

13. Brandon Card -- Salisbury, NC -- 5, 14-15 -- 88
Day 1: 5, 14-15

14. Hank Cherry Jr -- Lincolnton, NC -- 5, 14-12 -- 87
Day 1: 5, 14-12

15. Chris Zaldain -- Fort Worth, TX -- 4, 14-10 -- 86 -- $1,000.00
Day 1: 4, 14-10

16. Chris Groh -- Spring Grove, IL -- 5, 14-09 -- 85
Day 1: 5, 14-09

16. Kyle Monti -- Okeechobee, FL -- 5, 14-09 -- 85
Day 1: 5, 14-09

18. Carl Jocumsen -- Queensland, AUS -- 5, 14-06 -- 83
Day 1: 5, 14-06

18. Patrick Walters -- Summerville, SC -- 5, 14-06 -- 83
Day 1: 5, 14-06

20. Cory Johnston -- Cavan, ON -- 5, 14-05 -- 81
Day 1: 5, 14-05

21. Wes Logan -- Springville, AL -- 5, 14-04 -- 80
Day 1: 5, 14-04

22. Frank Talley -- Temple, TX -- 5, 14-03 -- 79
Day 1: 5, 14-03

23. Stetson Blaylock -- Benton, AR -- 5, 14-00 -- 78
Day 1: 5, 14-00

23. Drew Cook -- Cairo, GA -- 5, 14-00 -- 78
Day 1: 5, 14-00

25. Jeff Gustafson -- Keewatin, ON -- 5, 13-15 -- 76
Day 1: 5, 13-15

25. Brock Mosley -- Collinsville, MS -- 5, 13-15 -- 76
Day 1: 5, 13-15

27. Skylar Hamilton -- Dandridge, TN -- 5, 13-09 -- 74
Day 1: 5, 13-09

28. Hunter Shryock -- Newcomerstown, OH -- 5, 12-15 -- 73
Day 1: 5, 12-15

29. Destin DeMarion -- Grove City, PA -- 5, 12-14 -- 72
Day 1: 5, 12-14

29. Mike Huff -- Corbin, KY -- 5, 12-14 -- 72
Day 1: 5, 12-14

31. Todd Auten -- Lake Wylie, SC -- 5, 12-11 -- 70
Day 1: 5, 12-11

31. Lee Livesay -- Longview, TX -- 5, 12-11 -- 70
Day 1: 5, 12-11

33. Cody Hollen -- Beaverton, OR -- 3, 12-09 -- 68
Day 1: 3, 12-09

34. Jay Yelas -- Lincoln City, OR -- 5, 12-07 -- 67
Day 1: 5, 12-07

35. Clent Davis -- Montevallo, AL -- 5, 12-06 -- 66
Day 1: 5, 12-06

36. Brian Snowden -- Reeds Spring, MO -- 5, 12-05 -- 65
Day 1: 5, 12-05

37. Chris Johnston -- Peterborough, ON -- 5, 12-04 -- 64
Day 1: 5, 12-04

38. Bill Weidler -- Helena, AL -- 5, 11-15 -- 63
Day 1: 5, 11-15

39. Micah Frazier -- Newnan, GA -- 5, 11-09 -- 62
Day 1: 5, 11-09

40. Ed Loughran III -- Richmond, VA -- 3, 11-09 -- 61
Day 1: 3, 11-09

41. Tyler Rivet -- Raceland, LA -- 5, 11-07 -- 60
Day 1: 5, 11-07

42. Clark Wendlandt -- Leander, TX -- 5, 11-06 -- 59
Day 1: 5, 11-06

43. Steve Kennedy -- Auburn, AL -- 3, 11-05 -- 58
Day 1: 3, 11-05

44. Taku Ito -- Chiba, JAPAN -- 5, 11-04 -- 57
Day 1: 5, 11-04

45. Brett Preuett -- Monroe, LA -- 5, 11-03 -- 56
Day 1: 5, 11-03

46. Caleb Kuphall -- Mukwonago, WI -- 5, 10-14 -- 55
Day 1: 5, 10-14

47. Matt Arey -- Shelby, NC -- 4, 10-14 -- 54
Day 1: 4, 10-14

48. Buddy Gross -- Chickamauga, GA -- 5, 10-13 -- 53
Day 1: 5, 10-13

48. Bryan Schmitt -- Deale, MD -- 5, 10-13 -- 53
Day 1: 5, 10-13

50. Koby Kreiger -- Alva, FL -- 4, 10-07 -- 51
Day 1: 4, 10-07

51. Rick Clunn -- Ava, MO -- 5, 10-03 -- 50
Day 1: 5, 10-03

52. Bernie Schultz -- Gainesville, FL -- 5, 10-02 -- 49
Day 1: 5, 10-02

53. Cliff Prince -- Palatka, FL -- 4, 10-02 -- 48
Day 1: 4, 10-02

54. Dale Hightower -- Mannford, OK -- 5, 10-01 -- 47
Day 1: 5, 10-01

55. Gary Clouse -- Winchester, TN -- 3, 09-14 -- 46
Day 1: 3, 09-14

56. Rick Morris -- Lake Gaston, VA -- 4, 09-11 -- 45
Day 1: 4, 09-11

57. Jason Williamson -- Wagener, SC -- 2, 09-06 -- 44
Day 1: 2, 09-06

58. Shane Lineberger -- Lincolnton, NC -- 4, 09-01 -- 43
Day 1: 4, 09-01

58. Caleb Sumrall -- New Iberia, LA -- 4, 09-01 -- 43
Day 1: 4, 09-01

60. David Fritts -- Lexington, NC -- 4, 09-00 -- 41
Day 1: 4, 09-00

60. Shane LeHew -- Catawba, NC -- 4, 09-00 -- 41
Day 1: 4, 09-00

62. Jamie Hartman -- Newport, NY -- 4, 08-10 -- 39
Day 1: 4, 08-10

62. Brad Whatley -- Bivins, TX -- 4, 08-10 -- 39
Day 1: 4, 08-10

64. Randy Pierson -- Oakdale, CA -- 3, 08-09 -- 37
Day 1: 3, 08-09

65. Brandon Palaniuk -- Rathdrum, ID -- 4, 08-07 -- 36
Day 1: 4, 08-07

65. Clifford Pirch -- Payson, AZ -- 4, 08-07 -- 36
Day 1: 4, 08-07

67. Jesse Tacoronte -- Kissimmee, FL -- 3, 08-07 -- 34
Day 1: 3, 08-07

68. Matt Herren -- Ashville, AL -- 4, 08-06 -- 33
Day 1: 4, 08-06

69. Derek Hudnall -- Denham Springs, LA -- 4, 08-02 -- 32
Day 1: 4, 08-02

70. Gerald Swindle -- Guntersville, AL -- 4, 08-00 -- 31
Day 1: 4, 08-00

71. Paul Mueller -- Naugatuck, CT -- 3, 07-15 -- 30
Day 1: 3, 07-15

72. Rob Digh -- Denver, NC -- 2, 07-08 -- 29
Day 1: 2, 07-08

73. Jake Whitaker -- Fairview, NC -- 4, 07-06 -- 28
Day 1: 4, 07-06

74. Robbie Latuso -- Gonzales, LA -- 2, 06-00 -- 27
Day 1: 2, 06-00

75. Brandon Lester -- Fayetteville, TN -- 3, 05-15 -- 26
Day 1: 3, 05-15

76. Ray Hanselman Jr -- Del Rio, TX -- 3, 05-14 -- 25
Day 1: 3, 05-14

77. Harvey Horne -- Bella Vista, AR -- 2, 04-12 -- 24
Day 1: 2, 04-12

78. Keith Combs -- Huntington, TX -- 2, 04-08 -- 23
Day 1: 2, 04-08

79. Quentin Cappo -- Prairieville, LA -- 2, 03-03 -- 22
Day 1: 2, 03-03

80. Greg DiPalma -- Millville, NJ -- 1, 03-03 -- 21
Day 1: 1, 03-03

81. Bill Lowen -- Brookville, IN -- 1, 03-00 -- 20
Day 1: 1, 03-00

82. John Crews Jr -- Salem, VA -- 1, 02-08 -- 19
Day 1: 1, 02-08

83. Tyler Carriere -- Youngsville, LA -- 1, 02-05 -- 18
Day 1: 1, 02-05

84. Drew Benton -- Blakely, GA -- 1, 01-15 -- 17
Day 1: 1, 01-15

85. Chad Pipkens -- Dewitt, MI -- 0, 00-00 -- 0
Day 1: 0, 00-00