By MLF Communications Staff

Rookie pro Jim Neece Jr. of Bristol, Tenn., weighed a five-bass limit totaling 27 pounds even to take the early lead at the Lake Okeechobee MLF Pro Circuit in Florida. Neece holds a 14-ounce lead over Miles Burghoff of Soddy-Daisy, Tenn., who weighed 26-02.

“I got to my spot on the north end of the lake and had no idea what it was going to be like until I pulled up on it,” said Neece. “I quickly caught a solid bass and then four more between 9:30 and 10 (a.m.), but only had about 12 pounds.”

Neece said about an hour later the fish really turned on.

“I just kept throwing moving baits and about noon the big ones started to hit. I caught 15 keepers and ended the day with two 7-pound bass and three more smaller ones.”

Neece said his plan is to go back to the same spot tomorrow and hope his luck holds.

“Practice went okay, but with two days of practice you can’t really sit and catch them, so you just try to get bit and hope for the best when you come back,” he said. “I didn’t realize 27 pounds of fish were in that area, so who knows what will happen tomorrow. That’s all I've got – it’s either going to hold up or it’s not.”

Burghoff also had a pair of 7-pounders in his sack, along with a 5, a 4 and a 3 1/2.



Day 1 Standings

1. Jim Neece Jr. -- 27-00 (5)

2. Miles Burghoff -- 26-02 (5)

3. Anthony Gagliardi -- 24-00 (5)

4. Jamie Horton -- 22-06 (5)

5. Tyler Stewart -- 21-11 (5)

6. Dicky Newberry -- 20-12 (5)

6. Clabion Johns -- 20-12 (5)

8. Justin Lucas -- 20-05 (5)

8. Tim Frederick -- 20-05 (5)

10. Mike Surman -- 20-01 (5)

11. Pete Ponds -- 20-00 (5)

12. Jason Reyes -- 19-05 (5)

13. Jim Tutt -- 19-00 (5)

14. Trevor Fitzgerald -- 18-02 (5)

15. Lane Olson -- 17-15 (5)

16. Skeet Reese -- 17-12 (5)

17. Matt Reed -- 17-10 (5)

17. Lendell Martin Jr. -- 17-10 (5)

19. Blake Smith -- 17-05 (5)

20. Bill McDonald -- 17-04 (5)

21. Jason Vance -- 17-01 (5)

22. Erik Luzak -- 17-00 (5)

23. Charlie Evans -- 16-15 (5)

23. Corey Neece -- 16-15 (5)

25. Rusty Salewske -- 16-11 (5)

25. Brian Latimer -- 16-11 (5)

27. James Niggemeyer -- 16-09 (5)

28. Tom Redington -- 16-07 (5)

28. Laramy Strickland -- 16-07 (5)

30. Chris Lane -- 16-06 (5)

31. Kerry Milner -- 16-05 (4)

32. Jeremy Lawyer -- 16-03 (5)

33. Scott Towry -- 16-02 (5)

34. Jimmy Washam -- 15-14 (5)

35. Darrell Davis -- 15-10 (5)

36. Barron Adams -- 15-09 (5)

37. Matthew Stefan -- 15-05 (5)

38. Aaron Britt -- 15-03 (5)

39. Michael Neal -- 15-00 (5)

40. Jon Canada -- 14-14 (5)

40. Jason Blair -- 14-14 (5)

42. Greg Bohannan -- 14-13 (5)

43. Cole Floyd -- 14-11 (5)

44. Bobby Lane -- 14-10 (5)

44. Shin Fukae -- 14-10 (5)

46. Dylan Hays -- 14-09 (5)

47. Scott Wiley -- 14-08 (5)

48. Colby Miller -- 14-07 (5)

49. Joseph Webster -- 14-04 (5)

50. Derrick Snavely -- 14-02 (5)

51. Richard Lowitzki -- 14-00 (5)

52. Robert Nakatomi -- 13-15 (5)

52. Joshua Weaver -- 13-15 (5)

54. Kyle Cortiana -- 13-14 (5)

54. Josh Butler -- 13-14 (5)

56. Kurt Dove -- 13-13 (5)

57. Kyle Gelles -- 13-12 (5)

58. Clark Reehm -- 13-08 (5)

58. Lawson Hibdon -- 13-08 (5)

60. Jason Lambert -- 13-07 (5)

60. Jake Ormond -- 13-07 (5)

62. J Todd Tucker -- 13-06 (5)

62. Braxton Setzer -- 13-06 (5)

64. Dean Rojas -- 13-05 (5)

65. Jacob Wall -- 13-00 (5)

66. Billy Hines -- 12-15 (5)

66. Keith Poche -- 12-15 (5)

68. Clayton Batts -- 12-11 (5)

68. Brandon McMillan -- 12-11 (5)

70. Wesley Strader -- 12-09 (5)

71. Randy Despino -- 12-08 (5)

72. Jim Moynagh -- 12-07 (5)

72. Zack Birge -- 12-07 (5)

72. Bradford Beavers -- 12-07 (5)

75. Ron Farrow -- 12-06 (5)

76. Jason Abram -- 12-04 (5)

76. Kurt Mitchell -- 12-04 (5)

78. Ryan Salzman -- 12-03 (5)

79. Dion Hibdon -- 12-01 (5)

80. Danny Kirk -- 12-00 (5)

80. Casey Ashley -- 12-00 (5)

80. Joe Wieberg -- 12-00 (5)

80. Kevin Riney -- 12-00 (5)

84. Kyle Weisenburger -- 11-15 (5)

85. Larry Nixon -- 11-12 (5)

86. Brad Knight -- 11-11 (5)

87. Brandon Mosley -- 11-10 (5)

88. Cal Lane -- 11-09 (5)

89. Matt Becker -- 11-06 (5)

90. Colby Schrumpf -- 11-05 (5)

91. Bradley Dortch -- 11-04 (5)

92. Cody Nichols -- 11-03 (5)

93. Scott Ashmore -- 11-01 (5)

94. Todd Walters -- 11-00 (5)

95. Rusty Trancygier -- 10-15 (5)

96. Randy Ramsey -- 10-12 (5)

97. David G. Williams -- 10-11 (5)

98. Chase Serafin -- 10-09 (5)

99. Tommy Dickerson -- 10-08 (5)

99. Chris Neau -- 10-08 (5)

99. Kevin Martin -- 10-08 (5)

102. Justin O'Brian Cooper -- 10-06 (5)

102. Jimmy Reese -- 10-06 (5)

104. Dakota Ebare -- 10-04 (5)

105. Matt Greenblatt -- 10-03 (5)

106. John Voyles -- 10-02 (5)

107. Ron Nelson -- 10-01 (5)

107. Spencer Shuffield -- 10-01 (5)

109. Nick Gainey -- 9-15 (4)

110. Kevin Meeks -- 9-13 (4)

111. Ryan Davidson -- 9-12 (5)

112. Cody Meyer -- 9-08 (4)

113. Gary Yamamoto -- 9-07 (5)

114. Chad Warren -- 9-06 (5)

115. Josh Bragg -- 9-05 (5)

115. Jared McMillan -- 9-05 (5)

115. Jason Wilson -- 9-05 (5)

118. Alex Davis -- 9-04 (5)

119. Jacopo Gallelli -- 9-03 (5)

120. Mitch Crane -- 9-02 (5)

121. John Hunter -- 8-15 (5)

121. Jordan Osborne -- 8-15 (5)

123. Jesse Wiggins -- 8-14 (5)

124. Grant Galloway -- 8-10 (5)

124. Josh Douglas -- 8-10 (5)

126. Cody Pike -- 8-09 (5)

126. Tyler Woolcott -- 8-09 (5)

128. Mark Blevins -- 8-06 (3)

129. Scott Dobson -- 8-05 (4)

129. Joey Cifuentes -- 8-05 (5)

131. Tom Monsoor -- 8-03 (3)

132. David Walker -- 8-00 (5)

132. Terry Bolton -- 8-00 (4)

132. Jason Lieblong -- 8-00 (5)

135. Tai Au -- 7-15 (5)

136. Terry Luedtke -- 7-11 (5)

137. Mike McClelland -- 7-04 (3)

138. Chad Grigsby -- 7-02 (4)

139. Troy Morrow -- 7-00 (4)

139. Steve York -- 7-00 (5)

141. Casey Scanlon -- 6-11 (4)

141. Adrian Avena -- 6-11 (3)

143. Takayuki Koike -- 6-10 (4)

144. Daryl Biron -- 6-08 (3)

145. Dave Parsons -- 6-06 (4)

146. Brett Hite -- 6-02 (3)

146. Miles Howe -- 6-02 (4)

148. Charles Sim -- 6-01 (3)

148. Grae Buck -- 6-01 (4)

150. Nick Lebrun -- 5-14 (3)

151. Zell Rowland -- 5-11 (4)

152. Darrel Robertson -- 5-09 (4)

153. Jon Englund -- 4-14 (2)

154. Mark Fisher -- 4-07 (2)

155. Troy Stokes -- 3-15 (3)

156. Evan Barnes -- 3-10 (2)

156. Lance Crawford -- 3-10 (2)

158. Shannon Abbott -- 3-05 (3)

159. Kyle Hall -- 2-13 (2)

160. Cody Huff -- 2-12 (2)

161. Ricky Robinson -- 1-10 (1)

162. Ramie Colson Jr. -- 1-05 (1)