By B.A.S.S. Communications Staff

Jay Przekurat had never fished the St. Lawrence River/Lake Ontario prior to this week, but drawing on similar experience from other fisheries, he caught a Day-3 limit of 24 pounds, 12 ounces Saturday to maintain his lead in the Bassmaster Elite Series event out of Clayton, N.Y.

After catching 26-13 on Day 1 and 25-08 on Day 2, Przekurat, who hails from Stevens Point, Wis., holds the lead going into the final day with a three-day total of 77-01.

With a margin of 2-15 over Bob Downey of Detroit Lakes, Minn., Przekurat said the scope of his current standing is starting to sink in.

“I’m kind of speechless, to be honest,” Przekurat said. “The last few days have been nothing but stellar. I can almost do nothing wrong. If I lose a fish or break off a fish, I can go somewhere else and catch another big one.

“We do a lot of this type of fishing back home. I fish Sturgeon Bay a lot and it fishes almost identically to this place. I love fishing the Great Lakes and I love catching big smallmouth. I guess I just have a knack for it this week.”

Essential to Przekurat’s success was knowing when to pull the plug on the area that had produced most of his action the past two days. Located in a bay south of the river mouth, Przekurat’s starting spot was a classic postspawn setup with lots of baitfish providing ample feeding opportunities.

“I caught two of my keepers there on a dropshot, but I think the pressure is getting to those fish,” Przekurat said. “Also, it would have helped if there was a little bit of a breeze there (like previous days). You have pressure and slick calm water – they get smart pretty fast.

“I left my main area around 10 and started to run back. I stopped on my secondary area and that’s where I caught my big fish (a 6-10) and filled my limit. They were there and they were biting.”

Przekurat noted that he figured out a specific bait and presentation that triggered the bass on his second spot. He kept those details confidential, but said he believes he can repeat his success on Sunday after giving his first spot a fair look.

Even before anglers arrived for practice, many floated the notion of this event producing the first Century Club entry (100 pounds over four days) comprising all smallmouth. More than 3/4 of the way to that unprecedented achievement, Przekurat addressed this premise with a confident grin.

“I think I’m in a good position,” he said. “I only need about 23 pounds and out here, that’s nothing.”

Downey caught a Day-3 limit of 25-10 and sits in 2nd with 74-02. Building on his first two days’ weights of 22-13 and 25-11, he improved from his Day-2 position of 8th.

Committed to the St. Lawrence River, Downey said his third day was mostly a template of the previous two, except for an extra level of thoroughness that provided a key upgrade.

“I caught four off of one area that I’ve been starting on each day,” he said. “I’ve been getting a limit off that spot each day and I only got four today. But one was a 6 1/2-pounder, another was 5 1/2 and then there were a couple of other good ones.”

Downey left the spot for a while but returned during the afternoon hours to catch a smallmouth that helped his cause.

“I went back to that spot around 2 o’clock to try and catch a decent one because I still had a 4-pounder in my bag,” he said. “My first drift, I caught one (approximately 4 3/4 pounds).”

Elite veteran Greg Hackney of Gonzalez, La., is in 3rd with 73-01 after being impressively consistent with daily catches of 24-04, 24-12 and 24-01.

“I sight-fished a lot of them,” Hackney said of the shallow flat he’s working just outside the river mouth. “I caught some off the bed the first day, but the (bed fish) are all gone. These fish are just cruising in packs.

“It does seem like if I can find multiples, it’s easier to get one of them to bite just out of aggression. One will go at it and when it does, it will fire another one to eat. Regardless of how it turns out, this has literally been one of the most fun tournaments I’ve ever fished.”

Throwing mostly a tube, Hackney assembled a limit of approximately 21 pounds within the first 20 minutes Saturday.

“I hadn’t even got the trolling motor down or turned my depthfinders on, I looked over and saw a 4-pounder on a rock,” he said. “I caught that one, got everything set up and caught another 4-pounder. It was phenomenal.”

The 10 remaining anglers will take off at 7 a.m. ET Sunday from the Antique Boat Museum. The weigh-in will be held at the museum at 3 p.m., with the winning angler taking home $100,000.



Day 3 Standings

1. Jay Przekurat -- Stevens Point, WI -- 15, 77-01 -- 100
Day 1: 5, 26-13 -- Day 2: 5, 25-08 -- Day 3: 5, 24-12

2. Bob Downey -- Detroit Lakes, MN -- 15, 74-02 -- 99
Day 1: 5, 22-13 -- Day 2: 5, 25-11 -- Day 3: 5, 25-10

3. Greg Hackney -- Gonzales, LA -- 15, 73-01 -- 98
Day 1: 5, 24-04 -- Day 2: 5, 24-12 -- Day 3: 5, 24-01

4. Paul Mueller -- Naugatuck, CT -- 15, 72-15 -- 97
Day 1: 5, 25-09 -- Day 2: 5, 21-10 -- Day 3: 5, 25-12

5. Stetson Blaylock -- Benton, AR -- 15, 72-13 -- 96
Day 1: 5, 21-15 -- Day 2: 5, 27-11 -- Day 3: 5, 23-03

6. Chris Zaldain -- Fort Worth, TX -- 15, 72-07 -- 95
Day 1: 5, 21-08 -- Day 2: 5, 23-11 -- Day 3: 5, 27-04

7. Clark Wendlandt -- Leander, TX -- 15, 71-15 -- 94
Day 1: 5, 25-02 -- Day 2: 5, 22-12 -- Day 3: 5, 24-01

8. Cory Johnston -- Cavan, ON -- 15, 71-13 -- 93
Day 1: 5, 26-03 -- Day 2: 5, 24-05 -- Day 3: 5, 21-05

9. Shane LeHew -- Catawba, NC -- 15, 71-12 -- 92
Day 1: 5, 18-13 -- Day 2: 5, 25-09 -- Day 3: 5, 27-06

10. Chris Johnston -- Otonabee, ON 15, 71-10 -- 91
Day 1: 5, 24-10 -- Day 2: 5, 24-06 -- Day 3: 5, 22-10

The following anglers did not make the cut and will not fish on day 4.

11. Austin Felix -- Eden Prairie, MN -- 15, 70-13 -- 90 -- $10,000
Day 1: 5, 25-00 -- Day 2: 5, 25-00 -- Day 3: 5, 20-13

12. Patrick Walters -- Summerville, SC -- 15, 70-12 -- 89 -- $10,000
Day 1: 5, 24-07 -- Day 2: 5, 24-13 -- Day 3: 5, 21-08

13. Taku Ito -- Chiba, JAPAN -- 15, 70-08 -- 88 -- $10,000
Day 1: 5, 22-05 -- Day 2: 5, 26-01 -- Day 3: 5, 22-02

14. Drew Benton -- Blakely, GA -- 15, 70-02 -- 87 -- $10,000
Day 1: 5, 20-15 -- Day 2: 5, 26-00 -- Day 3: 5, 23-03

15. Justin Atkins -- Florence, AL -- 15, 69-04 -- 86 -- $10,000
Day 1: 5, 22-04 -- Day 2: 5, 23-06 -- Day 3: 5, 23-10

16. David Mullins -- Mt Carmel, TN -- 15, 69-02 -- 85 -- $10,000
Day 1: 5, 21-08 -- Day 2: 5, 23-03 -- Day 3: 5, 24-07

17. Matt Robertson -- Kuttawa, KY -- 15, 69-02 -- 84 -- $10,000
Day 1: 5, 23-14 -- Day 2: 5, 23-03 -- Day 3: 5, 22-01

18. Kenta Kimura -- Osaka, JAPAN -- 15, 69-01 -- 83 -- $10,000
Day 1: 5, 22-15 -- Day 2: 5, 22-11 -- Day 3: 5, 23-07

19. Derek Hudnall -- Denham Springs, LA -- 15, 68-14 -- 82 -- $10,000
Day 1: 5, 25-02 -- Day 2: 5, 20-04 -- Day 3: 5, 23-08

20. Hunter Shryock -- Ooltewah, TN -- 15, 68-11 -- 81 -- $10,000
Day 1: 5, 20-13 -- Day 2: 5, 23-10 -- Day 3: 5, 24-04

21. Jason Christie -- Park Hill, OK -- 15, 68-10 -- 80 -- $10,000
Day 1: 5, 23-06 -- Day 2: 5, 23-07 -- Day 3: 5, 21-13

22. Drew Cook -- Cairo, GA -- 15, 67-10 -- 79 -- $10,000
Day 1: 5, 19-06 -- Day 2: 5, 27-06 -- Day 3: 5, 20-14

23. Jeff Gustafson -- Keewatin, ON -- 15. 67-01 -- 78 -- $10,000
Day 1: 5, 22-07 -- Day 2: 5, 24-02 -- Day 3: 5, 20-08

24. Kyle Welcher -- Opelika, AL -- 15, 67-01 -- 77 -- $11,000
Day 1: 5, 22-01 -- Day 2: 5, 23-10 -- Day 3: 5, 21-06

25. Brandon Palaniuk -- Rathdrum, ID -- 15, 66-14 -- 76 -- $10,000
Day 1: 5, 25-03 -- Day 2: 5, 21-03 -- Day 3: 5, 20-08

26. Alex Redwine -- Blue Ash, OH -- 15, 66-10 -- 75 -- $10,000
Day 1: 5, 23-04 -- Day 2: 5, 22-03 -- Day 3: 5, 21-03

27. Jacob Foutz -- Charleston, TN -- 15, 66-05 -- 74 -- $10,000
Day 1: 5, 27-15 -- Day 2: 5, 20-02 -- Day 3: 5, 18-04

28. KJ Queen -- Catawba, NC -- 15, 66-01 -- 73 -- $10,000
Day 1: 5, 23-01 -- Day 2: 5, 22-08 -- Day 3: 5, 20-08

29. Lee Livesay -- Longview, TX -- 15, 65-11 -- 72 -- $10,000
Day 1: 5, 21-15 -- Day 2: 5, 24-02 -- Day 3: 5, 19-10

30. Koby Kreiger -- Alva, FL -- 15, 65-09 -- 71 -- $10,000
Day 1: 5, 25-07 -- Day 2: 5, 22-05 -- Day 3: 5, 17-13

31. Luke Palmer -- Coalgate, OK -- 15, 65-03 -- 70 -- $10,000
Day 1: 5, 21-09 -- Day 2: 5, 20-08 -- Day 3: 5, 23-02

32. Brandon Lester -- Fayetteville, TN -- 15, 65-01 -- 69 -- $10,000
Day 1: 5, 19-10 -- Day 2: 5, 24-15 -- Day 3: 5, 20-08

33. Caleb Sumrall -- New Iberia, LA -- 15, 64-12 -- 68 -- $10,000
Day 1: 5, 21-11 -- Day 2: 5, 20-11 -- Day 3: 5, 22-06

34. Seth Feider -- New Market, MN -- 15, 64-08 -- 67 -- $10,000
Day 1: 5, 23-08 -- Day 2: 5, 18-06 -- Day 3: 5, 22-10

35. Masayuki Matsushita -- Tokoname-Shi, JAPAN -- 15, 64-06 -- 66 -- $10,000
Day 1: 5, 19-03 -- Day 2: 5, 22-07 -- Day 3: 5, 22-12

36. Todd Auten -- Lake Wylie, SC -- 15, 64-03 -- 65 -- $10,000
Day 1: 5, 22-08 -- Day 2: 5, 21-03 -- Day 3: 5, 20-08

37. Brock Mosley -- Collinsville, MS -- 15, 63-07 -- 64 -- $10,000
Day 1: 5, 22-09 -- Day 2: 5, 22-05 -- Day 3: 5, 18-09

38. Matt Arey -- Shelby, NC -- 15, 62-15 -- 63 -- $10,000
Day 1: 5, 19-13 -- Day 2: 5, 21-12 -- Day 3: 5, 21-06

39. Pat Schlapper -- Eleva, WI -- 15, 62-12 -- 62 -- $10,000
Day 1: 5, 23-02 -- Day 2: 5, 20-04 -- Day 3: 5, 19-06

40. Brandon Card -- Salisbury, NC -- 15, 62-10 -- 61 -- $10,000
Day 1: 5, 20-11 -- Day 2: 5, 21-15 -- Day 3: 5, 20-00

41. Chad Pipkens -- Dewitt, MI -- 15, 62-08 -- 60 -- $10,000
Day 1: 5, 21-10 -- Day 2: 5, 20-05 -- Day 3: 5, 20-09

42. Cody Huff -- Ava, MO -- 15, 61-04 -- 59 -- $10,000
Day 1: 5, 21-08 -- Day 2: 5, 21-05 -- Day 3: 5, 18-07

43. Jacob Powroznik -- North Prince George, VA 15 -- 60-10 -- 58 -- $10,000
Day 1: 5, 21-12 -- Day 2: 5, 19-15 -- Day 3: 5, 18-15

44. Jamie Hartman -- Newport, NY -- 15, 59-05 -- 57 -- $10,000
Day 1: 5, 21-07 -- Day 2: 5, 24-07 -- Day 3: 5, 13-07

45. Gerald Swindle -- Guntersville, AL -- 15, 58-10 -- 56 -- $10,000
Day 1: 5, 23-04 -- Day 2: 5, 21-07 -- Day 3: 5, 13-15

46. Bernie Schultz -- Gainesville, FL -- 15, 58-05 -- 55 -- $10,000
Day 1: 5, 20-09 -- Day 2: 5, 21-11 -- Day 3: 5, 16-01

47. Caleb Kuphall -- Mukwonago, WI -- 15, 56-15 -- 54 -- $10,000
Day 1: 5, 21-05 -- Day 2: 5, 23-10 -- Day 3: 5, 12-00

Big Bass

> Day 1 -- Kyle Welcher -- 6-12 -- $1,000
> Day 2 -- Stetson Blaylock -- 6-11 -- $1,000
> Day 3 -- Shane LeHew -- 6-11 -- $1,000