Monstrous Bag Propels Chapman Into Lead

By BassFan Staff

Reigning B.A.S.S. Angler of the Year Brent Chapman has had a lot of good days over the course of his 19-year pro career. Not many of them topped today.

"This one was definitely in the Top 5," the Kansan said after weighing a 23-05 sack on day 2 at the Alabama River Bassmaster Elite Series to take over the lead with a 41-01 total. It was one of those days when everything goes right.

"When you catch a 3.97-pound spotted bass and you can't cull with it, that's a good day."

Texan Alton Jones sacked 20-04 to climb 12 spots into 2nd with a 36-10 total. Edwin Evers moved up one spot to 3rd with a 17-12 bag for a 35-11 aggregate.

Paul Elias fell two positions to 4th with 34-05 after catching 16-01 today. Bobby Lane, who was tied for 4th after day 1, rounded out the Top 5 with 34-03 in the wake of a 16-04 stringer.

Here's how the Top 12 looks at the midway point, with red numbers in parentheses denoting deficit margin from the leader:

1. Brent Chapman: 41-01
2. Alton Jones: 36-10 (4-07)
3. Edwin Evers: 35-11 (5-06)
4. Paul Elias: 34-05 (6-12)
5. Bobby Lane: 34-03 (6-14)
6. John Murray: 32-10 (8-07)
7. Scott Ashmore: 32-08 (8-09)
8. Randy Howell: 31-14 (9-03)
9. Steve Kennedy: 31-13 (9-04)
10. Greg Vinson: 31-12 (9-05)
11. Davy Hite: 31-07 (9-10)
12. David Walker: 30-09 (10-08)

Conditions were pretty similar to day 1, with the exception of cloudier skies, and the weights (the bulging bags caught by Chapman and Jones notwithstanding) were down just slightly. Only nine of the 100 competitors failed to weigh a limit, compared with 10 short bags the previous day.

The Alabama continued to flow at a rapid rate and many of the best bags again came from the whitewater-laden tailrace of the Lake Jordan dam. Competitors who fished along the Tallapoosa River encountered a dramatically reduced current due to the upstream search for the body of the victim of a fatal kayaking accident. Some of those anglers were unable to get within several miles of the areas they accessed on day 1.

Half of the Top 12 turned over today, with Jones, Ashmore (17-08 on day 2), Kennedy (16-01), Vinson (17-13), Hite (15-09) and Walker (16-09) moving in. Departing were Jason Williamson (tied for 2nd to 22nd, 9-10), Shaw Grigsby (tied for 7th to 16th, 11-09), Kelley Jaye (tied for 7th to 76th, 3-05), Mike Iaconelli (9th to 23rd, 10-05), J. Todd Tucker (tied for 10th to 42nd, 8-13) and Mike McClelland (12th to 36th, 9-09).

The weather forecast for day 3 calls for similar conditions to today: scattered thunderstorms with a high temperature of 78 degrees and a west/southwest wind topping out around 7 mph.

The day-3 weigh-in will reduce the field to the Top 12, with the winner determined Sunday based on highest 4-day weight.

Chapman Loaded Up Quickly

> Day 2: 5, 23-05 (10, 41-01)

Chapman lost two good fish on day 1 that might've pushed his 17 3/4-pound stringer to over 20. He boated everything that bit today and blew well past that mark.

He handled about 15 keeper spots. The largest weighed 5-11 and the smallest he took to the scale was 4 pounds even.

"I had 20 or 21 pounds in the first hour," he said. "I managed to catch two more 4-pounders after that.

"I've got one little sweet spot, it's just a little eddy, but it seems to be replenishing. I figured out a key bait deal today that I think made a difference and got me a few more bites throughout the day. I don't want to say exactly what it was, but it has to do with Tightlines UV.

"I'd like to have at least 17 or 18 pounds tomorrow," he continued. "I think I've figured out how to catch them and put them all in the boat now."

He's fishing the Coosa River rapids just below the Jordan dam and hopes the water level remains high for the weekend.

"If I knew what that place looked like when the water was low, it'd freak me out."

2nd: Jones Bouncing Around

> Day 2: 5, 20-04 (10, 36-10)

Jones' weight was up by nearly 4 pounds over day 1.

"The key for me is just keeping my head down and fishing," he said. "I don't have a magic spot where I can just sit there and wail on them, but I do have a pattern that's producing better-than-average bites. I'm getting 10 to 12 bites a day and most of them are 3 pounds-plus.

"I can say that I'm fishing primarily with 50-pound braid and when I get a good one, I'm swinging it into the boat. The water's still so flooded up that I think there's a lot of fish I can't access, so I'm actually hoping it'll come down."

He's catching all spots and his biggest today was a 4 1/2-pounder.

"I missed a couple bites that I never got hooked up with and my biggest one, when I swung it in, it came off and bounced off the windshield and landed on the floor of the boat. I had another one close to 4 pounds stay on even though my rod was caught up in some vines.

"I'm hoping I can get at least 18 pounds tomorrow," he continued, "but I'll just have to keep catching one here and one there."

3rd: Slower Day for Evers

>Day 2: 5, 17-12 (10, 35-11)

Evers' sack was only 3 ounces lighter than his day-1 haul, but it took much longer to compile.

"It was a lot different today," he said. "Yesterday I caught them early, but today it was an all-day affair."

A 4-pounder was the biggest of the 10 keepers he landed and he caught quality fish on a couple of different baits. He's not fishing the rapids and thinks he'll have a chance to win if he maintains his present average.

"I'm going to try my hardest. They live here and it's just a matter of whether I can stumble across them."

4th: Elias Got Fewer Bites

> Day 2: 5, 16-01 (10, 34-05)

Another competitor had set up camp in Elias' primary locale this morning, so he couldn't fish the spot that produced almost all of his 18 pounds on day 1.

"That made it hard on me," he said. "I went over and fished it for a little while after he'd caught three or four, but I think that place is kind of wasted.

"It got slower on me. It was either because of (the difference in) the day and the current, or I'm running out of fish."

He managed just eight keepers, the biggest of which was close to 4 pounds. The only bite he lost was the first one of the day.

"It wrapped me up in a log and I couldn't feel the fish, so I ended up breaking my line and then it jumped three times. That one would've helped me another half or three-quarters of a pound.

"It seemed like the current was pushing a lot harder today – I lost a dozen jigs. You've got the eddy current and the regular river current, and the eddy was really pushing."

5th: Lane Having a Good Time

> Day 2: 5, 16-04 (10, 34-03

Lane is a bit out of his element pursuing current-dwelling spots, so he's thrilled with his performance thus far.

"Today I just scraped around and got a bite here and a bite there," he said. "I can't compete with 23 pounds, but because I'm not real familiar with spotted bass in a river system, I'm happy to be doing this well. It's been a lot of fun."

He caught his biggest spot ever today – a 5 1/2-pounder. He went through more than 20 keepers.

"I'll have to do everything I can to put together a gameplan for tomorrow. Some of the guys who were around me didn't make the cut, so maybe I'll have some more room and some big ones will show up and I'll catch them."

The lone blemish on his day was losing a 4-pounder on his third cast.

"I did everything right, but it just came unbuttoned. Other than that, everything was great."

72nd: Lousy Day for Lowen

> Day 2: 4, 6-01 (9, 22-04)

Bill Lowen plummeted 56 places in the standings as he caught just four keepers – and small ones at that.

"I just didn't get bit," he said. "I lost my first two bites this morning, both 2-pounders, and I lost a couple other ones I didn't see. It's just the nature of the beast.

"Most of the guys around me still caught them. I just missed the deal today."

He threw his signature model Tightlines UV tube on a 5/16-ounce weight.

"I basically fished the outside bends with as much current as I could stand. In practice just about every bite I got was 3 to 5 pounds and I caught a 7-pounder, which was my biggest spot ever. Yesterday I lost a 6 and a 5.

"I was getting the right bites, but I just didn't get them today."

Notable

> Day 2 stats – 100 anglers, 91 limits (1 more than day 1), 4 fours, 3 threes, 1 two, 1 zero (same as day 1).

Weather Forecast

> Sat., May 11 – Scattered T-Storms - 78°/59°
- Wind: From the W/SW at 7 mph

> Sun., May 12 – Mostly Sunny - 79°/49°
- Wind: From the N/NW at 12 mph

Day 2 Standings

1. Brent Chapman -- Lake Quivira, KS -- 10, 41-01 -- 100
Day 1: 5, 17-12 -- Day 2: 5, 23-05

2. Alton Jones -- Lorena, TX -- 10, 36-10 -- 99
Day 1: 5, 16-06 -- Day 2: 5, 20-04

3. Edwin Evers -- Talala, OK -- 10, 35-11 -- 98
Day 1: 5, 17-15 -- Day 2: 5, 17-12

4. Paul Elias -- Laurel, MS -- 10, 34-05 -- 97
Day 1: 5, 18-04 -- Day 2: 5, 16-01

5. Bobby Lane -- Lakeland, FL -- 10, 34-03 -- 96
Day 1: 5, 17-15 -- Day 2: 5, 16-04

6. John Murray -- Phoenix, AZ -- 10, 32-10 -- 95
Day 1: 5, 18-09 -- Day 2: 5, 14-01

7. Scott Ashmore -- Broken Arrow, OK -- 10, 32-08 -- 94
Day 1: 5, 15-00 -- Day 2: 5, 17-08

8. Randy Howell -- Springville, AL -- 10, 31-14 -- 93
Day 1: 5, 17-00 -- Day 2: 5, 14-14

9. Steve Kennedy -- Auburn, AL -- 10, 31-13 -- 92
Day 1: 5, 15-12 -- Day 2: 5, 16-01

10. Greg Vinson -- Wetumpka, AL -- 10, 31-12 -- 91
Day 1: 5, 13-15 -- Day 2: 5, 17-13

11. Davy Hite -- Ninety Six, SC -- 10, 31-07 -- 90
Day 1: 5, 15-14 -- Day 2: 5, 15-09

12. David Walker -- Sevierville, TN -- 10, 30-09 -- 89
Day 1: 5, 14-00 -- Day 2: 5, 16-09

13. Dean Rojas -- Lake Havasu City, AZ -- 10, 30-06 -- 88
Day 1: 5, 16-02 -- Day 2: 5, 14-04

14. Hank Cherry -- Maiden, NC -- 10, 30-02 -- 87
Day 1: 5, 15-02 -- Day 2: 5, 15-00

15. Jared Miller -- Norman, OK -- 10, 29-15 -- 86
Day 1: 5, 13-03 -- Day 2: 5, 16-12

16. Shaw E Grigsby Jr. -- Gainesville, FL -- 10, 29-00 -- 85
Day 1: 5, 17-07 -- Day 2: 5, 11-09

17. John Crews -- Salem, VA -- 10, 28-09 -- 84
Day 1: 5, 12-03 -- Day 2: 5, 16-06

18. Jami Fralick -- Martin, SD -- 10, 28-08 -- 83
Day 1: 5, 14-07 -- Day 2: 5, 14-01

19. Aaron Martens -- Leeds, AL -- 10, 28-04 -- 82
Day 1: 5, 15-15 -- Day 2: 5, 12-05

20. Marty Robinson -- Lyman, SC -- 10, 28-01 -- 81
Day 1: 5, 13-14 -- Day 2: 5, 14-03

21. Tommy Biffle -- Wagoner, OK -- 10, 27-15 -- 80
Day 1: 5, 11-09 -- Day 2: 5, 16-06

22. Jason Williamson -- Aiken, SC -- 10, 27-14 -- 79
Day 1: 5, 18-04 -- Day 2: 5, 09-10

23. Michael Iaconelli -- Pitts Grove, NJ -- 10, 27-10 -- 78
Day 1: 5, 17-05 -- Day 2: 5, 10-05

24. Matt Reed -- Madisonville, TX -- 10, 27-07 -- 77
Day 1: 5, 14-11 -- Day 2: 5, 12-12

25. Keith Combs -- Huntington, TX -- 10, 27-04 -- 76
Day 1: 5, 15-01 -- Day 2: 5, 12-03

26. Skeet Reese -- Auburn, CA -- 10, 27-03 -- 75
Day 1: 5, 15-04 -- Day 2: 5, 11-15

27. Jamie Horton -- Centerville, AL -- 10, 27-02 -- 74
Day 1: 5, 11-06 -- Day 2: 5, 15-12

28. Yusuke Miyazaki -- Forney, TX -- 10, 26-14 -- 73
Day 1: 5, 15-09 -- Day 2: 5, 11-05

29. Kenyon Hill -- Norman, OK -- 10, 26-12 -- 72
Day 1: 5, 09-06 -- Day 2: 5, 17-06

30. Kevin VanDam -- Kalamazoo, MI -- 10, 26-12 -- 71
Day 1: 5, 12-07 -- Day 2: 5, 14-05

31. Ish Monroe -- Hughson, CA -- 10, 26-09 -- 70
Day 1: 5, 12-14 -- Day 2: 5, 13-11

32. Chris Lane -- Guntersville, AL -- 10, 26-08 -- 69
Day 1: 5, 13-06 -- Day 2: 5, 13-02

33. Terry Scroggins -- San Mateo, FL -- 10, 26-07 -- 68
Day 1: 5, 15-11 -- Day 2: 5, 10-12

34. Billy McCaghren -- Mayflower, AR -- 10, 26-06 -- 67
Day 1: 5, 13-04 -- Day 2: 5, 13-02

35. Casey Scanlon -- Lenexa, KS -- 10, 26-05 -- 66
Day 1: 5, 16-05 -- Day 2: 5, 10-00

36. Mike McClelland -- Bella Vista, AR -- 10, 26-04 -- 65
Day 1: 5, 16-11 -- Day 2: 5, 09-09

37. Jonathon VanDam -- Kalamazoo, MI -- 10, 26-03 -- 64
Day 1: 5, 15-02 -- Day 2: 5, 11-01

38. Britt Myers -- Lake Wylie, SC -- 10, 26-02 -- 63
Day 1: 5, 16-10 -- Day 2: 5, 09-08

39. Jason Quinn -- Lake Wylie, SC -- 10, 26-02 -- 62
Day 1: 5, 10-01 -- Day 2: 5, 16-01

40. Andy Montgomery -- Blacksburg, SC -- 10, 26-02 -- 61
Day 1: 5, 10-07 -- Day 2: 5, 15-11

41. Chris Zaldain -- San Jose, CA -- 10, 26-01 -- 60
Day 1: 5, 14-09 -- Day 2: 5, 11-08

42. J Todd Tucker -- Moultrie, GA -- 10, 25-13 -- 59
Day 1: 5, 17-00 -- Day 2: 5, 08-13

43. Cliff Crochet -- Pierre Part, LA -- 10, 25-13 -- 58
Day 1: 5, 14-09 -- Day 2: 5, 11-04

44. Boyd Duckett -- Demopolis, AL -- 10, 25-13 -- 57
Day 1: 5, 13-02 -- Day 2: 5, 12-11

45. Clark Reehm -- Shreveport, LA -- 10, 25-11 -- 56
Day 1: 5, 08-09 -- Day 2: 5, 17-02

46. Bernie Schultz -- Gainesville, FL -- 10, 25-09 -- 55
Day 1: 5, 10-10 -- Day 2: 5, 14-15

47. Matt Herren -- Trussville, AL -- 10, 25-09 -- 54
Day 1: 5, 14-02 -- Day 2: 5, 11-07

48. Jeremy Starks -- Scott Depot, WV -- 10, 25-09 -- 53
Day 1: 5, 12-08 -- Day 2: 5, 13-01

49. Russ Lane -- Prattville, AL -- 10, 25-07 -- 52
Day 1: 5, 13-12 -- Day 2: 5, 11-11

50. Chad Pipkens -- Holt, MI -- 10, 25-02 -- 51
Day 1: 5, 12-10 -- Day 2: 5, 12-08

The following anglers did not make the cut and will not fish on day 3.

51. Rick Morris -- Lake Gaston, VA -- 10, 24-14 -- 50
Day 1: 5, 12-01 -- Day 2: 5, 12-13

52. Greg Hackney -- Gonzales, LA -- 10, 24-13 -- 49
Day 1: 5, 15-11 -- Day 2: 5, 09-02

53. Gerald Swindle -- Warrior, AL -- 10, 24-12 -- 48
Day 1: 5, 13-10 -- Day 2: 5, 11-02

54. Todd Faircloth -- Jasper, TX -- 10, 24-11 -- 47
Day 1: 5, 13-06 -- Day 2: 5, 11-05

55. Morizo Shimizu -- Osaka, Japan -- 10, 24-11 -- 46
Day 1: 5, 12-14 -- Day 2: 5, 11-13

56. Derek Remitz -- Grant, AL -- 10, 24-01 -- 45
Day 1: 5, 16-00 -- Day 2: 5, 08-01

57. Brian Snowden -- Reeds Spring, MO -- 10, 23-15 -- 44
Day 1: 5, 10-08 -- Day 2: 5, 13-07

58. Jeff Kriet -- Ardmore, OK -- 10, 23-14 -- 43
Day 1: 5, 09-02 -- Day 2: 5, 14-12

59. Dennis Tietje -- Roanoke, LA -- 10, 23-13 -- 42
Day 1: 5, 08-03 -- Day 2: 5, 15-10

60. Kevin Ledoux -- Choctaw, OK -- 10, 23-09 -- 41
Day 1: 5, 16-06 -- Day 2: 5, 07-03

61. Takahiro Omori -- Emory, TX -- 10, 23-09 -- 40
Day 1: 5, 13-02 -- Day 2: 5, 10-07

62. Ott DeFoe -- Knoxville, TN -- 10, 23-08 -- 39
Day 1: 5, 05-15 -- Day 2: 5, 17-09

63. Gary Klein -- Weatherford, TX -- 10, 23-08 -- 38
Day 1: 5, 08-06 -- Day 2: 5, 15-02

64. Kelly Jordon -- Palestine, TX -- 10, 23-04 -- 37
Day 1: 5, 13-00 -- Day 2: 5, 10-04

65. Stephen Browning -- Hot Springs, AR -- 10, 23-03 -- 36
Day 1: 5, 08-07 -- Day 2: 5, 14-12

66. Cliff Prince -- Palatka, FL -- 10, 23-03 -- 35
Day 1: 5, 10-04 -- Day 2: 5, 12-15

67. Rick Clunn -- Ava, MO -- 10, 23-02 -- 34
Day 1: 5, 11-14 -- Day 2: 5, 11-04

68. Mark Davis -- Mount Ida, AR -- 10, 23-02 -- 33
Day 1: 5, 11-08 -- Day 2: 5, 11-10

69. Timmy Horton -- Muscle Shoals, AL -- 10, 23-01 -- 32
Day 1: 5, 10-04 -- Day 2: 5, 12-13

70. Keith Poche -- Pike Road, AL -- 10, 22-13 -- 31
Day 1: 5, 14-03 -- Day 2: 5, 08-10

71. Kevin Short -- Mayflower, AR -- 10, 22-07 -- 30
Day 1: 5, 09-08 -- Day 2: 5, 12-15

72. Bill Lowen -- Brookville, IN -- 9, 22-04 -- 29
Day 1: 5, 16-03 -- Day 2: 4, 06-01

73. Fred Roumbanis -- Bixby, OK -- 10, 22-03 -- 28
Day 1: 5, 10-04 -- Day 2: 5, 11-15

74. Casey D Ashley -- Donalds, SC -- 10, 22-00 -- 27
Day 1: 5, 12-03 -- Day 2: 5, 09-13

75. Kotaro Kiriyama -- Moody, AL -- 9, 21-01 -- 26
Day 1: 4, 07-03 -- Day 2: 5, 13-14

76. Kelley Jaye -- Dadeville, AL -- 7, 20-12 -- 25
Day 1: 5, 17-07 -- Day 2: 2, 03-05

77. Kevin Hawk -- Guntersville, AL -- 10, 20-12 -- 24
Day 1: 5, 12-02 -- Day 2: 5, 08-10

78. Scott Rook -- Little Rock, AR -- 8, 20-10 -- 23
Day 1: 3, 07-11 -- Day 2: 5, 12-15

79. Brandon Palaniuk -- Rathdrum, ID -- 10, 19-15 -- 22
Day 1: 5, 08-06 -- Day 2: 5, 11-09

80. Bradley Roy -- Lancaster, KY -- 10, 19-08 -- 21
Day 1: 5, 08-10 -- Day 2: 5, 10-14

81. James Niggemeyer -- Van, TX -- 10, 19-07 -- 20
Day 1: 5, 10-05 -- Day 2: 5, 09-02

82. Jared Lintner -- Arroyo Grande, CA -- 8, 19-05 -- 19
Day 1: 3, 04-15 -- Day 2: 5, 14-06

83. Chip Porche -- Bixby, OK -- 9, 18-15 -- 18
Day 1: 4, 06-13 -- Day 2: 5, 12-02

84. Michael Simonton -- Fremont, OH -- 9, 17-15 -- 17
Day 1: 5, 10-08 -- Day 2: 4, 07-07

85. Matt Greenblatt -- Port St Lucie, FL -- 10, 17-14 -- 16
Day 1: 5, 10-14 -- Day 2: 5, 07-00

86. Charlie Hartley -- Grove City, OH -- 9, 17-12 -- 15
Day 1: 4, 04-07 -- Day 2: 5, 13-05

87. Zell Rowland -- Montgomery, TX -- 9, 17-05 -- 14
Day 1: 5, 11-02 -- Day 2: 4, 06-03

88. Kurt Dove -- Del Rio, TX -- 8, 17-03 -- 13
Day 1: 5, 12-03 -- Day 2: 3, 05-00

89. Fletcher Shryock -- Newcomerstown, OH -- 10, 17-00 -- 12
Day 1: 5, 09-05 -- Day 2: 5, 07-11

90. Nate Wellman -- Newaygo, MI -- 10, 16-15 -- 11
Day 1: 5, 09-04 -- Day 2: 5, 07-11

91. James Elam -- Tulsa, OK -- 8, 16-03 -- 10
Day 1: 3, 05-07 -- Day 2: 5, 10-12

92. Jason Christie -- Park Hill, OK -- 10, 16-01 -- 9
Day 1: 5, 10-04 -- Day 2: 5, 05-13

93. Brandon Card -- Caryville, TN -- 10, 15-09 -- 8
Day 1: 5, 08-09 -- Day 2: 5, 07-00

94. Clifford Pirch -- Payson, AZ -- 9, 15-07 -- 7
Day 1: 5, 11-07 -- Day 2: 4, 04-00

95. Cliff Pace -- Petal, MS -- 10, 15-04 -- 6
Day 1: 5, 09-10 -- Day 2: 5, 05-10

96. Pete Ponds -- Madison, MS -- 10, 15-02 -- 5
Day 1: 5, 05-00 -- Day 2: 5, 10-02

97. BJ Haseotes -- Centerville, MA -- 6, 10-12 -- 4
Day 1: 1, 02-04 -- Day 2: 5, 08-08

98. Josh Bertrand -- Gilbert, AZ -- 6, 09-12 -- 3
Day 1: 3, 06-10 -- Day 2: 3, 03-02

99. Grant Goldbeck -- Boerne, TX -- 6, 08-07 -- 2
Day 1: 3, 03-08 -- Day 2: 3, 04-15

100. David Smith -- Del City, OK -- 0, 00-00 -- 0
Day 1: 0, 00-00 -- Day 2: 0, 00-00

Big Bass

Day 2: Brent Chapman -- 5-11
Day 1: Kelly Jordon -- 6-04