Oklahoma pro Tim Carroll screamed out of the gates to take the opening-day lead at the Chevy Open (Murray FLW) near Columbia, S.C. His 28-01 limit

topped the field of 200 pros at this second event of the FLW Tour. True to pre-tournament predictions, a crankbait bite had developed after a cold snap hit the region last weekend. Carroll bucked that trend, though, and lugged a big bag of pre-spawn bass to the scales.

But he wasn't the only one to land a few lunkers. Just 1-03 behind him is local favorite Anthony Gagliardi in 2nd, whose limit weighed 26-14. Jay Yelas is 3rd with a limit of 26-08, Terry Segraves is 4th with five bass weighing 22-03, and Japanese angler Katsutoshi Furusawa is 5th with a limit of 21-11.

The rest of the Top 10 are:

6. Jeremiah Kindy: 5, 21-04
7. Terry Tucker: 5, 19-11
8. Bobby Lane: 5, 18-13
9. Steve Kennedy: 5, 18-11
10. David Fritts: 5, 18-09

The lake is 10 to 12 feet down from full pool which leaves many traditional spawning areas high and dry. With water temperatures around 50 degrees, bedding bass are not a factor, but having the water sucked out of all that shallow cover helps concentrate the pre-spawners out on the nearest breaklines and points.

The structure factor is even stronger since a weed-spraying project last fall removed virtually all of the green cover.

Weights are tight all the way down the board, and with the toads swimming in Lake Murray, tomorrow promises to be a big-time moving day.

Carroll Captures Lead

Carroll's first two fish of the day were big bites, as in 7- and 8-pound bites. But that's nothing compared to the three over 9 – including an 11 and another big one he shook off – that he found in practice.

"I'm having an absolute blast," he said. "If I don't catch another fish I've had a great time here. This place is unreal. This is one outstanding fishery.

"Anybody can pull up to the right spot and catch 25 pounds," he added. "They're grouped up in predictable places, with the construction on the dam and the way they're pulling the water. I think I need 14 or 15 pounds tomorrow to make the (Top 10) cut, but I might need more."

That'd be over 40 pounds, though he thinks the cut will be more like 37 pounds.

"My Lowrance locator showed me these fish," he noted. "I saw them in practice and thought they were stripers. I thought I'd just catch one for fun. I cast out there and one plowed it and took off and broke my line. I retied and threw out again and one plowed it again, and it was an 11-pound bass. The next one plowed it and I shook it off."

He went there today after his two early bites, once the sun got up higher. "I fished it for 25 minutes and was pretty much done for the day by 11:00," he said. "I have five places I want to fish in this tournament, and I fished only one today. My smallest fish was a 4-pounder."

Look out.



FLWOutdoors.com
Photo: FLWOutdoors.com

Local Anthony Gagliardi hasn't touched a lot of his stuff, which is scary.

Gagliardi Found Gang-Up

Gagliardi made just about everybody's Top 10 list, and he didn't disappoint today, claiming 2nd with 26-14. "I don't feel any pressure being the favorite," he said. "All my fishing friends know it's just as tough (a tournament) as any other. I probably put more pressure on myself."

Pressure from other competitors in his areas wasn't a problem either. "I've been seeing boats but I'm not sure how many are doing the same thing as I am," he noted.

"But I have a lot of other places where I feel like I'll be the only boat on it. I have a lot of options. One good thing about being a local is if you figure out something you can usually think of something similar." Which means it might be easy for him to duplicate the pattern.

He caught nine or 10 bass today, but most of them came from one spot. "It really didn't go as I expected it to today," he noted. "I didn't expect as many fish in one place as I got. I caught some others in other places that didn't help – they were around 2 1/2 pounds – but a limit of those tomorrow would probably be enough for me (to make the cut)."

He thinks that will be around 37 pounds.

"Ideally I'd like to make the cut comfortably," he added. "The last time the FLW Tour was here I missed it by one ounce."

Yelas: 3rd Biggest Bag Ever

Yelas caught a 26-08 limit to nab 3rd place today, and said it was the third-best limit he's weighed in 19 years of pro fishing. The sack puts him 1-09 off the lead.

"I just had a blessed day," he said. "I caught a 7 and an 8 1/2. It was fun. I didn't have many bites – just those five bass all day – but I'm fishing a big-fish technique that I learned at Sam Rayburn Lake (Texas) years ago. It just fits the cold-water conditions, and works once in a blue moon. That's all I really want to say about it right now."

He did say he's fishing shallow, though, and saw a lot of boats in his area. "I didn't see anybody doing what I'm doing, though," he added. "I had my limit fairly early and then kind of went pre-fishing but didn't have any more bites. That tells me I may have to put that down to catch enough to make the cut if this doesn't work tomorrow."

He hasn't made much noise since he won three of the sport's four major titles in 2002-03, but last year at the final Bassmaster Tour event at Table Rock he began to show signs of life again. "I've been a little streaky all my career," he noted. "I'd love to get on a little roll right before the Classic."

He's fishing what might be his last Bassmaster Classic later this month at West Lake Toho, having left the Bassmaster Tour to fish FLW only this year.

Lane Loving It

Bobby Lane had never been to Lake Murray before, but found it to his liking. He caught nine bass to cull up to an 18-13 limit and 8th place today.

"I caught six or seven cranking, another one or two on a jig, and one on a shakey-head worm," he said. "I was on a shallow bite in practice but that got worse and worse (as the cold weather settled in). I tried that for the first half of the day today, but then I got on a deep bite and caught a 5- or 6-pounder at my first stop."

Most of his fish were caught in 15 feet or so.

"Now I know what to look for," he noted. "I'll scout around and try to find more places like it tomorrow. I can eliminate that 4 or 5 hours I spent shallow today."

He was catching 40 fish a day in practice and even had found some spawning fish in near-60-degree water before last Saturday's cold front came through. "I didn't get one bite shallow today," he said. "That didn't help things any."

Still, he has a good chance to make the Top 10 cut if he can repeat today's weight.

Fritts Excited, But Frustrated

Although leader Carroll seems to think most of the Top 10 let up as he did to save fish for tomorrow, that wasn't the case for Fritts, who sits in the 10th-place cut spot with 18-09.

"I had to work real hard," he said. "This was the toughest day since I've been here. I caught eight or nine keepers, mostly winding, and one on a (Carolina) rig. I felt real good about this tournament, but every day the fish change. They moved up on me today. I couldn't get deep bites like I'd been getting. Today they were shallow to mid-depth."

The Crankbait King, as he's known, had found the fish taking the crankbait a certain way in practice that got him really excited. "If you don't crank a lot it might not mean much to you, but it's been so long since I've caught fish biting this way," he noted. "I think I'm one of the few who can really catch them when they do that, but I don't want to give away more than that.

"I kept wanting them to keep biting that way, but they changed on me," he added. "Tomorrow I won't be quite as hard-headed. I need another big bite tomorrow, and I have a shallow-water pattern up the river that's happening too.

"But if they get right again tomorrow, you could see a 30- or 35-pound bag."

Notable

> Day 1 stats – 200 anglers, 120 limits, 25 fours, 21 threes, 23 twos, 2 ones, 9 zeros.

> Crankbaits, Carolina rigs, jigs, worms and almost everything but topwaters were given credit at the weigh-in stand for catching fish today.

> FLW Outdoors said Carroll's 28-01 is tied for the fourth-heaviest limit in FLW Tour history – which also came from Lake Murray, in 2003.

> Carroll thinks the cut weight will go up tomorrow. Normally you double the 10th-place weight and then subtract a pound to estimate the cut weight, but here he thinks you should maybe add a pound instead.

> Yelas said Gagliardi is the man to beat. "They said he has 30 brushpiles out there but he only fished three today." Yowza.

> Danny Correia landed the big bass of the day, a 9-05 giant.

Weather Forecast

Here's the up-and-down, light-and-dark forecast from the Weather Channel. Temperatures will drop to near or below freezing every night, and winds will be moderate but enough to break up the surface and maybe energize the fish.

Thurs., Feb. 9 – AM Showers – 50°/28°
> Wind: From the N-NW at 10 mph

Fri., Feb. 10 – Mostly Sunny – 56°/39°
> Wind: From the SW at 10 mph

Sat., Feb. 11 – Rain / Snow Showers – 46°/29°
> Wind: From the West at 10 mph

Day 1 Standings

1. Tim Carroll -- Owasso, Ok -- 5, 28-01
2. Anthony Gagliardi -- Prosperity, Sc -- 5, 26-14
3. Jay Yelas -- Tyler, Tx -- 5, 26-08
4. Terry Segraves -- Kissimmee, Fl -- 5, 22-03
5. Katsutoshi Furusawa -- Tokyo Japan, Jp -- 5, 21-11
6. Jeremiah Kindy -- Benton, Ar -- 5, 21-04
7. Terry Tucker -- Gadsden, Al -- 5, 19-11
8. Bobby Lane -- Lakeland, Fl -- 5, 18-13
9. Steve Kennedy -- Auburn, Al -- 5, 18-11
10. David Fritts -- Lexington, Nc -- 5, 18-09
10. David Wolak -- Warrior Run, Pa -- 5, 18-09
12. Matt Herren -- Trussville, Al -- 5, 18-02
13. Clifford Pirch -- Payson, Az -- 5, 18-00
14. Ishama Monroe -- Hughson, Ca -- 5, 17-11
15. Jim Blake -- Lincoln, Ne -- 5, 17-01
15. Danny Correia -- Marlborough, Ma -- 2, 17-01
17. Bill Chapman -- Salt Rock, Wv -- 5, 16-11
18. Ralph Laster Jr -- Lees Summit, Mo -- 5, 16-07
19. David Smith -- Del City, Ok -- 5, 16-04
20. Art Berry -- Hemet, Ca -- 5, 16-02
21. Gabe Bolivar -- Ramona, Ca -- 5, 15-14
22. Jody Cordell -- Flowery Branch, Ga -- 5, 15-13
23. Kevin Lasyone -- Dry Prong, La -- 5, 15-08
24. George Jeane Jr -- Evans, La -- 5, 15-03
24. Jerry Williams -- Conway, Ar -- 5, 15-03
26. Mike Hawkes -- Sabinal, Tx -- 5, 15-02
27. Mark Davis -- Mount Ida, Ar -- 5, 15-01
27. Toshinari Namiki -- Mineola, Tx -- 5, 15-01
29. Rusty Trancygier -- Hahira, Ga -- 5, 15-00
30. Pierre Fortin -- Lady Lake, Fl -- 5, 14-15
30. Andre Moore -- Alabaster, Al -- 5, 14-15
32. Brent Ehrler -- Redlands, Ca -- 5, 14-11
33. Jerry Green -- Justiceburg, Tx -- 5, 14-07
34. Tom Monsoor -- La Crosse, Wi -- 5, 14-04
35. Andy Morgan -- Dayton, Tn -- 5, 14-02
36. Toby Hartsell -- Livingston, Tx -- 4, 14-01
36. Dean Rojas -- Lake Havasu City, Az -- 5, 14-01
38. Tony Couch -- Buckhead, Ga -- 5, 13-14
38. Carl Svebek Iii -- Siloam Springs, Ar -- 5, 13-14
40. Jim Moynagh -- Carver, Mn -- 5, 13-09
41. Jim Dillard -- West Monroe, La -- 5, 13-06
42. Jason Kilpatrick -- Satsuma, Al -- 4, 13-05
43. Larry Nixon -- Bee Branch, Ar -- 5, 13-03
44. Lee Skipper -- Lancaster, Sc -- 5, 12-15
45. Guido Hibdon -- Gravois Mills, Mo -- 5, 12-11
46. Michael Bennett -- Roseville, Ca -- 5, 12-08
46. R J Bennett -- Roseville, Ca -- 5, 12-08
48. Tim Klinger -- Boulder City, Nv -- 5, 12-07
49. Shinichi Fukae -- Mineola, Tx -- 5, 12-06
49. Wesley Strader -- Spring City, Tn -- 5, 12-06
49. Mike Wurm -- Hot Springs, Ar -- 5, 12-06
52. David Cooke -- Mooresville, Nc -- 5, 12-05
53. Tony Defilippo -- Lake Ann, Mi -- 5, 12-04
53. Mike Ellenstein -- Newburgh, In -- 5, 12-04
55. Al Gagliarducci -- Agawam, Ma -- 5, 12-03
55. Tee Watkins -- East Point, Ky -- 5, 12-03
55. Clark Wendlandt -- Leander, Tx -- 5, 12-03
58. Karen Savik -- St. Louis Park, Mn -- 5, 12-01
59. Sean Hoernke -- Magnolia, Tx -- 5, 11-15
60. Luke Clausen -- Spokane, Wa -- 5, 11-13
60. Aaron Hastings -- Middletown, Md -- 5, 11-13
60. Aaron Martens -- Leeds, Al -- 5, 11-13
60. Darrel Robertson -- Jay, Ok -- 5, 11-13
64. Todd Faircloth -- Jasper, Tx -- 5, 11-12
64. Al Little -- Greensboro, Nc -- 5, 11-12
66. Keith Pace -- Monticello, Ar -- 5, 11-11
67. Brent Chapman -- Lake Quivira, Ks -- 5, 11-09
67. Pat Fisher -- Buckhead, Ga -- 5, 11-09
67. Kim Stricker -- Howell, Mi -- 4, 11-09
70. Alton Jones -- Waco, Tx -- 5, 11-07
70. Joel Richardson -- Kernersville, Nc -- 5, 11-07
72. Chad Grigsby -- Maple Grove, Mn -- 4, 11-06
72. Vic Vatalaro -- Kent, Oh -- 5, 11-06
74. Brennan Bosley -- Benton, Ar -- 4, 11-05
75. David Walker -- Sevierville, Tn -- 5, 11-01
76. Nick Gainey -- Charleston, Sc -- 2, 11-00
77. Bill Stutzman -- Nampa, Id -- 3, 10-14
78. David Curtis -- Trinity, Tx -- 5, 10-13
79. Ray Scheide -- Russellville, Ar -- 5, 10-12
80. Gary Riffle -- Paris, Tx -- 5, 10-11
81. Tom Mann Jr -- Buford, Ga -- 5, 10-09
82. Takahiro Omori -- Emory, Tx -- 5, 10-08
83. Robert Sherry -- Saint Charles, Il -- 2, 10-05
84. Chic Aydelette -- Thomasville, Nc -- 4, 10-04
84. Thanh Le -- Davie, Fl -- 5, 10-04
86. Dave Lefebre -- Union City, Pa -- 5, 10-01
86. Sandy Melvin -- Boca Grande, Fl -- 5, 10-01
88. George Cochran -- Hot Springs, Ar -- 4, 9-12
89. Brian Hensley -- Edwardsburg, Mi -- 5, 9-11
90. Tracy Adams -- Wilkesboro, Nc -- 5, 9-08
90. Curt Lytle -- Zuni, Va -- 5, 9-08
92. Mark Goines -- Shady Point, Ok -- 5, 9-07
93. John Tanner -- Quitman, Tx -- 5, 9-06
94. J T Kenney -- Daytona Beach, Fl -- 3, 9-05
94. John Murray -- Phoenix, Az -- 5, 9-05
96. Zack Bull -- Memphis, Tn -- 5, 9-04
97. Dan Morehead -- Paducah, Ky -- 3, 9-03
97. Ricky Shumpert -- Lexington, Sc -- 3, 9-03
99. Dion Hibdon -- Stover, Mo -- 4, 9-01
100. David Young -- Mayfield, Ky -- 5, 9-00
101. Chris Mccall -- Jasper, Tx -- 5, 8-14
101. Stephen Tosh Jr -- Modesto, Ca -- 5, 8-14
101. Gary Yamamoto -- Mineola, Tx -- 5, 8-14
104. Mark Hardin -- Jasper, Ga -- 4, 8-13
104. Jason Knapp -- Uniontown, Pa -- 4, 8-13
106. Terry Bolton -- Paducah, Ky -- 5, 8-12
106. Chip Harrison -- Bremen, In -- 5, 8-12
106. Brad Wall -- Clarksville, Oh -- 3, 8-12
106. Warren Wyman -- Calera, Al -- 5, 8-12
110. Glenn Browne -- Ocala, Fl -- 5, 8-11
110. Kevin Vida -- Clare, Mi -- 5, 8-11
112. Rob Kilby -- Hot Springs, Ar -- 5, 8-09
113. Nick Grebb -- Maumelle, Ar -- 5, 8-08
114. Rock Monteith -- Columbia, Sc -- 5, 8-06
115. Cody Bird -- Granbury, Tx -- 5, 8-05
115. Dwayne Horton -- Knoxville, Tn -- 5, 8-05
115. Koby Kreiger -- Okeechobee, Fl -- 5, 8-05
115. Barrett Moss -- Somerset, Ky -- 3, 8-05
119. Bobby Curtis -- Siloam Springs, Ar -- 4, 8-04
119. John Sappington -- Willard, Mo -- 5, 8-04
121. Kevin Long -- Berkley, Mi -- 5, 8-03
121. Sam Swett -- Covington, La -- 5, 8-03
123. Wayne Jeffcoat -- Chapin, Sc -- 2, 8-02
124. James Quillman -- Dallas, Tx -- 2, 8-01
125. Alvin Shaw -- State Road, Nc -- 3, 8-00
126. Art Ferguson Iii -- St. Clair Shores, Mi -- 5, 7-15
126. Mark Rose -- Marion, Ar -- 5, 7-15
128. Jason Abram -- Chuckey, Tn -- 5, 7-13
129. Lewis Denney -- Indian Mound, Tn -- 5, 7-12
129. David Dudley -- Lynchburg, Va -- 5, 7-12
129. Cecil Kingsley -- Lawrence, Ks -- 4, 7-12
129. Craig Powers -- Rockwood, Tn -- 4, 7-12
133. Zell Rowland -- Montgomery, Tx -- 5, 7-10
133. Mike Surman -- Boca Raton, Fl -- 3, 7-10
135. Dale Evans -- Ridgeville, Sc -- 4, 7-09
135. Mark Fann -- Clewiston, Fl -- 5, 7-09
137. Randy Morris -- Garfield, Ar -- 5, 7-08
138. Jonathan Newton -- Rogersville, Al -- 5, 7-06
139. Ramie Colson Jr -- Cadiz, Ky -- 5, 7-05
139. Jack Gadlage -- Benton, Ky -- 2, 7-05
141. Jimmy Millsaps -- Canton, Ga -- 4, 7-04
142. Harmon Davis -- Marlow, Ok -- 5, 7-03
142. Sam Newby -- Pocola, Ok -- 2, 7-03
144. Fred Roumbanis -- Auburn, Ca -- 5, 7-02
144. Scott Suggs -- Bryant, Ar -- 5, 7-02
146. Chris Elliott -- Beaufort, Nc -- 5, 7-01
146. Pete Gluszek -- Franklinville, Nj -- 5, 7-01
148. Richard Lowitzki -- St Charles, Il -- 5, 6-15
149. Clint Johanson -- Benton City, Wa -- 3, 6-14
150. Billy Schroeder -- Paducah, Ky -- 2, 6-12
151. Bill Mcdonald -- Indianapolis, In -- 3, 6-10
152. Jacob Powroznik -- Prince George, Va -- 4, 6-09
153. Tommy Biffle -- Wagoner, Ok -- 5, 6-04
153. John Crews -- Salem, Va -- 4, 6-04
155. Todd Ary -- Moody, Al -- 5, 6-01
155. Keith Williams -- Conway, Ar -- 3, 6-01
157. James Parker -- Fayetteville, Nc -- 3, 5-15
157. Robert Pearson -- Herndon, Va -- 3, 5-15
159. John Peters -- Boynton Beach, Fl -- 4, 5-14
160. Emily Shaffer -- Mount Juliet, Tn -- 3, 5-13
161. Mike Leblanc -- Colchester, Vt -- 4, 5-10
161. Rich Tauber -- Camarillo, Ca -- 4, 5-10
163. David Lauer -- South Bend, In -- 3, 5-09
164. Greg Pugh -- Cullman, Al -- 2, 5-08
164. Nate Wellman -- Jenison, Mi -- 4, 5-08
166. Jim Tutt -- Longview, Tx -- 4, 5-06
167. Ken Wick -- Star, Id -- 4, 5-03
168. Chris Cox -- Appleton, Wi -- 3, 5-00
168. Asa Godsey -- Clewiston, Fl -- 4, 5-00
170. Wes Thomas -- Hanover, In -- 3, 4-15
171. Kelly Jordon -- Mineola, Tx -- 2, 4-14
172. Scott Martin -- Clewiston, Fl -- 3, 4-13
173. Charles Cummings -- Leeds, Al -- 2, 4-11
174. Yancy Windham -- Gordo, Al -- 2, 4-09
175. Glenn Chappelear -- Acworth, Ga -- 2, 4-08
176. Randy Blaukat -- Lamar, Mo -- 1, 4-07
177. Dale Teaney -- Williamsburg, Oh -- 3, 4-05
178. William Davis -- Russellville, Al -- 2, 4-04
178. Chad Morgenthaler -- Coulterville, Il -- 3, 4-04
180. Charles King -- Shreveport, La -- 2, 3-15
181. Allen Cauthen -- Lancaster, Sc -- 3, 3-14
181. Marcus Clouse -- Las Vegas, Nv -- 4, 3-14
181. Lendell Martin Jr -- Nacogdoches, Tx -- 2, 3-14
184. Chris Baumgardner -- Gastonia, Nc -- 2, 3-12
185. Jeffrey Thomas -- Broadway, Nc -- 2, 3-09
186. Neil Nix -- Okeechobee, Fl -- 2, 3-07
187. Rick Marsh -- High Point, Nc -- 2, 3-02
188. William Drown -- Roseland, Fl -- 2, 2-15
189. Derek Jones -- Chicago, Il -- 2, 2-03
190. Sean Minderman -- Spokane, Wa -- 2, 1-14
191. Scott Dobson -- Clarkston, Mi -- 1, 1-07
Roger Crafton -- Boca Grande, Fl -- 0, 0-00
Robert Karbas Jr -- Wake Forest, Nc -- 0, 0-00
Chuck Medley -- Owens Cross Roads, Al -- 0, 0-00
Craig Melton -- Lawrenceburg, Tn -- 0, 0-00
Mark Pack -- Mineola, Tx -- 0, 0-00
Shad Schenck -- Waynetown, In -- 0, 0-00
Craig Taylor -- Tallahassee, Fl -- 0, 0-00
Alfred Williams -- Jackson, Ms -- 0, 0-00
Steve Wilson -- Lufkin, Tx -- 0, 0-00

Big Bass

> Day 1: Danny Correia -- Marlborough, Ma -- 9-05 -- $750