Kennedy Finds The Green Fish, Leads With 17-12

A shortened practice certainly didn't hinder Steve Kennedy on day 1 of the Bassmaster Memorial Major at New York's Oneida Lake.

The Alabamian flew home from Buffalo after the Erie/Niagara Bassmaster Elite Series to bury his 94-year-old grandmother on Monday. His pre-fish at Oneida this week amounted to only 8 hours.

Nonetheless, he caught a 17-12 bag of largemouths that put him atop the leaderboard after opening day. He leads by 1-13 over 2nd-place Kelly Jordon of Texas, who weighed 15-15.

Florida's Chris Lane is 3rd with 15-11. Arkansas' Mike McClelland (15-09) and Texan Dean Rojas (15-08) complete the Top 5.

Here's the rest of the current Top 12:

6. Dave Wolak: 15-04
7. John Crews: 15-01
8. Jared Lintner: 15-00
9. Denny Brauer: 14-13
10. Randy Howell: 14-10
11. Takahiro Omori: 14-09
12. John Murray: 14-07

The majoirty of the leaders had at least a smattering of green in their bags. The day featured bluebird skies and just a light wind, which might have rendered most of the larger smallmouths inactive.

Kennedy has a substantial lead, but the numbers are extremely tight the rest of the way down the board – less than 3 pounds separate 2nd place from 29th, and you have to go all the way down to 48th to find somebody who's more than 3 pounds out of 12th. And remember, there are only 51 anglers in the field.

Clouds are in the forecast for tomorrow, and weights likely won't drop off much if the smallmouth cooperate.

Those who survive the cut to 12 tomorrow will advance to fish the six-hole course at Lake Onondaga on Saturday. Only the Top 6 will fish Sunday, and the winner will be determined by highest combined weight over the final 2 days.

Extra Incentive for Kennedy

Kennedy would love to win this event in memory of his grandmother.

"Without her, I wouldn't be where I am today," he said. "She gave me a lot of support all the way through college."

He began the day fishing for smallmouths, but didn't have much success.

"I only caught two on my first stop, and that made it easy to go fish for largemouths. After that I went looking for other smallmouth places for tomorrow and I caught another limit of fish, but none of them helped me."

He caught 12 largemouths and seven smallmouths for the day. His all-green bag contained a 5-pounder and two 4s.

"I'm kind of concerned because I got some lucky bites. I really didn't expect to catch those big ones.

"I expected a limit of 3s, but that didn't happen. Everything I caught was either big or little."

He thinks he'll need about 12 1/2 pounds tomorrow to lock up his spot in the Top 12. He'll start out in his largemouth areas.

"I'll focus on them a little more in the morning, and if I don't catch them, I'll go find some smallmouths. There are so many (bronzebacks) out there that you can catch them just about anywhere you go."

2nd: Jordon Gets Big Bites

Jordon's mixed bag was headed by a 4-12 largemouth. He had one other green one that went about 3 pounds.

"I fished specific stuff for both smallmouths and largemouths, and I was fortunate enough to get some big bites," he said. "I went out to catch a 15- or 16-pound stringer and I got it, although it wasn't quite the way I expected.

"I thought I'd catch five 3-pounders, and then maybe throw a 4-pound kicker in there. I ended up weighing one that was 2-07, but my big one was closer to 5 (than 4)."

He had all of his weight by about 10:30 and practiced the rest of the day, but didn't find anything special. He should be safe if he can catch 15 pounds tomorrow.

"I think I'm around enough fish to do it."

3rd: Lane Shifts Gears

Lane dropshotted a Gambler Gambler Giggy Finesse Snake to catch a limit of smallmouths, then went to flipping a Gambler Ugly Otter in pursuit of largemouths. He only caught one green fish that helped him.

"My goal was three largemouths and two smallmouths," he said. "I thought I could get a couple of 4-pound bites after I started flipping, but I only got one."

He went through 30 keepers on the day, the biggest of which was a 3 1/2-pound smallmouth.

"I think I'll stay on my smallmouth a little bit longer tomorrow and try to key in on getting 15 pounds of them. I've got one area that I'll milk a little bit more, and then save about an hour to flip."

He hopes for even less wind than today.

"If it totally lays down, I think some big fish will come up schooling in there."

4th: McClelland Started on Largemouths

McClelland came across a good largemouth area on the final day of practice and fished there today for about the first 3 hours. He ended up weighing three largemouths and two smallmouths.

"I found an area that's holding a few (largemouths), and I was able to catch them on a 1/2-ounce Jewel Football Jig," he said. "I think I threw back a couple of small keepers there because I wasn't even thinking about the 12-inch limit, but it didn't matter because the first smallmouth I caught was a 2-pounder."

He thinks his only chance for a Top 12 is to bring in another mixed bag. The two largemouths he caught today weighed 4-04 and 3-02.

"I don't know if (the largemouths) will replenish or not, and I don't know if it's a big group or just a few, but I've got to go try it. I might be able to catch a 14- or 15-pound bag of smallmouths if we get a little bit of wind. Today was a little slick."

An identical bag tomorrow would suit him just fine.

"I think 15 1/2 would probably get me there (into the Top 12), but I'd be more comfortable if I could snake out a 16."

51st: Small Fish for Ish

Like every other angler in the field, California's Ish Monroe caught a limit. But his weighed just 9-01 and he's in last place.

"The sad part is that I culled up several times just to get that," he said. "I had an okay practice and I thought I could catch 14 or 15 pounds and have the opportunity for a big one, but they just didn't bite.

"The areas where I'd gotten decent bites, I didn't get any bites at all. After that I just started running around and scrambling."

He's not too concerned about tomorrow.

"I'll just go fishing and have fun. This is one of those deals where if you don't catch them the first day, you really have to have a giant sack on the second day (to make a check).

"Thank God we're not fishing for points."

Notable

> Day 1 stats – 51 anglers, 51 limits.

> Kennedy's grandmother, Gladys Kennedy, suffered internal injuries in an auto accident on July 6 (she was driving) and had been hospitalized ever since. "Her condition was up and down and up and down over the last few weeks," he said. "More than anything, she did not want to go into a nursing home, and she didn't have to do that."

> Dean Rojas (5th) caught all largemouths today, but might fish for smallmouths tomorrow. "It's supposed to be cloudy and rainy, and I caught them good under those conditions in practice. We'll just play it by ear and see how the day progresses."

> John Crews (7th) also weighed all largemouths, including a 4-pounder. "I mainly stayed with them because it was sunny and relatively calm. I think there's five more of them in the areas I'm fishing, but it'll be a matter of getting the bites."

> Jared Lintner (8th) caught an early limit of smallmouths that weighed about 12 1/2 pounds, then fished for largemouths from 11:00 on and ended up culling four of his bronzebacks. "All my fish were almost exactly the same size – my biggest was just a little over 3 (pounds). I'm a little bit freaked out because I stayed in a couple of areas longer than I probably should have (and thus hooked fish that might've helped him tomorrow). I kept thinking there had to be a 4-pounder in there, but that bite never came."

> Denny Brauer (9th with four largemouths and a smallmouth) will have to find some new water tomorrow. "I totally trashed the place where I fished today. I'll have to start practicing again and hope I get the right bites."

> John Murray (12th) is on the cut position thanks to a 4 1/2-pound largemouth. "That one made my day – the rest were all 2 1/2-pounders. I caught it flipping a Yamamoto tube, but I didn't catch much else that way."

Weather Forecast

Here's the weather forecast for the remaining tournament days:

> Fri., July 27 – P.M. T-Storms – 82°/67°
- Wind: From the S/SW at 9 mph

> Sat., July 28 – Scattered T-Storms – 82°/65°
- Wind: From the W/SW at 5 mph

> Sun., July 29 – Showers – 85°/65°
- Wind: From the N/NE at 7 mph

Day 1 Standings

1. Steve Kennedy -- Auburn, Ala. -- 5, 17-12
Day 1: 5, 17-12

2. Kelly Jordon -- Mineola, Texas -- 5, 15-15
Day 1: 5, 15-15

3. Chris Lane -- Winter Haven, Fla. -- 5, 15-11
Day 1: 5, 15-11

4. Mike McClelland -- Bella Vista, Ark. -- 5, 15-09
Day 1: 5, 15-09

5. Dean Rojas -- Grand Saline, Texas -- 5, 15-08
Day 1: 5, 15-08

6. Dave Wolak -- Wake Forest, N.C. -- 5, 15-04
Day 1: 5, 15-04

7. John Crews -- Salem, Va. -- 5, 15-01
Day 1: 5, 15-01

8. Jared Lintner -- Arroyo Grande, Calif. -- 5, 15-00
Day 1: 5, 15-0

9. Denny Brauer -- Camdenton, Mo. -- 5, 14-13
Day 1: 5, 14-13

10. Randy Howell -- Springville, Ala. -- 5, 14-10
Day 1: 5, 14-1

11. Takahiro Omori -- Emory, Texas -- 5, 14-09
Day 1: 5, 14-09

12. John Murray -- Phoenix, Ariz. -- 5, 14-07
Day 1: 5, 14-07

13. Jason Quinn -- Lake Wylie, S.C. -- 5, 14-06
Day 1: 5, 14-06
13. Aaron Martens -- Leeds, Ala. -- 5, 14-06
Day 1: 5, 14-06
15. Stephen Browning -- Hot Springs, Ark. -- 5, 14-04
Day 1: 5, 14-04
16. Mark Tyler -- Vian, Okla. -- 5, 14-01
Day 1: 5, 14-01
16. Mike Wurm -- Hot Springs, Ark. -- 5, 14-01
Day 1: 5, 14-01
18. Michael Iaconelli -- Runnemede, N.J. -- 5, 14-00
Day 1: 5, 14-0
19. Peter E Thliveros -- Jacksonville, Fla. -- 5, 13-13
Day 1: 5, 13-13
20. Russ Lane -- Prattville, Ala. -- 5, 13-12
Day 1: 5, 13-12
21. Greg Hackney -- Gonzales, La. -- 5, 13-09
Day 1: 5, 13-09
22. Bill Lowen -- North Bend, Ohio -- 5, 13-08
Day 1: 5, 13-08
22. Kevin VanDam -- Kalamazoo, Mich. -- 5, 13-08
Day 1: 5, 13-08
24. Tommy Biffle -- Wagoner, Okla. -- 5, 13-07
Day 1: 5, 13-07
25. Davy Hite -- Ninety Six, S.C. -- 5, 13-05
Day 1: 5, 13-05
26. Kevin Wirth -- Crestwood, Ky. -- 5, 13-04
Day 1: 5, 13-04
27. Jeff Kriet -- Ardmore, Okla. -- 5, 13-03
Day 1: 5, 13-03
27. Terry Scroggins -- San Mateo, Fla. -- 5, 13-03
Day 1: 5, 13-03
29. Timmy Horton -- Muscle Shoals, Ala. -- 5, 13-02
Day 1: 5, 13-02
30. Boyd Duckett -- Demopolis, Ala. -- 5, 12-14
Day 1: 5, 12-14
31. Edwin Evers -- Talala, Okla. -- 5, 12-13
Day 1: 5, 12-13
32. Todd Faircloth -- Jasper, Texas -- 5, 12-12
Day 1: 5, 12-12
32. Skeet Reese -- Auburn, Calif. -- 5, 12-12
Day 1: 5, 12-12
34. Alton Jones -- Waco, Texas -- 5, 12-08
Day 1: 5, 12-08
34. Fred Roumbanis -- Auburn, Calif. -- 5, 12-08
Day 1: 5, 12-08
36. Shaw E Grigsby, Jr -- Gainesville, Fla. -- 5, 12-05
Day 1: 5, 12-05
36. Gary Klein -- Weatherford, Texas -- 5, 12-05
Day 1: 5, 12-05
36. Scott Rook -- Little Rock, Ark. -- 5, 12-05
Day 1: 5, 12-05
39. Ray Sedgwick -- Cross, S.C. -- 5, 12-04
Day 1: 5, 12-04
40. Kotaro Kiriyama -- Moody, Ala. -- 5, 12-02
Day 1: 5, 12-02
41. Brent Chapman -- Lake Quivira, Kan. -- 5, 11-15
Day 1: 5, 11-15
42. Mark Tucker -- Saint Louis, Mo. -- 5, 11-13
Day 1: 5, 11-13
43. Yusuke Miyazaki -- Mineola, Texas -- 5, 11-12
Day 1: 5, 11-12
43. Jeff Reynolds -- Idabel, Okla. -- 5, 11-12
Day 1: 5, 11-12
45. Derek Remitz -- Madison, Ala. -- 5, 11-11
Day 1: 5, 11-11
45. Kevin Short -- Mayflower, Ark. -- 5, 11-11
Day 1: 5, 11-11
45. Gerald Swindle -- Warrior, Ala. -- 5, 11-11
Day 1: 5, 11-11
48. Kenyon Hill -- Norman, Okla. -- 5, 11-08
Day 1: 5, 11-08
49. Mark Menendez -- Paducah, Ky. -- 5, 10-08
Day 1: 5, 10-08
50. Matt Reed -- Madisonville, Texas -- 5, 9-12
Day 1: 5, 9-12
51. Ishama Monroe -- Hughson, Calif. -- 5, 9-01
Day 1: 5, 9-01

Big Bass

Day 1: Steve Kennedy -- Auburn, Ala. -- 5-01 -- $1,000