Gagliardi Leads Soggy Day 1 With 17 Pounds

If it keeps raining at the Atchafalaya Basin FLW, the pros can just leave their tow vehicles parked and drive their boats to the ramp. Today they fished in a relentless downpour, and the bites were just as unpredictable and tough as expected.

But that also means that weights are tightly grouped all the way down the standings, so fortunes could change quite a bit tomorrow.

Still, "somebody always catches them" and today it was South Carolina's Anthony Gagliardi, who leads with a limit of 17-01. In 2nd is Wisconsin's Tom Monsoor with five for 16-06, followed by Cody Bird of Texas with a limit going 15-13. Indiana's Shad Schenck is in 4th with five for 14-10, and rounding out the Top 5 is Californian Fred Roumbanis with a 14-08 limit.

Brennan Bosley of Arkansas sits in the cut spot (10th) with 13-10, but there's less than 2 pounds between 10th and 29th (tie between Tony Christian and John Kitchens at 11-11).

Gagliardi Got Five and Left

Gagliardi got five in what he considered to be his back-up area. "It's the same place I fished last year," he said. "I found them there again last Wednesday (he's been here 7 days), the first place I stopped. I got four bites there (in practice) and left."

This morning he had planned to make the long run to Lake Verret where he'd found a few canals that held fish, but "5 minutes before blastoff I decided to go the other way and check these (closer) fish," he said. "That's the first time I've acted on a gut hunch like that. I got there and at 8:00 I caught one about 5 1/2 pounds, so I just stayed. I got my fifth keeper at 1:30 and left."

He's flipping a homemade black/blue 1/4-ounce jig on 20-pound P-Line Fluorocarbon. Why the light bait? "There's grass there, mixed hydrilla and coontail moss, but there's this slick slime stuff on it. The heavier jigs get gooped up on every cast."

Tomorrow he'll start there again. "I may not get a limit there, but if I can get a couple of good ones I may leave," he said. "I'm shooting for at least 10 pounds tomorrow. The cut will be maybe 25 pounds or so. I have a longer day by about an hour tomorrow, so that will help."

> Nobody came into his area today, but he "could hear them running" nearby.

Monsoor Swimming In Fish

Today Monsoor waded through 15-16 keepers (14-inch minimum size) to cull up to a limit of 16-06 and 2nd place. Most of the fish were only 14-15 inches, and he covered a bunch of water. "It was just one here, one there," he said. "I haven't found any stacked up, but I got three good ones at the end of the day.

"I was swimming a jig of my own design," he said. "I've spent 20 years getting this thing exactly right. It has to be balanced or it won't swim right." The skirted homemade jig is 1/4-ounce with a thin, sharp hook and a light weedguard. The line tie is in the nose, and "it comes through grass really well. I'm fishing it with a Yamamoto grub." The skirt is a custom color he calls his "Louisiana color."

He said he's been practicing for 2 weeks and found 4-5 good areas. "Two I caught fish in today, and two I didn't," he noted. Tomorrow he plans to swim his jigs again and "just go fishing."

> He likes the Yamamoto grubs because, like the Senko, after about 5 minutes in the water they get slimy. "I love how they get that slimy feel," he said. "Fish really clamp down on them when they feel that."

Bird Dogs Them

Bird landed five for 15-13 and 3rd place today using a prototype bait that he designed for Kicker Fish Bait Co. "It's a creature bait, kind of like a Brush Hog, that I came up with," he said. "We're thinking of calling it the Bird Dog. I had 40 of them when I went down to (Okeechobee), but I only have about a dozen left."

One of those dozen was responsible for a 5 1/2-pounder with 10-15 minutes to go. He caught five more keepers today, a few on a jig. "I just went fishing," he said. "The place I caught them had a little clearer water, but the bites were real light, kind of mushy. I missed a couple that I didn't feel soon enough."

He was surprised, but relieved, that he didn't have any company in the area. "Any pressure at all will hurt me there. I hope nobody comes in there tomorrow." He estimates he'll need 10 pounds (25 pounds total) to make the Top 10 cut.

Pack Boats a Giant

Texas pro Mark Pack landed a whopper weighing 8 pounds even to take big fish honors today. That's way bigger than the biggest fish of the tournament last year (5-14). "I caught her on a Lake Fork Tackle Craw Tube with a 1-ounce tungsten Screw-Lock Mega-Weight flipping grass on a point," he said. "It was mixed dollar pads and hydrilla. She hit around 2:30 p.m. and I was due in at 3 p.m."

He caught four fish today, only two of which were keepers (10-10, good for 36th place). "They started biting late," he noted. "My friend John Tanner (5 fish, 13-04, 16th place) is fishing the same lure nearby, and when I left he only had three fish, so he got at least two more before he had to go (he was due in at 4:20 p.m.). I'm in the last flight tomorrow, so that will help me," he added. "I think I'll get a limit tomorrow doing the same thing in the same area.

"There were a lot of zeros today," he noted. "I practiced 6 days. The guys who had a short practice could easily miss them. With the high pressure they could fish right through a bunch of fish and not get a bite, and not know they're there."

Hackney Making a Long Run

Greg Hackney ran over an hour to get to the back of a remote lake to find his fish. He'd located some even farther away during his 2-day practice, but said he didn't think he'd have enough fishing time to go to them today. He caught four fish for 9-12 (46th place), but said, "I had a chance at them. I lost four good ones today. They were biting funny, like bedding fish, but I couldn't see them. Sometimes they'd hit so hard they'd knock slack in the line. Other times they'd just sit on it and I'd lift up on them. I just didn't stick them good somehow."

He's flipping a Wave Worm Crawdude (both sizes) in water that is fairly clear and getting clearer as the "black water" from the woods runs in. "I found these fish just yesterday, and I'll probably go back to them tomorrow," he said. "I caught a couple of 3-pounders that should have weighed only two pounds – they look like they're on steroids they're so healthy."

Two or three boats fished through where he is, but "they didn't seem to have much confidence. They just went through real fast and left."

Dudley's New Hole

David Dudley found a hole he didn't want to find today. Around 1:00, with three fish in the livewell, he was running down a canal he'd run dozens of times, and hit something. "I have no idea what it was," he said in the repair yard after the weigh-in. "I was lucky I was close to the launch and was able to limp in. It knocked a hole in the boat and they're putting on a new lower unit now."

He'd caught those three fish (7-13 for 57th place) before his day ended prematurely. "I was flipping reeds," he said. "I practiced 5 days, and the first day I found a place they were stacked up really good. I left them until today, but for some reason they weren't in there."

As for tomorrow, "I'm clueless. I'll just have to keep a positive attitude and put something together. I'm not sure what I'll do."

Notable

> Larry Nixon blanked but caught the heck out of flounder (go On Tour With him by clicking here) and rookie Bill McDonald fared the best of the BassFan Army reps. Click here to go On Tour With the Army, including co-angler Chris Koester.

> Day 1 stats – 200 anglers, 37 limits, 44 ones, 37 zeroes (18.5% of the field zeroed).

> About 38 more days of rain and everybody will need an Ark – but the limit is only two bass on those.

Weather Forecast

A river flood watch is in effect due to rain already on the ground plus 1-2 inches more expected through early Thursday morning. A break in the rain is expected Thursday afternoon and evening, but yet more rain is expected on Friday and Saturday. Here's the forecast from the Weather Channel:

Thurs, Feb 12 – Cloudy -- 57°/43°
> Wind: From the N at 13 mph

Fri, Feb 13 -- Few Showers -- 52°/40°
> Wind: From the N/NE at 12 mph

Sat, Feb 14 -- Showers -- 57°/39°
> Wind: From the NE at 5 mph

Day 1 Standings

1. Anthony Gagliardi -- Prosperity,Sc -- 5, 17-01
2. Tom Monsoor -- La Crosse,Wi -- 5, 16-06
3. Cody Bird -- Granbury,Tx -- 5, 15-13
4. Shad Schenck -- Waynetown,In -- 5, 14-10
5. Fred Roumbanis -- Auburn,Ca -- 5, 14-08
6. Gary Yamamoto -- Mineola,Tx -- 5, 14-06
7. Alvin Shaw -- State Road,Nc -- 5, 14-02
7. Kenneth Strickland -- Greensboro,Nc -- 5, 14-02
9. Steve Tosh -- Waterford,Ca -- 5, 14-01
10. Brennan Bosley -- Benton,Ar -- 5, 13-10
11. Randy Blaukat -- Lamar,Mo -- 5, 13-09
11. Dean Rojas -- Grand Saline,Tx -- 5, 13-09
11. Carl Svebek III -- Siloam Springs,Ar -- 5, 13-09
14. Mark Rose -- Marion,Ar -- 3, 13-07
15. Vic Vatalaro -- Kent,Oh -- 4, 13-05
16. Scott Martin -- Clewiston,Fl -- 5, 13-04
16. Mike Surman -- Boca Raton,Fl -- 5, 13-04
16. John Tanner -- Quitman,Tx -- 5, 13-04
19. Luke Foli -- Granger,In -- 5, 13-03
20. Darrel Robertson -- Jay,Ok -- 5, 13-01
21. Andre Moore -- Scottsdale,Az -- 5, 12-12
21. Ricky Shumpert -- Lexington,Sc -- 4, 12-12
23. Chris Baumgardner -- Gastonia,Nc -- 3, 12-09
23. Sam Swett -- Covington,La -- 5, 12-09
25. Tony Defilippo -- Lake Ann,Mi -- 5, 12-03
26. Takahiro Omori -- Emory,Tx -- 4, 11-15
27. Al Gagliarducci -- Agawam,Ma -- 5, 11-14
27. Jason Kilpatrick -- Satsuma,Al -- 5, 11-14
29. Tony Christian -- Hull,Ga -- 5, 11-11
29. John Kitchens -- Atlanta,Ga -- 5, 11-11
31. Koby Kreiger -- Okeechobee,Fl -- 5, 11-05
32. Greg Pugh -- Cullman,Al -- 4, 11-03
33. Jim Eakins -- Nixa,Mo -- 5, 11-02
34. Wes Thomas -- Hanover,In -- 4, 10-13
35. Shinichi Fukae -- Osaka Japan -- 5, 10-11
36. Mark Pack -- Mineola,Tx -- 2, 10-10
37. Lee Skipper -- Liberty Hill,Sc -- 4, 10-06
38. John Crews -- Jetersville,Va -- 5, 10-05
39. Tracy Adams -- Wilkesboro,Nc -- 5, 10-03
39. Jimmy Millsaps -- Canton,Ga -- 4, 10-03
41. Matt Herren -- Trussville,Al -- 5, 10-02
41. Dale Teaney -- Williamsburg,Oh -- 3, 10-02
43. Chad Grigsby -- Colon,Mi -- 5, 10-01
44. Bill Mcdonald -- Indianapolis,In -- 5, 9-15
45. Brent Chapman -- Shawnee,Ks -- 5, 9-14
46. Greg Hackney -- Gonzales,La -- 4, 9-13
47. Tom Burns -- Carbondale,Il -- 5, 9-11
48. Lendell Martin Jr. -- Nacogdoches,Tx -- 4, 9-09
49. David Cooke -- Mooresville,Nc -- 5, 9-03
49. Harmon Davis -- Marlow,Ok -- 5, 9-03
51. Chic Aydelette -- Thomasville,Nc -- 4, 9-00
52. David Lauer -- South Bend,In -- 4, 8-13
53. David Truax -- Beaumont,Tx -- 4, 8-06
54. Mark Goines -- Shady Point,Ok -- 4, 8-04
55. Kelly Jordon -- Mineola,Tx -- 4, 8-02
56. Mike Leblanc -- Colchester,Vt -- 4, 7-15
57. David Dudley -- Manteo,Nc -- 3, 7-13
57. Rick Lillegard -- Atkinson,Nh -- 3, 7-13
57. Sean Stickler -- Fort Lauderdale,Fl -- 3, 7-13
57. Jerry Williams -- Conway,Ar -- 3, 7-13
61. Charles King -- Shreveport,La -- 4, 7-12
62. Bobby Curtis -- Siloam Springs,Ar -- 3, 7-08
63. Guido Hibdon -- Gravois Mills,Mo -- 3, 7-04
63. Sandy Melvin -- Boca Grande,Fl -- 3, 7-04
65. Glenn Browne -- Ocala,Fl -- 3, 7-02
66. Sean Hoernke -- Euless,Tx -- 3, 7-01
67. Clark Wendlandt -- Cedar Park,Tx -- 3, 7-00
68. Lewis Denney -- Indian Mound,Tn -- 2, 6-15
68. Karen Savik -- St. Louis Park,Mn -- 3, 6-15
70. Billy Bowen Jr -- Ocala,Fl -- 3, 6-14
71. Donald Eaton -- Covington,Ga -- 4, 6-12
72. Dennis Magoto -- Waynesville,Oh -- 3, 6-11
73. Warren Wyman -- Calera,Al -- 3, 6-09
74. Dion Hibdon -- Stover,Mo -- 3, 6-04
74. Elton Luce Jr -- Brookeland,Tx -- 4, 6-04
74. Rusty Salewske -- Alpine,Ca -- 2, 6-04
77. Terry Bolton -- Paducah,Ky -- 3, 6-03
77. Paul Elias -- Pachuta,Ms -- 1, 6-03
77. Joel Richardson -- Kernersville,Nc -- 3, 6-03
80. Randy Alexander -- London,Ky -- 3, 5-15
81. Dwayne Horton -- Knoxville,Tn -- 3, 5-14
81. Jeffrey Thomas -- Broadway,Nc -- 3, 5-14
83. Terry Segraves -- Kissimmee,Fl -- 3, 5-12
83. Kevin Vida -- Clare,Mi -- 2, 5-12
85. Alton Jones -- Waco,Tx -- 3, 5-11
85. Tom Mann Jr -- Buford,Ga -- 1, 5-11
87. David Walker -- Sevierville,Tn -- 3, 5-09
88. Larry Barnes -- Alba,Tx -- 2, 5-07
89. Wesley Strader -- Spring City,Tn -- 2, 5-05
90. Jason Abram -- Chuckey,Tn -- 2, 5-04
90. Mike Hawkes -- Sabinal,Tx -- 3, 5-04
92. Curt Lytle -- Suffolk,Va -- 2, 4-15
92. Aaron Martens -- Castaic,Ca -- 2, 4-15
92. Willie White -- Powder Springs,Ga -- 2, 4-15
95. Dave Lefebre -- Union City,Pa -- 3, 4-12
95. Rick Taylor -- Holland,Mi -- 1, 4-12
97. Tim Klinger -- Boulder City,Nv -- 2, 4-11
98. Roger Crafton -- Boca Grande,Fl -- 2, 4-08
99. Jim Tutt -- Longview,Tx -- 2, 4-07
100. Ray Scheide -- Russellville,Ar -- 2, 4-06
100. Marcel Veenstra -- Brighton,Mi -- 1, 4-06
102. Luke Clausen -- Spokane,Wa -- 2, 4-04
102. Sam Newby -- Pocola,Ok -- 2, 4-04
102. Jacob Powroznik -- Prince George,Va -- 2, 4-04
102. Ricky Scott -- Van Buren,Ar -- 2, 4-04
102. Masaki Shimono -- Shiga--Pref,Japan,Jp -- 2, 4-04
107. Jim Carnell -- Muskogee,Ok -- 2, 4-03
107. Chip Harrison -- Bremen,In -- 2, 4-03
107. Morizo Shimizu -- Suita,Osaka Japan81,Jp -- 1, 4-03
110. Jack Bell -- Kane,Pa -- 1, 4-02
111. Tim Carroll -- Owasso,Ok -- 2, 4-01
111. Emily Shaffer -- Mount Juliet,Tn -- 2, 4-01
113. Mickey Bruce -- Buford,Ga -- 2, 4-00
113. Cecil Kingsley -- Lawrence,Ks -- 2, 4-00
115. Gary Bucciarelli -- Riverview,Mi -- 2, 3-14
115. Pat Fisher -- Dacula,Ga -- 1, 3-14
115. Jim Nolan -- Bull Shoals,Ar -- 1, 3-14
115. Tim Shmigal -- Akron,Oh -- 2, 3-14
119. Chris Cox -- Appleton,Wi -- 1, 3-12
120. Mark Hardin -- Canton,Ga -- 2, 3-11
120. Charlie Ingram -- Santa Fe,Tn -- 1, 3-11
120. Jim Moynagh -- Carver,Mn -- 1, 3-11
123. Nick Gainey -- Charleston,Sc -- 2, 3-10
123. Chris Mccall -- Jasper,Tx -- 2, 3-10
123. Ralph Petty -- Cleveland,Tn -- 2, 3-10
126. Jack Gadlage -- Benton,Ky -- 2, 3-07
127. Ron Figueroa -- Appling,Ga -- 1, 3-06
128. Lee Bailey Jr -- Amston,Ct -- 2, 3-05
129. Glenn Chappelear -- Acworth,Ga -- 1, 3-04
129. Craig Powers -- Rockwood,Tn -- 2, 3-04
131. Tony Couch -- Buckhead,Ga -- 1, 3-01
132. Jeff Evans -- Benton,Ky -- 1, 3-00
133. Ben Carroll -- Kissimmee,Fl -- 1, 2-15
134. Johnny Crase -- Lexington,Ky -- 1, 2-14
134. Troy Eakins -- Nixa,Mo -- 1, 2-14
136. John Murray -- Phoenix,Az -- 1, 2-13
137. Chet Reed -- Muskegon,Mi -- 1, 2-12
138. Wesley Burnett -- Hot Springs,Ar -- 1, 2-10
138. David Fritts -- Lexington,Nc -- 1, 2-10
140. Todd Auten -- Lake Wylie,Sc -- 1, 2-09
141. Jackie Davis -- Willard,Mo -- 1, 2-05
141. Dan Mansky -- Youngstown,Oh -- 1, 2-05
143. Rock Monteith -- Columbia,Sc -- 1, 2-04
144. Chris Elliott -- Gloucester,Nc -- 1, 2-03
144. James Key -- Troy,Al -- 1, 2-03
144. Gary Riffle -- Paris,Tx -- 1, 2-03
147. Byron Velvick -- Boulder City,Nv -- 1, 2-02
148. Gary Paris -- Emory,Tx -- 1, 2-00
148. Ron Wolfarth -- Locust,Nc -- 1, 2-00
150. Troy Thraen -- Old Hickory,Tn -- 1, 1-14
151. Tommy Biffle -- Wagoner,Ok -- 1, 1-13
151. Steve Kennedy -- Auburn,Al -- 1, 1-13
151. Rusty Trancygier -- Hahira,Ga -- 1, 1-13
154. Bill Chapman -- Salt Rock,Wv -- 1, 1-12
154. Al Little -- Greensboro,Nc -- 1, 1-12
154. Dan Morehead -- Paducah,Ky -- 1, 1-12
154. Kim Stricker -- Howell,Mi -- 1, 1-12
158. Eric Holt -- Galena,Mo -- 1, 1-11
158. Robert Karbas Jr -- Wake Forest,Nc 1
158. Rick Marsh -- High Point,Nc -- 1, 1-11
161. Mike Reynolds -- Modesto,Ca -- 1, 1-08
162. Tommy Williams -- Shepherdsville,Ky -- 2, 1-02
163. Tomohiro Usui -- Gifu,Japan -- 1, 0-13
164. Todd Ary -- Birmingham,Al -- 0, 0-00
164. Bob Bennett -- Chapin,Sc -- 0, 0-00
164. Michael Black -- Toledo,Il -- 0, 0-00
164. Jeff Carreker -- Stockbridge,Ga -- 0, 0-00
164. Allen Cauthen -- Lancaster,Sc -- 0, 0-00
164. Rick Clunn -- Ava,Mo -- 0, 0-00
164. George Cochran -- Hot Springs, Ar -- 0, 0-00
164. Steve Daniel -- Clewiston,Fl -- 0, 0-00
164. Chris Daniels -- Clayton,Nc -- 0, 0-00
164. Dale Evans -- Ridgeville,Sc -- 0, 0-00
164. David Givens -- Hernando,Fl -- 0, 0-00
164. Jerry Green -- Justiceburg,Tx -- 0, 0-00
164. Paul Hanley -- Hull,Ga -- 0, 0-00
164. Wayne Jeffcoat -- Chapin,Sc -- 0, 0-00
164. JT Kenney -- Frostburg,Md -- 0, 0-00
164. Rob Kilby -- Hot Springs, Ar -- 0, 0-00
164. Jeremiah Kindy -- Benton,Ar -- 0, 0-00
164. Glenn Miller -- Newborn,Ga -- 0, 0-00
164. Stanley Mitchell -- Fitzgerald,Ga -- 0, 0-00
164. Russ Moran -- Murfreesboro,Tn -- 0, 0-00
164. Andy Morgan -- Dayton,Tn -- 0, 0-00
164. Chad Morgenthaler -- Coulterville,Il -- 0, 0-00
164. Toshinari Namiki -- Jp -- 0, 0-00
164. Neil Nix -- Okeechobee,Fl -- 0, 0-00
164. Larry Nixon -- Bee Branch,Ar -- 0, 0-00
164. James Parker -- Fayetteville,Nc -- 0, 0-00
164. Robert Pearson -- Oak Hill,Va -- 0, 0-00
164. Bernie Schultz -- Gainesville,Fl -- 0, 0-00
164. David Smith -- Del City,Ok -- 0, 0-00
164. James Sprague -- Kansas City,Ks -- 0, 0-00
164. Rich Tauber -- Camarillo,Ca -- 0, 0-00
164. Craig Taylor -- Tallahassee,Fl -- 0, 0-00
164. Chris Wilkerson -- Livingston,Tx -- 0, 0-00
164. Alfred Williams -- Jackson,Ms -- 0, 0-00
164. Keith Williams -- Conway,Ar -- 0, 0-00
164. Ralph Wilson -- Warner Robins,Ga -- 0, 0-00
164. Mike Wurm -- Hot Springs,Ar -- 0, 0-00

Big Bass
> Day 1 -- Mark Pack -- Mineola, Texas -- 8-00 -- $750