By John Johnson
BassFan Senior Editor

Carl Jocumsen caught a 3 1/2-pounder on his final flip of day 3 at the Santee Cooper Lakes Bassmaster Elite Series. That one still left him a fish short of his limit, but it was enough to propel him back into the top slot that he occupied after day 1.

"I made it back (to check-in) with 15 seconds to spare," said the native of Australia who's pursuing his second Elite Series win in as many seasons. "The waves were the biggest I've ever seen on a lake – 4 feet at the minimum. It was ridiculous."

With a 50-10 total, he'll start the final day with a 13-ounce advantage over 2nd-place Austin Felix, who weighed 17-02 for a 49-13 aggregate. Brandon Palaniuk, the day-2 leader, dropped to 3rd with 49-07 after his limit registered just 9-09.

Veteran Bernie Schultz advanced to the final day for the first time since he was 6th at the Chesapeake Bay in 2015 with a 17-13 haul for a 47-15 total that left him in 4th. Canadian Cory Johnston locked up his fifth straight finish of 13th or better as he boxed a 15-03 bag – he's in 5th with 47-00.

The bottom half of the Top 10 who'll return to the water for day 4 is comprised of David Mullins with 46-12 (16-13 on day 3), rookie Destin DeMarion with 45-14 (17-15), Jeff Gustafson with 45-04 (three fish for 9-14), Derek Hudnall with 44-13 (two fish for 9-03) and Bill Lowen with 42-13 (13-10).

DeMarion's sack was tops for the day. Mullins took big-bass honors with a 7-07.

Angler of the Year points leader Clark Wendlandt, who began the day in 10th, slipped to 17 with a four-fish, 9-10 effort. Nonetheless, it was another strong finish that'll keep him in firm control of the race.

The powerful wind and cloudy (and sometimes rainy) conditions were a stark change from the previous 2 days and appeared to toughen up the bite as 16 of the 40 competitors failed to weigh a limit. Multiple thunderstorms are in the forecast for day 4, although the wind is expected to lighten up considerably.

The schooling area where Jocumsen had caught three quality fish on day 1 and another on day 2 was totally unproductive on day 3.



B.A.S.S./Seigo Saito
Photo: B.A.S.S./Seigo Saito

Austin Felix climbed four places to 2nd with a 17-02 bag.

"There still there just swimming around, but they're not blowing up on anything," he said. "At any moment they could school and I could catch a couple of giants, so I'll go back tomorrow to keep things honest."

He said the strong wind and lack of sun was a hindrance to his mat-punching program. He's not likely to see much of the sun at all on day 4.

"I might have to mix things up and make some adjustments to try to make it happen tomorrow. I'll go out there and punch my heart out and try to get those big bites to happen."

Felix continued to exploit a deep hole on a narrow point next to the main river channel – all five fish he took to the scale on day 3 came from there.

He said the spot is perhaps two casts in length and the water depth ranges from 10 to 16 feet.

"I have to shift around depending on the wind; I can't just sit in one place and cast," he said. "There's a bunch of brush and stuff all around it and it's kind of a thoroughfare. I think I've got fish coming and going."

He went through eight keepers, the biggest of which was a 4-pounder. He has no idea how the location might be impacted if it rains hard on day 4.

"I think it'll affect me less than the guys fishing shallow," he said. "I just hope there's five more decent ones up there that will bite."

Palaniuk lost a quality fish that ate a swimbait early in the morning. That turned out to be his only better-than-average opportunity.

"I never had a big punch bite," he said. "The weather seemed to affect everything – it made it slow all the way around."

He doesn't plan any alterations to his game plan for day 4 even though his bag was only about half the weight of the one he'd caught the previous day.

"The problem is that I don't have anything to change up to. I don't know what else to do to have a shot to win other than what I've already been doing. I don't have another area to run to.

"I'm hoping the weather pushes some big ones into the areas I'm fishing and that I can capitalize on the bites if I get them. I know there's the potential for 30 pounds in the area by the number of 6-pounders that have been caught in there. It's a matter of whether one guy can get all those bites in one day."

Notable

> Day 3 stats – 40 anglers, 26 limits, 4 fours, 7 threes, 4 twos, 1 one.

Weather Forecast

> Sun., Oct. 11 – Thunderstorms - 83°/68°
- Wind: From the S at 5 to 10 mph

Day 3 Standings

1. Carl Jocumsen -- Queensland, AUS – 14, 50-10 -- 100
Day 1: 5, 25-08 -- Day 2: 5, 12-07 -- Day 3: 4, 12-11

2. Austin Felix -- Eden Prairie, MN -- 15, 49-13 -- 99
Day 1: 5, 20-09 -- Day 2: 5, 12-02 -- Day 3: 5, 17-02

3. Brandon Palaniuk -- Rathdrum, ID -- 15, 49-07 -- 98
Day 1: 5, 21-01 -- Day 2: 5, 18-13 -- Day 3: 5, 09-09

4. Bernie Schultz -- Gainesville, FL -- 15, 47-15 -- 97
Day 1: 5, 12-08 -- Day 2: 5, 17-10 -- Day 3: 5, 17-13

5. Cory Johnston -- Cavan, ON-- 15, 47-00 -- 96
Day 1: 5, 17-07 -- Day 2: 5, 14-06 -- Day 3: 5, 15-03

6. David Mullins -- Mt Carmel, TN -- 15, 46-12 -- 95
Day 1: 5, 18-06 -- Day 2: 5, 11-09 -- Day 3: 5, 16-13

7. Destin DeMarion -- Grove City, PA -- 15, 45-14 -- 94
Day 1: 5, 12-00 -- Day 2: 5, 15-15 -- Day 3: 5, 17-15

8. Jeff Gustafson -- Keewatin, ON -- 12, 45-04 -- 93
Day 1: 4, 12-15 -- Day 2: 5, 22-07 -- Day 3: 3, 09-14

9. Derek Hudnall -- Denham Springs, LA -- 12, 44-13 -- 92
Day 1: 5, 15-11 -- Day 2: 5, 19-15 -- Day 3: 2, 09-03

10. Bill Lowen -- Brookville, IN -- 15, 42-13 -- 91
Day 1: 5, 15-00 -- Day 2: 5, 14-03 -- Day 3: 5, 13-10

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

11. Patrick Walters -- Summerville, SC -- 15, 42-13 -- 90 -- $12,000
Day 1: 5, 14-02 -- Day 2: 5, 14-02 -- Day 3: 5, 14-09

12. Drew Cook -- Cairo, GA -- 15, 42-08 -- 89 -- $12,000
Day 1: 5, 11-05 -- Day 2: 5, 14-01 -- Day 3: 5, 17-02

13. Steve Kennedy -- Auburn, AL -- 13, 42-03 -- 88 -- $12,000
Day 1: 5, 18-01 -- Day 2: 5, 16-04 -- Day 3: 3, 07-14

14. Frank Talley -- Temple, TX -- 15, 42-02 -- 87 -- $12,000
Day 1: 5, 19-08 -- Day 2: 5, 12-08 -- Day 3: 5, 10-02

15. Matt Herren -- Ashville, AL -- 15, 41-15 -- 86 -- $12,000
Day 1: 5, 11-04 -- Day 2: 5, 16-08 -- Day 3: 5, 14-03

16. Jake Whitaker -- Fairview, NC -- 15, 41-15 -- 85 -- $10,000
Day 1: 5, 14-01 -- Day 2: 5, 14-11 -- Day 3: 5, 13-03

17. Clark Wendlandt -- Leander, TX -- 14, 41-10 -- 84 -- $10,000
Day 1: 5, 13-08 -- Day 2: 5, 18-08 -- Day 3: 4, 09-10

18. Luke Palmer -- Coalgate, OK -- 14, 41-08 -- 83 -- $10,000
Day 1: 5, 13-15 -- Day 2: 5, 18-11 -- Day 3: 4, 08-14

19. Brett Preuett -- Monroe, LA -- 15, 41-08 -- 82 -- $10,000
Day 1: 5, 17-10 -- Day 2: 5, 09-10 -- Day 3: 5, 14-04

20. Drew Benton -- Blakely, GA -- 15, 41-07 -- 81 -- $10,000
Day 1: 5, 13-11 -- Day 2: 5, 11-13 -- Day 3: 5, 15-15

21. Brandon Lester -- Fayetteville, TN -- 15, 41-00 -- 80 -- $10,000
Day 1: 5, 10-09 -- Day 2: 5, 14-14 -- Day 3: 5, 15-09

22. John Cox -- Debary, FL -- 15, 40-00 -- 79 -- $10,000
Day 1: 5, 09-09 -- Day 2: 5, 18-00 -- Day 3: 5, 12-07

23. Tyler Rivet -- Raceland, LA -- 15, 38-09 -- 78 -- $10,000
Day 1: 5, 10-11 -- Day 2: 5, 17-08 -- Day 3: 5, 10-06

24. Randy Sullivan -- Breckenridge, TX -- 15, 38-07 -- 77 -- $10,000
Day 1: 5, 15-07 -- Day 2: 5, 12-03 -- Day 3: 5, 10-13

25. Hank Cherry Jr -- Lincolnton, NC -- 15, 38-04 -- 76 -- $10,000
Day 1: 5, 15-03 -- Day 2: 5, 11-10 -- Day 3: 5, 11-07

26. Mike Huff -- Corbin, KY -- 13, 37-04 -- 75 -- $10,000
Day 1: 4, 07-13 -- Day 2: 4, 16-08 -- Day 3: 5, 12-15

27. Koby Kreiger -- Alva, FL -- 15, 37-04 -- 74 -- $10,000
Day 1: 5, 12-11 -- Day 2: 5, 13-04 -- Day 3: 5, 11-05

28. Randy Pierson -- Oakdale, CA -- 15, 36-10 -- 73 -- $10,000
Day 1: 5, 14-07 -- Day 2: 5, 11-11 -- Day 3: 5, 10-08

29. Hunter Shryock -- Newcomerstown, OH -- 13, 36-05 -- 72 -- $10,000
Day 1: 5, 17-03 -- Day 2: 5, 15-01 -- Day 3: 3, 04-01

30. Caleb Sumrall -- New Iberia, LA -- 13, 35-10 -- 71 -- $10,000
Day 1: 5, 13-11 -- Day 2: 5, 16-11 -- Day 3: 3, 05-04

31. Clifford Pirch -- Payson, AZ -- 15, 35-05 -- 70 -- $10,000
Day 1: 5, 12-10 -- Day 2: 5, 12-02 -- Day 3: 5, 10-09

32. Kyle Welcher -- Opelika, AL -- 13, 34-14 -- 69 -- $10,000
Day 1: 5, 13-11 -- Day 2: 5, 14-12 -- Day 3: 3, 06-07

33. Paul Mueller -- Naugatuck, CT -- 13, 34-06 -- 68 -- $10,000
Day 1: 5, 10-00 -- Day 2: 5, 16-01 -- Day 3: 3, 08-05

34. Clent Davis -- Montevallo, AL -- 15, 33-11 -- 67 -- $10,000
Day 1: 5, 13-02 -- Day 2: 5, 11-02 -- Day 3: 5, 09-07

35. Brandon Card -- Salisbury, NC -- 10, 33-03 -- 66 -- $10,000
Day 1: 3, 14-07 -- Day 2: 5, 14-08 -- Day 3: 2, 04-04

36. Chad Morgenthaler -- Reeds Spring, MO -- 12, 32-08 -- 65 -- $10,000
Day 1: 4, 16-02 -- Day 2: 5, 09-13 -- Day 3: 3, 06-09

37. Buddy Gross -- Chickamauga, GA -- 11, 31-15 -- 64 -- $10,000
Day 1: 5, 16-12 -- Day 2: 4, 10-09 -- Day 3: 2, 04-10

38. Chris Zaldain -- Fort Worth, TX -- 10, 30-11 -- 63 -- $10,000
Day 1: 3, 12-10 -- Day 2: 4, 11-08 -- Day 3: 3, 06-09

39. Brad Whatley -- Bivins, TX -- 12, 29-12 -- 62 -- $10,000
Day 1: 5, 12-01 -- Day 2: 5, 12-14 -- Day 3: 2, 04-13

40. John Crews Jr -- Salem, VA -- 10, 28-01 -- 61 -- $10,000
Day 1: 5, 10-06 -- Day 2: 4, 15-00 -- Day 3: 1, 02-11