Livesay Leads With 1 Day To Go

By Sean Ostruszka
Special to BassFan

If you catch a limit every day, and every day the size of that limit grows, you’re probably going to succeed. Do it in a tournament in which limits are scarce, then you’re Lee Livesay and you’ll find yourself in the lead.

While the majority of the Bassmaster Elite Series pros struggled to even get bites, let alone limits, on a stingy Lake Chickamauga, Livesay is one of only three pros who has caught a limit all 3 days. No surprise, the other two – Stetson Blaylock and Jake Whitaker – find themselves in 2nd and 4th, respectively. But what makes Livesay stand out is how he’s managed to increase his weight every day.

He started with 13-00, then 13-03 before cracking 16-13 to leapfrog Blaylock for the lead with 43-00, and he’s doing the majority of his damage from one key area. Meanwhile, Blaylock barely managed to catch his five to hang in contention with 41-01.

The big eye-popper of the day was Mike Huff, though. After only catching three fish for 6-12 the first day, he brought in the second-largest bag of the event on day 3 (19-01) to jump into 3rd with 38-00. And then there’s Whitaker, who’s late flurry off docks has him in 4th with 37-03.

After that, the weights drop off significantly. Chad Pipkens (34-10) managed to catch a limit, which is more than can be said for the rest of the Top 10. Todd Auten (32-04), John Cox (31-14) and Ed Loughran III (30-13) managed no more than three fish on day 3, though Cox did extend his Top-10 streak on Chickamauga to four straight. Then there was the tie at 29-06 between Kyle Welcher, Austin Felix and Bill Lowen, with Lowen finding himself odd man out as the other two had heavier single-day weights.

Of course, when bites are tough to get, every minute counts, and those minutes became extra precious today with a 2 12-hour fog delay. Yet, that only helped Livesay.

“I didn’t fire up the big motor for 5 minutes to get to my area,” he said.

The Texas pro started the week on a bluff-wall pattern, but he felt doing that was like “laying up," so he switched to a frog and hasn’t put it down since. Yet, while he may be throwing a frog like everyone else, he’s definitely not fishing it like everyone else.

Aside from fishing shallower, Livesay is taking a page out of his deer-hunting book and being extra stealthy and patient, often push-polling into areas and then simply not moving.

“I sat on one mat today for 2 1/2 hours and didn’t move an inch,” says Livesay. “I have confidence they’re there and if I keep throwing at them, one is going to bite it. Now, getting them to eat it is a different story. You have to get enough bites to be able to catch five fish.”

He got 17 fish to hit his frog on day 3, but he only hooked six and landed them all. Yet, what has him most excited about tomorrow is that he’s laid off his area for 3 days.

“I left at 1 p.m. the first day, 11 a.m. yesterday and 1 p.m. today,” said Livesay. “I haven’t pounded on my juice for an entire day yet, and I’m excited to see what happens when I do.”

Meanwhile, it was another tough limit for Blaylock. Just as he did on day 2, he checked on his deep points with little to show for it before doing a bit of frogging. With about two hours left in the day, he finally went back to the baitfish-loaded cove he finished out his limit from the day before and managed to scrape together his last two keepers thanks to bringing the “right-sized” swimbait with him that matched the tiny baitfish.

Yet, while continue to struggle catching limits, Huff is having no issues thanks to a key decision on day 2.

“I started out fishing grass and a frog like everyone else because I thought that’s what you’re supposed to do,” said Huff. “Well, around 1 p.m. yesterday, I didn’t have a fish. So I decided to just run up the river like I do back home to throw a jig to laydowns, and it’s really worked out.”

That’s an understatement. He figures he caught 15 keepers on day 3 and lost another three that wouldn’t have helped.

“It was just a magical day,” said Huff. “It seems like every laydown up there has a fish on it and today, every time I set the hook, it was a 3 1/2-pounder.

“I’m excited for tomorrow. I have one frog spot I’ve been getting five blowups each morning I’ll start on. I finally caught a 4 1/2-pounder there today. After that, I’m running up the river and we’ll see if I can copy today.”

Notable

> Day 3 stats – 40 anglers, 5 limits, 2 fours, 11 threes, 10 twos, 10 ones, 2 zeros.

Weather Forecast

> Sun., Oct. 18 – Partly Cloudy – 75°/55°
- Wind: From the SSW at 6 mph

Day 3 Standings

1. Lee Livesay -- Longview, TX -- 15, 43-00 -- 100
Day 1: 5, 13-00 -- Day 2: 5, 13-03 -- Day 3: 5, 16-13

2. Stetson Blaylock -- Benton, AR -- 15, 41-01 -- 99
Day 1: 5, 16-01 -- Day 2: 5, 12-00 -- Day 3: 5, 13-00

3. Mike Huff -- Corbin, KY -- 13, 38-00 -- 98
Day 1: 3, 06-12 -- Day 2: 5, 12-03 -- Day 3: 5, 19-01

4. Jake Whitaker -- Fairview, NC -- 15, 37-03 -- 97
Day 1: 5, 11-02 -- Day 2: 5, 14-03 -- Day 3: 5, 11-14

5. Chad Pipkens -- Dewitt, MI -- 12, 34-10 -- 96
Day 1: 5, 13-03 -- Day 2: 2, 09-09 -- Day 3: 5, 11-14

6. Todd Auten -- Lake Wylie, SC -- 13, 32-04 -- 95
Day 1: 5, 11-00 -- Day 2: 5, 12-09 -- Day 3: 3, 08-11

7. John Cox -- Debary, FL -- 11, 31-14 -- 94
Day 1: 5, 14-14 -- Day 2: 4, 12-05 -- Day 3: 2, 04-11

8. Ed Loughran III -- Richmond, VA -- 10, 30-13 -- 93
Day 1: 2, 08-10 -- Day 2: 5, 12-06 -- Day 3: 3, 09-13

9. Kyle Welcher -- Opelika, AL -- 12, 29-06 -- 92
Day 1: 5, 10-07 -- Day 2: 5, 14-09 -- Day 3: 2, 04-06

10. Austin Felix -- Eden Prairie, MN -- 12, 29-06 -- 91
Day 1: 5, 09-07 -- Day 2: 5, 14-01 -- Day 3: 2, 05-14

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

11. Bill Lowen -- Brookville, IN -- 14, 29-06 -- 90 -- $12,000
Day 1: 5, 10-07 -- Day 2: 5, 10-05 -- Day 3: 4, 08-10

12. Gerald Swindle -- Guntersville, AL -- 13, 29-05 -- 89 -- $13,000
Day 1: 5, 09-12 -- Day 2: 5, 09-15 -- Day 3: 3, 09-10

13. Caleb Sumrall -- New Iberia, LA -- 12, 28-05 -- 88 -- $12,000
Day 1: 5, 13-12 -- Day 2: 3, 06-15 -- Day 3: 4, 07-10

14. Wes Logan -- Springville, AL -- 10, 28-05 -- 87 -- $12,000
Day 1: 3, 09-12 -- Day 2: 5, 11-09 -- Day 3: 2, 07-00

15. Steve Kennedy -- Auburn, AL -- 10, 27-08 -- 86 -- $12,000
Day 1: 2, 04-07 -- Day 2: 5, 17-13 -- Day 3: 3, 05-04

16. Matt Arey -- Shelby, NC -- 10, 27-06 -- 85 -- $10,000
Day 1: 5, 14-01 -- Day 2: 4, 10-11 -- Day 3: 1, 02-10

17. Clifford Pirch -- Payson, AZ -- 10, 27-01 -- 84 -- $10,000
Day 1: 4, 11-00 -- Day 2: 4, 12-00 -- Day 3: 2, 04-01

18. David Mullins -- Mt Carmel, TN -- 13, 27-00 -- 83 -- $10,000
Day 1: 5, 09-08 -- Day 2: 5, 11-12 -- Day 3: 3, 05-12

19. Harvey Horne -- Bella Vista, AR -- 9, 26-14 -- 82 -- $10,000
Day 1: 2, 08-14 -- Day 2: 5, 13-04 -- Day 3: 2, 04-12

20. Brad Whatley -- Bivins, TX -- 10, 26-13 -- 81 -- $10,000
Day 1: 5, 15-12 -- Day 2: 4, 08-01 -- Day 3: 1, 03-00

21. Jeff Gustafson -- Keewatin, ON -- 11, 26-09 -- 80 -- $10,000
Day 1: 4, 09-06 -- Day 2: 4, 09-15 -- Day 3: 3, 07-04

22. Patrick Walters -- Summerville, SC -- 11, 26-07 -- 79 -- $10,000
Day 1: 5, 12-02 -- Day 2: 5, 11-05 -- Day 3: 1, 03-00

23. Caleb Kuphall -- Mukwonago, WI -- 12, 25-14 -- 78 -- $10,000
Day 1: 5, 10-10 -- Day 2: 4, 08-03 -- Day 3: 3, 07-01

24. Jamie Hartman -- Newport, NY -- 11, 25-04 -- 77 -- $10,000
Day 1: 5, 09-11 -- Day 2: 4, 10-07 -- Day 3: 2, 05-02

25. Hank Cherry Jr -- Lincolnton, NC -- 11, 25-00 -- 76 -- $10,000
Day 1: 5, 12-14 -- Day 2: 5, 10-08 -- Day 3: 1, 01-10

26. Frank Talley -- Temple, TX -- 12, 24-09 -- 75 -- $10,000
Day 1: 5, 10-08 -- Day 2: 4, 07-04 -- Day 3: 3, 06-13

27. Hunter Shryock -- Newcomerstown, OH -- 10, 24-05 -- 74 -- $10,000
Day 1: 2, 03-10 -- Day 2: 5, 13-13 -- Day 3: 3, 06-14

28. Scott Canterbury -- Odenville, AL -- 9, 24-04 -- 73 -- $10,000
Day 1: 4, 12-09 -- Day 2: 4, 08-11 -- Day 3: 1, 03-00

29. Chris Zaldain -- Fort Worth, TX -- 8, 24-02 -- 72 -- $10,000
Day 1: 2, 06-13 -- Day 2: 4, 12-06 -- Day 3: 2, 04-15

30. Skylar Hamilton -- Dandridge, TN -- 9, 24-00 -- 71 -- $10,000
Day 1: 3, 09-00 -- Day 2: 4, 10-06 -- Day 3: 2, 04-10

31. Brandon Cobb -- Greenwood, SC -- 7, 23-02 -- 70 -- $10,000
Day 1: 5, 19-06 -- Day 2: 2, 03-12 -- Day 3: 0, 00-00

32. Matt Herren -- Ashville, AL -- 10, 22-12 -- 69 -- $10,000
Day 1: 5, 13-03 -- Day 2: 2, 04-02 -- Day 3: 3, 05-07

33. Bryan Schmitt -- Deale, MD -- 8, 22-12 -- 68 -- $10,000
Day 1: 3, 09-09 -- Day 2: 4, 09-14 -- Day 3: 1, 03-05

34. Brock Mosley -- Collinsville, MS -- 10, 22-06 -- 67 -- $10,000
Day 1: 2, 06-10 -- Day 2: 5, 10-06 -- Day 3: 3, 05-06

35. Bob Downey -- Hudson, WI -- 8, 22-03 -- 66 -- $10,000
Day 1: 5, 13-06 -- Day 2: 2, 06-12 -- Day 3: 1, 02-01

36. Buddy Gross -- Chickamauga, GA -- 9, 21-12 -- 65 -- $10,000
Day 1: 4, 09-06 -- Day 2: 4, 10-04 -- Day 3: 1, 02-02

37. Derek Hudnall -- Denham Springs, LA -- 7, 21-11 -- 64 -- $10,000
Day 1: 2, 03-10 -- Day 2: 5, 18-01 -- Day 3: 0, 00-00

38. Chris Johnston -- Peterborough, ON -- 9, 21-01 -- 63 -- $10,000
Day 1: 4, 08-09 -- Day 2: 3, 08-05 -- Day 3: 2, 04-03

39. Ray Hanselman Jr -- Del Rio, TX -- 9, 20-15 -- 62 -- $10,000
Day 1: 5, 12-06 -- Day 2: 3, 06-11 -- Day 3: 1, 01-14

40. Tyler Rivet -- Raceland, LA -- 9, 18-11 -- 61 -- $10,000
Day 1: 5, 11-06 -- Day 2: 3, 06-01 -- Day 3: 1, 01-04