Pair Of 4-Pounders Push Howell To Top On Day 1

There aren't many secrets among the three anglers who sat atop the standings after day 1 of the Mississippi River Bassmaster Elite Series in Iowa. They caught all of their fish within sight of each other.

Randy Howell (16-04), Takahiro Omori (14-10) and Matt Herren (14-09) were among about two dozen competitors who shared the same backwater area in Pool 19 (the launch pool). Their bags were at least a pound and a half bigger than anybody else in the 98-angler field.

Rookie Billy McCaghren and veteran Tommy Biffle rounded out the Top 5 with 13-01 stringers that left them tied for 4th. McCaghren had a spot in Pool 18 all to himself this morning and compiled all of his weight by 10:00, while Biffle split his time between pools 18 and 19 and culled several times throughout the day.

The current Top 12 looks like this (red numbers in parentheses indicate deficit margin from leader):

1. Randy Howell: 16-04
2. Takahiro Omori: 14-10 (1-10)
3. Matt Herren: 14-09 (1-11)
4. (tie) Billy McCaghren: 13-01 (3-03)
4. (tie) Tommy Biffle: 13-01 (3-03)
6. Shaw Grigsby: 12-08 (3-12)
7. Brent Chapman: 12-05 (3-15)
8. Kevin VanDam: 12-04 (4-00)
9. Stephen Browning: 12-03 (4-01)
10. Kelly Jordon: 12-01 (4-03)
11. Alton Jones: 12-00 (4-04)
12. John Murray: 11-10 (4-10)

The overall weights weren't quite as dismal as some had anticipated, but this is still a far cry from your average Elite Series pig party. Less than a third of the field (28 anglers) weighed a limit and there were nine empty bags.

Davy Hite sits in the 50th-place cut position with 6-04, and there's no reason to think the numbers will go up dramatically tomorrow. It might take less than a 12-pound aggregate for 2 days to go home with a check.

The Fort Madison, Iowa area was hit hard by rain again last night, which was the last thing the already-murky river needed. The crowding among anglers was even more dense than expected as the most recent deluge rendered additional areas unfishable.

Tomorrow's forecast for the Fort Madison area calls for afternoon showers with a high temperature of 75 degrees. Wind will be out of the east/southeast to 7 mph.

The field will be reduced to 50 after tomorrow's weigh-in, and only the Top 12 will fish on Sunday. The winner will be determined by highest 4-day weight.

Howell's Roll Continues

Howell, who's cashed a check at every event this season and is 9th in the Toyota Tundra Angler of the Year (AOY) race, virtually assured himself of another payday even if he blanks tomorrow.

"I'm just totally shocked and I feel extremely blessed," he said. "I had a very tough practice – I never caught a keeper, although I did shake off three or four flip bites in one stretch of bushes."

He returned to that stretch today and joined a rotation of anglers working the bushes, which are all within about a 50-yard stretch. He quickly picked up the first of his two 4-pounders, and then added two more keepers.

"I had three fish, including a 4-pounder, and I was thrilled with that. Then all of a sudden I caught a 4-05 and I started thinking that just one more fish would give me a really big bag. As tough as the bite is and with two 4-pounders, I knew I'd be leading or real close to it if I could catch the fifth one."

He boated his limit-fish a short while later. All five came from water that was less than a foot deep.

"It was so shallow that when I'd pick up my bait after a flip, the weight would immediately be above the surface. I don't know how those fish kept their backs covered."

He'll start in the same place tomorrow.

"I'll just have to take it 1 day at a time. I hope the guys will give me a little room in there because I've got the lead, but we'll have to see."

2nd: Great Day for Omori

Omori, who's battling for a Classic berth, said he had no inkling that he'd end up near the top of the standings today. He said he just as easily could've landed at the bottom.

"I had a great day," he said. "I had no idea whether I'd catch zero or five. I just caught five keepers all day and the area got beaten pretty good. I fished as hard as I could for everything I could catch.

"I have another area, but I'm guessing that it also got beaten today. There aren't any secret holes here."

He got six keeper bites and lost one. He'll be back at the same spot tomorrow – at least to start.

"This is not like a normal tournament. I just have to keep thinking positively and put whatever bites in the boat, and see what that gets me at the end of the day."

3rd: Herren Foresees Dropoff

Herren fished hard until 1;00, when he finally completed his limit. He then went looking for other possibilities because he doesn't think that community hole will hold up.

"That area that I'm fishing, there's no way it can produce like that again," he said. "I don't know what's going to happen tomorrow. Guys who weren't in that area might be in the driver's seat."

He said his bites came sporadically and he lost one in the 4-pound class. With all the company he had in his area, he opted to remain mum about how he got them.

His afternoon quest to find new water was mostly unsuccessful.

"I've got a couple areas where I think I can catch fish – they're small, but they're keepers. That big rain last night muddied up a lot of places and it really changed everything.

"I've got some stuff up (in Pool 18), but a lot of it depends on lock times and things like that. But I'm not above locking tomorrow."

4th: Slow was Key for McCaghren

McCaghren locked up to Pool 18 and fished an area where he'd gotten a couple of bites in practice, but didn't have a great deal of confidence in. It turned out that he'd underestimated it.

"I'd caught a keeper there and I thought it had at least a few fish, but I wasn't sure," he said. "I'd fished it hard in practice, but I fished it fast. Today I seined it pretty good.

"As soon as I got my fifth one I got out of there, and as far as I know, nobody else fished it. It's really a good situation if nobody else went in there."

He spent much of the day looking for other promising locations and caught a couple more keepers, one of which allowed him to cull his smallest fish. He's eager to find out what his primary area will give him tomorrow.

"I think it could be good. I don't know how many are actually there, but rivers tend to reload pretty well."

4th: Biffle Booted a Couple

Biffle weighed a strong bag, but it could've been even better.

"I thought I was going to catch some fish, but I didn't know what (they'd weigh)," he said. "I was hoping to catch five and I could've done a little better, but I'm glad to have what I got."

He missed a 4-pounder when he jerked and the fish, which had boiled, didn't have the bait. Also, he tried to swing a 2 1/2-pounder into the boat and it came off in the air.

"When you lose one here, that's not good."

He spent the early part of the day up in Pool 18, but came back down to 19 late in the day and picked up his biggest fish. He plans to employ a similar attack tomorrow.

"I'll just try to get every bite I can and boat every one of them. Unless you've got a spot to yourself, I don't see any sense in saving anything."

12th: Murray 1 Short

BassFan Big Stick John Murray is among the Top 12 despite a bag that was a fish short of a limit. He caught a 4-05 and shared big-bass honors with Howell.

"It was a pretty good day," he said, "but I lost four keepers – they were hitting so weird. I caught them all flipping shallow water and I also caught grennel, crappie and just about everything else. It's amazing how many weird things you catch here."

He said three of the keepers he lost came unhooked while they were dangling in trees. He had some company in his area, but most of those anglers were throwing spinnerbaits, and that left him considerable room to flip.

"There was just one little stretch where I caught most of them. I think I got about all the bites I could."

He's considering a run all the way up to Pool 17 tomorrow. "The only thing is, there's so much barge traffic that I don't know if I can make it back on time."

70th: Velvick Derailed

Barring a miracle, Byron Velvick's streak of Top 12s (he's made three in a row) will end here. He weighed just one fish today for 2-12.

"The roll is over – the Mississippi River killed it," he said. "I'll have to get it back at Oneida."

He locked up to Pool 18 and missed several fish that would've gone to the scale before finally boating his only keeper at about noon.

"I'll go back up tomorrow. I'm boat No. 10 and there's a little area (in 19) that I want to get on in the morning, and I'll do that until the lock opens. I've got to make the Top 50 and then try to move up on Saturday.

"I'm pretty anal about that Top 50 now."

Notable

> Day 1 stats – 98 anglers, 28 limits, 10 fours, 18 threes, 13 twos, 20 ones, 9 zeroes.

> Kevin VanDam (8th, 12-04) is in position to substantially increase his AOY lead over Skeet Reese (46th, 7-01). As of right now, VanDam's advantage would jump from 15 to 100 points.

> Derek Remitz had a boating accident today that resulted in the hospitalization of his marshal – Oelwein, Iowa resident Jerry Van Sickle. Remitz's boat reportedly hit a submerged log shortly after takeoff. Numerous Elite anglers provided assistance in the immediate aftermath, and BASS reported this evening that Van Sickle was alert, but remained at the hospital for evaluation. Remitz went on to weigh one 2 1/2-pounder and is tied for 72nd place.

Weather Forecast

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

> Fri., June 12 - P.M. Showers - 75°/60°
- Wind: From the E/SE at 7 mph

> Sat., June 13 - Partly Cloudy - 76°/59°
- Wind: From the NW at 11 mph

> Sun., June 14 - Showers - 78°/61°
- Wind: From the E at 5 mph

Day 1 Standings

1. Randy Howell -- Springville, AL -- 5, 16-04 -- 305
Day 1: 5 -- 16-04

2. Takahiro Omori -- Emory, TX -- 5, 14-10 -- 295
Day 1: 5 -- 14-10

3. Matt Herren -- Trussville, AL -- 5, 14-09 -- 290
Day 1: 5 -- 14-09

4. Tommy Biffle -- Wagoner, OK -- 5 13-01 -- 285
Day 1: 5 -- 13-01

4. Billy McCaghren -- Mayflower, AR -- 5, 13-01 -- 285
Day 1: 5 -- 13-01

6. Shaw E Grigsby -- Gainesville, FL -- 5, 12-08 -- 276
Day 1: 5 -- 12-08

7. Brent Chapman -- Lake Quivira, KS -- 5, 12-05 -- 272
Day 1: 5 -- 12-05

8. Kevin VanDam -- Kalamazoo, MI -- 5, 12-04 -- 268
Day 1: 5 -- 12-04

9. Stephen Browning -- Hot Springs, AR -- 5, 12-03 -- 264
Day 1: 5 -- 12-03

10. Kelly Jordon -- Mineola, TX -- 5, 12-01 -- 260
Day 1: 5 -- 12-01

11. Alton Jones -- Waco, TX -- 5, 12-00 -- 257
Day 1: 5 -- 12-00

12. John Murray -- Phoenix, AZ -- 4, 11-10 -- 254
Day 1: 4 -- 11-10

13. Gary Klein -- Weatherford, TX -- 5, 11-09 -- 251
Day 1: 5 -- 11-09

14. Scott Campbell -- Springfield, MO -- 5, 11-08 -- 248
Day 1: 5 -- 11-08

15. Pat Golden -- High Point, NC -- 4, 11-08 -- 245
Day 1: 4 -- 11-08

16. James Niggemeyer -- Van, TX -- 5, 11-07 -- 243
Day 1: 5 -- 11-07

17. Gerald Swindle -- Warrior, AL -- 5, 11-05 -- 241
Day 1: 5 -- 11-05

18. Kevin Short -- Mayflower, AR -- 5, 10-10 -- 239
Day 1: 5 -- 10-10

19. Steve Kennedy -- Auburn, AL -- 5, 10-07 -- 237
Day 1: 5 -- 10-07

20. Bill Lowen -- North Bend, OH -- 5, 10-02 -- 235
Day 1: 5 -- 10-02

21. Boyd Duckett -- Demopolis, AL -- 5, 10-01 -- 233
Day 1: 5 -- 10-01

21. Marty Stone -- Fayetteville, NC -- 5, 10-01 -- 233
Day 1: 5 -- 10-01

23. Matt Reed -- Madisonville, TX -- 5, 09-12 -- 229
Day 1: 5 -- 09-12

24. Brian Snowden -- Reeds Spring, MO -- 5, 09-10 -- 227
Day 1: 5 -- 09-10

25. Todd Auten -- Lake Wylie, SC -- 5, 09-06 -- 225
Day 1: 5 -- 09-06

26. Elton Luce Jr. -- Brookeland, TX -- 4, 09-05 -- 223
Day 1: 4 -- 09-05

27. Todd Faircloth -- Jasper, TX -- 5, 09-01 -- 221
Day 1: 5 -- 09-01

28. Zell Rowland -- Montgomery, TX -- 3, 09-00 -- 219
Day 1: 3 -- 09-00

29. Rick Clunn -- Ava, MO -- 5, 08-14 -- 217
Day 1: 5 -- 08-14

30. Russ Lane -- Prattville, AL -- 5, 08-13 -- 215
Day 1: 5 -- 08-13

31. Morizo Shimizu -- Osaka, Japan-- 4, 08-13 -- 213
Day 1: 4 -- 08-13

32. Mark Tucker -- Saint Louis, MO -- 5, 08-10 -- 211
Day 1: 5 -- 08-10

33. Casey Ashley -- Donalds, SC -- 5 08-05 -- 209
Day 1: 5 -- 08-05

34. Mike McClelland -- Bella Vista, AR -- 4, 08-05 -- 207
Day 1: 4 -- 08-05

35. Mark Davis -- Mount Ida, AR -- 4, 08-03 -- 205
Day 1: 4 -- 08-03

35. Peter E Thliveros -- St Augustine, FL -- 4, 08-03 -- 205
Day 1: 4 -- 08-03

37. Jim Murray -- Arabi, GA -- 4, 07-12 -- 201
Day 1: 4 -- 07-12

38. Mark Menendez -- Paducah, KY -- 3, 07-12 -- 199
Day 1: 3 -- 07-12

39. Mark Tyler -- Vian, OK -- 3, 07-11 -- 197
Day 1: 3 -- 07-11

40. Britt Myers -- Lake Wylie, SC -- 3, 07-10 -- 195
Day 1: 3 -- 07-10

41. Vince Fulks -- Purcell, OK -- 4, 07-08 -- 193
Day 1: 4 -- 07-08

42. Bobby Lane -- Lakeland, FL -- 3, 07-07 -- 191
Day 1: 3 -- 07-07

43. Timmy Horton -- Muscle Shoals, AL -- 4, 07-05 -- 189
Day 1: 4 -- 07-05

44. Ken D Cook -- Lawton, OK -- 3, 07-05 -- 187
Day 1: 3 -- 07-05

45. Guy Eaker -- Cherryville, NC -- 3, 07-03 -- 185
Day 1: 3 -- 07-03

46. Skeet Reese -- Auburn, CA -- 3, 07-01 -- 183
Day 1: 3 -- 07-01

47. Rick Morris -- Virginia Beach, VA -- 3, 06-07 -- 181
Day 1: 3 -- 06-07

48. Jason Williamson -- Aiken, SC -- 3, 06-06 -- 179
Day 1: 3 -- 06-06

49. Luke Gritter -- Kalamazoo, MI -- 3, 06-05 -- 177
Day 1: 3 -- 06-05

50. Davy Hite -- Ninety Six, SC -- 3, 06-04 -- 175
Day 1: 3 -- 06-04

51. Wade Grooms -- Bonneau, SC -- 3, 06-02 -- 173
Day 1: 3 -- 06-02

52. Edwin Evers -- Talala, OK -- 3, 05-14 -- 171
Day 1: 3 -- 05-14

53. Denny Brauer -- Camdenton, MO -- 2, 05-14 -- 169
Day 1: 2 -- 05-14

54. J Todd Tucker -- Moultrie, GA -- 2, 05-12 -- 167
Day 1: 2 -- 05-12

55. Jeff Connella -- Bentley, LA -- 3, 05-10 -- 165
Day 1: 3 -- 05-10

56. Brent Broderick -- Oregonia, OH -- 3, 05-09 -- 163
Day 1: 3 -- 05-09

57. Pete Ponds -- Madison, MS -- 2, 05-04 -- 161
Day 1: 2 -- 05-04

58. Charlie Hartley -- Grove City, OH -- 3, 05-01 -- 159
Day 1: 3 -- 05-01

59. Dustin Wilks -- Rocky Mount, NC -- 3, 04-12 -- 157
Day 1: 3 -- 04-12

60. Chad Griffin -- Cresson, TX -- 2, 04-08 -- 155
Day 1: 2 -- 04-08

60. Bernie Schultz -- Gainesville, FL -- 2, 04-08 -- 155
Day 1: 2 -- 04-08

62. Brian Clark -- Haltom City, TX -- 2, 04-07 -- 151
Day 1: 2 -- 04-07

62. Jeff Reynolds -- Idabel, OK -- 2, 04-07 -- 151
Day 1: 2 -- 04-07

64. Clark Reehm -- Russellville, AR -- 2, 04-04 -- 147
Day 1: 2 -- 04-04

65. Dave Wolak -- Wake Forest, NC -- 2, 04-01 -- 145
Day 1: 2 -- 04-01

66. Bradley Hallman -- Norman, OK -- 2, 03-13 -- 143
Day 1: 2 -- 03-13

67. Jeff Kriet -- Ardmore, OK -- 2, 03-11 -- 141
Day 1: 2 -- 03-11

68. Mike Wurm -- Hot Springs, AR -- 2, 03-10 -- 139
Day 1: 2 -- 03-10

69. Kevin Wirth -- Crestwood, KY -- 2, 03-06 -- 137
Day 1: 2 -- 03-06

70. Terry Butcher -- Talala, OK -- 1, 02-12 -- 135
Day 1: 1 -- 02-12

70. Byron Velvick -- Del Rio, TX -- 1, 02-12 -- 135
Day 1: 1 -- 02-12

72. Derek Remitz -- Grant, AL -- 1, 02-08 -- 131
Day 1: 1 -- 02-08

72. Fred Roumbanis -- Bixby, OK -- 1, 02-08 -- 131
Day 1: 1 -- 02-08

74. Michael Iaconelli -- Runnemede, NJ -- 1, 02-07 -- 127
Day 1: 1 -- 02-07

75. Chris Lane -- Lakeland, FL -- 1, 02-04 -- 125
Day 1: 1 -- 02-04

75. Jared Lintner -- Arroyo Grande, CA -- 1, 02-04 -- 125
Day 1: 1 -- 02-04

77. Grant Goldbeck -- Gaithersburg, MD -- 1, 02-01 -- 121
Day 1: 1 -- 02-01

77. Scott Rook -- Little Rock, AR -- 1, 02-01 -- 121
Day 1: 1 -- 02-01

79. Greg Vinson -- Wetumpka, AL -- 1, 02-00 -- 117
Day 1: 1 -- 02-00

80. Jason Quinn -- York, SC -- 1, 01-14 -- 115
Day 1: 1 -- 01-14

81. Aaron Martens -- Leeds, AL -- 1, 01-13 -- 113
Day 1: 1 -- 01-13

81. Ish Monroe -- Hughson, CA -- 1, 01-13 -- 113
Day 1: 1 -- 01-13

81. Cliff Pace -- Petal, MS -- 1, 01-13 -- 113
Day 1: 1 -- 01-13

84. Mark Burgess -- Norton, MA -- 1, 01-10 -- 107
Day 1: 1 -- 01-10

84. Greg Hackney -- Gonzales, LA -- 1, 01-10 -- 107
Day 1: 1 -- 01-10

84. Jeremy Starks -- Charleston, WV -- 1, 01-10 -- 107
Day 1: 1 -- 01-10

87. Jami Fralick -- Martin, SD -- 1, 01-09 -- 101
Day 1: 1 -- 01-09

87. Kotaro Kiriyama -- Moody, AL -- 1, 01-09 -- 101
Day 1: 1 -- 01-09

89. Dean Rojas -- Lake Havasu City, AZ -- 1, 01-07 -- 97
Day 1: 1 -- 01-07

90. John Crews -- Salem, VA -- 0, 00-00 -- 0
Day 1: 0 -- 00-00

90. Paul Elias -- Laurel, MS -- 0, 00-00 -- 0
Day 1: 0 -- 00-00

90. Kenyon Hill -- Norman, OK -- 0, 00-00 -- 0
Day 1: 0 -- 00-00

90. Yusuke Miyazaki -- Forney, TX -- 0, 00-00 -- 0
Day 1: 0 -- 00-00

90. Jimmy Mize -- Ben Lomond, AR -- 0, 00-00 -- 0
Day 1: 0 -- 00-00

90. Marty Robinson -- Lyman, SC -- 0, 00-00 -- 0
Day 1: 0 -- 00-00

90. Terry Scroggins -- San Mateo, FL -- 0, 00-00 -- 0
Day 1: 0 -- 00-00

90. David Smith -- Del City, OK -- 0, 00-00 -- 0
Day 1: 0 -- 00-00

90. Matthew Sphar -- Pavilion, NY -- 0, 00-00 -- 0
Day 1: 0 -- 00-00

Big Bass

Day 1: Randy Howell -- Springville, AL -- 4-05
Day 1: John Murray -- Phoenix, AZ -- 4-05