Jones Catches 18, Leads By 9-01 With 1 Day Left

By BassFan Staff

Alton Jones believes no lead is safe when fishing a bass tournament in Florida. His theory will be tested tomorrow when he carries a hefty advantage into the final day of the season-opening St. Johns River Bassmaster Elite Series.

Jones, the day-2 leader who enjoyed a 7-04 cushion entering today and was on pace to catch nearly 90 pounds, put on another sight-fishing clinic.

The Texan’s 18-pound limit pushed his 3-day total to 62-14, giving him a 9-01 edge over his nearest challenger.

The 2008 Bassmaster Classic champion led by 2 1/2 pounds after day 3 on the St. Johns a year ago and finished 3rd so rest assured, he’ll take whatever measures necessary to make sure history doesn’t repeat itself.

Fellow Texan Todd Faircloth boxed 17-07 to move into 2nd with 53-13. Greg Hackney jumped to 3rd, thanks to a 19-04 bag that gave him 51-03. Keith Combs made his second straight 12-cut at the St. Johns, taking over 4th with 48-07. Cliff Crochet is an ounce back in 5th.

David Walker struggled after entering the day tied for 2nd. He managed a 6-07 limit, enough to keep inside the 12-cut in 10th with 44-01. Rick Morris, with whom Walker was tied, did not have the same good fortune. He brought just two fish to the scales for 2-01 and wound up 17th.

Day-1 leader J. Todd Tucker endured a second straight tough day, but he’ll enter tomorrow in 11th with 43-15

Here's a look at the Top 12 that will fish the final day with deficit margin from the leader indicated by red numbers in parentheses:

1. Alton Jones: 62-14
2. Todd Faircloth: 53-13 (9-01)
3. Greg Hackney: 51-03 (11-11)
4. Keith Combs: 48-07 (14-07)
5. Cliff Crochet: 48-06 (14-08)
6. Brent Chapman: 47-07 (15-07)
7. Skeet Reese: 46-15 (15-15)
8. Terry Scroggins: 45-09 (17-05)
9. Dean Rojas: 44-12 (18-02)
10. David Walker: 44-01 (18-13)
11. J. Todd Tucker: 43-15 (18-15)
12. Randy Howell: 43-12 (19-02)

Limits of small fish are readily available throughout the river, but it’s the big bites that make the difference in Florida. Many pros came to the stage today and remarked how they just plain ran out of fish. Such is life for bed-fishermen committed to looking for them on a system that, by all accounts, is just about spawned out. Not one 20-pound sack crossed the stage today after 10 were registered over the first 2 days.

Most of the pros in the Top 12 are running south to the massive eelgrass flats in Lake George, hoping to chance upon a chubby bed-fish on a nest, while some are taking the long ride north to escape the crowds. While Jones has made no secret what he’s doing, others in the Top 12 are throwing a variety of reaction baits in addition to looking.

Jones Will Continue To Look

> Day 3: 5, 18-00 (15, 62-14)

Jones is a big college basketball fan so this is obviously one of his favorite times of the year. He’s not a bad sight-fisherman either as he’s proven at the St. Johns last year and so far this week.

He knows, however, that having a 9-plus pound lead is the equivalent of holding a 12-point edge with 5 minutes to go on the hardwood. Tomorrow, he wants to close the deal and take home his first Elite Series title.

“I’ll have to go out and execute tomorrow,” he said. “You always see basketball teams get a big lead and they let up a little bit and they invariably let the other team back into the game and it’s a struggle right to the end. But you’ll see a few teams and one that comes to mind is the UConn women and when you watch them, they always play like they’re 1 point behind, no matter how far they’re ahead. That’s how I have play tomorrow. I have to fish like I’m 1 pound behind.”

While fishing the first 3 days, Jones has not been wearing his customary red, white and blue fishing jersey. He’s opted for a muted green polo shirt in an effort to camouflage himself as best as possible from the bed-resting fish he’s after. It appears the fish approve of his wardrobe choice as he weighed the third-heaviest sack of the day to extend his lead past the 9-pound mark.

He noted that he only spent about 45 minutes locked in on females today.

“The rest of the day I was in search mode,” he added. “I didn’t know there were enough fish for me out there today. I know where a dozen or so males are in my area and I’ve been trying to leave those males alone. Tomorrow, if they’re not paired up and I need them, I’m taking them. I’m hoping to make some pushes through there and find one or two of those females, too, because those are at a premium.”

He's caught the majority of his fish on a 6-inch Yum Dinger (junebug).

“It’s a bait that big fish really like,” he said. “There are other baits that would work if I wanted to go catch 1- to 2-pounders, but I’m after the big girls. It’s a bait that it doesn’t matter if the bass are shallow or deep, if you put it in front of big fish, they like it. There are not a lot of guys who sight-fish with that lure. I’m surprised because it’s won me a lot of money doing that.

“I’m going to milk it for all it’s worth and be of the same mindset and try to maximize my catch and focus on females.”

2nd: Faircloth Not Giving Up

> Day 3: 5, 17-07 (15, 53-13)

Fishing on Sundays is nothing new to Faircloth. He took 4th at the St. Johns a year ago. He’s not intimidated by the margin between him and Jones.

“I think that’s doable,” he said. “It’s very easy to go out there and catch 8 or 9 pounds. It’s also very possible for a guy to catch 30, too. A 9-pound cushion is great. I wish I had it, but I don’t feel like I’m fishing for 2nd place tomorrow.”

Most of his weight today did not come off beds, he said, and crowding shouldn’t be an issue for him on the final day.

“I’m excited about going out tomorrow,” he added. “I’m hoping I may have figured a little something out, but we’ll see what happens. It’s a great way to start the year. I’ve had a great tournament so far and it’s not over.”

3rd: Hackney Going For It

> Day 3: 5, 19-04 (15, 51-03)

After bringing nearly 24 pounds to the scales on Thursday, Hackney fell back to 14th following day 2. He recovered nicely to make the 12-cut and jump into 3rd, thanks to a 19-04 sack that featured a 7-11 brute.

“It makes a big difference when you get a couple big bites,” he said. “Making the 12-cut is huge for points and hopefully, I’ll be able to keep the momentum going.”

He was 13th at the St. Johns a year ago and for him to contend for the win tomorrow, he knows it’ll take a massive sack to overcome Jones’ 11-11 lead on him.

“You never know,” he said. “It happens to everybody. You can have a small day. I wouldn’t go out tomorrow if I didn’t think I could win. I feel like I’m five bites away from winning. You have to think positive. My fifth fish today was 8 pounds. If I can have a couple or three like that, you never know what can happen.”

When he’s sight-fishing, he’s flipping a Strike King Rodent and he already had three flipping sticks rigged up for tomorrow.

“I know the areas where the big ones are bedding in,” he said. “I just hope I can get consistent bites or I’ll have to run around.”

4th: Combs Making Long Run South

> Day 3: 5, 19-10 (15, 48-07)

Combs has overcome a terrible practice – “Probably my worst one,” he said – to put himself in position to improve upon his 10th-place finish at the St. Johns last year.

He caught a 9-09 brute today to anchor his 19-10 bag, the heaviest limit of the day.

“I just went fishing the first day,” he said. “I didn’t do any sight-fishing. I just picked an area and went fishing and survived the first day. I said, ‘I can’t win here.’ So I scrapped it and went somewhere new, to a different lake, on the second day and caught them. I saw enough potential in there that I went back today and was fortunate enough to get a big one.”

The 2-hour run south to his new area had him worried he would be sacrificing too much fishing time for a chance at big bites.

“I got there and it seemed like I had plenty of time,” he added. “But I was second-guessing my decision and thought it could be a horrible decision. It worked out real well.”

He’s catching most of his fish on a Strike King Ocho with a light sinker. He’s blind-casting it in the mornings and as sight-fishing conditions improve he’s pitching it to holes.

“It’s as simple as that,” he said. “I’m going very slowly. Usually, when I bed-fish I go at a fast clip, but I’m going very slowly because there are so many beds out there. You might be staring at a 2-pounder and 10 feet to your left there might a 6. Whenever you see a fish, get ready because there are more around there.”

10th: Walker Struggled

> Day 3: 5, 6-07 (15, 44-01)

Walker is fishing Lake George and starting his days in some canals to see if he can get a decent limit before going sight-fishing in the early afternoon.

“It just gives me something to do early in the day,” he said. “For me, it gives me a starting point because the bed-fishing early is just hard to do. The big deal with the bed-fishing is basically from 1 o’clock on. If I could find something to do early and catch a few, then why not? It’s been paying off for me every morning.

“I didn’t catch hardly anything today. It was really bad, but I didn’t find any of those big fish today. Those are the keys here. They can carry you through. That’s the good news, though, I’ve already had my bad day. It’s someone else’s turn tomorrow.”

He’s throwing a ChatterBait as well as pitching a Z-Man Flappin’ CrawZ to catch his fish.

He's noticed the quality of his morning bite is tailing off, but he plans to go back to it tomorrow. After winning the Lake Wheeler Elite Series to close the 2011 season and coming off a 13th-place finish at the Bassmaster Classic, he’s excited to be fishing the final day.

“You want to start your season off like that,” he said. “It gives me a jump-start on everybody. Last year, I started off in much worse shape, but managed to rally.

"You always want to be in contention, obviously for the Classic, but also for the Angler of the Year. This is how you win those – you keep gaining those points.”

He doesn’t think Jones should pencil this event in as a victory just yet.

“He still needs to catch himself a good stringer. He can’t coast,” he added. “It’s too easy here for someone to catch 18- to 20-plus pounds because there are too many 8-pounders swimming around.”

12th: Howell Thrilled To Make Cut

> Day 3: 5, 11-01 (15, 43-12)

Randy Howell finished 52nd and 60th, respectively, at the two Florida Elite Series events in 2011, missing the cut at the Harris Chain by 4 ounces.

It’s safe to say he’s stoked to be fishing tomorrow after catching 11-01 today to make the cut with 43-12.

“It’s a great feeling,” he said. “It all about momentum and starting with a 12-cut is good momentum to put you through the first swing of the season.”

He’s thrown a half-dozen lures and used multiple techniques this week to catch his bed-fish. His day-1 fish came on a 5-inch Yamamoto Flappin’ Hawg while his day-2 catch came mostly on a 5-inch Yamamoto Senko (green-pumpkin/watermelon) with his big fish, a 6-10 whopper, coming on a Reactions Innovations Big Dipper. Today, he caught some on the Senko and Big Dipper as well as a homemade prop bait.

“I’m surprised at how many baits I’m using,” he added. “I thought I’d be sight-fishing every day, but yesterday it turned into just fishing. It’s not been easy by any means, but it’s been a good week. I never got a big bite today, but making the cut, I can take some chances tomorrow.”

He spent yesterday and today in Lake George and was sharing some water with Faircloth.

32nd: Vinson’s Big Fish Bolted

> Day 3: 5, 9-06 (15, 35-02)

Greg Vinson came across some quality fish in Crescent Lake on the final day of practice.

“Giants,” he called them.

But when he went back on day 1, they had left. He spent the rest of the tournament waiting for a new group of females to move onto beds, but they never came.

“I was able to catch some decent males and I really felt like another wave of fish was going to come into that area,” he said. “I went back on day 2 and did more of the same.”

He just wasn’t able to find and connect on the big fish.

“I was just catching decent keeper fish,” he added. “Today, I would have liked to have gone to George and fished some of the stuff I found in practice, but I wasn’t sure where some of the leaders were fishing, and I didn’t want to make a long run and be in the way.”

One of his best baits this week was a NetBait Mini Kickin B (black neon). He also threw the NetBait Mini Paca Craw and NetBait Salt Lick (watermelon red).

Notable

> Day 3 stats – 50 anglers, 36 limits, 6 fours, 6 threes, 2 twos.

> St. Johns River ace Cliff Prince turned in the best showing among Elite Series rookies. He finished 16th with 40-02.

> Jones plans to stay up late tonight to watch his beloved Baylor University men's basketball team play Colorado in the third round of the NCAA Tournament.

Weather Forecast

> Sun., March 18 – Partly Sunny - 77°/57°
- Wind: From the E/SE at 10 mph

Day 3 Standings

1. Alton Jones -- Woodway, TX -- 15, 62-14 -- 99
Day 1: 5, 16-07 -- Day 2: 5, 28-07 -- Day 3: 5, 18-00

2. Todd Faircloth -- Jasper, TX -- 15, 53-13 -- 98
Day 1: 5, 15-14 -- Day 2: 5, 20-08 -- Day 3: 5, 17-07

3. Greg Hackney -- Gonzales, LA -- 15, 51-03 -- 97
Day 1: 5, 23-14 -- Day 2: 5, 08-01 -- Day 3: 5, 19-04

4. Keith Combs -- Huntington, TX -- 15, 48-07 -- 96
Day 1: 5, 12-06 -- Day 2: 5, 16-07 -- Day 3: 5, 19-10

5. Cliff Crochet -- Pierre Part, LA -- 15, 48-06 -- 95
Day 1: 5, 21-05 -- Day 2: 5, 10-12 -- Day 3: 5, 16-05

6. Brent Chapman -- Lake Quivira, KS -- 15, 47-07 -- 94
Day 1: 5, 17-05 -- Day 2: 5, 18-13 -- Day 3: 5, 11-05

7. Skeet Reese -- Auburn, CA -- 15, 46-15 -- 93
Day 1: 5, 16-02 -- Day 2: 5, 15-15 -- Day 3: 5, 14-14

8. Terry Scroggins -- San Mateo, FL -- 15, 45-09 -- 92
Day 1: 5, 14-00 -- Day 2: 5, 18-04 -- Day 3: 5, 13-05

9. Dean Rojas -- Lake Havasu City, AZ -- 15, 44-12 -- 91
Day 1: 5, 17-02 -- Day 2: 5, 15-05 -- Day 3: 5, 12-05

10. David Walker -- Sevierville, TN -- 15, 44-01 -- 90
Day 1: 5, 20-09 -- Day 2: 5, 17-01 -- Day 3: 5, 06-07

11. J Todd Tucker -- Moultrie, GA -- 15, 43-15 -- 89
Day 1: 5, 24-00 -- Day 2: 5, 09-09 -- Day 3: 5, 10-06

12. Randy Howell -- Springville, AL -- 15, 43-12 -- 88
Day 1: 5, 14-10 -- Day 2: 5, 18-01 -- Day 3: 5, 11-01

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

13. Matt Herren -- Trussville, AL -- 15, 42-12 -- 87 -- $10,000
Day 1: 5, 14-14 -- Day 2: 5, 19-12 -- Day 3: 5, 08-02

14. Edwin Evers -- Talala, OK -- 15, 42-00 -- 86 -- $10,000
Day 1: 5, 20-04 -- Day 2: 5, 09-03 -- Day 3: 5, 12-09

15. Stephen Browning -- Hot Springs, AR -- 15, 40-04 -- 85 -- $10,000
Day 1: 5, 18-05 -- Day 2: 5, 10-05 -- Day 3: 5, 11-10

16. Cliff Prince -- Palatka, FL -- 15, 40-02 -- 84 -- $10,000
Day 1: 5, 15-10 -- Day 2: 5, 12-04 -- Day 3: 5, 12-04

17. Rick Morris -- Lake Gaston, VA -- 12, 39-11 -- 83 -- $10,000
Day 1: 5, 21-12 -- Day 2: 5, 15-14 -- Day 3: 2, 02-01

18. Gerald Swindle -- Warrior, AL -- 15, 38-14 -- 82 -- $10,000
Day 1: 5, 11-11 -- Day 2: 5, 15-09 -- Day 3: 5, 11-10

19. Russell Parrish -- Riesel, TX -- 15, 38-11 -- 81 -- $10,000
Day 1: 5, 15-03 -- Day 2: 5, 12-01 -- Day 3: 5, 11-07

20. Marty Robinson -- Lyman, SC -- 15, 38-10 -- 80 -- $10,000
Day 1: 5, 10-15 -- Day 2: 5, 19-09 -- Day 3: 5, 08-02

21. Brandon Card -- Caryville, TN -- 15, 38-06 -- 79 -- $10,000
Day 1: 5, 10-15 -- Day 2: 5, 15-13 -- Day 3: 5, 11-10

22. Timmy Horton -- Muscle Shoals, AL -- 15, 38-01 -- 78 -- $10,000
Day 1: 5, 13-13 -- Day 2: 5, 10-00 -- Day 3: 5, 14-04

23. Shaw E Grigsby Jr. -- Gainesville, FL -- 15, 37-12 -- 77 -- $10,000
Day 1: 5, 07-11 -- Day 2: 5, 23-01 -- Day 3: 5, 07-00

24. Kevin VanDam -- Kalamazoo, MI -- 15, 37-11 -- 76 -- $10,000
Day 1: 5, 12-12 -- Day 2: 5, 17-10 -- Day 3: 5, 07-05

25. Bill Lowen -- Brookville, IN -- 13, 37-01 -- 75 -- $10,000
Day 1: 5, 22-03 -- Day 2: 5, 09-15 -- Day 3: 3, 04-15

26. Jamie Horton -- Centerville, AL -- 15, 36-13 -- 74 -- $10,000
Day 1: 5, 10-06 -- Day 2: 5, 14-03 -- Day 3: 5, 12-04

27. John Crews -- Salem, VA -- 15, 36-03 -- 73 -- $10,000
Day 1: 5, 19-09 -- Day 2: 5, 09-03 -- Day 3: 5, 07-07

28. Yusuke Miyazaki -- Forney, TX -- 14, 36-00 -- 72 -- $10,000
Day 1: 5, 18-08 -- Day 2: 5, 10-11 -- Day 3: 4, 06-13

29. Takahiro Omori -- Emory, TX -- 15, 35-10 -- 71 -- $10,000
Day 1: 5, 11-07 -- Day 2: 5, 13-15 -- Day 3: 5, 10-04

30. Dustin Wilks -- Rocky Mount, NC -- 15, 35-09 -- 70 -- $10,000
Day 1: 5, 12-04 -- Day 2: 5, 14-00 -- Day 3: 5, 09-05

31. Steve Kennedy -- Auburn, AL -- 15, 35-05 -- 69 -- $10,000
Day 1: 5, 10-00 -- Day 2: 5, 14-02 -- Day 3: 5, 11-03

32. Greg Vinson -- Wetumpka, AL -- 15, 35-02 -- 68 -- $10,000
Day 1: 5, 12-10 -- Day 2: 5, 13-02 -- Day 3: 5, 09-06

33. Chris Lane -- Guntersville, AL -- 15, 34-14 -- 67 -- $10,000
Day 1: 5, 15-11 -- Day 2: 5, 10-02 -- Day 3: 5, 09-01

34. Grant Goldbeck -- Boerne, TX -- 14, 34-00 -- 66 -- $10,000
Day 1: 5, 13-03 -- Day 2: 5, 13-07 -- Day 3: 4, 07-06

35. Derek Remitz -- Grant, AL -- 15, 33-15 -- 65 -- $10,000
Day 1: 5, 17-08 -- Day 2: 5, 08-12 -- Day 3: 5, 07-11

36. Mark Menendez -- Paducah, KY -- 15, 33-14 -- 64 -- $10,000
Day 1: 5, 10-07 -- Day 2: 5, 13-06 -- Day 3: 5, 10-01

37. Tommy Biffle -- Wagoner, OK -- 10 -- 33-08 -- 63 -- $10,000
Day 1: 5, 19-00 -- Day 2: 2, 07-07 -- Day 3: 3, 07-01

38. Jared Lintner -- Arroyo Grande, CA -- 15, 33-07 -- 62 -- $10,000
Day 1: 5, 15-07 -- Day 2: 5, 09-07 -- Day 3: 5, 08-09

39. Kelly Jordon -- Palestine, TX -- 14, 33-04 -- 61 -- $10,000
Day 1: 5, 14-14 -- Day 2: 5, 10-00 -- Day 3: 4, 08-06

40. Andy Montgomery -- Blacksburg, SC -- 15, 33-01 -- 60 -- $10,000
Day 1: 5, 15-14 -- Day 2: 5, 08-00 -- Day 3: 5, 09-03

41. Ott DeFoe -- Knoxville, TN -- 15, 32-07 -- 59 -- $10,000
Day 1: 5, 13-10 -- Day 2: 5, 10-10 -- Day 3: 5, 08-03

42. Pete Ponds -- Madison, MS -- 14, 32-01 -- 58 -- $10,000
Day 1: 5, 15-12 -- Day 2: 5, 10-00 -- Day 3: 4, 06-05

43. Scott Ashmore -- Broken Arrow, OK -- 13, 31-11 -- 57 -- $10,000
Day 1: 5, 15-10 -- Day 2: 5, 10-08 -- Day 3: 3, 05-09

44. Matt Reed -- Madisonville, TX -- 14, 31-10 -- 56 -- $10,000
Day 1: 5, 12-07 -- Day 2: 5, 12-08 -- Day 3: 4, 06-11

45. Casey Scanlon -- Lenexa, KS -- 13, 31-09 -- 55 -- $10,000
Day 1: 5, 18-01 -- Day 2: 4, 08-08 -- Day 3: 4, 05-00

46. Nate Wellman -- Newaygo, MI -- 13, 29-12 -- 54 -- $10,000
Day 1: 5, 14-08 -- Day 2: 5, 11-15 -- Day 3: 3, 03-05

47. Jeremy Starks -- Scott Depot, WV -- 15, 29-08 -- 53 -- $10,000
Day 1: 5, 09-00 -- Day 2: 5, 14-05 -- Day 3: 5, 06-03

48. Casey D Ashley -- Donalds, SC -- 13, 29-07 -- 52 -- $10,000
Day 1: 5, 14-03 -- Day 2: 5, 11-06 -- Day 3: 3, 03-14

49. Billy McCaghren -- Mayflower, AR -- 13, 28-00 -- 51 -- $10,000
Day 1: 5, 10-10 -- Day 2: 5, 12-11 -- Day 3: 3, 04-11

50. Kevin Ledoux -- Choctaw, OK -- 9 -- 27-10 -- 50 -- $5,000
Day 1: 5, 18-09 -- Day 2: 2, 04-11 -- Day 3: 2, 04-06