Another 15-Pound Sack Keeps Martin In The Lead

By BassFan Staff

Scott Martin has caught 15-pound bags on each of the last 2 days after taking command of the Potomac River FLW Tour Major with a monster sack on day 1. He's quite certain that a third consecutive stringer of that size won't be enough to bring him his fifth career tour-level victory.

"I'll need more than 15," the reigning Forrest Wood Cup champion from Florida said after boosting his 3-day total to 52-15 with a 15-04 haul. "I'll need to catch a big bag.

"I'm not even sure what I'm leading by right now, and it doesn't matter. Whether I'm 2 pounds ahead or 2 pounds behind or whatever, I need to go out and catch as much as I can catch."

His lead is 2-05 – just 4 ounces less than the advantage he began the day with. His closest pursuer is now Dave Lefebre, who sacked 16-15 today to gain five places with a 50-10 aggregate.

Clifford Pirch also moved up five slots – he weighed 17-04 for a 50-04 total that put him in 3rd. David Dudley, bidding for an unprecedented second straight Tour triumph, fell two places to 4th today with a 14-11 bag that gave him a 49-13 total.

Justin Lucas rounded out the Top 5 with a day-best 18-06 sack for a 49-10 total. It marked the second straight day that he's topped 18 pounds.

Here are the totals for the anglers who'll be back on the water for the final day, with the red numbers in parentheses representing their deficit margin from the leader:

1. Scott Martin: 52-15
2. Dave Lefebre: 50-10 (2-05)
3. Clifford Pirch: 50-04 (2-11)
4. David Dudley: 49-13 (3-02)
5. Justin Lucas: 49-10 (3-05)
6. Colby Schrumpf: 49-03 (3-12)
7. Jim Moynagh: 48-09 (4-06)
8. Bryan Thrift: 47-12 (5-03)
9. Clark Wendlandt: 47-11 (5-04)
10. Ron Shuffield: 47-03 (5-12)

Lucas was the only competitor to move into the Top 10 today – he began the day in 20th. He supplanted Chris Baumgardner, who dropped from 10th to 12th with a 13-06 bag.

Moynagh actually compiled two separate bags today – he had to release an entire limit when his co-angler inadvertently dropped a fish into his side of the livewell. They had to return to the launch and undergo a restart at about 11:30.

He said the mishap likely cost him about 2 pounds, which would have put him within an ounce or so of 2nd place. He also lost a couple of good fish late in the day.

"It seems like everything went so bad, but here I am still fishing," he said. "I'm certainly happy about that, and I think I've got the fish to win if everything lines up and falls into place. I could catch 20 pounds."

Either Dudley or Martin will leave the event – the fourth of six Majors – with the lead in the Angler of the Year (AOY) race. Dudley is bidding for his second consecutive points title, which is another feat that's never been accomplished in the Tour's 17-year history.

Tomorrow's weather forecast for the Washington, D.C. area calls for sunny skies, a high temperature of 81 degrees and a 12-mph wind out of the northeast.

Martin Missed a Couple

> Day 3: 5, 15-04 (15, 52-15)

Martin ran far to the south today and fished his way back to the launch, making about 10 stops. His day was void of big bites and he weighed in five fish that were all in the 3-pound class.

"I did lose a couple of nice ones today – it was one of those deals where I just didn't get them into the boat," he said. "But I'm going to keep doing what I'm doing and fishing my places, and hopefully I'll get some of those quality bites tomorrow.

"I'm feeling good, but it's just hard to pinpoint where and when you're going to get those big bites. I know I'm around them and I should get at least a couple of opportunities."

He's no stranger to closing out a victory while going into the final day with the lead – having done it last August at the Forrest Wood Cup and at Champlain in 2009.

"I'm having a lot of fun this week and I'm just trying to stay focused. I know that Dudley and Lefebre and Clifford are going to catch them tomorrow and I'm going to need a big bag myself to win. I'm in a nice position, so I'll go out and see what I can do."

2nd: Lefebre's Fish Long, Skinny

> Day 3: 5, 16-15 (15, 50-10)

Lefebre is catching primarily post-spawn fish from a couple of areas not far from the launch in National Harbor, Md. Other than guys who've had mechanical issues and were unable to make the longer runs they'd planned, he hasn't had any company.

"It's pretty amazing," he said. "I just feel like I need one of those giant bites. I got a 5-pounder on the first day, but the ones I'm (weighing in) now are long and skinny – they're all over 20 inches long.

"In order to win, I'm going to need a big one tomorrow. My co-angler had a 6 1/2 and a 4 1/2 today so I know they're in the area. I just need to stick one of them."

The heaviest fish he brought to the scale today was a 3 1/2-pounder. He farmed out a couple of bites, but doubts that either would've helped him.

"Another 17 pounds like today could get it done, but any one of these guys could bust 22 or 23, so I feel like that's what I need to do. I'm a 6-pounder away from doing that."

His great-uncle passed away recently and he'd planned to attend the funeral today in Erie, Pa., but making the cut precluded that.

"I need to go out and catch a big one tomorrow for Uncle Pat."

3rd: Pirch Keeps Climbing

> Day 3: 5, 17-04 (15, 50-04)

Pirch has been making a steady climb up the standings sheet – he went from 38th to 8th on day 2 and gained another five spots today.

"I just hope I can keep going in that same direction," he said. "It's a tight field, and I'm glad to be in the position to get a chance to go out and try to win."

He caught about a dozen keepers today. His bag was topped by a 5-pounder and he also had a 4.

"I've been spending my time a little more wisely and I've eliminated some areas that aren't producing anymore. You learn as the event goes on what time you need to be where and which places have the right kind of fish.

"I missed a couple of bites – some of them were picking it up funny and I think those might've been spawning. I didn't feel like I lost much that was crucial, though."

He's been throwing a Pepper flipping jig and a Roboworm, but thinks the worm might represent his best chance on the final day.

"My co-angler caught a nice bag behind me, so I'm thinking the more aggressive approach might be harder to make happen. I'll probably need to slow down and employ that Roboworm a little more.

"A 20-pound bag is possible, although the 17 to 18 range seems a little more doable. But if you can get into a pack of those 5-pounders, and they are in packs, you could have three for 15 pounds real quick."

4th: Slight Slip for Dudley

> Day 3: 5, 14-11 (15, 49-13)

Dudley lost two places in the standings today as he came in a few ounces shy of the 15-pound mark.

"I didn't get any big bites," he said. "After 3 days of fishing the same area, I really believe that all of the tournament-grade fish have been taken away from there. The ones I weighed today were the second-class fish.

"I'll have to change it up a little bit tomorrow and I'll probably move around a lot more."

He boated more than 20 keepers today, but he doubts any of them surpassed the 3-pound mark. All were 2 3/4-pound clones.

"I'm still confident. Scott brought in that big bag the first day, but he could have 13 as easily as anybody else and I could catch 19, and then it flip-flops. I'm pumped."

5th: Lucas Goes Big Again

> Day 3: 5, 18-06 (15, 49-10)

Lucas was in 90th place after day 1, but back-to-back sacks exceeding 18 pounds have given him a chance to win tomorrow.

"I wasn't very happy after the first day, but things have turned around," he said.

A large local tournament crowded him out of his day-2 area in Mattawoman Creek today, but two passes on his second stop after that – a grass bed that was being fished by only one other competitor – produced all of his weight.

"It's almost a mile-long stretch and I went down it one time and caught four, then came back the other way and caught two, and that was my 18 pounds. I got some on a Berkley Havoc Pit Boss and some on a stickbait – I'm switching it up depending on the current and the tide."

He said he has no clue as to whether he can catch a third straight strong sack tomorrow.

"I really don't know because I have no experience here. I know I'm going to spend a lot more time in that area and I'm excited to go back and really pick it apart. I might catch 10 pounds, or I might catch 20 with the right bites."

Notable

> Day 3 stats – 20 anglers, 17 limits, 1 four, 2 threes.

> Martin, Lefebre, Pirch and Dudley will all have cameras aboard their boats tomorrow that will stream video throughout the day to FLWOutdoors.com.

Weather Forecast

> Sun., May 20 – Sunny - 81°/64°
- Wind: From the NE at 12 mph

Day 3 Standings

1. Scott Martin -- Clewiston, Fl -- 22-10 (5) -- 15-01 (5) -- 37-11 (10) -- 15-04 (5) -- 52-15

2. Dave Lefebre -- Erie, Pa -- 17-11 (5) -- 16-00 (5) -- 33-11 (10) -- 16-15 (5) -- 50-10

3. Clifford Pirch -- Payson, Az -- 14-11 (5) -- 18-05 (5) -- 33-00 (10) -- 17-04 (5) -- 50-04

4. David Dudley -- Lynchburg, Va -- 16-11 (5) -- 18-07 (5) -- 35-02 (10) -- 14-11 (5) -- 49-13

5. Justin Lucas -- Guntersville, Al -- 12-09 (5) -- 18-11 (5) -- 31-04 (10) -- 18-06 (5) -- 49-10

6. Colby Schrumpf -- Highland, Il -- 17-13 (5) -- 16-11 (5) -- 34-08 (10) -- 14-11 (5) -- 49-03

7. Jim Moynagh -- Carver, Mn -- 17-07 (5) -- 16-10 (5) -- 34-01 (10) -- 14-08 (5) -- 48-09

8. Bryan Thrift -- Shelby, NC -- 15-07 (5) -- 17-03 (5) -- 32-10 (10) -- 15-02 (5) -- 47-12

9. Clark Wendlandt -- Leander, Tx -- 16-11 (5) -- 17-08 (5) -- 34-03 (10) -- 13-08 (5) -- 47-11

10. Ron Shuffield -- Bismarck, Ar -- 16-06 (5) -- 17-15 (5) -- 34-05 (10) -- 12-14 (5) -- 47-03

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

11. Clent Davis -- Montevallo, Al -- 13-02 (5) -- 19-06 (5) -- 32-08 (10) -- 13-10 (5) -- 46-02 -- $12,026

12. Chris Baumgardner -- Gastonia, NC -- 18-04 (5) -- 14-05 (5) -- 32-09 (10) -- 13-06 (5) -- 45-15 -- $12,026

13. Tim Johnson -- Dallas, Ga -- 17-04 (5) -- 14-04 (5) -- 31-08 (10) -- 14-04 (5) -- 45-12 -- $12,026

14. Jim Tutt -- Longview, Tx -- 17-11 (5) -- 14-14 (5) -- 32-09 (10) -- 13-00 (5) -- 45-09 -- $12,026

15. Gary Yamamoto -- Palestine, Tx -- 18-01 (5) -- 13-07 (5) -- 31-08 (10) -- 13-13 (5) -- 45-05 -- $12,026

16. Marty Stone -- Fayetteville, NC -- 13-10 (5) -- 17-12 (5) -- 31-06 (10) -- 13-06 (5) -- 44-12 -- $11,543

17. Jim Dillard -- West Monroe, La -- 17-12 (5) -- 14-13 (5) -- 32-09 (10) -- 12-01 (5) -- 44-10 -- $11,543

18. Michael Williamson -- Fort Smith, Ar -- 13-06 (5) -- 18-12 (5) -- 32-02 (10) -- 9-04 (3) -- 41-06 -- $11,543

19. Wade Hendricks -- Thompsons Station, Tn -- 13-04 (5) -- 18-05 (5) -- 31-09 (10) -- 9-02 (4) -- 40-11 -- $11,543

20. Bill Day -- Frankfort, Ky -- 15-06 (5) -- 16-09 (5) -- 31-15 (10) -- 6-04 (3) -- 38-03 -- $11,543