By Todd Ceisner
BassFan Editor
In just about every tournament, championship or otherwise, there’s usually a moment or a sequence that stands out as the turning point.
Kyle Walters may have delivered that moment today at Lake Hamilton on day 2 of the FLW Cup. It didn’t win him the event, but it certainly kept him in the mix.
With the day wearing on and the fishing a bit slower than it was Friday, Walters had two small fish in his livewell as he probed some brush piles with a deep-diving crankbait. Just after noon, he set the hook and swung his rod to his right. He immediately got the sense that whatever was on the other end of his line was big. His first guess was that he’d hooked a walleye. Moments later, the water swirled off the bow of his boat and he realized he was fighting two bass at the same time. He scrambled to retrieve his landing net, scooped the fish into the boat and let his emotions take over.
“That changes the game in five minutes, doesn’t it,” he bellowed to the FLW Live camera.
It sure did. Those two fish accounted for roughly seven pounds and anchored his 12-05 stringer that has him in second place with 26-02 entering the final day of competition in central Arkansas. He’ll take off Sunday 1 1/2 pounds behind Bryan Thrift, who stayed in the lead with a 12-07 bag that pushed his total to 27-10.
While Walters’ double was certainly a memorable moment, Thrift is hoping there’s more magic in store on Sunday. A Cup win is the only thing missing from Thrift’s dazzling list of career achievements with FLW and it’s there for the taking. This is the second Cup in which he’s held the lead entering the final day, but he’ll head out tomorrow trying to treat it like just another tournament day.
“I don’t have any emotions about it,” he said. “It’s not hard to manage them when you don’t feel like you’re going to win. I just take it day by day. I still don’t feel like I have enough to win. I know how volatile fishing this time of year can be. It’s just a balloon waiting to pop.”
Tour rookie Dakota Ebare jumped 17 spots to third, thanks to the biggest stringer of the day (14-15) that gave him 24-07. Jeremy Lawyer sacked 12 pounds (12-05) for the second straight day and sits in fourth with 24-06. Scott Martin moved up seven spots to fifth with 22-10 after bagging 11-01.
Here’s a look at the rest of the 10 finalists:
6. Austin Felix: 22-09
7. Jordan Osborne: 22-06
8. Ryan Salzman: 21-14
9. Joseph Webster: 21-01
10. Josh Douglas: 21-00
After 19 bags exceeded the 10-pound mark on day 1, that number dipped to 12 today as cloudy conditions persisted for the second straight day and rain fell for a portion of the day. The sun is expected to make its return on Sunday and that could add an interesting wrinkle to the proceedings.
“We haven’t had much sun in two days,” Lawyer said. “There might be new groups of fish that have been cruising that will have to get on something, either docks or cover, and I’m excited to see what might happen.”
Kyle Walters doesn't see himself abandoning the offshore pattern that's carried him to second place after two days.
For those who’ve committed to fishing offshore, like Walters, it’ll be business as usual.
“I’m in a nothing to lose situation,” he said. “Tenth place is a win, so I’m going after it to win the tournament. I’m not fishing for a limit. I’ll be throwing a big worm and a big plug.”
Thrift said today was a much tougher grind than Friday. He said he generated just six keeper bites, but he was expecting it to be that way.
“Weight-wise, I’m happy with it, but they didn’t bite for me as well,” he said. “I chalked it up to just August fishing. After four days of practice and one day of the tournament where we’re all sticking them, it’s supposed to get tougher.”
As for what he’s expecting tomorrow with the sun out, he’s not taking an optimistic view that it’ll ignite a whole other wave of fish to start biting.
“I’m expecting it to be tough,” he added. “As tough as it was today, I expect it to be worse tomorrow. After two days of clouds and with the sun coming out, I think it’ll make for tough fishing.”
Either way, he’s happy to be where he’s at with a chance to capture something that’s eluded him for many years now.
“I want to be in the lead for sure,” he said. “I may blow it, but I’d still rather be in the lead.”
If he slips, Walters could be the guy to pounce and it won’t be the first time he’s topped Thrift with a championship on the line. Last fall, Walters and Thrift finished 1-2 at the FLW Series Championship.
Walters said he took a lot from that experience and applied it to this week’s event.
“I’m comfortable on the final day. It’s not foreign territory,” he said. “The Costa championship prepared me for this – having to catch them to win. It’s pretty much the same scenario. I had to catch them because Thrift was going to catch them, too. It’s one of those deals where I let that out of my mind at Guntersville and I’m going to do that tomorrow, too, because in my mind, he’ll find a way to catch 12 pounds.”
Ebare moved into contention thanks to an adjustment he made this afternoon. His livewells were empty at 11:30 a.m., but he poured it on during the second half of the day.
“Yesterday and today were different from practice when we had high skies and it was sunny,” the Louisiana angler said. “We’ve had a lot of clouds the last two days and it took me a little longer to adjust and get it figured it out.”
He’s been camped in the riverine portion of the lake and is counting on a little current to position the fish along certain stretches.
“I’m not sure I can catch them without the current,” he said.
Scott Martin is banking on the sun opening up more opportunities on day 3.
Lawyer had a similar slow start, but once the sun popped out in the last hour, he got some traction and wound up with four more ounces than what he caught Friday.
“I had six pounds at 1 p.m. today,” he said. “It was as confusing as I’ve seen it. Then the sun came out and I scrapped it all and went deep. They were chewing and I got fortunate.”
He also had a Walters-like moment to land a four-pounder, his biggest fish of the week so far.
“I threw out into a brush pile and hooked one and it started to take some drag,” he said. “We started playing tug o’ war and I moved him a bit, but he got into something, so I got over him and started pulling hard. I only had on 10-pound Sunline and a spinning rod can only take so much. I was pulling so hard I thought I was going to start moving the brush pile, but then the rod broke. When that happened, it seemed to scare the fish out of the brush and I hand-lined him in.”
On Sunday, though, he thinks his best chance to make up a three-pound deficit will be up shallow.
“I think you’ll see topwater play more Sunday,” he said. “I feel like it’s the only way I can catch up is with a big bag on a topwater.”
Noting the weather has been a big curveball so far, Martin says he feels like he’s maximized his area based on the conditions.
“I’m very happy to catch 11 (pounds) two days in a row. It wasn’t easy by any means,” he said. “I felt like I was on fish to catch 13 per day with potential for 17.”
With sun in the forecast for Sunday, he’s thinking big. He’s focused on two patterns, one involving finesse tactics and the other centered around power-fishing. The deepest he’s fished is around 10 feet.
“I feel like I’m set up better on sunny conditions and I think other guys feel that way, too,” he added.
Day 2 Standings
1. Bryan Thrift -- Shelby, NC -- 15-3 (5) -- 12-7 (5) -- 27-10 (10)
2. Kyle Walters -- Grant Valkaria, Fl -- 13-13 (5) -- 12-5 (5) -- 26-2 (10)
3. Dakota Ebare -- Denham Springs, La -- 9-8 (5) -- 14-15 (5) -- 24-7 (10)
4. Jeremy Lawyer -- Sarcoxie, Mo -- 12-1 (5) -- 12-5 (5) -- 24-6 (10)
5. Scott Martin -- Clewiston, Fl -- 11-9 (5) -- 11-1 (5) -- 22-10 (10)
6. Austin Felix -- Eden Prairie, Mn -- 13-5 (5) -- 9-4 (5) -- 22-9 (10)
7. Jordan Osborne -- Longview, Tx -- 13-11 (5) -- 8-11 (5) -- 22-6 (10)
8. Ryan Salzman -- Huntsville, Al -- 9-5 (5) -- 12-9 (5) -- 21-14 (10)
9. Joseph Webster -- Winfield, Al -- 9-2 (5) -- 11-15 (5) -- 21-1 (10)
10. Josh Douglas -- Isle, Mn -- 9-0 (5) -- 12-0 (5) -- 21-0 (10)
The following anglers missed the cut and will not compete on day 3.
11. Wade Strelic -- Alpine, Ca -- 8-4 (5) -- 12-5 (5) -- 20-9 (10) -- $15,000
12. Joel Willert -- Prior Lake, Mn -- 12-13 (5) -- 7-10 (5) -- 20-7 (10) -- $15,000
13. Matt Reed -- Madisonville, Tx -- 11-3 (5) -- 9-0 (5) -- 20-3 (10) -- $15,000
14. Billy McCaghren -- Mayflower, Ar -- 12-4 (5) -- 7-14 (4) -- 20-2 (9) -- $15,000
15. Matt Becker -- Finleyville, Pa -- 11-7 (5) -- 8-11 (5) -- 20-2 (10) -- $15,000
16. Miles Burghoff -- Hixson, Tn -- 7-1 (5) -- 12-14 (5) -- 19-15 (10) -- $15,000
17. Erik Luzak -- Fenelon Falls, On -- 11-12 (5) -- 7-13 (4) -- 19-9 (9) -- $15,000
18. Bryan Schmitt -- Deale, Md -- 12-15 (5) -- 6-6 (5) -- 19-5 (10) -- $15,000
19. Terry Bolton -- Benton, Ky -- 6-7 (4) -- 12-11 (5) -- 19-2 (9) -- $15,000
20. J Todd Tucker -- Moultrie, Ga -- 11-14 (5) -- 6-14 (5) -- 18-12 (10) -- $15,000
21. Brandon McMillan -- Clewiston, Fl -- 9-1 (5) -- 9-9 (5) -- 18-10 (10) -- $10,000
22. Bradford Beavers -- Summerville, SC -- 10-4 (5) -- 8-5 (5) -- 18-9 (10) -- $10,000
23. John Cox -- Debary, Fl -- 8-15 (5) -- 9-8 (5) -- 18-7 (10) -- $10,000
24. Nick Lebrun -- Bossier City, La -- 15-0 (5) -- 3-0 (2) -- 18-0 (7) -- $10,000
25. Sheldon Collings -- Grove, Ok -- 8-5 (5) -- 9-10 (5) -- 17-15 (10) -- $10,000
26. Kurt Mitchell -- Milford, De -- 6-4 (5) -- 11-10 (5) -- 17-14 (10) -- $10,000
27. Larry Nixon -- Quitman, Ar -- 10-9 (5) -- 7-5 (5) -- 17-14 (10) -- $10,000
28. Todd Castledine -- Nacogdoches, Tx -- 10-4 (5) -- 7-10 (5) -- 17-14 (10) -- $10,000
29. Kurt Dove -- Del Rio, Tx -- 11-0 (5) -- 6-13 (5) -- 17-13 (10) -- $10,000
30. Braxton Setzer -- Wetumpka, Al -- 8-12 (5) -- 8-14 (5) -- 17-10 (10) -- $10,000
31. Buddy Gross -- Chickamauga, Ga -- 6-11 (5) -- 9-15 (5) -- 16-10 (10) -- $10,000
32. Matthew Stefan -- Junction City, Wi -- 9-8 (5) -- 6-14 (5) -- 16-6 (10) -- $10,000
33. Christopher Brasher -- Longview, Tx -- 6-10 (5) -- 9-10 (5) -- 16-4 (10) -- $10,000
34. Brad Knight -- Lancing, Tn -- 8-8 (5) -- 7-8 (5) -- 16-0 (10) -- $10,000
35. Zack Birge -- Blanchard, Ok -- 9-3 (5) -- 6-2 (5) -- 15-5 (10) -- $10,000
36. Casey Scanlon -- Lake Ozark, Mo -- 8-13 (5) -- 6-7 (5) -- 15-4 (10) -- $10,000
37. Jason Reyes -- Huffman, Tx -- 8-14 (5) -- 6-4 (4) -- 15-2 (9) -- $10,000
38. Tom Redington -- Royse City, Tx -- 7-11 (5) -- 7-5 (5) -- 15-0 (10) -- $10,000
39. Adam Puckett -- Bloomington, In -- 7-2 (5) -- 7-6 (5) -- 14-8 (10) -- $10,000
40. David Dudley -- Lynchburg, Va -- 9-0 (5) -- 5-6 (5) -- 14-6 (10) -- $10,000
41. Blake Albertson -- Bloomington, In -- 6-13 (5) -- 7-1 (5) -- 13-14 (10) -- $10,000
42. Brian Latimer -- Belton, SC -- 8-1 (5) -- 5-0 (5) -- 13-1 (10) -- $10,000
43. Andrew Upshaw -- Tulsa, Ok -- 5-8 (5) -- 7-6 (5) -- 12-14 (10) -- $10,000
44. Jon Griffith -- Mesa, Az -- 7-15 (5) -- 4-5 (4) -- 12-4 (9) -- $10,000
45. Preston Craig -- Philadelphia, Tn -- 4-15 (3) -- 6-9 (5) -- 11-8 (8) -- $10,000
46. Cory Johnston -- Cavan, On -- 11-7 (5) -- 0-0 (0) -- 11-7 (5) -- $10,000
47. Brennon McCord -- West Frankfort, Il -- 5-1 (3) -- 5-7 (3) -- 10-8 (6) -- $10,000
48. Jared McMillan -- Belle Glade, Fl -- 4-7 (4) -- 6-0 (3) -- 10-7 (7) -- $10,000
49. Ron Nelson -- Berrien Springs, Mi -- 7-9 (5) -- 2-2 (2) -- 9-11 (7) -- $10,000
50. Tommy Dickerson -- Orange, Tx -- 1-15 (2) -- 7-9 (5) -- 9-8 (7) -- $10,000
51. John Voyles -- Petersburg, In -- 5-8 (4) -- 3-12 (4) -- 9-4 (8) -- $10,000
52. Joshua Weaver -- Macon, Ga -- 1-5 (1) -- 7-14 (5) -- 9-3 (6) -- $10,000
