Rose Tops 50-Pound Mark To Win Knockout Round

By John Johnson
BassFan Senior Editor

If Mark Rose can just figure out a way to generate some bites in the early morning, there's no telling the havoc he might wreak in the Championship Round of Heavy Hitters.

The veteran won the Knockout Round at Florida's Kissimmee Chain of Lakes with a 13-fish, 52-05 haul that included another brute (7-12). On Friday, he and nine other anglers will compete for two six-figure paychecks – $100,000 will go to the competitor who compiles the heaviest combined weight for the day, with the same amount up for grabs for the heaviest fish of the round.

He's fishing away from the bank with a 5-inch Strike King worm on spinning gear and there's no indication that he's running out of fish.

"If the sun comes out and it's not too windy and I'm able to slow down, I can catch a few in the afternoon," said Rose, who'll try to add a Bass Pro Tour trophy to the one he got for winning the MLF Patriot Cup. "In the mornings I just can't get anything going – I'm fishing brush piles and grass and they're not biting on those deals early.

"I might try to figure out something else entirely for that first hour, but knowing me, I'll probably just lock down on them and wait them out. I may have to change my rotation up if I go out there."

Michael Neal collected the $50,000 bonus for the largest fish of the Knockout Round – an 8-15 bruiser that he pulled from offshore vegetation with about a half-hour left in the round, enticed by a half-ounce vibrating jig tipped with a Big Bite Baits Cane Thumper. It was one of only three scoreable fish (2 pounds or heavier) he caught on the day en route to a 24th-place finish that marked the end of his event.

"It was definitely a grind today, no doubt, so I'll take it," Neal said.

Neal's fish was a gut punch for Jordan Lee, who'd boated an 8-14 on a crankbait four hours earlier. As a consolation, Lee will get a shot at even bigger money in the Championship Round, as he finished 3rd with 44-09 on 14 fish.

"I was pretty bummed to lose it right there at the end by 1 ounce, but that's how it goes," said Lee. "All day I really thought I was going to win it, but my hat's off to him. I'm in the Championship Round, which is where I wanted to end up when we started the week off and I've had a good day every day."

Sandwiched between Rose and Lee in the Knockout Round final standings was Dustin Connell, who handled 16 fish for 44-12. Others advancing to the Championship Round were Adrian Avena (4th with 43-02 on 14 fish), Justin Lucas (5th, 40-03, 13), Bryan Thrift (6th, 37-08, 12), Jacob Wheeler (7th, 36-04, 10) and Gary Klein (8th, 36-03, 11).

Those eight will join Zack Birge and Skeet Reese, the winners of the respective Group A and B Qualifying Rounds who were awarded early berths for the finals. The minimum weight for scoreable fish in the Championship Round will increase to 3 pounds.

Lee, Thrift and Wheeler have each made the finals three times in four events this year. Reese and Lucas, both former B.A.S.S. Anglers of the Year, will be making their first appearances in the 12 BPT regular-season events to date.

Rose didn't catch a scoreable fish for the first two hours of the day, then got on board with a 6-02. He added eight more over the next three hours, then picked up three late in the day following a lightning delay.

"On the first day and today I caught several really close to the take-off on a shaky-head and a swimjig with a Strike King Menace," he said. "Once I got in that area today and slowed down, I caught three in there."

He earned a $25,000 bonus for the largest fish among his group during the Qualifying Round – a tournament-best 9-02.

"I do have confidence that the $100,000 fish is (in his primary area) if I can get the bite. I don't want to get greedy because I've already won one, but I'd gladly trade it in for that one."

Weather Forecast

> Fri., June 12 – Partly Cloudy - 90°/73°
- Wind: From the E at 10 to 15 mph

Knockout Round

(Figure at far right indicates weight of angler's heaviest fish for the round)

1. Mark Rose -- 13, 52-05 -- 7-12

2. Dustin Connell -- 16, 44-12 -- 4-10

3. Jordan Lee -- 14, 44-09 -- 8-14

4. Adrian Avena -- 14, 43-02 -- 5-11

5. Justin Lucas -- 13, 40-03 -- 4-12

6. Bryan Thrift -- 12, 37-08 -- 4-14

7. Jacob Wheeler -- 10, 36-04 -- 5-00

8. Gary Klein -- 11, 36-03 -- 4-08

The following anglers did not advance to the Championship Round

9. Wesley Strader -- 11, 34-14 -- 7-13

10. Fletcher Shryock -- 9, 31-11 -- 8-06

11. Mark Davis -- 10, 26-11 -- 3-05

12. Kelly Jordon -- 7, 24-13 -- 4-08

13. David Walker -- 9, 24-10 -- 4-05

14. Britt Myers -- 9, 24-08 -- 3-15

15. Chris Lane -- 7, 22-13 -- 5-05

16. Brent Ehrler -- 7, 19-14 -- 4-05

17. Matt Lee -- 7, 19-05 -- 4-10

18. Luke Clausen -- 5, 18-09 -- 5-13

19. Kevin VanDam -- 5, 18-07 -- 7-10

20. Takahiro Omori -- 5, 18-01 -- 3-12

21. Russ Lane -- 6, 17-04 -- 4-05

22. Gerald Spohrer -- 6, 16-08 -- 3-07

23. Fred Roumbanis -- 4, 16-01 -- 6-09

24. Michael Neal -- 3, 15-14 -- 8-15

25. Anthony Gagliardi -- 6, 15-03 -- 3-02

26. Jeff Sprague -- 5, 13-13 -- 3-13

27. Jeff Kriet -- 3, 13-10 -- 8-02

28. Casey Ashley -- 4, 11-09 -- 4-10

29. Andy Morgan -- 3, 11-07 -- 4-14

30. Jonathon VanDam -- 3, 11-00 -- 5-15

31. Stephen Browning -- 4, 9-09 -- 2-13

32. David Dudley -- 4, 9-02 -- 2-11

33. Bradley Roy -- 3, 8-15 -- 4-00

34. Randy Howell -- 3, 8-12 -- 3-14

35. John Murray -- 3, 7-09 -- 3-01

36. Jared Lintner -- 2, 7-03 -- 3-13

37. Mark Daniels, Jr. -- 2, 5-09 -- 3-09

38. James Elam -- 0, 0-00 -- 0-00