Lake of the Ozarks Central EverStart
Burns Bangs Out Big 17

Photo: FLWOutdoors.com Danny Burns ran about 60 miles each day to fish the same three pockets.

Close behind Eakins in 3rd is FLW Tour pro Dan Morehead with a limit of 13-03. Fourth is Eric Ambort with a limit of 11-09, and Dave Donham is 5th with an 11-03 limit.

The Top 10 weights drop off sharply after 7th place:

6. Paul Tormanen: 5, 10-05
7. Kevin Lasyone: 4, 9-11
8. David Curtis: 2, 6-09
9. Gene Brown: 1, 1-12
10. George Jeane, Jr.: 1, 1-07

Just six of the Top 10 caught a limit, and two barely avoided a zero with just one keeper each.

Burns Up By 4

Burns caught consistent 16-pound limits the first 2 days, and upped the ante with a 17-07 today to top the Top 10. "I'm fishing way up the river, making a 2-hour run about 50 or 60 miles," he said. "The wind was bad and it rained some today, but the storms didn't hit up there. The water muddied up some down the lake, but it has actually been clearing up where I'm fishing.

"I started out blind-fishing and catching bedding fish, but now I'm starting to see them. I got a good look at the 4 1/2-pounder I lost today. It got hung up under a log. Other than that, I caught six keepers today."

He's been pitching a Zoom Brush Hog on 17- and 20-pound fluorocarbon line and he and his partners have caught close to 60 pounds of keeper largemouths from his area over the last 3 days.

"I'm fishing the same three pockets every day," he noted. "But I've caught one good fish on the way back each day – a 4-pounder – and culled. I'll go up there and fish everything twice, then come back. It'll be tougher since it's supposed to be 38 (degrees) tonight and a high of 58 (degrees) tomorrow, and the big boats may be out. That'll slow me down and shorten my fishing time.

"But I'll stick with my gameplan and go there again tomorrow. I'll either (catch 16 to 17 pounds) again, or I'll do really poor if I've used them up."

Lasyone Lost One

Kevin Lasyone suffered muddied water on his sight-fishing areas today due to the wind, and managed just one bed-fish today in his 4-fish bag that weighed 9-11. He's in 7th place.

"I lost one keeper sight-fishing today," he said. "The wind muddied up my areas, and I couldn't see if it had the bait good. It's hard to see the sight-fish with the stain and the pollen on the water, especially early in the day.

"I went to one new area today that I couldn't fish earlier because another guy who didn't make the cut was on it," he added. "I caught one sight-fishing there, and then went and threw a spinnerbait and caught three keepers. Then I went back to the sight-fish, and I should have just stayed with the spinnerbait, because the water had gotten so muddy.

"Tomorrow I'll throw the spinnerbait early until the sun gets up enough to see the bed-fish better. If I get the bites on the spinnerbait, I should have 9 or 10 pounds, maybe more."

Jeane Blown Away

George Jeane, Jr. led the first day with over 21 pounds, fishing a jig deep. After he made the Top 10 cut and had that big weight zeroed, today he managed just one small keeper for 1-07 and 10th place. "The wind really killed me today," he said. "It was blowing 20 to 35 mph, and I'm out in open water. I couldn't fish it right.

"I was throwing a 1/4-ounce jig, but I had to go to a 3/8-ounce one today just to feel it," he added. "They wanted the lighter jig that I've been catching them on. My partner caught two keepers today, and I had one more that was real close but I threw it back. By the time I boated it, unhooked it and measured it, I had to motor for 5 minutes to get back on my spot (in the wind).

"The wind is supposed to blow again tomorrow. But I got on some other fish up the river in practice, so tomorrow I'll go there. If nobody else found them, I think I can catch a limit there."

Notable

> Day 3 stats – 10 anglers, 6 limits, one 4, one 2 and two 1s.

> FLW Outdoors reported the following story from leader Burns: Burns was unsure about his first stop upriver after he saw another boat fishing his productive spot. Burns explained that he was in the Top 10 in an EverStart event. The other anglers explained they were preparing for a crappie tournament and invited him into the cove. Almost immediately, Burns caught a 5-pound largemouth to start his day.

> There are two tour pros in the Top 10: Eakins and Morehead.

Day 3 Standings

1. Danny Burns -- Ozark, Mo -- 5, 17-07

2. Troy Eakins -- Nixa, Mo -- 5, 13-09

3. Dan Morehead -- Paducah, Ky -- 5, 13-03

4. Eric Ambort -- Mabelvale, Ar -- 5, 11-09

5. Dave Donham -- Highlandville, Mo -- 5, 11-03

6. Paul Tormanen -- Lees Summit, Mo -- 5, 10-05

7. Kevin Lasyone -- Dry Prong, La -- 4, 9-11

8. David Curtis -- Trinity, Tx -- 2, 6-09

9. Gene Brown -- West Point, Ms -- 1, 1-12

10. George Jeane Jr -- Evans, La -- 1, 1-07