DENTON, Texas – When a mere 4 pounds, 4 ounces separates first place from 10th place, there remains plenty of room for big swings on the leaderboard in the 10th annual Toyota Texas Bass Classic.
The top spot right now belongs to Bassmaster Elite Series pro Chris Zaldain, who boated a 21-pound, 4-ounce haul on Friday during the first day of competition on Lake Ray Roberts in north Texas. But though he wowed the 38-man field on Friday (including a day high bass of 7-12,) Zaldain will have to perform well again on Saturday to fend off his rivals.
And in reality, just about every one of those men remains in the hunt for a spot in the Tundra 10, after the cut is made today. Even the man in 20th place (Randy Howell) isn’t out of reach, as he entered Saturday with a 14-8 total, which is one big bass away from taking the lead.
That has all the anglers’ hopes high as they know that Ray Roberts can produce some monster fish (six ShareLunkers over 13 pounds have come from the lake in the past, and the record fish caught in March 2015 weighed more than 15 pounds.)
“I’ve got to change up some,” said Dean Rojas, who was in a tie for 13th place with 16 pounds. “Yesterday, I breezed over my areas, but today I’ve got to hammer them. I’ve got to get in the Top 10. And being 13th, I have a chance. I’ve got to give it a go, and I enjoy fishing that way … This is exactly where you want to be and have a chance to win … I’m right in striking distance. I like where I am.”
Luke Clausen, who was in 17th place with a 15-12 haul on Friday, said all the pros are having to adjust to variable conditions that have prevailed so far – high water which now is falling, a full moon, cooler than average temperatures, and overcast skies giving way to bright sun in the afternoons.
“I think we’re all still learning a little bit right now,” he said. “We’re all looking for something of a shad spawn early in the morning, and then I’m going to start on some place I did well on yesterday morning, and hopefully get two big bites instead of one. The game changer here is the 5- to 7-pound bite. People haven’t caught a bunch of four-pounders, so you’re best opportunity is to target a couple big ones.”
Jordan Lee had the second heaviest fish Friday, a 7-4 big bass. He too said adapting to the fishing conditions will be key to surviving the cut to 10.
“I really didn’t catch that many good fish,” he said, though he came into Saturday tied for seventh with a 17-4 total. “I had that really big one with a bunch of twos. You (have to) change it up a little bit. This is an awesome event. There’s not really a lot of pressure out here, because you’re not fishing for points. You just go fishing, and that’s what I did yesterday. I fished all new water.
“The big one came out of the bushes and I was throwing a white Strike King swim jig. That’s the big fish you’re looking for. The big ones are biting early, and I learned that yesterday … You’ve got to cover water early, and try to put yourself around that big one.”
Bill Lowen is one of four anglers who entered Saturday tied with 16 pounds. He said he’ll stick with the game plan that put him on the verge of the Top 10 after Friday’s fishing.
“Practice for me wasn’t really good, so I’m tickled to be where I’m sitting,” he said. “To change it up, I don’t know what I’d be doing. I’m kind of doing what everyone else is doing. You just have to have one of those ‘over’ bites … anything over four is going to be huge. You try to catch those, and if you don’t, it’s time to go home.”
The TTBC field is composed of the top 15 anglers from the 2015 Toyota Bassmaster Elite Series Angler of the Year standings, as well as the top 15 from last year’s FLW Tour Angler of the Year race. Eight exemptions made the field, as well.
The field launched in reverse order on Saturday morning, and the first 19 anglers must be off the water by 3:15 p.m. The second group will be complete by 3:30 p.m. Weigh-in is at the Toyota Texas Fest in Frisco beginning at 5:30 at Toyota Stadium. That event features live country music concerts, a food expo, and much more.
The TTBC and Toyota Texas Fest are benefits for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department’s youth fishing and urban outreach programs.
