Weekley's Big Bass Ride Leads to Guntersville Toyota Series Victory
GUNTERSVILLE, Ala. - Lake Guntersville delivered a bountiful catch of bass on Thursday, with the Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats Central Division event attracting some impressive catches. While overall weights were slightly lower than the previous day, 20-pound bags were a common sight, and several anglers managed to catch fish for two consecutive days. Among them was Kane Weekley from Florida, whose exceptional 22-pound, 4-ounce catch propelled him to a two-day total of 45-4, securing the top spot going into the final day.
The competition is fiercely close behind Weekley, with only a few anglers managing to surpass the 20-pound daily average. As the Top 25 anglers return for the final day, the excitement builds, as it's anyone's game.
Even the co-angler leader, Alan Hults from Mississippi, managed to secure a 20-pound bag with 40 pounds, 10 ounces over the first two days. However, his impressive performance is not without challenges, as he faces two strong contenders just 4 pounds behind him.
Weekley's success can be attributed to his strategic approach and a bit of luck. Entering the day in seventh place with 23 pounds, he managed to catch less weight but still climbed to the top of the standings. The day's big bass, a 7-11, played a significant role in his ascent.
Weekley's experience with Major League Fishing (MLF) is relatively limited, having participated in just five events, including his college fishing days with Southeastern University. Based in Lakeland, Florida, he draws upon his expertise on Lake Okeechobee to navigate Lake Guntersville's grass fishery. He spent the week meticulously searching for clumps of grass, the ideal habitat for his fishing strategy.
Weekley's fishing techniques showcased a unique blend of approaches. He explained, 'Yesterday, I caught all my fish in the grass after scoping in the morning and culling them. Today, I used forward-facing sonar to locate a giant and other good fish, and I didn't cull any as time ran out.'
The big bass story adds a touch of drama to Weekley's success. He recounted, 'I saw a fish floating high in the water column, thought it was a drum, reeled it in, and then it jumped. Thankfully, I had a net, which I had bought from Walmart the night before. We managed to land the fish with the net I purchased.'
In a surprising turn of events, Benjamin Travis, a local from Guntersville and an angler at Auburn University, leaped from 25th to second place, tying with Tallis Morrison from Georgia. Travis's exceptional performance came straight from the Columbia PFG College Fishing Presented by Abu Garcia National Championship on Lake Murray in South Carolina, where he secured a top-40 finish fishing solo.
Travis expressed his satisfaction with the day's results, stating, 'I was happier today than yesterday. I started on my 'Scope fish and had my weight by 7:45 this morning. I had a gut feeling to start at a place I didn't even practice at, and it paid off.'
Despite a few setbacks after his initial success, Travis remains confident for the final day. He mentioned, 'It was a bit of a train wreck after that, trying different strategies without success. Around 1 o'clock, I faced boat issues that cut my day short, but I'm ready to go tomorrow with a borrowed boat. I believe the fish I found will still be there, and I can catch at least 17 pounds in the morning.'
Travis plans to stick to his strategy, starting the morning with a jighead minnow and switching to a lipless crankbait for the rest of the day. He shared, 'Yesterday, my big ones came on a Berkley Jack 6, and those grass fish saved the day.'
The top 10 pros' rankings are as follows:
1. Kane Weekley - 45-4 (10)
2. Benjamin Travis - 44-13 (10)
3. Tallis Morrison - 44-13 (10)
4. Gavin Cloutier - 44-9 (10)
5. Cal Lane - 44-8 (10)
6. Johnny Patterson - 43-15 (10)
7. Andrew Jeffers - 43-15 (10)
8. Matteo Turano - 43-6 (10)
9. Justin Atkins - 43-3 (10)
10. Austin Pemberton - 42-12 (10)
