Fishing News - 5/9/01
From BASS
DAVIS SOARS TO MEGABUCKS LEAD
Arkansas Pro Also Closes in on B.A.S.S. Angler of the Year
SEVIERVILLE, Tenn. - (May 9, 2001) - With the season winding down, Arkansas pro Mark Davis is closing in on both the $667,000 BASSMASTER MegaBucks Tournament championship and the coveted B.A.S.S. Angler of the Year title.
On Wednesday, Davis brought the day's largest catch to the scales. That 16-pound, 10-ounce five-bass limit gives him a two-day total of 29-10 - and a lead of 3 pounds, 7 ounces, entering Thursday's final qualifying round for the lucrative two final competition days on Saturday and Sunday. At stake is a $134,000 top prize.
In addition, Davis practically wrapped up his third B.A.S.S. Angler of the Year award with his latest MegaBucks heroics. By finishing in the top-10, Davis would earn the prestigious honor regardless of the success of runner-up Kevin VanDam of Michigan. "It was a wonderful day," Davis said. "It just all clicked for me today. "I have finally figured out how to catch the bigger fish. I am on these big schools of fish, but it took some time to figure out how to get the bigger bites. Catching 16 pounds is a really good stringer for Douglas Lake right now. I'm happy with it."
First-round leader and fellow Arkansas pro Mark Rose struggled to catch 10 pounds Wednesday and finds himself in second place with 26-3. "I was on a topwater bite, but the water coming up today probably hurt that," he said. "Something happened today, because I didn't get any good bites." Texan Jay Yelas, who was second after day one, dropped to third after weighing in 8-15 Wednesday. His two-day total is 24-3. "It got a lot tougher to catch fish today," Yelas said. "I think it had more to do with fishing pressure than anything else."
Alabama's Gerald Swindle is fourth with 23-5, followed by Tony Couch of Georgia with 22 1/2 pounds.
On Thursday, 25 spots in the 31st BASS Masters Classic will be decided. MegaBucks is the season finale for the 2000-01 BASSMASTER season. On Saturday and Sunday, the 10 finalists start even and are required to fish a golf course style rotation of "holes." The course of holes to be located on Flat Creek, which has been off-limits all week. Anglers rotate throughout the holes in a timed fashion,
Anglers will launch from the TVA Douglas Lake Dam starting at 6:15 a.m. each day. The weigh-ins will be held there at 3:00 p.m. each day. For directions, contact the Sevierville Chamber of Commerce at (865) 908-4103.
By sanctioning over 20,000 tournaments worldwide, B.A.S.S. is the world's largest fishing organization. The BASSMASTER Tournament Trail is the oldest and most prestigious pro bass fishing tournament circuit. It continues to set the standard for credibility, professionalism, and sportsmanship after more than three decades.
Sponsors of the 2001 BASSMASTER Tournament Trail include: Ranger Boats, RangerTrail Trailers, Mercury Outboards, Chevy Trucks, Long John Silver's, Kumho Tires, ACDelco Batteries, Worldwaters.com, Humminbird/Zercom Marine, Pennzoil Marine, Flowmaster Exhaust Systems, First USA/B.A.S.S. Platinum Visa, MotorGuide Trolling Motors, Gore-Tex Outerwear, GMAC Insurance and Armstrong Industrial Tools.
B.A.S.S. Web site: http://www.bassmaster.com.
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