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Dove soars to lead at Battle on the Border
Published April 12, 2008
There was no need for Kurt Dove to cry.
The Fairfax, Va., pro angler tipped the scales with five bass that weighed in at 30 pounds, 5 ounces to take the lead after the first day of competition at the Bassmaster Elite Series Battle on the Border at Lake Amistad presented by Mahinda Tractors.
Dove, who finished tied for 79th at last year's Battle, said he found a pattern that worked for him during practice and stuck with it through Friday's first day.
"I tried something totally different. Really, I'm still trying to work it out," Dove said.
Dove leads a pack of pros that reeled in at least 25 pounds.
Mike McClelland, who won the Elite Series Sunshine Showdown event in March, is one pound behind Dove after weighing in 29 pounds, 5 ounces.
McClelland, who swears by the jig, said Amistad continues to show why it's been such a haven for large bass.
"It's still a place where you can catch 'em doing whatever you want," McClelland said.
Elite Series rookie Clark Reehm is third at 28 pounds, 14 ounces. His biggest bass came in at 7 pounds, 14 ounces.
Ish Monroe, who won the 2006 Battle on the Border, is fourth at 27 pounds, 12 ounces.
Monroe said he went with the swimbait at had at least 20 to 25 bites off it.
"After what I saw today, they're there. I lost one that would have given me 30 pounds. It's that swimbait. They just can't resist it," Monroe said.
Kevin Wirth rounds out the top five with a total of 27 pounds, 10 ounces.
Because the threat of high winds forced the cancellation of the first day of fishing Thursday, all 110 pro anglers, and 110 co-anglers, will fish today. The co-angler champion will be crowned following today's weigh-in.
The top 12 pros following today's weigh-in will fish Sunday for a shot at the top prize of $100,000.
Despite the thought earlier in the week that Amistad wouldn't produce as it had in past Battles, 27 anglers weighed in bags of 20 pounds or better.
Included in that group is 2007 Battle champion Derek Remitz.
Remitz, who weighed in 20 pounds, 5 ounces Friday, said he tried a swimbait for the first part of his day but switched to the stick method he used last year. After the switch, Remitz bagged his bass and is currently 26th.
"I went to an old memory and my partner and I wound up putting 35 pounds in the boat today," Remitz said. "I don't mind getting fewer bites just as long as they're bigger."
Also having a 20-pound day was Del Rio's Byron Velvick.
Velvick, who's best finish at Amistad was 73rd in 2007 with 30 pounds, 4 ounces, finished Friday's round with 20 pounds, 15 ounces.
"I lost a giant out there. It was probably a ShareLunker," Velvick said, referring to the statewide program that collects bass that are 13 pounds or heavier for use in a project to create a bigger, better bass for Texas fisheries.
But Velvick, who stands tied for 22nd after day one, also used his time on stage to promote conservation and said that for Amistad to survive it would take fishermen having to resist the urge to take home those big catches.
"This lake still has a lot of big fish, but those guys who catch and kill them does not help. It's sad to see people taking coolers of bass back to Minnesota or wherever. Keep the white bass or the stripers, but leave those other bass alone," Velvick said.
Randy Howell, who is 13th with 25 pounds, 4 ounces, had the Purolator Big Bass of the day as he weighed in a 10 pound, 8 ounce giant.
On the co-angler side, Victor Cunningham of Phoenix, Ariz., leads the field with a total weight of 18 pounds, 13 ounces.
Co-anglers could only weigh in three bass for this tournament. It was a rule change initiated by BASS in order to help preserve the Amistad fishery.
Mike Williams is second at 17 pounds, 9 ounces while Del Rio's Billy Fillmon is third at 17 pounds, 4 ounces.
Fillmon also had the big bass on the co-angler side with a 7 pound, 14 ounce whopper.
Rounding out the top five are James Lynn with 15 pounds, 5 ounces, and Harry Parten with 14 pounds, 11 ounces.
Other Del Rio anglers include George Holloway, who is 30th with 10 pounds, 2 ounces; Jose Felipe De La Garza, who is 33rd with 9 pounds, 12 ounces; and Johnathan Jones, who is tied for 65th with 6 pounds, 10 ounces.
Ciudad Acuna, Coahuila, Mexico's Jorge Villarreal is tied for 49th at 7 pounds, 13 ounces.
Co-anglers are competing for the top prize of $25,000.
Weigh-ins for the Bassmaster Battle on the Border at Lake Amistad will be held each day at the Diablo East Marina beginning at 5 p.m. A shuttle service will be provided to and from the weigh-in site beginning at 1 p.m. today and Sunday. Those interested in using the shuttle service are asked to park in the empty field off U.S. Highway 90 West directly across from the Diablo East Marina entrance.
On the Net:
BASS official site - www.bassmaster.com.
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