Californian on top
Anglers fished a different Beaver Lake on Thursday in the first round of the FLW Tournament than the one they fished in practice Tuesday, but a few managed to catch respectable weights. Cody Meyer of Auburn, Calif., finished the first round in first place after catching 5 bass that weighed 16 pounds, 1 ounce.
ROGERS — Anglers fished a different Beaver Lake on Thursday in the first round of the FLW Tournament than the one they fished in practice Tuesday, but a few managed to catch respectable weights.
Cody Meyer of Auburn, Calif., finished the first round in first place after catching five bass that weighed 16 pounds, 1 ounce.
Charley Slaton of Valliant, Okla., led the co-angler division with five bass that weighed 12-2.
Meyer led a field of 161 professional anglers in the annual tournament at Beaver Lake, which rose 4 feet since Wednesday. The rising water covered all of the visible cover that the anglers fished during practice. That befuddled many, but not Meyer. He caught a big smallmouth shortly after takeoff and ended the day weighing in three smallmouths and two largemouth bass.
“Today was awesome, but I got really lucky,” Meyer said. “I pulled up on a deep spot where I had gotten a bite in practice and caught four good smallmouths. It happened really quickly. I had a limit around 13 pounds or so. I caught two largemouths shallow just before checking in – my two biggest of the day. It was so random, but those big ones really helped.”
Meyer caught his fish with a variety of baits and tactics. He caught a couple flipping into shallow brush, and he also used small swimbaits and dropshot rigs. He said he’ll rely on versatility today, as well.
“I’m looking forward to going back out there tomorrow,” Meyer said. “I’ve been here so many times that I know it is very possible to go out tomorrow and not even get a bite.”
All 322 anglers and co-anglers will fish today. The top 20 pros with the heaviest combined two-day weights will fish in the third round Saturday. For Sunday’s championship round, the field will cut to the top 10 pros with the heaviest combined three-day weights. The winner will earn up to $125,000.
After today’s round, the co-angler with the heaviest combined two-day weight will win up to $25,000.
John Cox, winner of the 2016 Forrest Wood Cup, is a shallow-cover specialist, but he found tough going Thursday. All of the cover he fished in practice is now far underwater, and bass have not yet moved to the shore. Cox caught only four keepers, but they were heavy.
“I had to scrap everything, and I just went fishing,” Cox said. “All the bushes I planned on flipping today, they’re so far under you can’t even see the tops of them. The fish are still there. I just haven’t figured out how to catch them.”
With more rain in the forecast, Beaver Lake will probably change again, but Cox said he is not worried.
“I’m kind of excited to see what the lake looks like,” Cox said. “I’m going to run some all new stuff and try to figure them out.”
After a morning flurry, Kweekul struggled for bites the rest of the day. His problem was the same as everyone else’s. They essentially fished a new lake Thursday.
“I went to my spot where I practiced, but the water came up, and all the stuff I was fishing is not here no more,” Kweekul said. “If they keep the water the way it is and not let it come up anymore, the stuff that I saw today will be there again tomorrow. If it comes up again, I’ll have to start all over again.”