2006 Elite Series – Santee Cooper Showdown: Bruisers

Some pundits may have found the predictions a little far-fetched. After all, how often do you see multiple limits over 30 pounds and more than 2,100 pounds of fish weighed?

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MANNING, S.C. — After they landed enormous sacks of bass Thursday during the opening round of the Santee Cooper Showdown, many of the competing anglers said they thought fishing would be even better on Friday.

 

Some pundits may have found the predictions a little far-fetched. After all, how often do you see multiple limits over 30 pounds and more than 2,100 pounds of fish weighed?

 

But it turns out the pros were right on the money.

 

The 103 pro anglers and their respective co-anglers totaled more than 2,557 pounds Friday during the second round of the Santee Cooper Showdown presented by MotorGuide — the third stop on the CITGO Bassmaster Elite Series. That total was more than 450 pounds heavier than Thursday’s weight.

 

The eye-popping numbers don’t stop there. Seven anglers bagged five-fish limits that weighed more than 30 pounds. And with two days of competition remaining, eight anglers are more than half way to the BASS record for total weight in a four-day event.

 

Preston Clark didn’t catch a 30-plus pound bag like he did Thursday. He had to “settle” for a 29 pound, 5 ounce catch that helped him maintain his lead with a two-day total of 68-11. Kelly Jordan has consecutive bags over 30 pounds and is in second place with 63-9. Terry Scroggins is third with 61-2, Skeet Reese is fourth with 59-15 and Kevin Wirth is fifth with 59-5. John Crews (58-13), Dean Rojas (57-4) and Steve Kennedy (55-3) round out the top eight anglers.

 

Rojas holds the BASS tournament record with a 108 pound, 12 ounce total he produced on Florida’s Lake Tohopekaliga in 2001.

 

But Clark has his eyes on breaking that mark.

 

He certainly has a good start. No one has been more impressive so far on the Santee Cooper Reservoir where the Palatka, Fla., resident has taken advantage of perfect sight-fishing conditions to pull ahead of the field. He said warm weather and clear water have made it ideal for landing bedding bass. He did say, however, that the areas he’s fished the first two days are running out of the lunkers he’ll need to maintain his lead. Besides his big catches, Clark had to contend with several local anglers who were fishing next to him Friday.