Day 1 from the Marshals

Cold but beautiful day at Cherokee Lake.

With a quick back to back catches, Morizo Shimizu only needs one more to make his limit.

Blaylock using the scales to cull up.

2:06 in the afternoon for Jared Lintner who is boat four of the first flight with a check in time of 3:20 p.m., with the day coming to a close it’s been a grind for Lintner. He’s still looking for that third keeper!! As we all know you can get well in a hurry in bass fishing!!! Let’s see what the next hour has in store for Jared.

Dave Lefebre adds another nice smallie for fish No. 4.

The sun is warming us up a little. Jordon is still fishing hard looking for a limit.

John Murray’s search for a kicker has taken him farther and farther from the launch. With about an hour to go, he ran back to a spot where he’s seeing some great marks on his Garmin Chirp sonar.

Another good smallmouth from Gary Klein.

Wind and waves are making for some rough traveling but let me tell you something I’m considered a local and Shimizu has only pre-fished a few days. This is why there called Pro’s. He’s hitting the goods and it only took him three days to get on it . The fish just aren’t playing well with others or we would have already got a ” Big Mamma”.

A limit for Snowden.

Alton Jr. is culling again. This time with a nice 3-pound smallmouth. Helps to move up the weight.

Jesse Wiggins just caught another keeper. Which helped him cull up a couple of ounces.

Darrell Ocamica grinding out another Cherokee Lake smallmouth.

Jason Christie with a solid largemouth.

No. 5 fish from Gary Klein.

Big largemouth showing up making cull up for Snowden

Morizo Shimizu with keeper No. 2. He said he’s still looking for “Big Mama.”

Keith Combs catches his third 3-pound fish. He says there are more down there.

Cliff Crochet still on the hunt. He is trying to cull a few more before the ride in.

We are back where we started, still trying to cull up. The bite has slowed way down, but at least the sun has come out.

A nice keeper for Fletcher Shryock

A team effort from the support staff to get Brent Chapman back out fishing as fast as possible

David Fritts goes almost back to back with another 3.5-pound largemouth.

The cull Ike was looking for! Never give up.

Keith Combs catches second good fish.

John Murray tosses back a smallmouth in favor of a decent largemouth.

David Fritts with a nice 4-pound largemouth from Cherokee Lake

Jared Lintner lands another smallie; unfortunately, it’s just shy of 15 inches.

No. 3 gets a trip in the livewell.

Brandon Palaniuk catch

Every ounce counts for Jordan Lee.

This is Daniels’ seventh keeper, allowing for his second cull. It added only ounces, but every little bit helps.

Continuing to stop at multiple spots for short stays, John Murray found a fourth for the livewell.

Wheeler culling again

This makes a limit for Blaylock.

Stetson Blaylock with his limit fish

Matt Herren has his fifth keeper in the boat. He is now looking to get started culling.

John Hunter’s No. 3

The Red Planet? At some of these stops, it looks like we’re fishing on Mars.

Russ Lane lands his seventh fish of the day.

Always a good feeling when you have to cull before 9 a.m.

Such beauty this lake holds. Nothing like it. Morizo Shimizu has his head in the game and his foot on the pedal. Focused.

Cliff Prince with his first catch of the day

Brent Chapman with another solid 2 1/2 pounder and a half-pound cull

Nice cull for Skylar

Kelly Jordon with his first keeper, but it’s a good one

Ish takes care of his marshal.

Big Show adds No. 3.

JVD with a good smallmouth

Daniels just landed his fifth keeper, giving him a solid limit. Not too bad for his Elite debut, already having his limit on day one. Let the culling begin. And yes, the wind is still howling and it’s still snowing.

Skeet Reese looking for that fifth fish

Kriet with a limit now. Not a bad five but still needs some upgrades.

Stephen browning got off to a slow start but now getting on the board with back-to-back fish.

Great feeling when you’re culling on a bitter day like today. Chapman has an upgrade of about 3/4 pound and is on the hunt for a big one.

Morizo Shimizu got the skunk off the boat with his first keeper: a 1.5-pound spot.

Now this is the kind that Lowen’s looking for.

Matt Herren puts another one in the box. He has now made a move, looking for one more fish to get his limit.

Mixed bag … Hamilton is culling.

Darrell Ocamica rolling another solid smallmouth bass

Bill Lowen gets the day started with a giant–just the wrong kind!

So far this morning, Jacob Wheeler has boated a limit and culled up twice.

Darrell Ocamica with a beautiful Cherokee Lake smallmouth bass

From what I’m seeing anglers are still in practice mode. Maybe a few have unlocked the secret of the lake, but several are still running back and forth searching. I just hope we’re running to that sun coming from the clouds–this wind Is brutal.

Awesome experience with Alton Jones Jr. catching his limit. You can see fish all over his Garmin sonar units. Time to start culling.

Jared Lintner lands keeper smallmouth No. 2. I think it’s safe to say he’s putting together a solid pattern.

A limit in the boat for Skylar Hamilton

Jared Lintner making a pinpoint cast on a windy day into his fourth spot of the morning

Daniels just boated his third keeper, a 4-pound largemouth. Of course, he was stoked. He hadn’t seen anything like that all week.

Bobby Lane with a limit

Four in the box for Skylar Hamilton

No. 1 for Dustin Connell

Kelly Jordon is still searching for his first keeper in the back of a cove.

Bobby Lane with a largemouth in the boat

Will the sun ever shine?

Keith Combs catches his first fish at the sixth stop.

Jordan Lee No. 5 in the boat.

No. 2 for Tim Horton

Wind gusting on Cherokee Lake

Another solid 3-pounder for Martens

DeFoe has a limit and has started to cull.

No. 5 and a happy Brent Chapman!

Another smallmouth keeper from Gary Klein

Cliff Crochet lands No. 4 on Cherokee Lake

Several bites today, but fish are swiping at the bait. No. 4 was just added to the livewell.

Alton Jones Jr. catches his third fish of the day, a 1 pound 4 ounce smallmouth. Still fishing the same spot.

Steve Kennedy with first keeper of the day

Matt Herren going in to land his second keeper of the morning

Scroggins with two in the boat

Aaron Martins with his first keeper, a solid 3-pounder

Adrian Avena has the smallies fired up.

Gary Klein with a keeper in the boat

Skeet Reese with his third fish

Chad said he just beat his first two days of practice with two in the boat.

Two for Adrian Avena

No. 3 for Bobby Lane, and they’re getting bigger.

Dave Lefebre is on the board with a nice Cherokee Lake smallmouth.

When you’re throwing fish like this back, that’s a good problem to have.

Ott DeFoe lands second fish. It’s skinny but a keeper.

Adrian Avena is happy with his first keeper.

Matt Lee is on the board.

Shaw Grigsby is on the board with a 2-pounder.

Mark Daniels just boated his first keeper of the morning and as an Elite Series Pro. “I’m very grateful to be in the boat with him for this historical moment,” said his marshal, Will Eads.

Bobby Lane has first one in the boat.

A happy Brent Chapman with keeper No. 3 on his first stop for about 2 3/4 pounds.

Darrell Ocamica and his first fish of the Bassmaster Elite Series

Structure on Cherokee Lake

Pipkens had a hot flash.

Bill Lowen is off to a slow start working a shoreline close to take off.

Stetson Blaylock with his second good keeper of the day

Nothing like pulling up to the right spot first thing in the morning. Two fish in about five casts for Brent Chapman.

Matt Herren caught a 2-pound smallmouth at his first stop. He also caught one that was short. He is working hard fighting the wind trying to catch second keeper.

John Murray adds a 2-pound smallmouth to his bag.

Beautiful overcast morning to be so cold and snowing. Already starting the smallmouth grind.

Ott DeFoe lands first fish of the day: a nice 3-pound smallie.

Alton Jones Jr. catches his second fish, a spot, off the same location.

Good solid first keeper for Brian Snowden

Stetson Blaylock is on the board with his first keeper of his Elite Series debut.

Alton Jones Jr. catches his first Bassmaster Elite Series fish on his fifth cast! A 1 pound 12 ounce smallmouth.

“Lowrance in Japanese … first time ever.”

Boats are floating and the snow is blowing for Day 1 Elite on Cherokee Lake. Cold and wind could make for a tough first day.

Boats are in the water, while others are still launching.

“All my buddies said, ‘Why are you riding along on a tournament in early February?’ I kind of questioned myself too as snow was falling this morning on the way to the ramp. Then I pull in to meet my ride…2016 Bassmaster Classic Champ Edwin Evers. Game on!”

The boats are lining up on the exposed shoreline, which makes for easy boarding.

A snowy morning greets the anglers of the first Bassmaster Elite event.

“As I travel to Day 1 of the season opener of the Elite series events. Snow is falling! Which makes me question the outcome of today’s event. Me being a first time marshal I am very excited to see what’s in store for these pros over the next four days. Also being a home lake of mine being fished 20 to 30 trips per year, I have some knowledge of the water and the fishery. My guess Day 1 will be around 17 lbs 6 oz. Watch out for home lake guys like Ott Defoe or Brandon Card. The largemouth population is well in Cherokee Lake but this cold front may have put those big guys down deep and not so eager to bite. I look for plenty of the Cherokee smallmouth to be weighed in Day 1. Furthermore this is going to be very interesting for me and I am excited to be able to join Mike McClelland for Day 1.”

Stetson Blaylock concentrating trying to get that kicker in the boat.

Morizo Shimizu boat flipping No. 4.

Daniels just landed his 10th keeper/5th cull, a good size smallmouth. Again, he’s making a really good bag better ounce by ounce. Marshall Will Eads