2011 Evan Williams Bourbon All-Star Championship Day One OTW

Gerald Swindle was catching fish early at his first fishing spot.

Swindle swings a nice keeper into the boat.

Swindle is paired against Terry Scroggins on Day One on the Alabama River.

Swindle places his first keeper in the livewell.

Swindle fires another cast.

Swindle pulls another small fish into the boat.

Swindle was used several baits to put together an early limit.

Swindle takes a knee while fighting another fish to the boat.

The fish thrashes as Swindle swings it into the boat.

At this point Swindle has three fish in the livewell.

After a quick measurement, Swindle adds a fourth fish to his total.

Swindle swings his next fish in front of the Bassmaster camera.

Swindle’s rod bows as he hooks up again.

The small fish is released back into the Alabama River.

Swindle moves downriver toward the launch area and quickly boats his best fish of the morning.

Swindle grimaces as he tries to unhook the fish.

Swindle reaches for a cull fish in the livewell.

Swindle releases the culled bass into the river.

Swindle makes a bait change and fires a cast with a crankbait.

Swindle releases a short fish with the "behind the back" move.

Casey Ashley started the day fishing in an area known as Cooters Pond.

Ashley swings a fish into the boat that bit a crankbait.

As Ashley swings the fish into the boat, the hooks come free.

Luckily for Ashley, the fish fell safely at his feet.

Ashley sizes up several small fish as he begins to cull.

Kevin VanDam and Mark Zona watch Gerald Swindle fight a fish to the boat.

Ott Defoe speeds upriver past Gerald Swindle.

Kevin VanDam was on the water providing analysis of the final eight anglers for Bassmaster.com.

Gerald Swindle tied on a crankbait and sprinted to the front deck of the boat to make a cast.

Swindle strains to pull a fish from the bottom of the Alabama River.

Swindle slowly fights the bass to the boat.

Swindle reaches to grip the bass.

Swindle sizes up the fish, hoping he can cull a smaller fish in the livewell.

Swindle pulls fish from the livewell, then decides which fish to cull.

Swindle visited with spectators while he fished.

Swindle leans forward as a fish takes his bait.

Swindle moved downriver late in the morning and fished near the morning launch area in downtown Montgomery, Ala.

Casey Ashley stops to re-tie his jig.

Ashley bends to make a cast under a cypress tree.

Ashley is fishing against Skeet Reese on Day One of the Evan Williams Bourbon All-Star Championship.