Ish and Swindle on final day

Follow Ish Monroe and Gerald Swindle as they battled for the Classic on Day 3 at Sturgeon Bay.

Ish Monroe speeds north in his effort to finish high enough to qualify for the 2016 Bassmaster Classic.
Ish Monroe speeds north in his effort to finish high enough to qualify for the 2016 Bassmaster Classic.
After about a 35-mile run, Monroe makes his first cast.
After about a 35-mile run, Monroe makes his first cast.
He then fired a long cast down wind.
He then fired a long cast down wind.
Time to make his first move of the day …
Time to make his first move of the day …
… that paid off quickly.
… that paid off quickly.
He takes a seat on the passenger side of the boat …
He takes a seat on the passenger side of the boat …
… but the fish had one more run in him.
… but the fish had one more run in him.
He begins to reach …
He begins to reach …
… for a grip …
… for a grip …
… then decides to lip the fish.
… then decides to lip the fish.
He lifts the fish aboard …
He lifts the fish aboard …
… then sizes it up. He said he needed them to be bigger.
… then sizes it up. He said he needed them to be bigger.
After a few casts he was hooked up again.
After a few casts he was hooked up again.
But this was a smaller fish …
But this was a smaller fish …
… that had to be measured …
… that had to be measured …
… but it was a keeper.
… but it was a keeper.
He moved around late in the morning, looking for another bite …
He moved around late in the morning, looking for another bite …
… but he was stuck on two fish for a while.
… but he was stuck on two fish for a while.
Gerald Swindle started the morning on the Classic bubble, in 40th place.
Gerald Swindle started the morning on the Classic bubble, in 40th place.
He primarily fished the same area he had fished the first two days.
He primarily fished the same area he had fished the first two days.
He eventually settled on an area on the windy shoreline of Green Bay.
He eventually settled on an area on the windy shoreline of Green Bay.
He moved out for a few casts around a channel marker …
He moved out for a few casts around a channel marker …
… and worked his way around it while riding the wind.
… and worked his way around it while riding the wind.
But he was drawn back to the windy shoreline where he had caught three keepers earlier in the day.
But he was drawn back to the windy shoreline where he had caught three keepers earlier in the day.
It proved to be a good move; he was hooked up with fish number four.
It proved to be a good move; he was hooked up with fish number four.
He crouched to take a seat in the passenger side of the boat …
He crouched to take a seat in the passenger side of the boat …
… just as the fish nearly jumped in the boat …
… just as the fish nearly jumped in the boat …
… in a spray of water.
… in a spray of water.
After one more jump beside the boat …
After one more jump beside the boat …
… Swindle gained control of the fish …
… Swindle gained control of the fish …
… pulling it quickly …
… pulling it quickly …
… over the side of the boat.
… over the side of the boat.
He gave the camera a good look at his fourth fish of the day …
He gave the camera a good look at his fourth fish of the day …
… then placed it in the livewell.
… then placed it in the livewell.
That’s worth a fist bump with his cameraman, Rick Mason …
That’s worth a fist bump with his cameraman, Rick Mason …
… and kept a smile on his face while he re-tied.
… and kept a smile on his face while he re-tied.
He took a quick looks at his electronics …
He took a quick looks at his electronics …
… then made a quick move upwind to make another drift.
… then made a quick move upwind to make another drift.
Kevin VanDam sped by about the time …
Kevin VanDam sped by about the time …
… smiling like he was pleased with his day so far.
… smiling like he was pleased with his day so far.
- Swindle’s move upwind paid off quickly …
– Swindle’s move upwind paid off quickly …
… he was hooked up with a fish that could give him a limit.
… he was hooked up with a fish that could give him a limit.
He reached into the water pull the fish into the boat …
He reached into the water pull the fish into the boat …
… but was instantly distraught at what he saw …
… but was instantly distraught at what he saw …
… this fish was hooked outside the mouth. Due to a Wisconsin snagging law, the fish had to be released.
… this fish was hooked outside the mouth. Due to a Wisconsin snagging law, the fish had to be released.
And Swindle wasn’t happy about it.
And Swindle wasn’t happy about it.
He threw the fish back over his shoulder without looking.
He threw the fish back over his shoulder without looking.
He failed to get another bite on the windy shoreline that had been good to him …
He failed to get another bite on the windy shoreline that had been good to him …
… and moved around to several places …
… and moved around to several places …
… the fish he had to release appeared to weigh heavy on his mind.
… the fish he had to release appeared to weigh heavy on his mind.
He made one last long run west …
He made one last long run west …
… and fought the wind but never had another bite before our camera’s left him.
… and fought the wind but never had another bite before our camera’s left him.
It was time to make the long, rough ride back to Sturgeon Bay.
It was time to make the long, rough ride back to Sturgeon Bay.