Day 1 on Table Rock

The pros and cos take to the water for the first day of the 2015 Bass Pro Shops Central Open #3 presented by Allstate.

James Niggemeyer is one of several Elite Series anglers fishing this week.
James Niggemeyer is one of several Elite Series anglers fishing this week.
Josh Bertrand, who has already qualified for the 2016 Bassmaster Classic, is also competing this week.
Josh Bertrand, who has already qualified for the 2016 Bassmaster Classic, is also competing this week.
There was early fog in places on the lake…
There was early fog in places on the lake…
…but it didn’t take long for the north wind to blow it off the lake.
…but it didn’t take long for the north wind to blow it off the lake.
One of the first anglers we saw make a cast was Stetson Blaylock.
One of the first anglers we saw make a cast was Stetson Blaylock.
His co-angler for the day was Bass Pro Shops, Rick Emmitt.
His co-angler for the day was Bass Pro Shops, Rick Emmitt.
The pair started their day a few miles from the launch area…
The pair started their day a few miles from the launch area…
 …making long casts…
…making long casts…
…with crankbaits.
…with crankbaits.
Jim Dillard sped by close to where Blaylock started fishing…
Jim Dillard sped by close to where Blaylock started fishing…
…just before he decided to make his first move.
…just before he decided to make his first move.
We found Dillard fishing one of the hundreds of boat docks on Table Rock.
We found Dillard fishing one of the hundreds of boat docks on Table Rock.
Blaylock stopped just across from him in a pocket full of flooded timber.
Blaylock stopped just across from him in a pocket full of flooded timber.
It proved to be a quick payoff for Blaylock…
It proved to be a quick payoff for Blaylock…
…he was hooked up with his first fish of the day.
…he was hooked up with his first fish of the day.
He jerks a smallmouth from the water…
He jerks a smallmouth from the water…
…while both he and Rick Emmitt size it up.
…while both he and Rick Emmitt size it up.
After a quick measurement the fish was deemed too short and had to be released.
After a quick measurement the fish was deemed too short and had to be released.
Blaylock grabs his rod in search of another one…
Blaylock grabs his rod in search of another one…
…his rod loads up as he makes…
…his rod loads up as he makes…
…a long cast towards the back of the pocket.
…a long cast towards the back of the pocket.
Points were a popular place to fish on Day 1, many with multiple boats fishing them.
Points were a popular place to fish on Day 1, many with multiple boats fishing them.
Long casts into the clear water of Table Rock was a common sight, too.
Long casts into the clear water of Table Rock was a common sight, too.
The Belle of Branson steamboat has been a fixture on Table Rock for more than twenty years.
The Belle of Branson steamboat has been a fixture on Table Rock for more than twenty years.
The huge vessel dwarfs a bass boat.
The huge vessel dwarfs a bass boat.
These anglers are hoping her giant power plant holds a fish or two.
These anglers are hoping her giant power plant holds a fish or two.
Anytime there’s a B.A.S.S. event held on Table Rock, Mike McClelland is usually a contender.
Anytime there’s a B.A.S.S. event held on Table Rock, Mike McClelland is usually a contender.
The Elite Series pro won the last Elite Series event held here in 2014.
The Elite Series pro won the last Elite Series event held here in 2014.
With all his history on this lake, McClelland has a lot of waypoints saved...
With all his history on this lake, McClelland has a lot of waypoints saved…
…and he was running several of them early in the day.
…and he was running several of them early in the day.
Cliff Crotchet needs a win on Table Rock to qualify for the 2016 Bassmaster Classic, after failing to qualify in the Elite Series AOY point standings.
Cliff Crotchet needs a win on Table Rock to qualify for the 2016 Bassmaster Classic, after failing to qualify in the Elite Series AOY point standings.
Open contenders weren’t the only ones looking for fish on Table Rock.
Open contenders weren’t the only ones looking for fish on Table Rock.
The bite appeared tough early in the day and there was a lot of gas being burned.
The bite appeared tough early in the day and there was a lot of gas being burned.
Stetson Blaylock was running and gunning all morning on the lower end of the lake.
Stetson Blaylock was running and gunning all morning on the lower end of the lake.
When we found Josh Douglas, he was one of the few anglers we saw that had settled on one stretch of shoreline.
When we found Josh Douglas, he was one of the few anglers we saw that had settled on one stretch of shoreline.
The Minnesota pro said he had two fish in the live well; one of them he said was a big one.
The Minnesota pro said he had two fish in the live well; one of them he said was a big one.
He stopped to re-tool after banging his bait off rocks…
He stopped to re-tool after banging his bait off rocks…
…made a few more casts…
…made a few more casts…
…then joined the crowd of anglers running to different locations.
…then joined the crowd of anglers running to different locations.
Moving about at a high rate of speed seemed to be the order of the day on Table Rock.
Moving about at a high rate of speed seemed to be the order of the day on Table Rock.