Shimizu on the water

Head out onto the water with Morizo Shimizu for Day 3 of the Busch Beer Bassmaster Elite at Cayuga Lake.

Shimizu started Saturday’s Top 50 cut in 3rd place and ventured on Cayuga Lake looking for enough weight to make it to Championship Sunday.

Shimizu went to work as he looked for the magic he found on Day 1 at Cayuga.

He started Day 3 just like yesterday and hooked up very quickly after arriving.

Also like Day 2, he started with smaller class fish as he worked towards his limit.

Quick start to Day 3 for Shimizu.

It didn’t take long for him to hook up again.

He swings in keeper number 2.

And then shows it off for the cameras.

Chris Lane comes flying by as he begins his day as well.

Shimizu has worked with multiple baits this week, but a bladed jig has been big for him.

He pulls out a spinning rod and hooks up with a possible third keeper.

He keeps the fish moving towards the boat as he pulls it in.

Shimizu started every morning on the same spot and never traveled more than 50 yards as he found a concentration of fish and was able to catch numerous from the same area.

After 20 minutes everyone had left the takeoff ramp and a few joined Shimizu in the general area. Chris Lane and Koby Kreiger both kept their distance and fished their own specific area within the region.

Shimizu hooks up again moments later.

This one digs at the side of the boat so Shimizu lets it swim around until it was tired before trying to land it.

He lays on the front deck…

And scores with another keeper. This was the best of the morning so far, but it was still early.

It’s a solid start, but Shimizu knows he wants to get rid of all those fish if he wants to stay in contention.

He hooked up a couple casts later.

But it jumps and came off.

He wasn’t worried though as he set the hook and was battling another fish moments later.

This one puts up a fight at the boat and jumps near the trolling motor.

He battled the fish to the other side with his spinning rod.

Then he hits the deck to land the fish.

Another solid keeper for Shimizu. These all came in the first 45 minutes of the day.

This was a little better size compared to his early keepers.

He had a shocked look on his face momentarily…

But then it turned to a smile.

He hooked up again, but it was the wrong species. He unhooked the pickerel and let it go.

Then he was back to casting.

He switched back to his finesse presentation and hooked up.

This one seemed pretty good as he took it to the side of the boat.

It comes up and jumps by the boat…

As Shimizu tries to keep it hooked up…

But he gave a facial reaction that wasn’t very positive…the fish came off at the boat.

He kept at it though as he casted his vibrating jig.

And a topwater bait that he would probe the area with.

He got a bite…

But it was a pickerel. Before today I hadn’t seen him catch one, but Day 3 was a different story.

After almost two hours at his first spot he decides to head out. He left at the same time on Day 2 as well.

After about 45 minutes at his new spot he hooked up.

He prepares to swing the fish, which will certainly help him cull a smaller one.

He hauls in one of his best fish of the day.

He shows it off for the Bassmaster LIVE viewers at home. This wasn’t Big Mama, but rather Medium Mama as Dave Mercer said on stage.

He makes a decent cull.

He keeps working down his grass line with a vibrating jig.

Before we left he hooked up one more time.

Unfortunately for Shimizu, this one wouldn’t help.

So he released it. He eventually weighed 14-7 and dropped to 7th overall heading into Championship Sunday.