Drew Benton has landed the first St. Johns River game-changer of the day – a 6-pound, 7-ounce largemouth at 9:05. The Panama City, Fla., resident was, along with Cliff Prince, frequently mentioned among the pre-tournament favorites for this event. Prince responded, by the way, with a 4-pounder at almost the exact same time.
Despite the loss of eelgrass and tough fishing conditions during practice, the consensus was that somebody would bust a 25-pound bag today, if for no other reason that it’s the St. Johns River, big bass are common here, and the water is warming rapidly. Those 6- and 4-pounders are crucial in building a 25-pound bag.