But that goal of 25-plus becomes even more important today. It’s what an angler needs to make a significant move in the standings and achieve his goal, whether it be Angler of the Year, Rookie of the Year or a Bassmaster Classic berth. When everyone is catching 20-pound bags, it takes an extraordinary limit to make a significant move in the standings. And everyone is catching 20-pound bags. The average bass weighed-in the past two tournament days at Mille Lacs was 4.03 pounds. Multiply that by five and the result is 20.15. (And that is astounding, by the way.)
A look at last year’s Day 3 results at Mille Lacs illustrates the importance of 25-plus. Chris Zaldain was in 37th place on Day 2, caught 26-1 and moved up 15 places in the standings to finish 22nd. Justin Lucas was in 36th place on Day 2, caught 25-3 and jumped 13 places to finish 23rd. Randy Howell was in 31st place, caught 25-4 and moved 11 spots to finish 20th.
It’s a similar leap in the standings that all 50 anglers are hoping for today. And everyone knows it can be done on Mille Lacs Lake. It just hasn’t been done here the past two days.