Hank Cherry expected to catch a big bag on Day 1 at Toledo Bend. So his third-place bag of 24-7 wasn’t exactly a surprise. But that’s not to say some surprising things didn’t happen during the course of the day.
“I couldn’t sleep (Wednesday night) because I knew I was going to catch ’em,” Cherry said yesterday. “It was truly a blessed day. But it didn’t start out that way. I had some bad things happen.”
Cherry didn’t want to dwell on it, but he lost an estimated 7-pounder and a 4 1/2-pounder on a day when he weighed-in a 2 3/4-pounder in that 24-7 bag, which had the potential to be much bigger. However, Cherry did want to emphasize how those bad breaks tend to even out.
“I came back from where I was fishing and went down the seawall (near Cypress Bend Park),” Cherry said. “There was a shade line, and I pitched my jig in there – thunk – a 6-6. I went from 19 to 24 pounds in one bite.”
Cherry is fishing free and easy because he’s headed home to Maiden, N.C. He was scheduled to compete in the Southern Open on Tennessee’s Douglas Lake next week, but he has withdrawn from that event. While he’s been gone, his six-year-old son, Christian, has suffered a broken collarbone and been to the emergency room with ear infections.
“I miss my family,” Cherry said. “If I catch ’em (Friday), great. I’m still going to have good (Angler of the Year) points even if I don’t. But I’m going home after this and be with my family. I haven’t seen them in almost six weeks. That’s where I need to be, and where I want to be.”
However, it looks like Cherry’s trip home will be delayed at least one day and probably two. He’s likely to be fishing in the Top 12 on Sunday if he keeps catching ’em like he is today, BASSTrakk currently has him in the lead with 14-7 so far Friday.