Brandon Lester normally avoids pre-practice trips to scout the fisheries on the Elite Series schedule. The northern swing was an exception.
The Tennessee pro spent lots of time in upstate New York during the six-week break between the Lake Dardanelle event and St. Lawrence River tournament held last week.
“I looked at the points needed to qualify for the Classic and decided to do whatever was needed to get back inside the cut,” he said.
The trip to the St. Lawrence and then Lake Champlain paid off. Last week he finished 32nd on the St. Lawrence with 37 pounds, 8 ounces.
After Day 1 he ranked third with 37-8, or about one pound behind leader Jacob Wheeler.