If you thought these guys were overstating how tough practice had been this week, the proof came in the reactions so far this morning over some rather small but keeper bass.
“I’m not going to zero now,” shouted Bryan New, the Elite Series rookie who won this season’s opener on the St. Johns River, after measuring a 14 1/2-inch largemouth. “As tough as it has been, that a pretty good start. If I don’t catch another one today, I don’t feel like I’m out of it.”
Brandon Lester had a similar reaction to a 1 1/2-pounder caught at 8:30, saying, “He ain’t a big one, but he sure does make me feel better.”
It has undoubtedly been a tough three days of practice prior to this tournament.