Slim pickens but necessary

So how strange would it be for Matt Arey to land a 5-pounder between now and the end of this derby? Consider this with 50-plus anglers on the water on...

No guarantees

Matt Arey just culled. Moving him up another 1/2 pound. But with Hank Cherry finishing his limit with a 2 pounder and building a 3-pound plus lead the onus is...

Cherry has five, feeling good

Hank Cherry just caught fish No. 5 – a 2-pounder. He’s got a total of 11-12. So I asked him what he was thinking, and he said, “I don’t care...

Stranger things have happened

Matt Arey has finished his limit. But what he’s missing is a big fish like one he lost this morning. Hank Cherry seems to be in control. Cherry has the...

Cherry lightens up, gets results

Hank Cherry endured more than two hours this morning with only two keepers in the boat. When he left the dam and started flipping bushes again, he made a key...

Arey: “I can’t believe I did that”

We talked about those ‘what-could-have-been’ moments earlier today. Matt Arey lost a 7-pounder right off the bat. He fought through that fairly well and has moved to the top of...

Critical bait change for Jones

Chris Jones just landed his fourth keeper of the afternoon which was the direct result of a bait change. The two-time Classic qualifier switched from a Yum Christie Critter which...

Herren moving on up

As a former TTBC winner at Lake Ray Roberts, Matt Herren was considered one of the pre-tournament favorites in this his 9th Bassmaster Classic. But Herren had a tough first...

Slow day may be the ticket for Arey

Matt Arey has just taken the unofficial lead in BassTrakk. After a vicious blow up on his frog that missed. And catching a short. He was able to hook up...

Loughran staying strong

Ed Loughran III is a 50-year-old Classic rookie. The Elite Series angler from Richmond, Va., qualified for his first Bassmaster Classic by finishing 32nd in Angler of the Year points...