As we approach the final hours of Day 1, it’s worth remembering Brandon Palaniuk’s predicted “win, place and show” numbers for this tournament. They were averages of 21 pounds to win, 18 pounds to make the 12 cut and 16 pounds to make the top 51 Day 2 cut.
At 12:30 p.m., there were only 17 anglers with at least 16 pounds on BASSTrakk. Don’t let that fool you. Palaniuk’s numbers are based on what occurred here in 2015. At this point, there are no indications they’ll be much different this year.
In 2015, Todd Faircloth won with 84-7, an average of 21 pounds a day, and change. In 12th place after three days was Jason Christie with 55-10, an average of about 18 1/2 pounds a day.
The Day 2 top 51 cut on a smallmouth bass fishery, like Lake St. Clair, is always a logjam. In 2015, it went as follows: 48th, John Murray, 32-9; 49th, Matt Reed, 32-8; 50th, Mike Iaconelli, 32-8; 51st, Jordan Lee, 32-8; 52nd, Seth Feider, 32-7.
In other words, 16 pounds and change per day will likely have you sweating it out at the end of Day 2.