Ethan Shaw and Thad Simerly of Bryan College came into Day 2 in second place with 18-13. Even though they trail Cody Huff and Dakota Pierce by 14 ounces, the duo caught the biggest bag on Day 1. A 2-pound culling penalty took their 20-13 gross weight and settled them in at 18-13. It could be a costly error when it’s all said and done this week, but they showed a great amount of integrity by self reporting the infraction.
I started with them because of their stellar Day 1, and I expect to see Huff and Pierce later. They currently have two fish for 5 to 6 pounds.
When it comes to self-reporting infractions, the team of Cal Culpepper and Mason Waddell of Montevallo also reported a mistake on their part. After dinner and well after the scales closed, Culpepper and Waddell realized they left their livewell pumps running. They checked their boat and soon realized they had a keeper in their livewell. After weighing five for 17-plus they had the fourth-place spot locked down. But after reporting their culling infraction, their entire day was DQ’d based on the timeframe they caught the mistake.
Two teams doing the right thing could be rewarded with another solid day on Toledo Bend.