Seth Feider was encouraged by much of what he experienced on Day 1 of the Toyota AOY Championship at Mille Lacs Lake. One of those positives came late in the day and may hold a key to his success in this tournament.
“I learned a little something in the last 20 minutes,” Feider said Thursday. “I’m going to go out (today) in an area that’s got some bigger fish. I’ll spend some time there, then I’ve got a million places to fish on this lake.”
Feider was so encouraged about what he saw on Day 1 that he increased his prediction of what it will take to win this three-day event – from 70 pounds to “74 or 75 pounds.” He won it last year with 76-5. Feider is in a 10th-place tie with Aaron Martens at 22-8. He needs a couple of 26-pound bags to get near his prediction.
Feider could have finished among Day 1 leaders Keith Combs (24-15) and Jonathon VanDam (24-2) if he’d landed the one “big bite” he got Thursday. It was an estimated 6-pounder that came unhooked. His biggest bass weighed just under 5 pounds; his smallest was a 3 3/4-pounder.
It’s those things, landing a 6-pounder so you can cull a 3 3/4-pounder, that will determine the winner at Mille Lacs this week.