Bill Weidler has felt he was on a potentially winning area since he found it in practice this week. It had then, and it does now, a bunch of big smallmouth bass. Weidler put one of those game-changing 5-pounders in his livewell at 9:17 a.m. today. He’s staying at a campground in Anchor Bay. On the second day of practice, it was a little cool early, so he decided to drift around the bay a bit before running out on Lake St. Clair.
“I’m fishing out from one of the fingers that feeds the bay,” Weidler said. “I found a bunch of areas with grass around sand flats. They’re roaming in that sand. If I get over the grass, I’m not going to get bit. I have to be in the sand.”
Weidler weighs his fish on an electronic digital scale. In practice he landed smallmouths weighing 6-1 and 5-14, and one “a lot bigger than 6” broke him off. Weidler left the spot at noon yesterday after burning through 4-pounder after 4-pounder. He’s not leaving today.
“I need a mega-bag,” said the Helena, Ala., resident. “I need to catch all fives and some sixes.”
That would be a mega-bag alright. Weidler began the day in 8th place, 2-8 behind leader John Cox. With 5-pounders being such a difference maker, it seems as if the man with the most 5-pounders is going to win this tournament. And Weidler’s got one now.