Unlike the first two days at Lake Fork, there wasn’t a 30-pound limit caught on Day 3 of the Guaranteed Rate Bassmaster Elite. Chris Zaldain got close with 29-3. He goes into Championship Sunday in third place, 5 pounds, 3 ounces behind leader Brandon Card.
“Anyone in the top 10 could win this tournament,” Zaldain said. “I think it’s going to take over a 30-pound bag. Hopefully, it’s me. We’re coming up on a full moon (Monday). It just feels like that’s what it’s going to take.”
Zaldain got the wind he wanted Saturday. He’s expecting it Sunday as well. It’s not the direction that matters, it’s simply a change from the day before. Like most of the top 10 finalists, Zaldain is concentrating on feeding fish – both pre-spawn and post-spawn – in shallow water, rather than focusing on spawning bass on beds.
“Bass are spawning, shad are spawning and bluegill are spawning,” Zaldain said. “When the wind changes directions it creates an opportunity for big bass to feed up shallow. It’s like a tide change.”
Zaldain is throwing big baits – an 8-inch Megabass Magdraft swim bait and a 10-inch glide bait. It produced a best five Saturday as follows: 7-3, 6-2, 6-2, 5-9, 4-3. If Zaldain’s prediction is accurate, it’s going to take something similar, plus a pound or so, to win at Lake Fork on Sunday.