After three days of practice, Colby Bryant wasn’t sure there were bass big enough to eat a big plug at Norfork Lake. But on Day 2 of the Nitro Boats Bassmaster Elite Qualifier presented by Bass Pro Shops, that big crankbait carried Bryant to a giant comeback.
“After (Day 1), I went home and tied on a big crankbait that dives 25-plus feet and this morning was a magical 30 minutes,” Bryant said.
After landing just under 10 pounds the previous day, Bryant crushed 19 pounds, 11 ounces on moving day to jump from mid pack all the way to second place with a total of 29-9. Bryant’s comeback was certainly the most momentous of the second day at Norfork Lake, and one that if he does make the 2027 Elite Series, he’ll look back on as a big reason why.
The comeback wasn’t a result of a significant change to the gameplan or an area change. In fact, Bryant ran right back to his Day 1 starting spot, a deep point where he lost a 4-pounder first thing. He scrounged up his Day 1 weight elsewhere, but that 4-pounder kept his confidence high about that particular spot.
“I had a later boat number and I felt like I had just missed the window,” Bryant said. “I went back later in the day and saw the shad were grouped up. I got off the water, went to the house and tied on my big plug.”
Bryant got there right on time Day 2, and proceeded to catch his entire limit in 30 minutes using one of the techniques he loves the most back on Lake Conroe in Texas.
Virginia pro Jack Dice had a big comeback as well. The former College Series champion caught 15-6 Thursday, 4 pounds more than his Day 1 bag, lifting him into the Top 10.
In previous events, and on Day 1, Dice never caught a limit using just one bait. But when he considered his 25th place showing, he knew he needed to find something consistent if he wanted to move up.
That bait was a ¾-ounce Buckeye Lures Mop Jig paired with a Yamamoto Flappin’ Hog.
“It is a junk fishing lake. There aren’t enough big fish doing the same thing to lock one thing in your hand, until today. I caught a good one on a jig early, and I told myself that if I wanted to catch bigger ones I should throw it more. It wasn’t until late in the day that things really happened.”
With a couple line burners still in the bag late in the day, Dice caught a 5-pounder in a brushpileand then another quality bass with five minutes left to fish to cull up to his final total.
Brennan Flick was third after Day 1 with 15-14, but needed a big rally late on Day 2 to remain in the Top 10. All of his total weight from Wednesday was done on one offshore hole, the only spot on the entire lake he felt confident about.
He started there again Thursday but did not receive a bite until close to noon. Luckily, the bites he did get from then until check-in time weighed 13-9 to keep him in third place.
“I almost left. I was two casts from doing something different,” Flick said. “I don’t know if it was stubbornness or stupidity, but it is literally the only spot I have. I figured if those bass showed back up I’d be alright.”
Other notable risers
Trey Schroeder: 70th to 19th
Tripp Berlinsky: 83rd to 24th
Dillon Falardeau: 94th to 63rd.
Garrett Paquette: 105th to 52ndTy Faber: 109th to 70th
Don’t discount how important these points will be by the end of the division.
Notable Fallers
Stephen Browning: 20th to 80th
Freddy Palmer: 25th to 101st
Wyatt Burkhalter: 43rd to 99th
Mark Menendez: 66th to 112th
Quote of the day
“Normally when you suck this bad you have an idea why. Here I have no idea. I’ll get out the big evil screen and try to win Toledo Bend.” Cole McAusland.
