The Super Six have moved on, and the not-so Super Six will be subjected to the sidelines as onlookers. Bassmaster.com found out from the bottom half of the twelve what was key in allowing them to get to Saturday's cut and how they handled the hole course format.
Here's what they had to say:
Takahiro Omori, 8 pounds, 6 ounces
What was your most successful pattern during the first two days of the Major? "It was pretty similar to the Classic I won two years ago. I was fishing up river in muddy water throwing a crankbait or flipping around trees or boat docks."
What is the most challenging aspect of a hole course? "The hole course's water was so clear. I started to figure out things around one o'clock and had one 4-pounder, but I needed one more."
Which hole was the most productive for you? "Hole Two."
Looking back, is there anything you would have done differently during the course of the tournament? "No, I fished as hard as I could and still had a good tournament. Maybe next year."
Timmy Horton, 8 pounds, 2 ounces
What was your most successful pattern during the first two days of the Major? "I was catching most of them on topwater baits. Pretty much everything I caught, I caught on top."
What is the most challenging aspect of a hole course? "I don't know. I like the way everything looked and I fished the same patterns, but I just didn't get the big bite."
Which hole was the most productive for you? "Hole Three I thought had the most fish in it."
Looking back, is there anything you would have done differently during the course of the tournament? "I fished the way that I thought I could catch those big ones so I can't think of anything I would have done differently."
Jimmy Mize, 7 pounds, 15 ounces
What was your most successful pattern during the first two days of the Major? "I've been running the brim beds where there are bigger bass hanging around. I found some today, but I would spook them before I could fish them because we were moving around so fast."
What is the most challenging aspect of a hole course? "I've never fished a course before so I was more worried about making sure I moved when I was supposed to. I didn't know where some of the markers were so I really had to look to make sure I was in the right spot."
Which hole was the most productive for you? "I caught all four of my fish in the first 20 minutes on Hole Six."
Looking back, is there anything you would have done differently during the course of the tournament? "There were a couple of holes today that I didn't fish right at all. By the time I figured out what I needed to be doing I had run out of time so I really wasted two holes completely."
Kelly Jordan, 7 pounds, 14 ounces
What was your most successful pattern during the first two days of the Major? "Topwater and Carolina rig. That was my one-two punch, deep and shallow."
What is the most challenging aspect of a hole course? "Finding the right kind of water. It all looks the same but when you get into the right kind you know it. I had the bites to have 11 or 12 pounds and I lost them. I hadn't lost any until today, but they just weren't hitting as well. Of my first four topwater strikes, I landed one."
Which hole was the most productive for you? "Hole Four."
Looking back, is there anything you would have done differently during the course of the tournament? "I think I did everything right, and like I said I had the bites today to be in it. That's all you can ask for, and you are going to lose some and I just happen to lose my three biggest bites today."
Denny Brauer, 7 pounds, 13 ounces
What was your most successful pattern during the first two days of the Major? "I was doing several different things. All of the weigh-in fish came on a jig. I was fishing wood, I was fishing boat docks, and main lake side cover. With all of the boat traffic today that was certainly out of the question though."
What is the most challenging aspect of a hole course? "Just the fact that you really can't get away. You're corralled among all of the spectators, and you're really limited to the type of water you can fish. Then you move on and try to find something else. It's kind of a restraining format, almost like you feel a little claustrophobic."
Which hole was the most productive for you? "I caught two in the first five minutes in Hole Five. Then I went awhile without anything and caught two more in Hole Three."
Looking back, is there anything you would have done differently during the course of the tournament? "Today, I really don't know what I would have done differently. Maybe just get a little lucky and have some more bites. I only had those four bites all day. The difference in the right and wrong thing can be one bite and you really don't know until it's over."
Lee Bailey, 4 pounds, 13 ounces
What was your most successful pattern during the first two days of the Major? "The first day I got most of my bites on jigs. The second day the topwater bite gave me most of my bigger fish, and that same bite was definitely the key for me today."
What is the most challenging aspect of a hole course? "Not being able to just keep fishing. Once I got it dialed on that piece of the lake, then I had to leave. I would have been happy to stay in that one hole all day."
Which hole was the most productive for you? "Hole One and Hole Six both produced very well for me today."
Looking back, is there anything you would have done differently during the course of the tournament? "Absolutely not a single thing."