JASPER, Texas — Pake South knows there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to bass fishing and following that principle yielded a big Day 2 limit that moved him into the lead in the Turtlebox Bassmaster Open at Sam Rayburn Reservoir presented by Battery Tender with a two-day total of 62 pounds, 5 ounces.
Day 1 saw the Progressive Bassmaster Elite rookie from Winnsboro, Texas place fifth place with 28-1. Adding a Day 2 limit of 34-4, he leads Jace Lindsay of Beckville, Texas by 5 pounds.
“It’s been an awesome week; it feels like I’m back home at Lake Fork catching big ones,” South said. “I’m just enjoying myself. It’s a blast and I’m ready to go out there tomorrow and see what else I can catch.”
South said he followed the same game plan as yesterday — tracking down prespawn bass in Rayburn’s standing timber. Key areas are the drains running from adjacent spawning flats into the timber.
“I kinda look at it like a highway system for the fish,” South said. “They’re headed to go spawn and they’re following those drains back up to the shallow water. Most of my bites were in 8-12 feet.”
Less than a week from his eighth-place finish at the Lippert Bassmaster Elite at Lake Martin on February 15, South said he was happy with his first-round effort, but he used Day 1 to explore his area and identify the key spots.
“I only got a day and a half of practice for this tournament, so I was still trying to figure out where they all were,” he said. “I wasn’t 100 percent dialed in. I got dialed in kinda midday yesterday, so this morning, I already knew where to start.”
Anchoring his bag with an 8 1/2-pounder, South reported good bites throughout his day. He caught 20 keepers and had his limit by 8 a.m. and made his last cull with a 7-pounder at 1.
“There are little feeding windows when I’ll catch two or three and then it will be dead for an hour and I’ll catch two or three,” he said. “It’s not like a morning or afternoon deal. It’s just all throughout the day.”
South has caught all of his fish on a single unnamed bait. He attributes his success to awareness and adaptation.
“It was just paying attention to what the fish is doing on LiveScope,” he said. “Every fish is different. Some are super aggressive and you have to work it really fast, but some are really sluggish and you have to work it way slower.
“It’s just being able to adapt to each fish on every cast and knowing how to work each one. It seems like when they’re in one of those little feeding windows, they’re all more aggressive.”
The first angler to the scales on Day 1, South had a later boat number for Day 2. That yielded more fishing time, so he made the most of his longer day.
“I was in the same area today — the mid-lake area,” South said. “I just had more time to fish for them.
“I’m not making a super long run. I probably won’t have to put gas in my boat for tomorrow.”
Lindsay buoyed his 57-5 total with a Day 1 bag of 30-12 that put him in second. Adding 26-9 kept him in that spot.
Lindsay also repeated his Day 1 game plan and caught quality fish, but couldn’t cull out two 4-pounders. Focusing on had bottom areas, he has done all of his work with a mix of reaction baits.
“I had to switch the direction I set up from because the switched directions on us,” Lindsay said. “I kept that nose into the wind so I didn’t blow up on them. They’re really smart out here and you can’t get up on them.
“It was blowing a little harder yesterday but it slicked off in the middle of the day. I think that hurt me a little bit. I like a little ripple out there.”
Day 1 leader Riley Harris of Orange, Texas followed his massive first-round limit of 36-15 with 19-5 and slipped to third with 56-4.
“It was frustrating today; all of my fish left,” Harris said. “This is just the time of year when they’re gonna start moving. I had been anticipating this all week.
“It was a grind all day. I ran all over the lake and burned almost all of my gas. I went to one spot I had been saving and I was able to get two good ones, about 6 pounds each, off of it. I just kept culling ounces.”
After catching his fish on reaction baits in the first round, Harris said he had to change tactics and use a dragging presentation.
“I’m gonna swing for it tomorrow,” he said. “I’m gonna check my spot and see if my school showed back up and if not, I’ll run around and do some othe things.”
Harris holds the Phoenix Boats Big Bass lead with his 11-14.
Saturday’s takeoff is scheduled for 7 a.m. CT at Umphrey Family Pavilion. The weigh-in will be held at the same location at 3 p.m.
Jasper Development District No. 1 is hosting this event.
