The sun begins to rise as anglerâs speed across Douglas Lake.
Keith Poche was one of several Elite Series anglers fishing the Bass Pro Shops Southern Open #3 on Douglas Lake.
With his win in the first Southern Open held on Lake Toho, Gerald Swindle is an automatic qualifier for the 2012 Bassmaster Classic.
Jeff Freeman makes a long cast early on Day One.
Gerald Swindle graphs a long point for a school of fish he had found in practice.
Co-angler Greg Crumpton fights a fish to the boat while his Day One pro, Elite Series angler Keith Poche, reaches for the net.
Poche proves he is handy with the dip net and brings the fish safely aboard.
Poche said his co-angler had an early limit, while he was yet to get his first bite.
Terry Scroggins sets the hook, but the fish came free before reaching the surface.
Local anglers observe from a distance as they learn how the pros choose to fish their home lake.
Terry Scroggins makes a quick move without raising the trolling motor.
High water levels make vegetation on sunken islands an easy target to fish.
Chris Lane fishes near one of the many beautiful homes scattered along the shoreline of Douglas Lake.
Former Elite Series anglers Brian Clark is trying to make his way back to the Elite Series by fishing both the Central and Southern Opens.
Ray Sanford heaves a cast with a Carolina rig.
Brian Clark and his co-angler stopped to fish a footbridge spanning a shallow cove.
Jeff Worth nets a fish for his Day One co-angler, Willie Bryan.
Jason Williamson speeds to his next fishing location.
On his first cast after shutting down, Williamson was hooked up with his best fish of the day.
Williamson and his co-angler, net in hand, move to the other side of the boat to finish the fight.
Williamson displays a fist-pump as the big fish settles safely into the dip net.
Williamson gives the camera a better look at his best of the day.
Janet Parker was dragging a Carolina rig on an offshore hump.
With the Great Smoky Mountains on the horizon, Douglas Lake provides a scenic location for anglers to fish.
Steve Jenkins started his day fishing in sight of the Day One weigh in, to be held at The Point Marina.