Keith Poche was one of several Elite Series anglers fishing the Bass Pro Shops Southern Open #3 on Douglas Lake.
Photo: James Overstreet
With his win in the first Southern Open held on Lake Toho, Gerald Swindle is an automatic qualifier for the 2012 Bassmaster Classic.
Photo: James Overstreet
Gerald Swindle graphs a long point for a school of fish he had found in practice.
Photo: James Overstreet
Co-angler Greg Crumpton fights a fish to the boat while his Day One pro, Elite Series angler Keith Poche, reaches for the net.
Photo: James Overstreet
Poche proves he is handy with the dip net and brings the fish safely aboard.
Photo: James Overstreet
Poche said his co-angler had an early limit, while he was yet to get his first bite.
Photo: James Overstreet
Terry Scroggins sets the hook, but the fish came free before reaching the surface.
Photo: James Overstreet
Local anglers observe from a distance as they learn how the pros choose to fish their home lake.
Photo: James Overstreet
Terry Scroggins makes a quick move without raising the trolling motor.
Photo: James Overstreet
High water levels make vegetation on sunken islands an easy target to fish.
Photo: James Overstreet
Chris Lane fishes near one of the many beautiful homes scattered along the shoreline of Douglas Lake.
Photo: James Overstreet
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.
Photo: James Overstreet
Brian Clark and his co-angler stopped to fish a footbridge spanning a shallow cove.
Photo: James Overstreet
On his first cast after shutting down, Williamson was hooked up with his best fish of the day.
Photo: James Overstreet
Williamson and his co-angler, net in hand, move to the other side of the boat to finish the fight.
Photo: James Overstreet
Williamson displays a fist-pump as the big fish settles safely into the dip net.
Photo: James Overstreet
With the Great Smoky Mountains on the horizon, Douglas Lake provides a scenic location for anglers to fish.
Photo: James Overstreet