Day 1 on Ross Barnett

Opens anglers take to the water for the Bass Pro Shops Central Open #1 presented by Allstate.

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The birds were just beginning to wake up when Bass Pro Shops Central Open #1 presented by Allstate began on Ross Barnett Reservoir.
The birds were just beginning to wake up when Bass Pro Shops Central Open #1 presented by Allstate began on Ross Barnett Reservoir.
With a full field there were sure to be some anglers sharing water.
With a full field there were sure to be some anglers sharing water.
Fishing shallow was the order of the day in the back of this creek.
Fishing shallow was the order of the day in the back of this creek.
Gary Clouse fires a cast with a spinnerbait.
Gary Clouse fires a cast with a spinnerbait.
Clouse appears to be checking his electronics, but the water was about two feet deep.
Clouse appears to be checking his electronics, but the water was about two feet deep.
Clouse lets loose with another cast in hopes of catching…
Clouse lets loose with another cast in hopes of catching…
…another one like this one he had in the live well.
…another one like this one he had in the live well.
There was a lot of gas getting burned early on Day 1.
There was a lot of gas getting burned early on Day 1.
A quick shower came through early in the day and had everybody keeping their heads down.
A quick shower came through early in the day and had everybody keeping their heads down.
The birds seem to like this place, hopefully the fish do too.
The birds seem to like this place, hopefully the fish do too.
Kendall Newson, (pictured in the center), and two of his competitors favored the same starting location.
Kendall Newson, (pictured in the center), and two of his competitors favored the same starting location.
All these channels markers in this creek are there for a reason…
All these channels markers in this creek are there for a reason…
…if you get out of them you may hit one of the many stumps hidden just under the water line.
…if you get out of them you may hit one of the many stumps hidden just under the water line.
Josh Douglas had what appeared to be a mile of riprap to himself.
Josh Douglas had what appeared to be a mile of riprap to himself.
The only traffic in his area was on the highway.
The only traffic in his area was on the highway.
Steve Senikoff trolls past one of the many houseboats docked in a marina.
Steve Senikoff trolls past one of the many houseboats docked in a marina.
He and his co-angler spent their morning fishing alongside houseboats and boat docks.
He and his co-angler spent their morning fishing alongside houseboats and boat docks.
Apparently everybody’s equipment was holding up early in the day, the service yard was pretty quiet.
Apparently everybody’s equipment was holding up early in the day, the service yard was pretty quiet.
Skylar Hamilton started his day fishing near the launch area.
Skylar Hamilton started his day fishing near the launch area.
Hamilton said the morning had been slow for he and his co-angler. They had only boated one fish between them.
Hamilton said the morning had been slow for he and his co-angler. They had only boated one fish between them.
Time to pull up the trolling motor and make a move.
Time to pull up the trolling motor and make a move.
Hamilton said he was making a long run up the lake, so he straps everything down tight…
Hamilton said he was making a long run up the lake, so he straps everything down tight…
…pulls his life jacket tight…
…pulls his life jacket tight…
…pulls down the visor on his motorcycle helmet…
…pulls down the visor on his motorcycle helmet…
…and is outta there.
…and is outta there.
The weigh-in site was quiet during the day. In a few hours it will be a hub of activity.
The weigh-in site was quiet during the day. In a few hours it will be a hub of activity.
Have you ever seen a water tower with this many antennas on top of it?
Have you ever seen a water tower with this many antennas on top of it?
There are several beautiful homes along the shoreline of Ross Barnett.
There are several beautiful homes along the shoreline of Ross Barnett.
And some of them have good places to fish nearby.
And some of them have good places to fish nearby.
Not all lighthouses have to be huge to serve their purpose.
Not all lighthouses have to be huge to serve their purpose.
You know they had to fish that big laydown.
You know they had to fish that big laydown.
Time to bail out of the back of this creek for a couple of our competitors.
Time to bail out of the back of this creek for a couple of our competitors.
Brent Homan was piloting one of the boats leaving the creek.
Brent Homan was piloting one of the boats leaving the creek.
He decides to stop and fish the base of the bridge where it met a riprap wall.
He decides to stop and fish the base of the bridge where it met a riprap wall.
He tried several different baits without coaxing a fish into biting.
He tried several different baits without coaxing a fish into biting.
Clint Royse was fishing the opposite side of the bridge.
Clint Royse was fishing the opposite side of the bridge.
Royse decides to do a little vertical jigging along the bridge piers.
Royse decides to do a little vertical jigging along the bridge piers.
If you like to fish riprap, Ross Barnett may be the lake for you. There are miles of it.
If you like to fish riprap, Ross Barnett may be the lake for you. There are miles of it.
Royse continues fishing to the other side of the bridge…
Royse continues fishing to the other side of the bridge…
…and finally has a fish hooked up on a crankbait.
…and finally has a fish hooked up on a crankbait.
Problem was, it was the wrong species.
Problem was, it was the wrong species.
These nearby spectators probably would have kept that fish, wrong species or not.
These nearby spectators probably would have kept that fish, wrong species or not.