College: Day 2 on Lake of the Ozarks

I started Day 2 of the Carhartt Bassmaster College Series Midwest Regional presented by Bass Pro Shops following the leaders from McKendree University.

They already had a few in the boat when I arrived and they were hooked up immediately.

It certainly looked like a good one!

Boom. In the boat!

That’s a 5-fish limit for Jacob Louis and JT Russell.

Definitely worthy of a high five.

Louis shows off what they called a 6 pounder. Bigger than anything they’ve caught this week, which is saying something because the duo weighed 22-10 on Day 1.

They got back to casting, hoping to get rid of a few small keepers.

There was some activity in the area and they were using all their senses to try and land as many fish as possible.

Russell hooks up from the back of the boat.

It ended up being a smaller fish.

One that wouldn’t help their early limit.

They said they had 1 squeaker fish, two 16 to 17 inch fish, a 3+ pounder and the big one. I’d estimate an early 14 pound limit.

After rigging up some new baits they went back at it.

And Russell hooked up again.

This one gave them the impression it was a good one at the boat.

There is a solid fish, one that may cull.

They eyeball their smallest with that keeper, but it is hard to tell.

So they put the fish on a cull beam and the biggest one is clear.

Another boat cuts between us and watches as they cull.

They noted there was definitely still fish in their area, but that today was slower than on Wednesday.

Temperatures began to drop from takeoff, which seems to impact a few teams including the bubble team from Kansas State.

Hunter Whiteley and Tyler Nekolny of Kansas State were struggling to duplicate their 14-15 from Wednesday.

So they took off and looked for their next spot.

A lot of teams had to run around and scramble on Thursday.

As I changed spots I noticed birds flying and diving at the water, presumably over bait.

Justin Schick and Tyler Rocke of Illinois State were hitting a main lake point.

And then Rocke hooked up.

They grab the net and get ready to get the fish…

But it comes off at the boat and their faces tell the story.

Thor and Mitch Swanson of Bemidji State run by. They were 12th after Day 1.

Schick reties a new bait.

Meanwhile another team rounds the corner.

Matt Wolz and Wes Lashmett of Western Illinois were looking for a Day 2 comeback.

They hooked up, but it was a drum.

Then Lashmett caught a small bass.

I left the Western Illinois duo and found the Wisconsin-Stout team of Tesch and Guarnaccio.

They were hooked up as I arrived and were looking to make the Top 20.

They were in 21st to start the day and had just landed their 4th keeper.

They were looking for a reaction bite, but they couldn’t find one in the wind so they changed areas and it was working.

I can see a lighthouse type building on the Ozarks off in the distance.

Guarnaccio was hooked up again.

This one was a small fish that wouldn’t keep. Still searching for their 5th keeper.

Then Tesch hooks up from the back of the boat.

The tail of the bass slides into the net and they land the fish.

It’s a pretty good one and will fill their limit.

A high-five for the teammates.

Solid Ozarks bass for Tesch.

That’s five!

I headed back towards the ramp and found the Swanson brothers from Bemidji State.

They were struggling today, but had a little breathing room as they were in 12th after Day 1.

Thor skips a jig by a dock.

There was no time for sliding off the top of the dock today…plus the weather wasn’t conducive for swimming, not one bit.

They leave and head out in search of fish that will get them to the final day. I headed back to the ramp after they took off so I could get prepared for weigh-in.