Day 3 action with Poche and Davis

The morning plan was to hook up with Bobby Lane up the Pearl River. Lane made a last-minute switch, forcing a stronger look at Mark Davis and Keith Poche battle in the Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Elite at Ross Barnett Reservoir.. Both anglers were fishing in the same vicinity as Lane on Day 2.

Photo: Steve Bowman

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And like the day before the catching started early.

Photo: Steve Bowman

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Poche was the first to get a fish in the boat.

Photo: Steve Bowman

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And he quickly hooked up with number two.

Photo: Steve Bowman

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This fish would tip the scales around the 3-pound range.

Photo: Steve Bowman

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And would provide a few these moments as it got hung up in one of the many clumps of grass.

Photo: Steve Bowman

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Poche would win the battle, though.

Photo: Steve Bowman

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Boat flipping the fish.

Photo: Steve Bowman

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And leaving the grass behind.

Photo: Steve Bowman

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It was a great start for Poche.

Photo: Steve Bowman

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Most of the action in the event was punctuated by dead periods.

Photo: Steve Bowman

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Having two keepers in the boat at an early hour created a laid-back morning for Poche.

Photo: Steve Bowman

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Davis was fishing nearby.

Photo: Steve Bowman

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And it wouldn't be too long before he hooked up with his first keeper.

Photo: Steve Bowman

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He wasted little time getting the fish to the boat,

Photo: Steve Bowman

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And bringing it over the gunwales.

Photo: Steve Bowman

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This one lacked the size of Poche's, but a keeper early was still a good start.

Photo: Steve Bowman

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Fletcher Shryock would idle through the area, paying close attention to the stumps scattered around.

Photo: Steve Bowman

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But Poche would stay in the area.

Photo: Steve Bowman

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As would Davis, both trying to hit every piece of cover.

Photo: Steve Bowman

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Davis would hook up next with his second keeper.

Photo: Steve Bowman

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And like the first, he would waste no time in getting it boatside.

Photo: Steve Bowman

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The small keeper provided little resistance.

Photo: Steve Bowman

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But within the first hour, both anglers had hooked up with two keepers.

Photo: Steve Bowman

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And both had two in the livewell.

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The rest of the morning Davis would focus on small clumps of grass.

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Throwing a variety of lures

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And never stopping his motion.

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Poche would follow the same course

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Both anglers moving from one side

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And then to the other side of the backwater area.

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Each of them had their own style.

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And each would throw different, but similar lures.

Photo: Steve Bowman

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There was the occasional spectator that would slip in and watch.

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But neither angler seemed to notice.

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By midmorning, Davis had enough of the area.

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Running out of the shallow area to greener pastures.

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No sooner than Davis had left, Poche hooked up.

Photo: Steve Bowman

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This would be his third keeper.

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And it would provide a tussle.

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Along with some tense moments,

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that brought out an assortment of facial expressions.

Photo: Steve Bowman

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The fish would eventually get to the boat.

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And provide a loud sigh of relief from Poche.

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The fish was his biggest of the day at that point.

Photo: Steve Bowman

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While there was still a lot of day left.

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Poche's three fish put him within striking distance of making the final day.

Photo: Steve Bowman

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And it was just the right thing to give him a shot of adrenaline.

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And produced even more interesting facial expressions.

Photo: Steve Bowman

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All of it followed by a fist pump.

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Along with a little yell.

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And a quick moment to pose with the catch.

Photo: Steve Bowman

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Before he deposited it in the well.

Photo: Steve Bowman

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By the time we left, the only other angler in the area with Poche was one with a ridges on his back and big teeth out front.

Photo: Steve Bowman

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Day 3 action with Poche and Davis

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