Day 3: Tharp throttles down on Bull Shoals

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Ride along with Randall Tharp on Day 3 at Bull Shoals as he hopes to stay in contention and make it to Championship Sunday.
Ride along with Randall Tharp on Day 3 at Bull Shoals as he hopes to stay in contention and make it to Championship Sunday.
Tharp was flipping and pitching around shoreline cover when we arrived.
Tharp was flipping and pitching around shoreline cover when we arrived.
He quickly hooked up with a bass and prepared to swing it in the boat.
He quickly hooked up with a bass and prepared to swing it in the boat.
He lands the spotted bass and that gives him three keepers.
He lands the spotted bass and that gives him three keepers.
It had been a slow grind for Tharp until that fish broke the lull and added to his overall weight.
It had been a slow grind for Tharp until that fish broke the lull and added to his overall weight.
He continued flipping down a stretch of bushes.
He continued flipping down a stretch of bushes.
Cast after cast, he's hoping for five good bites.
Cast after cast, he’s hoping for five good bites.
He felt a thud and set the hook.
He felt a thud and set the hook.
Another fish in the boat, but he had to measure this one.
Another fish in the boat, but he had to measure this one.
This one won’t keep so he releases it back into Bull Shoals.
This one won’t keep so he releases it back into Bull Shoals.
He then transitioned from a bushy bank to a rocky bank with occasional bushes.
He then transitioned from a bushy bank to a rocky bank with occasional bushes.
It didn’t take long for him to get a bite again, but this time it was a grown one!
It didn’t take long for him to get a bite again, but this time it was a grown one!
He makes quick work of the battle and swings the big fish in the boat near his console.
He makes quick work of the battle and swings the big fish in the boat near his console.
That is the kicker he was looking for. It was actually the biggest fish he has caught all week.
That is the kicker he was looking for. It was actually the biggest fish he has caught all week.
That one will help the cause.
That one will help the cause.
Boom! Tharp gives a major fist pump after catching that fish. He knows it is a game-changer.
Boom! Tharp gives a major fist pump after catching that fish. He knows it is a game-changer.
He tries to get a hold of his emotions, but he is pumped.
He tries to get a hold of his emotions, but he is pumped.
That’s the fish he needed to get his mid-day flurry going.
That’s the fish he needed to get his mid-day flurry going.
That kicker gives him four in the livewell…
That kicker gives him four in the livewell…
He gets back to work, looking for number five to pair with the others.
He gets back to work, looking for number five to pair with the others.
Tharp gained leverage on the fish at the side of the boat as he went to swing it.
Tharp gained leverage on the fish at the side of the boat as he went to swing it.
That will help the cause. If anything, that is at least number five for the Honey Badger.
That will help the cause. If anything, that is at least number five for the Honey Badger.
Tharp is thrilled with the quick flurry that happened just a handful of casts apart.
Tharp is thrilled with the quick flurry that happened just a handful of casts apart.
High five from Tharp to cameraman Eric Kaffka.
High five from Tharp to cameraman Eric Kaffka.
Tharp continued to catch them at a fast rate and culled with almost every hookset.
Tharp continued to catch them at a fast rate and culled with almost every hookset.
Without leaving time to blog the last fish catches, he was hooked up and swinging another fish.
Without leaving time to blog the last fish catches, he was hooked up and swinging another fish.
That culled the small spotted bass he had earlier.
That culled the small spotted bass he had earlier.
Cameraman Carey brought a drone out when he arrived and began getting aerials of Tharp.
Cameraman Carey brought a drone out when he arrived and began getting aerials of Tharp.
Tharp gets back to work while the action is still hot.
Tharp gets back to work while the action is still hot.
Less than five minutes later he hooked up again.
Less than five minutes later he hooked up again.
This one surges to deeper water so he turns to swing it in the boat on the driver's side.
This one surges to deeper water so he turns to swing it in the boat on the driver’s side.
That’s a fat keeper.
That’s a fat keeper.
That’ll cull!
That’ll cull!
Back to work for Tharp as he is bowed up again.
Back to work for Tharp as he is bowed up again.
His flurry was very impressive. Tharp only got around 10 bites yesterday so to have a flurry of this size comes as a surprise for the angler, but he thinks he knows why the bites are coming.
His flurry was very impressive. Tharp only got around 10 bites yesterday so to have a flurry of this size comes as a surprise for the angler, but he thinks he knows why the bites are coming.
This one could possibly help.
This one could possibly help.
In the boat!
In the boat!
Randall Tharp probably made the most casts that I have ever seen in a day of fishing on the Bassmaster Elite Series.
Randall Tharp probably made the most casts that I have ever seen in a day of fishing on the Bassmaster Elite Series.
The only thing that was slowing down his cast rate were fish catches…
The only thing that was slowing down his cast rate were fish catches…
Speaking of fish catches… he has another one.
Speaking of fish catches… he has another one.
This one jumps at the boat and Tharp stays tensed up as he gets prepared to pull it in.
This one jumps at the boat and Tharp stays tensed up as he gets prepared to pull it in.
That looks like a decent one.
That looks like a decent one.
And it’s in the boat.
And it’s in the boat.
Another fist pump from Tharp. This one will help him get rid of a 2 ¼ pounder.
Another fist pump from Tharp. This one will help him get rid of a 2 ¼ pounder.
Thumbs up from Kaffka as Tharp talks on Bassmaster LIVE.
Thumbs up from Kaffka as Tharp talks on Bassmaster LIVE.
Hooked up again and this one looks good.
Hooked up again and this one looks good.
It jumps at the boat and flares its gills.
It jumps at the boat and flares its gills.
That’s a chunky one. Definitely one of his biggest fish so far this morning.
That’s a chunky one. Definitely one of his biggest fish so far this morning.
Time to cull and figure out which cookie-cutter is smallest.
Time to cull and figure out which cookie-cutter is smallest.
Bam. Fist bump exchange from Tharp and Kaffka.
Bam. Fist bump exchange from Tharp and Kaffka.
There is plenty of cover for Tharp to fish and no reason to hold back because on Sunday the anglers who make the Top 12 will head to Lake Norfork.
There is plenty of cover for Tharp to fish and no reason to hold back because on Sunday the anglers who make the Top 12 will head to Lake Norfork.
Wes Miller shows up with another camera to shoot Tharp. This one is for the awesome slo-mo that is shown on the TV show.
Wes Miller shows up with another camera to shoot Tharp. This one is for the awesome slo-mo that is shown on the TV show.
For the first time since he arrived to his spot early this morning, he cranks up to head back to where he started in this creek.
For the first time since he arrived to his spot early this morning, he cranks up to head back to where he started in this creek.
It didn’t take long to get a bite.
It didn’t take long to get a bite.
Tharp fights it to the boat and sees how big it is in the Bull Shoals water.
Tharp fights it to the boat and sees how big it is in the Bull Shoals water.
Get up in here!
Get up in here!
This one is going to be close to helping Tharp.
This one is going to be close to helping Tharp.
“Throwing those back is a good problem to have,” said Tharp.
“Throwing those back is a good problem to have,” said Tharp.
In a matter of minutes he hooked up again.
In a matter of minutes he hooked up again.
And he swings this one in as well.
And he swings this one in as well.
He keeps fishing and stays focused for one or two more big bites.
He keeps fishing and stays focused for one or two more big bites.
Bowed up!
Bowed up!
But this one comes off after jumping. Tharp didn’t think it would help him so he remains positive.
But this one comes off after jumping. Tharp didn’t think it would help him so he remains positive.
Tharp caught a ton of fish on Day 1 at Lake Norfork, had only a handful of bites on Bull Shoals on Day 2, but came back with vengeance on Day 3 with another impressive limit.
Tharp caught a ton of fish on Day 1 at Lake Norfork, had only a handful of bites on Bull Shoals on Day 2, but came back with vengeance on Day 3 with another impressive limit.
Another one in the boat.
Another one in the boat.
And another fish that won’t help him out.
And another fish that won’t help him out.
With over 16 pounds in the boat, Tharp knows he is fishing the final day. The question is, where will he end up at weigh-in?
With over 16 pounds in the boat, Tharp knows he is fishing the final day. The question is, where will he end up at weigh-in?
Tharp jumped from 5th to 1st and will be the leader heading out on Lake Norfork on Championship Sunday.
Tharp jumped from 5th to 1st and will be the leader heading out on Lake Norfork on Championship Sunday.