Ish Monroe began the morning in the lead. He sought to protect it by starting in the back of Veasey Creek.
Monroe caught most of his bass on a small, shallow running TD Crank that mimicked shad and bluegill.
Riprap along a bridge and roadway gave up Monroeâs first two fish of the morning.
A light mist covered the water at first light as Ish Monroe worked his crankbait.
Bassmaster.com reporter/photographer Rob Russow watches the action from a helicopter as The Bassmasters camerman Carey Barrett leans out the door to film the anglers.
A small fish latches on in a pocket off Veasey Creek.
Monroe quickly hooks another bass on his crankbait . . .
. . . but itâs a throwback. . .
. . . The next strike, however, is from a solid keeper.
Veasey Creek was a hotbed of action for Monroe, but most of his fish were on the small side.
This one will keep, but only for part of the day, as Monroe culled it later with a bigger bass.
A Canada goose, startled by Ish Monroeâs gallery of spectator boats, takes flight.
Monroe began to build a decent limit with this catch.
Another small bass comes aboard.
Most of Monroeâs bass in the morning came from shallow cover, which he worked with a small crankbait.
After working a bed for perhaps half an hour, Monroe finally gets the fish to bite . . .
. . . but the bass, a 4-pounder, doesnât give up easily . . .
. . . finally, the California pro has things under control . . .
. . . and deposits the big bass into his livewell.
Monroe caught several bass similar in size, making culling difficult.
To keep from disturbing Monroeâs fishing, a family paddles its pleasure boat away from the dock and toward open water.
Late in the day, persistent casting to a bass bed pays off with a keeper . . .
. . . that allows Monroe to cull and upgrade his limit.