Early Day 2 with Brandon Lester

Day 2 of the Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Elite at Wheeler Lake started like Day 1 with a lot of activity close to the take-off area. In this case Jordon Lee works a bank as Dean Rojas takes off in the background.

On the other end of the bank, Timmy Horton works that section, while Randy Howell is in the background.

All the anglers were hoping to get a quick start.

But the action quickly filtered away from the take off to more quiet places like the one Dennis Tietje casts to.

Brandon Lester was nearby hoping to build on his 4th place finish after Day 1.

Lester had caught about 18 pounds working the area and was hoping to duplicate that performance.

Other anglers, like Casey Scanlon, were there as well and looking to improve their standing.

After the fish failed to cooperate, Lester would move up river, hitting one of a dozen places he had on his milk run.

Most of the anglers in the area had caught fish early and Lester worked hard to get in on an early bite.

With the sun providing a back light, every cast appeared to be throwing water as much as lures.

He occasionally would slow down and really work over a spot.

But it took almost two hours before he would get bit.

This would be his first fish of the day.

Providing him with a decent start.

But not up to the level that got him started on Day 1.

The fish would top the scales in the 2-pound plus range, and relieve Lester of the slow morning.

A few casts later and he would hook up again.

The small keeper would provide some acrobatics.

But eventually make it into the boat.

It would go into the box and under 2 pounds.

And moments later, Lester would hook up his third keeper of the day.

The short flurry didn’t last long.

Which is typical of this time of year when fish are moving in and out during the shad spawn.

But unlike the day before…

The early fish lacked the size needed to build a big stringer.

Lester’s three keepers would give a weight in the mid range of 5- to 6-pounds.

Those catches were broken up by the ever present gar.

This one refused to let go of Lester’s lure.

And had to throttled in order for him to retrieve his lure.

With the flurry over, Lester would run to the next stop on his milk run.

And then to the next, working his lure with long casts.

Occasionally getting hung up.

And moving in close for some short casts.

But he kept working and moving.

And eventually hooked up with keeper number four.

The decent keeper would provide another 2 pounds or more.

And assuring Lester, that at the least, he would likely make the Saturday round of competition.

And like the earlier flurry, he would quickly add his limit fish.

We left Lester at mid-day as he continued to work to upgrade, hoping to build a stringer similar to Day 1.