Kevin Short turns it up on the Delaware

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Kevin Short started every day of the Bassmaster Elite at the Delaware River with the intention of traveling farther than any of the other anglers.

Photo: B.A.S.S.

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Short's long trip would in some ways be a trip home.

Photo: B.A.S.S.

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Short has had to overcome several obstacles in his Elite Series career.

Photo: B.A.S.S.

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Flying through downtown Philadelphia

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He made a 70-mile trip one way.

Photo: B.A.S.S.

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That would take him to a small creek to the south of the city.

Photo: B.A.S.S.

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The trip up the creek ...

Photo: B.A.S.S.

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...provided stringers that would keep him at the top of the standings.

Photo: B.A.S.S.

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Each day following the long trip,

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Short would weigh in a heavy sack for the Delaware River.

Photo: B.A.S.S.

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And each day, his little stretch of a feeder creek...

Photo: B.A.S.S.

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...would make him feel right at home.

Photo: B.A.S.S.

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He found the stretch...

Photo: B.A.S.S.

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...by studying Google Earth for hours.

Photo: B.A.S.S.

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He looked up creek arms trying to find banks with trees and hard cover.

Photo: B.A.S.S.

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The tactic took him several miles up the creek.

Photo: B.A.S.S.

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Much of the trip required idle time.

Photo: B.A.S.S.

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But once there...

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...he could catch fish...

Photo: B.A.S.S.

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...on a regular basis.

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This was his second keeper on Day 3.

Photo: B.A.S.S.

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And it almost slapped his Marshal.

Photo: B.A.S.S.

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And it startled Jim Sexton of Bassmaster.com.

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Catches like this were commonplace.

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And despite time being a factor, he always made time to pose for his Marshal.

Photo: B.A.S.S.

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When the tide was right,

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catches came quick.

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All of them around laydowns.

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And most of them hefty in size.

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Like this one, that made a mighty splash...

Photo: B.A.S.S.

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...and skittered across the water.

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But before this fish could get to the boat,

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...it would come off.

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It was one of the only fish he lost all week.

Photo: B.A.S.S.

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Quickly rebounding,

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...Short gets back at it...

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...catching another.

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In an event where fish catches were infrequent,

Photo: B.A.S.S.

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Short's stretch of creek, much like the creeks in his home state of Arkansas,

Photo: B.A.S.S.

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...made him feel right at home.

Photo: B.A.S.S.

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On one side of the creek, there was vegetation...

Photo: B.A.S.S.

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...and on the other, wood cover.

Photo: B.A.S.S.

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The trees were perfect cover...

Photo: B.A.S.S.

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...to produce a lot of bites...

Photo: B.A.S.S.

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...and keep him in the race.

Photo: B.A.S.S.

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There were slow moments...

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...and contemplative moments.

Photo: B.A.S.S.

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But all of them tied together to make...

Photo: B.A.S.S.

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...Short feel right at home.

Photo: B.A.S.S.

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Short took his time to re-tie and made sure everything was just right...

Photo: B.A.S.S.

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...to keep catching fish.

Photo: B.A.S.S.

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Like in his home water, he picked up a small square bill...

Photo: B.A.S.S.

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...and worked over the cover.

Photo: B.A.S.S.

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Then he idled to the next spot.

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He passed by local turtle fishermen.

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And hit more cover.

Photo: B.A.S.S.

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Idling again...

Photo: B.A.S.S.

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...while pointing out spots of note...

Photo: B.A.S.S.

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before taking off again...

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...for the long ride back to the weigh-in...

Photo: B.A.S.S.

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...where he found a welcoming Philadelphia crowd...

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...that loved seeing the hefty largemouth of the Delaware River.

Photo: B.A.S.S.

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Despite being close to winning and coming up short...

Photo: B.A.S.S.

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...Short found a home away from home, one that he needed more than most of the anglers in the event.

Photo: B.A.S.S.

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