Lowen on Grand Lake - Bassmaster

Day 2 of the Bassmaster Classic on Grand Lake started with a lot of fanfare, including a helicopter chase down the lake.

And one of the first to get down the lake was leader, Jason Christi, who quickly went to work as piles and piles of boats fell in behind.

Mark Davis, who has been no stranger to spectator boats, fishes quietly nearby and moves on before he gains any attention.

While Keith Combs eases into a nearby creek hoping to improve on his Day 1 start of 12 pounds, 15 ounces.

Combs. like many of the anglers, was covering water and moving fast.

It didn’t take long before Combs was hooked up.

The fish moved Combs to the driver’s seat holding promise that this would be a better than average keeper.

The bend in the rod promised that as well.

And then the fish came up and it was obvious.

Combs moved into position to get his hands on the fish.

And got a little nervous as it tried to shake his lure.

But a second later gets his thumb planted firmly on the fish’s lower jaw.

You can almost see the relief on his face.

And it quickly turns to a look of joy.

He then gives a fist pump and a yell to the dozen spectators cheering him on.

Combs quickly shows his Marshal.

And then he’s quickly back up and looking for the next one.

His commotion roused a small flock of Canada geese who winged by, getting away from the spectacle.

Around the corner, Bill Lowen is climbing over obstacles trying to find his first keeper of the day.

And taking his cameraman on an obstacle course of his own.

Lowen spent the day, getting into and behind everything he could.

And while it wasn’t easy his work and search paid off with the occasional bite.

This one would not give easily.

It put on a good show of jumps and splashes.

Before Lowen finally put the fish in the boat as his first keeper.

It would not be the size he was hoping for. But that would seem to be a trend the whole field would go through on Day 2.

He would go through two swings and misses in back-to-back casts.

Before he would hook up with a keeper. This is what Lowen looks like when he actually gets handcuffed.

The fish would move him to the backseat.

Where it would wallow its head across the top of the water.

Providing a few fast-paced seconds of drama.

And giving everyone a good look at the fish that was not an ordinary Grand Lake keeper.

Lowen would wrestle with the fish for a few seconds at the side of the boat.

And for a moment it looked as if the fish was putting up a fight it could win.

Lowen won the battle though.

And let everyone in earshot know he won.

He held it up for the Bassmaster Live audience and gave them a rundown on what it took to catch the fish.

Then told them the sneaky way you have to work your bait on Grand Lake to catch a fish that size.

He would admire the fish for a moment before putting it in the live well and getting back to work.

And a few minutes later he was hooked up again.

Lowen brought the fish to the side of the boat, getting a good look at it, verifying that bait was well within its mouth.

With everything in order, he begins to pull the fish into the boat.

The fish, though, had other ideas and quickly shook the bait loose.

Then plopped back into the water.

Lowen could only watch helplessly as the 3-pound class fish disappeared.

Lowen shook off the lost fish and a few minutes later hooked up with another fish.

This one, though, would be too short to measure.

The turn in luck would continue as Lowen got this fish hooked up and stuck on a cable.

It would be too short as well.

Lowen would continue to cover water trying to add to his weight.

Getting behind things as much as he could.

Pulling out new rods.

And he would get bit again.

This one would give him tense moments as the fish fought behind a dock and over a cables.

The fish was obviously getting the better of Lowen.

And when Lowen stopped fighting and turned to the Bassmaster Live audience everyone felt like he had lost the fish.

The fish, though, was still on. Unfortunately, it was the wrong model.

The drum provided some tense moments, but yet again Lowen needed more.

Lowen would continue working, eventually making a long run to finish out his limit late in the day and put himself in a position to win on Day 3.