Open: Day 1 behind the scenes

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Kevin Short gets some help bagging his fish from his co-angler, 17-year-old Trenton Pittman from Covington, La.
Kevin Short gets some help bagging his fish from his co-angler, 17-year-old Trenton Pittman from Covington, La.
Short likes this one better. The Mayflower, Ark., angler caught a limit weighing 11-2, which has him in 44th place.
Short likes this one better. The Mayflower, Ark., angler caught a limit weighing 11-2, which has him in 44th place.
With 194 boats in the tournament field, the line waiting for weigh-in bags stretched up the hill at Three Forks Harbor.
With 194 boats in the tournament field, the line waiting for weigh-in bags stretched up the hill at Three Forks Harbor.
Gary Clouse needed at least one more like this one. Clouse weighed four bass totaling 8-12 and is in 78th place.
Gary Clouse needed at least one more like this one. Clouse weighed four bass totaling 8-12 and is in 78th place.
Skylar Hamilton of Dandridge, Tenn., is one of several anglers who chose to bring an aluminum boat, which allowed navigation through some shallow backwaters of the Arkansas River. Hamilton is in 15th place with 13-12.
Skylar Hamilton of Dandridge, Tenn., is one of several anglers who chose to bring an aluminum boat, which allowed navigation through some shallow backwaters of the Arkansas River. Hamilton is in 15th place with 13-12.
Muskogee’s Three Forks Harbor was a busy place at Thursday’s weigh-in, but its was designed to handle big tournaments like this.
Muskogee’s Three Forks Harbor was a busy place at Thursday’s weigh-in, but its was designed to handle big tournaments like this.
Fred Roumbanis of Bixby, Okla., went to the weigh-in stage with his sons, Jackson, 9, and Avery, 4 ½. Roumbanis is 70th with 9-5.
Fred Roumbanis of Bixby, Okla., went to the weigh-in stage with his sons, Jackson, 9, and Avery, 4 ½. Roumbanis is 70th with 9-5.
T-roy Broussard gave a thumbs up as he walked to the weigh-in line. He caught a limit weighing 10-11, which has him in 52nd place. Only 62 of 194 pros caught a five-bass limit on Day 1.
T-roy Broussard gave a thumbs up as he walked to the weigh-in line. He caught a limit weighing 10-11, which has him in 52nd place. Only 62 of 194 pros caught a five-bass limit on Day 1.
B.A.S.S. tournament official John Norris was manning the live release boat near the weigh-in stage.
B.A.S.S. tournament official John Norris was manning the live release boat near the weigh-in stage.
Norris adds a few more lively bass to the release boat tanks. All but 12 of the 874 fish weighed-in were released alive.
Norris adds a few more lively bass to the release boat tanks. All but 12 of the 874 fish weighed-in were released alive.
There was an abundance of floating debris in the Arkansas River Thursday. That combined with anglers trying to boat into shallow backwaters made the service yard a busy place.
There was an abundance of floating debris in the Arkansas River Thursday. That combined with anglers trying to boat into shallow backwaters made the service yard a busy place.