$100,000 on the line as tourney nears finish line
LAKEPORT — Byron Velvick of Del Rio, Texas, continues to apply the pressure through three rounds of the Bassmaster Elite Series Golden State Shootout at Clear Lake.
The four-day megabucks bass tournament concludes today at Library Park in Lakeport. The weigh-in gets under way at 3:30 p.m. as the top 12 survivors from an original field of 93 battle it out for the first-place prize of $100,000.
Velvick, the leader after each of the first two rounds, added to his lead on Saturday as the field was cut from 47 to 12 fishermen. Velvick brought the best weight total to the scales for the second time in three days — 24 pounds, 8 ounces — to boost his three-day total to 75-8. He has nearly a 6-pound lead over Bill Lowen of North Bend, Ohio, who is second with 69-9. Like Velvick, Lowen brought more than 24 pounds to the scales on Saturday (24-2).
Also bringing in 24 pounds on Saturday was 70-year-old Guy Eaker of Cherryville, N.C., who is third with 68-4 going into today”s final round. Randy Howell of Springville, Ala., the runner-up after Friday”s second round, brought a five-fish limit of 20-10 to the scales and is fourth overall with 67-4.
Rounding out the top five is the youngest fisherman in the tournament, 19-year-old Bradley Roy of Lancaster, Ky., with 64-2.
Also making the cut into Sunday”s final round were Terry Butcher of Talala, Okla., with 62-12; Jared Lintner of Arroyo Grande with 62-8; Matt Herren of Trussville, Ala., with 61-15; Boyd Duckett of Demopolis, Ala., with 61-11; Brian Snowden of Reeds Spring, Mo., with 61-5; Skeet Reese of Auburn with 60-2; and Tommy Biffle of Wagoner, Okla., with 58-15.
Duckett, Snowden and Biffle all moved up four places in the standings on Saturday to make the top-12 cut. Snowden caught the big of the third round, a 7.7-pounder. Reese had a 7-pounder and Velvick caught a 6.2-pounder.
Falling out of the top 12 on Saturday were Bobby Lane, who entered the day in seventh place; Grant Goldbeck, who was 10th to begin the day; and Greg Hackney, who was 12th entering the third round. Lane of Lakeland, Fla., caught the big fish on Friday (and the big fish through three rounds), an 11.1-pounder.
Forty-four of the 47 fishermen brought limits to the scales on Saturday.
