LAKEPORT — Byron Velvick of Del Rio, Texas, maintained his lead on Friday as the Bassmaster Elite Series Golden State Shootout reached the midway point on Clear Lake.
Nearly half of the 93 competing fishermen were eliminated on Friday as the field was cut to the top 47 for today”s third round. Only the top 12 advance to Sunday”s final round. The winner receives $100,000.
Velvick brought a five-fish limit of 22 pounds to the scales on Friday to increase his tournament-leading total to 51 pounds. Randy Howell of Springville Ala., is in second place with 46-10 and Bill Lowen of North Bend, Ohio, is third with 45-7.
Rounding out the top five spots are the oldest and youngest fishermen entered in the tournament. Guy Eaker, 70, of Cherryville, N.C., is fourth with 44-4 and Bradley Roy, 19, of Lancaster, Ky., is fifth with 41-9.
Bobby Lane of Lakeland, Fla., jumped from 44th place after Thursday”s round to seventh on Friday by bringing a five-fish limit of 24-13 to the scales. The best individual total of round two was anchored by the day”s big fish — and the big fish of the tournament so far — at 11-1.
Also making a healthy move up the leaderboard on Friday was Greg Hackney of Gonzales, La., who jumped from 39th to 12th by bringing a five-fish limit of 22-5 to the scales.
Skeet Reese of Aub-urn, a many-time tournament winner at Clear Lake and among the fan favorites, remains in the hunt in 11th place with 39 pounds.
Another Californian, Jared Lintner of Arroyo Grande, dropped from second to sixth place on Friday after weighing in 17-14 for a two-day total of 41-2.
Shaw Grigsby of Gainesville, Fla., secured the final spot into today”s third round. He is 47th at 32-12.
Steve Kennedy of Auburn, Ala., the 2007 Bassmaster winner at Clear Lake, failed to make the cut. He finished Friday”s round in 63rd place at 30-7.
The weigh-in today and Sunday gets under way at 3:30 p.m. at Library Park in Lakeport.
