Bassmaster Elite Power Pole Citrus Slam Day 3: Alton Still On Top

Jones's Still on Top Even as Weights Shrink. 

Power- Pole Citrus Slam

St. Johns River Palatka, Fla. March 17-20 
By Luigi De Rose
           

Alton Jones praying to catch one on Saturday.
(Photo: Seigo Saito BASS)

Overall, the weight decreased across the board for most anglers. Even with the Super Moon, anglers had a difficult time on Day 3 of the Bassmaster Elite Power-Pole Citrus Slam tournament on the St. John's River in Florida. The majority of anglers are sight fishing in two primary areas of the St. John's river. Lake George, a spring fed section that is famous for gin clear water and Rodman Pool, an extension of a defunked cross Florida barge system which is home to heavy vegetation and stump fields. Each area is world class but the anglers have been picking each spot clean of spawners. Also, the water level is quite low making these shallow bass even less torrent of fisherman and their baits.   

Interestingly, the last 20 or so anglers to weigh-in all had hefty sacks of fish. Steve Kennedy bested them all with a 26-0 bag today. He had a pair of 8 pounders, the largest weighed 8-12 good enough to win big bass honours today. While on stage, Kennedy explained that he only saw these two big bass today and caught both of them. He might be sand bagging. If he isn't it will make Sunday very suspenseful. 

Edwin Evers, who complained of missing some key fish in the closing minutes of Day 2 did very well today and leaped into second. On the back of a 19-04 bag, he is only 2-09 off the lead. Maybe the five pound fish he missed yesterday bit today. If Evers or Kennedy continue to produce on the Sunday, Alton Jones might not be able to hold on for a forth day in a row.

Alton Jones has lead all three days. He explained that the larger bass are few and far between. He was lucky enough to land on 4 pound class fish and that was the magic to keeping him on top. The field has been cut to only the Top 12 making Sunday's final weigh-in a nail bitter.


Top 50
1 Alton Jones  60-10
2 Edwin Evers  58- 1
3 Todd Faircloth  54- 1
4 Terry Scroggins  53-15
5 J Todd Tucker  53-13
6 Dustin Wilks  49- 3
7 Steve Kennedy  48- 5
8 Kelly Jordon  47- 9
9 Kevin VanDam  47- 2
10 Keith Combs 46-13
11 Billy McCaghren  44- 4
12 Casey Ashley  44- 2
13 Greg Hackney  43-12
14 Jared Lintner  43- 0
15 Pat Golden 43- 0
16 Kevin Wirth 42-15
17 Brent Chapman  42- 0
18 Bobby Lane  41- 7
19 Peter E Thliveros 39-12
20 John Crews 39-10
21 Cliff Crochet  39- 4
22 Gerald Swindle  38- 4
23 Gary Klein 38- 2
24 Aaron Martens 37-15
25 Jason Williamson  37- 3
26 Paul Elias  37- 0
27 Fred Roumbanis 36- 9
28 Ott Defoe 36- 4
29 David Walker 36- 4
30 Jeff Kriet  36- 2
31 Takahiro Omori 35-15
32 Russell Parrish 35-11
33 Mark Menendez  35- 4
34 Timmy Horton  34-13
35 Bill Lowen 34- 7
36 Greg Vinson 34- 3
37 Clark Reehm  33-10
38 Ryan Said  33- 8
39 Mark Davis  33- 5
40 Dean Rojas  33- 2
41 Dave Wolak  32- 7
42 Keith Poche  31-10
43 Matt Herren 31- 3
44 Chris Lane 31- 2
45 Cliff Pace  31- 0
46 Craig Schuff  30- 7
47 John Murray  30- 7
48 Ish Monroe 29-13
49 Zell Rowland 28-10
50 James Niggemeyer 26- 5