2016 Walmart FLW Lake Hartwell Day 2: John Cox Grabs Lead.

Johnston Brothers Sit 11^th and 13^th.

by Rob Newell

FLW PRESS RELEASE

The Walmart FLW Tour sightfest continued on day two at Lake Hartwell which is presented by Evinrude and hosted by the Anderson Convention & Visitors Bureau. Once again, brilliant blue skies with a few clouds and no wind graced the field and to hear the anglers tell it, there are still plenty of fish moving up – by the hour.

Burning banks pays off for Cox. (Photo FLW)

Several leaders said they found new fish today and others have even commented they have watched fish swim up and lock down right in front of their eyes.

Though the weatherman continues to threaten with rain over the weekend, pros are in a state of bed-fishing bliss, with leaders claiming they plan to sight-fish right on into the weekend.

With sight fishing in full effect, it’s no wonder that the lead spot has been overtaken by John “Eagle Eye” Cox, an angler known for his sight-fishing savvy on the FLW Tour. Today Cox weighed in 20 pounds, 5 ounces for a two-day total of 37 pounds, 1 ounce.

While Cox did sight fish quite a bit today, he did admit that his two biggest fish came from, “just fishing” while looking for beds. One of those big ones registered 6-pounds, 11 ounces on the scales.

“I pulled up to fish for a 3-pounder on bed, looked over at the nearest dock, and thought, ‘that dock looks pretty good;’ I cast over there and caught that big one off the dock. I guarantee you, it was the female spawning with the 3-pounder on the bed.”

Cox reported catching 10 keepers on the day and he weighed in all largemouths. Of the ones he weighed in, the three smallest ones were sight-fish and the two biggest came while “just fishing.”

The 6-11 was his second fish of the day, which provided him the luxury of saving many of the ones he found today for tomorrow.

“I found a bunch of news ones today that wouldn’t really help me,” Cox says. “I probably have 10 fish located for tomorrow. And even if the weather turns nasty, I’m still going to fish for them. I know exactly where they are and I’m not so sure I couldn’t just fish around in those areas and catch more on some other lures.”

Top 10 pros

1. John Cox – DeBary, Fla. – 37-1 (10)

2. Darrel Robertson – Jay, Okla. – 34-13 (10)

3. Larry Nixon – Bee Branch, Ark. – 33-13 (10)

4. Capt. Blake Smith – Lakeland, Fla. – 33-6 (10)

5. Clark Wendlandt – Leander, Texas – 33-0 (10)

6. Peter Thliveros – Saint Augustine, Fla. – 32-2 (10)

7. Anthony Gagliardi – Prosperity, S.C. – 31-10 (10)

8. Jamie Horton – Centerville, Ala. – 31-4 (10)

9. Bryan Thrift – Shelby, N.C. – 31-2 (10)

10. Scott Martin – Clewiston, Fla. – 30-13 (10)