With a two-day total of 55 pounds, 6 ounces, Ethan Fields moves into the Day 2 lead at the Nitro Boats Bassmaster Elite Qualifier at Toledo Bend presented by Bass Pro Shops!
David A. Brown
BASS Press Release
MANY, La. — On a day that seemed to defy consistency, Ethan Fields stayed on pace and moved atop the Day 2 leaderboard in the Nitro Boats Bassmaster Elite Qualifier at Toledo Bend Reservoir presented by Bass Pro Shops.
While many of the first day’s top performers struggled to reconnect with their first-round quality, the pro from Carlyle, Ill., backed up his opening limit of 28 pounds, 2 ounces with a Day 2 sack that went 27-4. With a two-day total of 55-6, Fields rose from fourth place to the top spot.
“I felt so calm today, which is kinda weird, because I was thinking about how I needed to back up yesterday,” Fields said. “This morning, I felt a little jittery but once I got to my area, I was calm and steady.”
Heading into Championship Friday with a lead of 3-6 over Riley Harris, Fields said his second day actually delivered a steadier flow than his first.
“Yesterday, it was a really slow morning and the afternoon was when it really turned on,” Fields said. “Today, I’d say it was a bite every hour, so I kinda pieced it together one by one. I never had any big flurries.”
Fields has done all of his work in a creek at the lake’s lower end. Clearly, his area fits the criteria for big bass making their fall transition and chasing bait schools.
“The first day of practice, I had 25 pounds in that creek; I didn’t go there the second day, but I went back to check it the last day of practice and had 32,” Fields said. “I had 28 yesterday and 27 today, so it’s a good spot.
“I’m bouncing around between 20 different little zones within the creek. I’m mixing in a bunch of sand flats, standing timber, docks and a bunch of different stuff. Not all of them have bass; only certain stretches.”
Fields said he caught his fish on finesse style baits. An urchin bait rigged on a treble hook with a 1/8-ounce nail weight was his top producer.
“I was definitely trying to stay as far away from the fish as possible,” Fields said. “I’m working it just like you would a jerkbait — I’m snapping it away from them and waiting for them to come up and eat it.
As Fields explained, his opportunities for quality fish were few and far between. Realizing this, he adjusted his approach to make the most of every one.
“I was just moving slow, but I wasn’t seeing a ton of big ones,” Fields said. “I’m not moving super fast, so every time I see one, I can be really precise and make sure I can make the absolute perfect cast.”
Looking ahead to the final round, Fields said he sees no reason to change what has worked for two days.
“I’m gonna do the same thing tomorrow,” Fields said. “I’m not sure what I have left, but hopefully another 28 pounds.”
After placing second on Day 1 with 30-10, Harris added 21-6 and held that position with a two-day total of 52 pounds.
Hailing from Orange, Texas, Harris said he believes he was still around the same quality fish as he caught on Day 1, but increased fishing pressure had them in an uncooperative mood.
“I personally believe that these Toledo Bend fish are some of the smartest on the planet,” Harris said. “Once they start getting some pressure, they get really wise. I’ll try to make some adjustments tomorrow.”
Harris said he started on his offshore school first thing in the morning, but the fish were not set up properly, so he moved to this shallow pattern. He caught his biggest fish, a 7-pounder, shallow. The rest came from deeper spots.
“I had 20 rods on my deck today,” Harris said of the diverse effort his day required.
Buddy Benson of Dahlonega, Ga., is in third place, also with 52 pounds. Ties are broken by heaviest single day weight and Benson’s limits went 30-3 and 21-13.
“I caught a lot of fish, but I never came across one of those true Toledo Bend big ones today,” Benson said. “Both mornings, I’ve struggled ’til lunch time and then both afternoons, I’ve caught ’em really good.
“This afternoon, I caught more than I caught yesterday. I had two big ones yesterday, but I never came across one today. Those make a difference.”
Benson caught one of his fish on an urchin bait and the others on a jighead minnow. For the latter, he used a 1/8-ounce jig head with a 7-inch Deps Sakamata Shad to weed out smaller fish and appeal to the big ones that were eating gizzard shad.
Ty Faber of Pagosa Springs, Co., holds the Phoenix Boats Big Bass lead with a 9-0.
Kaden Buchmann of Troutman, N.C., leads the Nitro Boats Bassmaster Elite Qualifier presented by Bass Pro Shops standings with 244 points. Brody Robison of Dawson, Ala., is in second place with 240, followed by Brennan Flick of West Monroe, La., with 223, Peyton Harris of Birmingham, Ala., with 221, and Cody Abbott of Woodruff, S.C., with 220.
A field of 131 anglers competed in the second of three “EQ” events. The series began at Norfork Lake (Sept. 23-25) and concludes at Lake Guntersville(Nov. 11-13). After the final event, the top-10 anglers in EQ points standings will qualify to fish the 2027 Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series.
Friday’s takeoff is scheduled for 7 a.m. CT at Cypress Bend Park. The weigh-in will be held at the park at 3 p.m.
Coverage of the Nitro Boats Bassmaster Elite Qualifier at Toledo Bend Reservoir presented by Bass Pro Shops can be found on Bassmaster.com. Bassmaster LIVE will be available on Friday, Oct. 23 from 8-11 a.m. ET and Noon-3 p.m. on Bassmaster.com and Roku Sports Channel.
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