DAYTON, Tenn. — Last June in a major tournament on Chickamauga, Jacob Wheeler finished in 92nd place.
He’s a fast learner. Thursday he led the June 11-15 Bassmaster BASSfest competition on the same fishery. Saturday, he did it again.
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| Jacob explains that the heat, fishing pressure and party boats are making fishing difficult. (Photo: BASS) |
“When it’s your time, it’s your time. I put that out there on the line here. If you’re meant to win, it’s going to happen,” he said near the start of the event.
So far, so good. Wheeler, who’s won one Forrest Wood Cup and placed second in another, started BASSfest strong in seventh place. By the second day, he had a 6-pound, 12-ounce lead after weighing an eye-popping 29-13.
In Saturday’s third go at Chickamauga Lake’s bass, apparently it was still the 23-year-old’s time. With a catch of 16-2 and total of 68-5, he was able to hold the lead— but not by much.
Enter Matt Herren. The Ashville, Ala., Bassmaster Elite Series pro helped whittle Wheeler’s lead to 1 pound, 1 ounce by posting 23-6. Herren bumped up from fourth into second place at 67-4.
Elite pro Kevin VanDam of Kalamazoo, Mich., was in third place with 61-4, more than 7 pounds behind the leader. Two other Elite anglers rounded out the Top 5: Greg Hackney of Gonzales, La., fourth place at 58-7; and Terry Scroggins of San Mateo, Fla., in fifth place at 56-4.
Those five led the 12 finalists who made it to Championship Sunday.
