2017 Walmart FLW Tour Lake Travis Day 3: Thrift Retakes Lead as Rose Sit Second!

Gustafson finishes 13th. 

by Rob Newell

FLW PRESS RELEASE

When it comes to the top spot in an FLW Tour event, Bryan Thrift and Mark Rose seem to be getting in each other’s way a lot these days. And going into the final day of the FLW Tour presented by Quaker State on Lake Travis, this reoccurring theme has happened again.

The last time the two parted ways at Lake Guntersville just a couple weeks ago, Rose walked away with an FLW Tour trophy and Thrift was left in the runner-up spot. Going into the final day at Guntersville, Rose was the leader and Thrift the pursuer. When the day ended, Thrift came within a pound of stealing Rose’s glory.

Thrift scratches up 11-07lb limit to take lead.
(Photo: FLW)

Now the tables are turned: Bryan Thrift is now the leader and Rose will be following Thrift out tomorrow, and – ironically - the two heavyweights are separated by just a pound.

Thrift is still riding the wave of a momentous day one when he weighed in nearly 25 pounds to lead the event. Since then he has dug in his fingernails, with subsequent catches of 9-6 and 11-7 to keep himself on top. However, his last two days put together don’t equal what he caught the first day.

2017 Walmart FLW Tour Lake Travis Day 2: Patek Leads with 36-06lbs!

Gustafson 13th, Chris Johnston 32nd, Richardson 37th & Cory Johnston 134th. 
by Rob Newell

FLW PRESS RELEASE

Pre-spawn staging area moves Patek into lead.
(Photo: FLW)

Stephen Patek of Garland, Texas is fishing his third year on the FLW Tour and for the first time in his short career he finds himself leading an FLW Tour event after day two of the FLW Tour at Lake Travis presented by Quaker State.

After loading up 20 pounds, 5 ounces on the scale on day one, Patek backed it up with 14-1 today to nudge Bryan Thrift off the lead by 4 ounces with a two-day total of 34 pounds, 6 ounces.

Patek owes the bulk of his catch to a single-cast hot spot that he found on the third day of practice while graphing.

“When I idled over it, it looked like a loaded ledge on Kentucky Lake,” he says. “I spun around, made one cast and caught a 2-pounder and left. I didn’t return until yesterday morning and caught them pretty quick.”