By David A. Brown
BASS PRESS RELEASE
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| Mueller continues to lead, Chris Johnston ounces behind. (Photo BASS) |
After sacking up 27 pounds, 1 ounce during Thursday’s
opening round, Connecticut pro Paul
Mueller added 25-1 Friday and maintained the lead in the SiteOne
Bassmaster Elite at St. Lawrence River with a two-day total of
52-2.
Committing his day to the massive waters of Lake
Ontario, Mueller started on rock transitions in about 40 feet, but he seemed to
struggle in the early going.
“Some of the places I had, they really suspended
and those fish got tougher to catch,” Mueller said. “I realized I had to get
away from that and once I found fish on the bottom, those fish were easier to
catch.
“The fact that the shallower fish didn’t suspend
is kind of intriguing, but I also think the deeper fish were feeding on
something else other than gobies.”
Mueller got things moving in the right direction
around 11:30 a.m. when he boated a 4 1/2-pounder, the first of four big fish
he’d catch in about an hour. Moving into shallower areas and fishing rock structure
in 20 to 26 feet proved to be the key decision.
He caught all of his fish on a drop shot with a
Berkley MaxScent Flat Worm in the natural shad and goby colors. Noting that his
fish seemed much spookier in the day’s clear, calm conditions, Mueller said he
had to transition from vertical drops to a cast-and-drag presentation.
“The fish definitely got a little more finicky,
and they definitely got a little more boat shy,” Mueller said. “I think boat
shadow, livewell noise and the pinging transducer all contributed to that. The
big thing for me today was keeping away from the fish.
