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| Dustin Connell is off to a solid start at Bass Pro Shops REDCREST Presented by Shore Lunch. Photo by Garrick Dixon. |
By Tyler Brinks
BASS PRO TOUR
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Coming into Bass Pro Shops REDCREST Presented by Shore Lunch, many predicted that spotted bass specialists would be hard to beat. Early in this event, that prediction seems to be “spot on” as spot guru and 2021 REDCREST champion Dustin Connell finished Day 1 with the lead and a total of 16 pounds, 7 ounces.
A Connell last-second catch
of a 3-7 spotted bass broke a tie with fellow spotted bass expert Brent Ehrler. The two were deadlocked for much of the afternoon, but that final catch propelled Connell to a half-pound lead over Ehrler. Connell will lead the field going into the second day of competition at Lake Norman.
Connell feels good about prespawn pattern
Spring is in the air and bass are spawning, but Connell is doing his best to avoid sight fishing and is instead utilizing his electronics. That was part of his plan in the morning and he plans to stick with it for the rest of the event.
“All of the fish I’m catching are prespawn fish and that’s what I was targeting,” Connell said. “I don’t feel like I’m a good sight fisherman, so I didn’t even want to try it. I 100% don’t think this event will be won with spawning fish. The weather isn’t set up for it, so I chose to target those prespawn fish.”
The areas and places Connell is fishing remind him of his home waters on the Coosa River Chain, and he immediately felt comfortable when he arrived in North Carolina for practice.
