2016 Bassmaster Bass Pro Shop Southern Open #1 Day 1: Brad Knight Lances Lead!

Knight's 9-06 big bass made all the difference.

By John Neporadny Jr.

BASS PRESS RELEASE

Brad leads with 22-11 pound limit.
(Photo:BASS)

Team tournament partners Brad Knight and Wesley Strader got on big fish on the Kissimmee chain and are neck and neck in the pro division after the first round of the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Southern Open.

Knight holds the lead with a 22-pound, 11-ounce limit that included a 9-06 bass, while Strader is in second place with 21-9. “Wesley is a great friend of mine,” said Knight. “We have fished team tournaments together.“

Both anglers found big bass either nesting or moving up to spawn. “I had a terrible execution day because I had a chance at four or five other fish that wereof that (9-06) caliber or more,” said Knight, the reigning Forrest Wood Cup champion from Lancing, Tenn. Knight noted he lost most of his bass when they burrowed into the vegetation.

Chad Morgenthaler Wins the 2015 Bass Pro Shops Southern Open on Lake Tohopekaliga!

Morgenthaler rallies from 9th to win at Toho.

By Louie Stout

BASS PRESS RELEASE

KISSIMMEE, Fla. – Standard opinion among the anglers fishing the Bass Pro Shops Southern Open presented by Allstate was that the tournament couldn’t be won on Toho.

If you wanted big bass, Kissimmee was the place to fish.

Chad Morganthaler proved them wrong, spending all three days on the host lake and rallying from ninth place to win the season opener.

Chad didn't waste time locking into Kissimmee
and avoided the crowds to win and be the
first 2016 Classic qualifier.
(Photo: Shaye Baker BASS)

In a tournament laced with some of Florida’s top anglers, the Coulterville, Ill. veteran pro sneaked into the back door with a big sack on a day when the front runners struggled.

His last day catch of 22 pounds, 3 ounces was more than enough to carry him to the top and give him a 52-7 total.

Kissimmee expert Bobby Lane Jr., who had the second biggest bag of the day (14 pounds), finished second with 48-13 and Todd Auten of South Carolina was third with 48-1. Gerald Swindle of Alabama and second-day leader Brandon McMillian rounded out the top five.

2015 Bass Pro Shops Southern Open #1 Lake Tohopekaliga Day 2: Brandon McMillan Leads as Standing Flip Flop!

Local McMillan grabs lead with fickle Florida bass.

By Louie Stout

BASS PRESS RELEASE

KISSIMMEE, Fla. – Florida’s fickle bass not only played with the heads with the first-round leaders in the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Southern Open presented by AllState, but they also scrambled the leaderboard.

Local favorite takes lead as bite dies.

On a day when the sun shined and the fish were supposed to bite, big bags were few and far between. That was just fine for Brandon McMillan of Clewiston, Fla, whose 13-pound, 15-ounce limit gave him a two-day total of 38-8, good enough to move him from third to first.
To illustrate how goofy fishing was Friday, New York’s Andrew Slegona – who caught 31 pounds to lead the event after the first day, only had two small bass Friday but fell no farther than fourth (34-9).
“Man, hard to believe that I could stay in the top five with a day like that on a lake like this,” Slegona marveled.
Meanwhile, Todd Auten of South Carolina jumped from 13th to second (36-8), Bobby Lane Jr. moved from 18th to third (34-13) and Gerald Swindle climbed from 17th to fifth (34-3). Only 4 pounds, 5 ounces separate the top five who will join seven other anglers in Saturday’s final.
In the co-angler division, Floridian Alan Agnoli stunned the crowd with three bass weighing 17-11 to take the lead with 24-15. Other Floridians in the top five include Steve Jarrett (18-2), Robbie Anderson (17-13), Terry Law (17-10) and Daniel Lanier (17-9).

Ish Monroe Charged with Battery during Bassmaster Southern Open on Lake Toho.

By Luigi De Rose

The narrow lock where the altercation occurred. (Photo: BASS)

A showdown at the crowded lock between Ish Monroe and Keith Poche on Day 2 of the Bass Pro Shop Southern Open on Lake Tohopekaliga resulted in both falling in the water and charges for Monroe.  Ish Monroe has been charge with battery and bail was posted at $1000. The alleged battery occurred early on Friday morning at the lock seperating Lake Toho and Kissimmee Lake. Ish Monroe was moored with another boat waiting for the lock to open when Poche rammed Ish's boat. A yelling match ensued and escalated when Ish reportable tried to board Keith's boat. An altercation occurred resulting in both falling into the water. Monroe continued to fish the entire day catching a 15-12 pound limit good enough for 18th place. Keith returned to the Big Toho Marina after the scuffle to report the incident and seek medical attention.

No word at this late hour if BASS will DQ Monroe due to possible unsportsmanlike conduct or breaking the law during tournament hours.