By Bryan Brasher
BASS PRESS RELEASE
 |
| Canterbury rebounds and take AOY lead. (Photo: BASS) |
He wobbled a bit during Sunday’s opening round due to technical problems and fell briefly into third place. But after a nice rebound Monday, the crown is once again his to lose.
Canterbury, a Bassmaster Elite Series newcomer from Odenville, Ala., caught five bass Monday that weighed 21 pounds, 13 ounces and pushed his two-day total to 39-8. That places him in 16th place for the week, but restores him to a slim lead in the AOY Championship season standings with a total of 846 points.
With one day left to fish, Texas pro Chris Zaldain (842) is in second, followed by Arkansas pro Stetson Blaylock (840), Canadian Cory Johnston (838) and Brandon Lester (814) of Tennessee.
“Yesterday was a real a struggle for me, but I rebounded today,” said Canterbury, who fished all day Sunday without the use of depthfinders on the front of his boat. “After yesterday, I felt like I needed to catch 20 pounds each of these last two days. I got 21 pounds today, and I’ll still like my chances if I can catch 20 more pounds tomorrow.
“I said coming in if I could get around that 57-pound mark — that’s 19 pounds a day — I’d have a chance. I’m a little ahead of that pace right now.”
Canterbury, who has led the AOY race since early summer, had once hoped just to survive the Elite Series’ New York swing — which was fair, considering he’d never fished the St. Lawrence River or Cayuga Lake. He did better than that, finishing third and 11th in the two events, respectively.
Canterbury, a Bassmaster Elite Series newcomer from Odenville, Ala., caught five bass Monday that weighed 21 pounds, 13 ounces and pushed his two-day total to 39-8. That places him in 16th place for the week, but restores him to a slim lead in the AOY Championship season standings with a total of 846 points.
With one day left to fish, Texas pro Chris Zaldain (842) is in second, followed by Arkansas pro Stetson Blaylock (840), Canadian Cory Johnston (838) and Brandon Lester (814) of Tennessee.
“Yesterday was a real a struggle for me, but I rebounded today,” said Canterbury, who fished all day Sunday without the use of depthfinders on the front of his boat. “After yesterday, I felt like I needed to catch 20 pounds each of these last two days. I got 21 pounds today, and I’ll still like my chances if I can catch 20 more pounds tomorrow.
“I said coming in if I could get around that 57-pound mark — that’s 19 pounds a day — I’d have a chance. I’m a little ahead of that pace right now.”
Canterbury, who has led the AOY race since early summer, had once hoped just to survive the Elite Series’ New York swing — which was fair, considering he’d never fished the St. Lawrence River or Cayuga Lake. He did better than that, finishing third and 11th in the two events, respectively.
