2013 Walmart FLW Lake Eufaula Day 2: Running & Gunning has Thrift in Lead.

by Brett Carlson
FLW Press Release

EUFAULA, Ala. – Leave it to Bryan Thrift to find a happy medium between fishing fast and fishing offshore. While the North Carolina native is known for running and gunning around shallow docks, he’s taken a similar approach, albeit offshore, on Alabama’s Lake Eufaula this week. As a result, he’s leading the fourth Walmart FLW Tour qualifier of the year at the tournament’s halfway point.

Thrift spent 12 hours each of the three practice days idling around, looking for the first place bass would retreat to after the spawn. The only fishing he did in practice was to sample the shad-spawn bite early each morning. After that, it was back to the offshore grind. It was laborious, boring and hot, but the hard work has paid off.

Thrift is fishing over 50 spots a day. His approach has
helped him bag the lead on difficult day 2.  (Photo: FLW)

“I have 60 or 70 one-stop places and I’m fishing at least 50 spots throughout the day,” said Thrift, who has two previous top-10 finishes at Lake Eufaula. “I’m pulling in and making four or five casts, and then I’m moving somewhere else. All of the big fish that I have caught over the last two days have been biting on the first or second cast.”

Thrift elaborated on his program, but wouldn’t name the bait he’s using.

“Every stop I make, there is something down there – hard spots, standing timber, brush piles – something that is up off of the bottom a couple of feet. If you make the right cast and they are there, they’re going to bite it.”

2013 Walmart FLW Lake Eufaula Day 1: Lucas Leads with over 22 Pounds!

by Brett Carlson
FLW Press Release

EUFAULA, Ala. – To say Lake Eufaula is currently in transition is a gross understatement. Bass are spawning, guarding fry, gobbling shad and hanging out on deep structure. The diversity offered is great, but none of the patterns are particularly reliable and strong right now. That’s why pro leader Justin Lucas sampled both shallow and deep water on day one.

Justin Lucas holds first by leaving the bank.
(Photos: FLW)

Capitalizing on unexpected cloud cover, Lucas started his day close to the bank and caught a solid 17- or 18-pound limit, which included one that was still on a bed.

“I don’t think anyone was expecting it to be this good in the morning,” Lucas said of the early bite. “The clouds rolled in and stayed for a long time. It really helped.”

Within the first hour, Lucas had nearly 16 pounds. The former Californian who now resides in Guntersville, Ala., said he caught a 5-pounder on a frog, he sight-fished the 4 1/2-pound female off her nest and his other shallow fish came from “fishing slow.”

“I still have a lot of 2-pound bucks on bed, I just didn’t catch them because they wouldn’t have helped me today. But they could definitely help me tomorrow or on the weekend if I make it that far.”

Lucas then paid a visit to his most productive offshore spot, a spot he described as “magic.”

“Right away I double hooked with two 4 1/2-pounders but one came off before I got it in the boat. So I immediately threw back and caught a 3-pounder and that’s when I realized I should probably leave it alone.”