Lefebre Takes Over Lead At Elite On Wheeler Lake

Dave Lefebre of Erie, Pa., takes the lead on the second day of the Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Elite at Wheeler Lake, bringing a two-day total weight of 39 pounds, 15 ounces to the scales.

April 29, 2016

Lefebre Takes Over Lead At Elite On Wheeler Lake 

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DECATUR, Ala. — Erie, Pa., angler and Bassmaster newcomer Dave Lefebre is the second-day leader after catching an impressive limit of bass that weighed 21 pounds, 3 ounces.

Like most of the anglers, Lefebre had a difficult practice and was only able to isolate a single area that was producing the kind of fish he thought could carry him through to Championship Sunday at the Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Elite at Wheeler Lake.

Lefebre is competing during his first year as a Bassmaster Elite Series pro, but he is no rookie. He spent 13 years fishing the Fishing League Worldwide (FLW) tour, earning six wins and nearly $2 million in prize money.

“I knew I had more weight than yesterday, but I was pleasantly surprised to find I had caught better fish today than I had expected,” Lefebre said, who weighed 18-12 on Thursday for a combined two-day total of 39-15. “I feel like I could have weighed even more yesterday and today if I executed better. I’ve been leaving that area after I have a good limit hoping to keep some fresh bass for the next day.”

During a four-day tournament, the anglers need to manage their bite, which means not catching every single willing bass. Lefebre said that bigger fish seem to be moving into his area, and he’s eager for the semifinal round on Saturday.

“I saw a huge bass today,” he continued. “A big fish tried to eat my lure, but missed it and I saw the whole thing. I don’t want to sound unrealistic, but at first I thought it might have been a 10-pounder. But it was probably more like a 7 or 8-pound fish.”

Improving on Thursday’s weight by more than 2 pounds, and after seeing a big fish in the area, Lefebre has confidence that he is capable of producing a competitive five-fish limit of bass on Saturday that will carry him into Championship Sunday.

Veteran Bassmaster competitor Gary Klein of Weatherford, Texas, has appeared in 30 GEICO Bassmaster Classics during his illustrious career, and was able to produce another solid limit of bass on Friday’s second round of competition that weighed 19-7 for a total of 35-8. The successful day on Wheeler Lake bumped him up 13 places, and he is currently sitting in second place.

“I’m fishing a little area, and I got very fortunate with today’s catch,” Klein said. “I honestly don’t think that the winning fish are in my area, but it’s all I’ve got that is producing the kind of fish I need to stay competitive. I was surprised today, so maybe I’ll be surprised again tomorrow with another quality limit.”

Klein is fishing a pattern that is dependent upon the shad spawn, which occurs only at night. As the sun comes up in the morning, there’s only about 45 minutes to an hour of productivity that he can take advantage of. As with any spawn-related fishing pattern, things change daily and can be hard to predict.

Speaking of hard to predict, the 2014 Bassmaster Classic champion Randy Howell had every intention of running up the river to the Guntersville dam today, but an early morning smallmouth bite kept him near the main launch.

“Yesterday I ran to the Wheeler dam, and today I had plans to head the opposite direction,” Howell said. “I decided to make a quick stop on the way, and I quickly learned that making the run wasn’t worth it because I was catching the kind of fish I needed to stay in this tournament.”

Howell’s bite was exciting during the early morning hours, but later in the day he managed to catch the biggest bass of the day, which weighed 6 pounds even. That big bass contributed to his 18-pound, 11-ounce limit, increased his total weight to 35-2 and put him in third place.

After Friday, the remaining Top 10 anglers include: Takahiro Omori (33-10), Casey Ashley (33-7), John Crews (32-7), James Elam (32-6), Bobby Lane (32-6), Steve Kennedy (31-12) and Josh Bertrand (31-8)

The Top 50 anglers will compete during Saturday’s semifinal round, and will be cut to the Top 12 for Championship Sunday’s final round.

Lefebre also earned the Livingston Lures Leader award of $500 for leading the second day of the event.

Daily takeoffs are scheduled for 6:15 a.m. ET at Ingalls Harbor in Decatur, Ala., with weigh-ins scheduled at the same location each afternoon at 3:15 p.m.

2016 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Elite at Wheeler Lake 4/28-5/1Wheeler Lake, Decatur  AL.(PROFESSIONAL) Standings Day 2

Angler                   Hometown              No./lbs-oz  Pts

1.  Dave Lefebre           Erie, PA                10  39-15  110Day 1: 5   18-12     Day 2: 5   21-032.  Gary Klein             Weatherford, TX         10  35-08  109Day 1: 5   16-01     Day 2: 5   19-073.  Randy Howell           Guntersville, AL        10  35-02  108Day 1: 5   16-07     Day 2: 5   18-114.  Takahiro Omori         Emory, TX               10  33-10  107Day 1: 5   10-07     Day 2: 5   23-035.  Casey Ashley           Donalds, SC             10  33-07  106Day 1: 5   19-12     Day 2: 5   13-116.  John Crews Jr          Salem, VA               10  32-07  105Day 1: 5   20-07     Day 2: 5   12-007.  James Elam             Tulsa, OK               10  32-06  104Day 1: 5   17-14     Day 2: 5   14-088.  Bobby Lane Jr.         Lakeland, FL            10  32-06  103Day 1: 5   15-05     Day 2: 5   17-019.  Steve Kennedy          Auburn, AL              10  31-12  102Day 1: 5   14-06     Day 2: 5   17-0610. Josh Bertrand          Gilbert, AZ             10  31-08  101Day 1: 5   18-01     Day 2: 5   13-0711. Greg Hackney           Gonzales, LA            10  31-02  100Day 1: 5   16-02     Day 2: 5   15-0012. Gerald Swindle         Warrior, AL             10  30-14   99Day 1: 5   16-08     Day 2: 5   14-0613. Aaron Martens          Leeds, AL               10  29-15   98Day 1: 5   14-07     Day 2: 5   15-0814. Luke Clausen           Otis Orchards, WA       10  29-14   97Day 1: 5   15-15     Day 2: 5   13-1515. Chris Lane             Guntersville, AL        10  29-06   96Day 1: 5   11-03     Day 2: 5   18-0316. Chris Zaldain          Laughlin, NV            10  29-05   95Day 1: 5   15-11     Day 2: 5   13-1017. Michael Iaconelli      Pitts Grove, NJ         10  29-05   94Day 1: 5   15-05     Day 2: 5   14-0018. Boyd Duckett           Guntersville, AL        10  29-01   93Day 1: 5   17-04     Day 2: 5   11-1319. Scott Rook             Little Rock, AR         10  28-09   92Day 1: 5   10-08     Day 2: 5   18-0120. David Williams         Newton, NC              10  28-07   91Day 1: 5   16-07     Day 2: 5   12-0021. Fletcher Shryock       New Philadelphia, OH    10  28-01   90Day 1: 5   13-13     Day 2: 5   14-0422. Clent Davis            Montevallo, AL          10  28-01   89Day 1: 5   14-02     Day 2: 5   13-1523. Brock Mosley           Collinsville, MS        10  27-08   88Day 1: 5   16-01     Day 2: 5   11-0724. Jordan Lee             Grant, AL               10  27-07   87Day 1: 5   11-10     Day 2: 5   15-1325. Matt Herren            Ashville, AL            10  27-06   86Day 1: 5   14-14     Day 2: 5   12-0826. Keith Combs            Huntington, TX          10  27-04   85Day 1: 5   14-04     Day 2: 5   13-0027. Davy Hite              Ninety Six, SC          10  27-03   84Day 1: 5   17-01     Day 2: 5   10-0228. Greg Vinson            Wetumpka, AL            10  27-03   83Day 1: 5   13-03     Day 2: 5   14-0029. Brandon Lester         Fayetteville, TN        10  27-02   82Day 1: 5   18-11     Day 2: 5   08-0730. Ott DeFoe              Knoxville, TN           10  27-00   81Day 1: 5   12-14     Day 2: 5   14-0231. Jason Christie         Park Hill, OK           10  26-09   80Day 1: 5   15-06     Day 2: 5   11-0332. Edwin Evers            Talala, OK              10  26-07   79Day 1: 5   16-15     Day 2: 5   09-0833. Carl Jocumsen          Queensland TX AUSTRALIA 10  26-07   78Day 1: 5   11-02     Day 2: 5   15-0534. Micah Frazier          Newnan, GA              10  26-01   77Day 1: 5   15-07     Day 2: 5   10-1035. Brandon Card           Caryville, TN           10  26-00   76Day 1: 5   09-03     Day 2: 5   16-1336. James Niggemeyer       Van, TX                 10  26-00   75Day 1: 5   12-12     Day 2: 5   13-0437. Russ Lane              Prattville, AL          10  25-14   74Day 1: 5   12-00     Day 2: 5   13-1438. Matt Reed              Madisonville, TX         9  25-12   73Day 1: 5   15-06     Day 2: 4   10-0639. Mark Menendez          Paducah, KY             10  25-10   72Day 1: 5   13-08     Day 2: 5   12-0240. Jared Lintner          Arroyo Grande, CA       10  25-09   71Day 1: 5   14-04     Day 2: 5   11-0541. Hank Cherry Jr         Maiden, NC              10  25-09   70Day 1: 5   13-10     Day 2: 5   11-1542. Kelley Jaye            Dadeville, AL           10  25-06   69Day 1: 5   13-15     Day 2: 5   11-0743. Tommy Biffle           Wagoner, OK             10  25-04   68Day 1: 5   15-05     Day 2: 5   09-1544. Brandon Palaniuk       Rathdrum, ID            10  25-03   67Day 1: 5   13-01     Day 2: 5   12-0245. Justin Lucas           Guntersville, AL        10  25-00   66Day 1: 5   13-04     Day 2: 5   11-1246. Cliff Crochet          Pierre Part, LA         10  24-15   65Day 1: 5   11-02     Day 2: 5   13-1347. Keith Poche            Pike Road, AL           10  24-14   64Day 1: 5   11-07     Day 2: 5   13-0748. Dean Rojas             Lake Havasu City, AZ    10  24-10   63Day 1: 5   11-11     Day 2: 5   12-1549. Randy Allen            Shreveport, LA          10  24-06   62Day 1: 5   14-08     Day 2: 5   09-1450. Jason Williamson       Wagener, SC              9  24-01   61Day 1: 5   14-06     Day 2: 4   09-1151. Randall Tharp          Port St. Joe, FL        10  23-12   60Day 1: 5   11-02     Day 2: 5   12-1052. Jacob Powroznik        Port Haywood, VA        10  23-11   59Day 1: 5   10-15     Day 2: 5   12-1253. Kelly Jordon           Flint, TX               10  23-06   58Day 1: 5   11-10     Day 2: 5   11-1254. Brent Ehrler           Newport Beach, CA       10  23-05   57Day 1: 5   14-08     Day 2: 5   08-1355. Casey Scanlon          Rocky Mount, MO         10  23-02   56Day 1: 5   10-01     Day 2: 5   13-0156. Adrian Avena           Vineland, NJ            10  23-02   55Day 1: 5   10-13     Day 2: 5   12-0557. Andy Montgomery        Blacksburg, SC          10  23-00   54Day 1: 5   12-07     Day 2: 5   10-0958. Dennis Tietje          Roanoke, LA             10  22-14   53Day 1: 5   12-02     Day 2: 5   10-1259. Matt Lee               Guntersville, AL        10  22-13   52Day 1: 5   10-09     Day 2: 5   12-0460. David Walker           Sevierville, TN         10  22-12   51Day 1: 5   15-08     Day 2: 5   07-0461. Brandon Coulter        Knoxville, TN           10  22-10   50Day 1: 5   13-15     Day 2: 5   08-1162. Bradley Roy            Lancaster, KY           10  22-10   49Day 1: 5   13-08     Day 2: 5   09-0263. Alton Jones            Lorena, TX              10  22-09   48Day 1: 5   08-14     Day 2: 5   13-1164. Jeff Kriet             Ardmore, OK             10  22-06   47Day 1: 5   13-14     Day 2: 5   08-0865. Rick Clunn             Ava, MO                 10  22-06   46Day 1: 5   09-10     Day 2: 5   12-1266. Terry Scroggins        San Mateo, FL           10  22-04   45Day 1: 5   13-10     Day 2: 5   08-1067. Chad Morgenthaler      Reeds Spring, MO        10  22-01   44Day 1: 5   07-07     Day 2: 5   14-1068. Kevin VanDam           Kalamazoo, MI            7  21-15   43Day 1: 5   18-07     Day 2: 2   03-0869. Bill Lowen             Brookville, IN          10  21-15   42Day 1: 5   09-04     Day 2: 5   12-1170. Paul Mueller           Naugatuck, CT           10  21-12   41Day 1: 5   11-12     Day 2: 5   10-0071. Brent Chapman          Lake Quivira, KS        10  21-11   40Day 1: 5   07-08     Day 2: 5   14-0372. David Mullins          Mt Carmel, TN           10  21-08   39Day 1: 5   12-08     Day 2: 5   09-0073. Shaw Grigsby Jr.       Gainesville, FL          9  21-07   38Day 1: 4   03-12     Day 2: 5   17-1174. Seth Feider            Bloomington, MN         10  21-00   37Day 1: 5   08-05     Day 2: 5   12-1175. Marty Robinson         Lyman, SC               10  20-14   36Day 1: 5   09-06     Day 2: 5   11-0876. Cliff Pace             Petal, MS               10  20-09   35Day 1: 5   07-07     Day 2: 5   13-0277. Chad Grigsby           Maple Grove, MN         10  20-08   34Day 1: 5   13-00     Day 2: 5   07-0878. John Murray            Spring City, TN         10  20-05   33Day 1: 5   08-04     Day 2: 5   12-0179. Fred Roumbanis         Bixby, OK               10  20-03   32Day 1: 5   09-15     Day 2: 5   10-0480. Clifford Pirch         Payson, AZ              10  20-02   31Day 1: 5   11-10     Day 2: 5   08-0881. John Hunter Jr         Shelbyville, KY         10  20-00   30Day 1: 5   10-10     Day 2: 5   09-0682. Brett Hite             Phoenix, AZ              9  19-13   29Day 1: 5   12-14     Day 2: 4   06-1583. Bernie Schultz         Gainesville, FL         10  19-12   28Day 1: 5   13-05     Day 2: 5   06-0784. Drew Benton            Panama City, FL         10  19-08   27Day 1: 5   09-03     Day 2: 5   10-0585. Paul Elias             Laurel, MS               9  18-15   26Day 1: 4   08-02     Day 2: 5   10-1386. Morizo Shimizu         Suita, Osaka JAPAN      10  18-14   25Day 1: 5   07-11     Day 2: 5   11-0387. Brett Preuett          Monroe, LA              10  18-11   24Day 1: 5   10-03     Day 2: 5   08-0888. Brian Snowden          Reeds Spring, MO        10  18-09   23Day 1: 5   09-14     Day 2: 5   08-1189. Todd Faircloth         Jasper, TX              10  18-06   22Day 1: 5   08-14     Day 2: 5   09-0890. Chad Pipkens           Lansing, MI             10  17-12   21Day 1: 5   06-12     Day 2: 5   11-0091. Mark Davis             Mount Ida, AR           10  17-12   20Day 1: 5   09-10     Day 2: 5   08-0292. Stephen Browning       Hot Springs, AR         10  17-11   19Day 1: 5   07-11     Day 2: 5   10-0093. Jay Brainard           Enid, OK                 9  17-09   18Day 1: 4   07-00     Day 2: 5   10-0994. Fabian Rodriguez       Ocean City, DE          10  17-09   17Day 1: 5   08-07     Day 2: 5   09-0295. Koby Kreiger           Bokeelia, FL            10  16-11   16Day 1: 5   08-09     Day 2: 5   08-0296. Jonathon VanDam        Kalamazoo, MI            8  16-05   15Day 1: 4   07-15     Day 2: 4   08-0697. Skeet Reese            Auburn, CA               8  16-01   14Day 1: 5   11-00     Day 2: 3   05-0198. Ish Monroe             Hughson, CA             10  15-13   13Day 1: 5   07-00     Day 2: 5   08-1399. Yusuke Miyazaki        Forney, TX              10  15-05   12Day 1: 5   07-07     Day 2: 5   07-14100. Britt Myers            Lake Wylie, SC           9  15-00   11Day 1: 4   07-08     Day 2: 5   07-08101. J Todd Tucker          Moultrie, GA             9  14-12   10Day 1: 5   10-00     Day 2: 4   04-12102. Kotaro Kiriyama        Moody, AL                7  13-15    9Day 1: 5   11-06     Day 2: 2   02-09103. Billy McCaghren Jr     Mayflower, AR            6  13-00    8Day 1: 5   08-07     Day 2: 1   04-09104. Mike McClelland        Bella Vista, AR          8  12-15    7Day 1: 5   08-01     Day 2: 3   04-14105. Ken Iyobe              Tokoname  Aichi JAPAN    7  12-06    6Day 1: 5   09-01     Day 2: 2   03-05106. Cliff Prince           Palatka, FL              7  12-00    5Day 1: 2   03-09     Day 2: 5   08-07107. Tim Horton             Muscle Shoals, AL        6  10-10    4Day 1: 3   04-11     Day 2: 3   05-15108. Shane Lineberger       Lincolnton, NC           5  06-14    3Day 1: 4   05-12     Day 2: 1   01-02———————————————————————–TotalsDay   #Limits    #Fish      Weight1       100       529      1304-002        95       512      1228-11———————————-195      1041      2532-11

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