Having built one of the biggest-ever leads going into the final day of a U.S. Open on Lake Mead, Gary Dobyns of Yuba City has an almost insurmountable lead after weighing in a combined 24.78 pounds. Dobyns, the all-time WON Bass money winner, has already accumulated the equivalent of three day’s of weight on Lake Mead (better than 8 pounds a crack) so that only some catastrophic event could keep him out of the winner’s circle.
Early posting saw Dobyns leading Clifford Pirch by nearly 6 full pounds. Las Vegan Shad Berweger is in third with17.92 pounds, while Ramona’s John Kerr held serve in fourth place with 17.71 pounds, followed by Bryan Grier of Salinas with 17.05.
Initially when I talked to Kerr, he was feeling the effects of a tough day, saying: “Just a small limit.”
But everything has its perspective and his 8.13-pound bag today was not so small afterall. “I didn’t have a fish until 12:30 and one 13 incher at 2 o’clock,” he reported. “We caught four more between 2 and 2:45. I stuck with topwater all day–I was going to die on it.”
Having had a moment to assess his position, John said, “I’m tickled to death we had five. But my reaction bite looks like its dying out there. I may have to pick up a worm.”
But everyone seems to see the handwriting on the wall with regard to Dobyns’ huge lead. Said Kerr, “He’s definitely fishing a different lake than the rest of us.”
The “other” Kerr, Justin, the defending champion, had a bad day, weighing just four fish. “It was a rough day at the office,” he said. “Everywhere I went there was a boat. You know how it is, you get one step behind all day. It was really a struggle.”
His four bass weighed 5 pounds, but he is not throwing in the towell. “We’ll see what happens tomorrow,” he said.
HERE’S AN UPDATE: As for AAA Tami Curtis–Tami on Tour–she was able to weigh three bass while fishing with Byron Velvick today and that puts her into position for a possible check. Her final day draw, Shad Berweger of Boulder City is sitting in third place among the pros and that suggests there will be fish to catch on Wednesday. She may be able to make the money my averaging near 7 pounds a day. After two she has accumulated 11.39 pounds….