Bassmaster Classic Day 2 Results: Easton Fothergill Leads with Monster Bag

One young bass fishing phenom stumbles, just a little, and another jumps into the lead. The Bassmaster Classic on Lake Ray Roberts is far from over.

With a crazy one-hour flurry, the 22-year-old Minnesotan overtakes Day 1 leader Trey McKinney heading into Championship Sunday. / B.A.S.S.

Day 2 Shake-Up: Easton Fothergill Takes Command at Lake Ray Roberts

Day 1 leader, Trey McKinney didn’t have a terrible Day 2, he just didn’t catch a mega-bag, bringing only 15-13 to the scales today. But 22-year old Easton Fothergill had a one-hour window that produced a 6-13, a 5-13, and a 7, bringing his total Day 2 catch to 29-6, and giving him an 8 1/2 pound lead heading into Championship Sunday of the Bassmaster Classic on Lake Ray Roberts.

Forward-Facing Sonar Helps Fothergill Follow the Fish

Easton Fothergill leads the Bassmaster Classic after a huge Day 2, weighing in 29-6. Can he do it again on Championship Sunday? / B.A.S.S.

By 10 a.m. Fothergill only had one fish in the live well. After several days in a row of howling wind, Saturday started out calm and flat. Using forward-facing sonar, he was able to assess how the change affected the bass.

“All week long it’s been extremely windy, and the fish I’ve been catching have been at the base of trees, at the bottom, on the rock piles,” Fothergill said. “Today, they were suspended… I had to make no splash, be super stealthy.”

So, he switched from an already light 3/32 ounce Neko rig to a 1/32 ounce, to decrease the amount of splash the bait made as it entered the water.

“That’s how high up they were [in the water column]. I had to make no splash, be super stealthy.”

Cory Johnston & Hunter Shryock Stay in the Hunt

Currently holding down second place is Canada’s Cory Johnston.

“100 percent, they want to spawn,” Johnston explained. “They’re ready and they’re coming … I caught all my fish shallow today, 2 feet, 3 feet. I’m just reeling moving baits. If I could see them better, I’d love to fish the spawn. But the water is still a little dingy. I think pre-spawn is the way to win.”

Cory Johnston is a steady performer and not someone Fothergill wants to see in the rear view mirror. Johnston has some ground to make up, but this is Texas. / B.A.S.S.

Hunter Shryock, sits in third, after adding today’s 23-1 to his first day’s 21-12.

“I had to slow down and start flipping, which really hadn’t shown itself all week,” he said. “(It could have been) the water clearing up. The water may have dropped a little bit. Whatever the reason … I was able to salvage the day … I caught a 7-10 and a 6 in the last hour and a half that obviously catapulted me. I feel like I could catch five of those the way things were going.”

Rounding out the Super 6

Lee Livesay, a Texas local, sits fourth with 44-9. Florida’s John Cox is in fifth. And Day 1 leader, Trey McKinney held on to sixth, but nearly 12 pounds off the lead.

Championship Sunday: Who Will Take Home $300K?

In Texas, 12 pounds can be made up faster than anywhere else. Many are predicting that Sunday will produce the biggest bags of the week. With $300,000 and a Bassmaster Classic trophy on the line, Sunday should be epic.

Recommended Articles:

feed