LEESBURG, Fla.– Folks, we’ve got a derby! Day 2 of the Toyota Series Presented by Phoenix Boats event on the Harris Chain of Lakes was overall a little better than Day 1, and it featured some key moves on the leaderboard. After getting out way ahead early, Bobby Bakewell only managed to bring in four bass for 13 pounds, 2 ounces to get up to a total of 41 pounds. Good enough to retain the lead heading into the final day, but tenuous considering the fickle conditions and the nature of Florida events.
Rocketing up from 23rd, Mikey Keyso put 24-14 on the scale to total up 37-13, which has him within striking distance in second place. Close behind him, Nicholas Hoinig fell off from Day 1, but still sacked 16-6 for a 36-1 total.
On the Strike King co-angler side, Benton Peoples stayed in the lead with a 22-2 total. Behind him, Kermit Crowder moved up to second with a 21-15 total – the co-angler portion of the Championship Thursday weigh-in should be fascinating.
Tomorrow, the Top 25 pros and Strike King co-anglers should have prime conditions, with not much wind and highs in the 80s.
Bakewell comes up short of a limit
After mechanical difficulties and a great day of fishing on Day 1, Bakewell had no boat trouble on Day 2. His fish, however, were less than cooperative.
“Everything worked, they just didn’t bite,” he said. “I caught a skin-and-bone 6-pounder with 30 minutes to go, that was a super clutch fish. What I said yesterday is still the fact of the matter. I’m seeing them, it’s just a matter of if you can get five of the right ones to actually bite.”
LiveScoping offshore grass, Bakewell had some fish practically give him the fin.
“I had one, I watched it pick up my worm, and it must have just had the tail,” he said. “Then, I watched it pick up my worm, and watched it drop it on ‘Scope. Like, actually pick it up, swim up in the water column, and drop it.”
Still, even with only four fish today, Bakewell is in the lead on his home waters. Fishing areas where he’s caught countless big bass over the last few years, and working with techniques that he’s intimately familiar with. Of course, Bakewell also has a star-crossed Toyota Series history – last year at Okeechobee, he led big after two days before coming up shy of a limit and losing to Jessie Mizell.
“I don’t know if nervous is the word,” he said. “Because it’s my home fishery, I know what lives out there. It’s just a matter of if they’re gonna bite, or if they don’t. It’s not like I’m down at Okeechobee where I’ve only got one place. I’m going to do what I’ve done the past two days. I’m going to swing and see where it lands.”
Lake change puts Keyso in the conversation
This week, which lake or lakes to fish has been more of a problem than usual with the Harris Chain. While the Southern Division anglers are used to the puzzle, Harris and Little Harris haven’t been producing quite up to historical par, which has the anglers mixing and matching more.
“I fished Griffin yesterday because the wind was blowing so hard,” Keyso said. “I really wanted to go to Dora, but I knew I couldn’t yesterday, so I just tried to survive. Today, the wind was a little bit less, so I was able to fish slow and thorough and do what I do. I caught a bunch of fish and had a good time.”
Fishing offshore grass with a worm and lining himself up on the clumps with Humminbird 360, didn’t leave much on the bone today. Notably, he said that most of his fish were prespawn.
“It really wasn’t above my expectations, I knew it was good,” he said. “But, I kind of burned it down a bit. Yesterday, I caught what I caught in Griffin, and today I just hit everything. I thought I needed to at least give myself a chance – Bakewell, he’s been smashing out here for years now. I thought ‘Man, I’ve just got to lay on them.’”
Always good in Florida, Keyso has finished second in two regular-season Toyota Series events as well as the Championship. He’d rather not make it four.
“I’ve finished second three times, so, you might see me in 25th or possibly first, but I’m not shooting for second,” he said. “I’m going to go where the big ones might be, and hope it happens. If it doesn’t happen, I may be in 25th. I’m definitely not fishing for second place, I can promise you that.”
Top 10 pros
1. Bobby Bakewell – 41 – 0 (9)
2. Mikey Keyso – 37 – 13 (10)
3. Nicholas Hoinig – 36 – 1 (10)
4. Conner DiMauro – 35 – 2 (10)
5. James Ford – 33 – 0 (10)
6. Hunter Weston – 30 – 3 (10)
7. Baylor Ronemus – 29 – 15 (9)
8. Robert Camp – 29 – 10 (10)
9. Danny Inabnett – 26 – 14 (10)
10. Britt Myers Jr. – 26 – 14 (10)
Complete results
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