SCOTTSBORO, Ala., June 24, 2019 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Matt Arey said coming into the Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Elite at Lake Guntersville that if he could just make it to Monday, he'd have a genuine chance to win.
He not only made it, but he will lead the remaining Top 10 anglers into Monday's final round with a three-day weight of 62 pounds, 13 ounces — a total that includes the 18-13 he weighed in during Sunday's semifinal round.
"With tomorrow being Monday, we're going to be able to really run around and get in a rotation without a lot of pressure," said Arey, who held onto the lead for a second straight day. "With just 10 of our competitors out there and it being the first of the week, it could be really good."
Arey has made no secret of the fact that he's fishing Lake Guntersville's famed river ledges — mostly with a jig and a crankbait.
He said the generation schedule from the Tennessee Valley Authority, which calls for much heavier current Monday than the lake has seen the past two days, could lead to some big sacks being weighed in.
"A lot of the stuff where I've been catching them is in creeks down south, and I don't think it's affected that much by current," Arey said. "But I do have some main-channel schools that I haven't done much good on — and if they start ripping that current, I may check out some of those."
Regardless of the conditions, after catching 22-10, 21-6 and 18-13 the first three days, Arey knows he can't afford to slip with only a slim lead heading into the final day.
"Somebody's likely to bring in 26 or 27 pounds tomorrow with the way things are going," he said. "Everything should be right tomorrow, and I need to make the most of it."
Closest to Arey in the standings is Texas pro Chris Zaldain, who has a three-day mark of 60-10 — just 2-3 out of the lead.
Zaldain has been targeting shallow grass with a spoon that only seems to be attractive to larger bass. He caught his total weight of 23-10 before 11 a.m.
"Today when I went up shallow on my spot, I noticed that the bass weren't just cruising the way they do in the springtime," Zaldain said. "They were zipping through there — and because of that, I started ripping that bait through there to draw those reaction strikes.
"They do not want anything slow. It has to be moving."
Alabama pro Matt Herren will enter Championship Monday in third place with a three-day total of 59-2. Like Zaldain, Herren has been shying away from the Guntersville ledges in favor of shallow grass.
"When it comes to the place where I've been catching most of my fish, I've been fortunate," Herren said. "I've been able to move around a little bit and let that spot rest. I probably haven't fished it two hours a day, total.
"Tomorrow, I'm gonna lean on it and see what's there."
Herren said there are also some deep areas he'd like to try, but the boat traffic on the lake has kept him from it this week. He's hoping those areas will be clear Monday, partly because he believes he'll need at least one truly giant bass to have a chance to win.
"I need to catch a 7-pounder to go with all of those 3 1/2- and 4-pounders I've been catching," Herren said. "I can do it. I caught a 9-pounder in practice out of one hole and then lost another big one the first day of the tournament out of the same hole.
"Maybe that's where my 7-pounder comes from tomorrow."
Only one 7-pounder has been weighed in so far, and that was a 7-0 caught by Florida pro Bernie Schultz during Friday's opening round. That fish still leads the race for Phoenix Boats Big Bass of the week.
Lee Livesay climbed from 13th Saturday to fourth in the standings today on the strength of a 22-6 limit, but Brandon Lester dropped from second to fifth after boating only 14-13 today, his lightest catch of the week.
The tournament will conclude Monday with the Top 10 remaining pros taking off from Goose Pond Colony at 6 a.m. CT. The weigh-in will be held back at Goose Pond at 2:15 p.m., with the winning angler earning a coveted blue Elite Series trophy and a $100,000 paycheck.
2019 Bassmaster Elite Series Platinum Sponsor: Toyota
2019 Bassmaster Elite at Lake Guntersville Sponsor: Academy Sports + Outdoors
2019 Bassmaster Elite Series Premier Sponsors: Humminbird, Mercury, Minn Kota, Nitro Boats, Power-Pole, Skeeter Boats, Talon, Triton Boats, Yamaha, Abu Garcia, Berkley
2019 Bassmaster Elite Series Supporting Sponsors: Bass Pro Shops, Carhartt, Lowrance, Mossy Oak Fishing, T-H Marine, Academy Sports + Outdoors
2019 Bassmaster Elite at Lake Guntersville Host Sponsors: City of Scottsboro
About B.A.S.S.
B.A.S.S. is the worldwide authority on bass fishing and keeper of the culture of the sport, providing cutting edge content on bass fishing whenever, wherever and however bass fishing fans want to use it. Headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., the 510,000-member organization's fully integrated media platforms include the industry's leading magazines (Bassmaster and B.A.S.S. Times), website (Bassmaster.com), television show (The Bassmasters on ESPN2), radio show (Bassmaster Radio), social media programs and events. For more than 50 years, B.A.S.S. has been dedicated to access, conservation and youth fishing.
The Bassmaster Tournament Trail includes the most prestigious events at each level of competition, including the Bassmaster Elite Series, BassPro.com Bassmaster Open Series, TNT Fireworks B.A.S.S. Nation Series, Carhartt Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, Mossy Oak Fishing Bassmaster High School Series presented by Academy Sports + Outdoors, Bassmaster Team Championship and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the GEICO Bassmaster Classic presented by DICK'S Sporting Goods.
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Media Contact: Dave Precht, 205-313-0931, dprecht(at)bassmaster.com | Gettys Brannon, 864-490-7864, gettys(at)mcalistercommunications.com
Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Elite Series Tournament at Lake Guntersville
Lake Guntersville - Goose Pond - Scottsboro, AL 6/21/2019 - 6/24/2019
STANDINGS PROFESSIONAL DAY 3
1 Matt Arey Shelby, NC 5 5 18-13 15 15 62-13 100
2 Chris Zaldain Fort Worth, TX 5 5 23-10 15 14 60-10 99
3 Matt Herren Ashville, AL 5 4 19-12 15 13 59- 2 98
4 Lee Livesay Gladewater, TX 5 5 22- 6 15 15 58-12 97
5 Brandon Lester Fayetteville, TN 5 3 14-13 15 12 58- 4 96
6 Caleb Sumrall New Iberia, LA 5 5 20-13 15 14 57- 9 95
7 Chad Pipkens Lansing, MI 5 5 20-11 15 15 57- 4 94
8 Kelley Jaye Dadeville, AL 5 5 17-12 15 15 57- 1 93
9 Hank Cherry Jr Lincolnton, NC 5 5 17- 6 15 15 56-11 92
10 Jamie Hartman Newport, NY 5 5 20- 4 15 14 55-11 91
11 Seth Feider New Market, MN 5 5 19-14 15 15 55- 9 90
12 Ray Hanselman Jr Del Rio, TX 5 5 14- 4 15 14 54- 7 89
13 Drew Benton Panama City, FL 5 5 14-11 15 15 54- 2 88
14 Bill Lowen Brookville, IN 5 5 15- 6 15 15 53- 6 87
15 Tyler Rivet Raceland, LA 5 5 17- 2 15 12 51-13 86
16 Carl Jocumsen Queensland TX AUSTRALI A5 4 15-13 15 13 51- 9 85
17 Robbie Latuso Gonzales, LA 5 5 17- 0 15 14 51- 1 84
18 Greg DiPalma Millville, NJ 5 5 17-10 15 15 50-10 83
19 Brock Mosley Collinsville, MS 5 5 15- 4 15 14 49-14 82
20 Mark Menendez Paducah, KY 5 4 16- 7 15 14 48-12 81
21 Clent Davis Montevallo, AL 5 5 16- 1 15 15 48-11 80
22 Scott Canterbury Odenville, AL 5 5 15-11 15 15 48-10 79
23 Clark Wendlandt Leander, TX 5 5 14- 3 15 15 48- 5 78
24 Bernie Schultz Gainesville, FL 5 5 15- 9 15 15 48- 4 77
25 Drew Cook Midway, FL 5 5 14- 0 15 15 47-10 76
26 Chris Johnston Peterborough Ontario CANA 5DA 5 9-12 15 14 47- 9 75
27 Bill Weidler Helena, AL 5 5 13-11 15 15 47- 5 74
28 Garrett Paquette Canton, MI 5 5 14-10 15 15 46- 4 73
29 Brandon Cobb Greenwood, SC 5 5 13-10 15 15 46- 1 72
30 Shane Lineberger Lincolnton, NC 5 5 13-10 15 15 45-13 71
31 Randy Pierson Oakdale, CA 5 5 10- 7 15 15 45- 2 70
32 Gary Clouse Winchester, TN 5 5 12- 5 15 15 44-12 69
33 Cory Johnston Cavan CANADA 4 4 9-15 14 14 44-10 68
34 Dale Hightower Mannford, OK 4 4 7- 9 14 14 43-14 67
35 Quentin Cappo Prairieville, LA 4 4 6-15 14 14 38-12 66
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DAILY BIG BASS
Day
1 Bernie Schultz Gainesville, FL 7- 0
2 Frank Talley Temple, TX 6-14
3 Tyler Rivet Raceland, LA 6- 8
Day # Live Lbs-Oz # Limits
TOTALS
# Fish
1 354 343 1157- 3 67
2 358 347 1095- 8 69
3 172 167 547-11 32
BIG BASS of TOURNAMENT
Day 1 Bernie Schultz Gainesville, FL 7- 0
SOURCE Bassmaster
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