Where the 51 contestants found bluebird skies and dead calm waters much of the day on Friday, the 50 (Timmy Horton was unable to launch due to illness) that launched Saturday morning saw rain – quite heavy at times – and overcast skies all day long on Saturday.

Many anglers expressed concern over the pending climatic changes after Friday’s weigh-in – wondering what the cold front would do to their bass. Some said that it would likely pull them off into deeper water, while others flatly said they didn’t know what to expect. All agreed, however, that Saturday would be different.

Throughout the second day, it seemed as though there were several anglers who had been able to take advantage of the changing conditions. As the weigh-in proved, the second day’s change in weather proved to be better for many in the field. 

While Boyd Duckett, trying to go two-for-three in Classic competition, took the lead on the first day with the only 20-pound stringer, there were four 20+-pound sacks that crossed the CenturyTel Arena stage Saturday. 

Starting his day in second place, South Dakota pro Jami Fralick came to the scales Saturday with another solid limit weighing 19 pounds 6 ounces and stole the top spot with a two-day total of 38 pounds 9 ounces.

2007 Toyota Tundra Angler of the Year ended the day in second place with a two-day total weight of 38 pounds 1 ounce after bringing five bass to the scales weighing 22 pounds 9 ounces Saturday. 

Moving into third place, up from 8th, was new father Edwin Evers with a combined weight of 36 pounds 3 ounces, thanks in part to Saturday’s 19-pound 3-ounce tournament limit of Red River bass.

Kelly Jordon climbed from the 11th-place spot into fourth by weighing 20 pounds 5 ounces Saturday, giving him a two-day total weight of 35 pounds and 15 ounces. Ending moving day in fifth was Aaron Martens with 35 pounds and 10 over two days after weighing a 17-pound 9-ounce limit.

Rounding out the Super Six was Missouri pro Brian Snowden with a two-day combined weight of 34 pounds 13 ounces. Snowden was helped along with his second day limit, which weighed 19 pounds 4 ounces, making this his first time to fish Classic Sunday in four attempts.

Unlike Friday’s ending weights, where there were 16 anglers within five pounds of the leader, Saturday ended with nine of the sport’s biggest names inside the five-pound range. While anything’s possible, Sunday’s finale could come down to one key bite.

Fralick Fishing Comfortable
Coming into his third Classic, Jami Fralick felt good about his chances, commenting that the Red is “comfortable” for him. He’s proven that comfort can carry you a long way in a tournament - that and some quality bites.

Though the weather changed, his bite didn’t. With a near-mirror image of his Day One weight, Fralick once again sacked them. Still he’s sure that, just like Saturday, there will be some big bags brought to the scales amid another passing front. “Someone will weigh 20 pounds or better tomorrow,” he expressed…and he’s hoping that it’s him.

“I just try to keep everything on a pretty even keel,” Jami added. “I must be pretty simple minded because I haven’t approached this tournament any differently than I have any other. I’m comfortable where I’m at and doing what I’m doing, and things really couldn’t be working any better for me right now.”

Swimming a 3/8-ounce V&M Flipping Delta-Melon jig in two- to three-foot water, Fralick is focused on bluegill-frenzied bass that seem impervious to the surrounding winter-like climate. “My water temperature dropped another two degrees, but the fish actually bit better for me,” he revealed. 

“They’re just up there feeding, that’s all I know. As cold as the water is, you see them pushing water to come after (the jig).”

With one day left to go, Jami commented that while he may fish for a living, he’s a professional sleeper, so despite the goings on surrounding him he’s going to sleep well tonight. Having said that, he was quick to exclaim: “I’m leading the Bassmaster Classic,” in response to being asked what’s the most important thing on his mind.

While he’s leading the Classic, he knows that there’s still a full day of fishing ahead, and as Saturday proved a lot of lost ground can be recovered. With that in mind, he’s headed back to the waters that have treated him so well over the last two days, and he’s not worried a bit that he’s sharing water with another angler in the top 10. 

“I really think tomorrow it will just be myself and Brian Snowden in there,” he said. “We’ve fished around each other for the last two days, and I don’t expect it to be any different tomorrow. He and I have been working together really well, but I’m in the best spot…just don’t tell him.”

Skeet’s Day Exceeded His Expectations
In typical Skeet Reese fashion, he’s in the hunt for a tournament victory. Fortunately, he was able to make a key adjustment and had a spectacular day on the Red River. “Today I had an amazing day,” he said. “I had a game plan that I executed, and it paid off for me. It really exceeded my expectations, to be honest.”

The adjustment wasn’t in tackle or presentation, or even his area. It was an “inside move to the pretty stuff,” and it made all the difference. “I made an adjustment today by fishing the right water. I was around it yesterday, but wasn’t quite where I should have been,” he pointed out. “Today I decided to go where it looked like they should be.”

Skeet explained that he went back to the same area that produced two five pounders for him the first day, but was only able to dig up one three pounder. He then realized that he was on the outside looking into the right spot. “It’s funny how bass are usually in the kind of water that they should be,” he commented. 

“Yesterday I was fishing the ugly stuff where I thought they would be, so I thought to myself that if I was a smart bass fisherman I would move over to where the bass should live. Turned out that they do live there.” 

Skeet commented that he caught 10 fish through day alternating between flipping Berkley Crazy Legs Chigger Craw and throwing a white ¼-ounceRedemption spinner bait, but pointed out that “nothing was fast and furious. Getting a couple big bites was certainly the key.” 

Though he has several other Classic competitors “around a quarter mile away,” Skeet said that he has his area to himself. He’s unsure exactly what the second cold front of the weekend will do to his fish, but explained that he has another “big fish” back-up area he’s holding in reserve. 

“I didn’t know if I would catch one the first day, and I don’t know if I’ll catch one tomorrow,” he expressed. “All I know is that I’m going to go back in there tomorrow, try my hardest, and hope for the best.”

Weather Helps Evers
Fishing his ninth Classic, Edwin Evers has positioned himself to within arms reach of claiming victory at the sport’s biggest title. Starting the day in eighth place, he had some ground to make up. Fortunately, the weather seemed to help.

“For me, things were probably a little bit better today than they did yester,” he said, revealing that he had his limit by around 10:00, and culled several times throughout the day. “When that front came through, they really seemed to be munching.”

Making a 45-minute run into Pool 4, Evers is sharing water, though he was quick to point out that he hasn’t had a single problem with a competitor or spectator. “There are a couple of areas that I was saving and hadn’t seen a boat in,” he said. 

“There were a couple that were in there today, but that’s to be expected. I have pretty much been able to do what I’ve wanted to do.”

Evers is planning for more of the same for Sunday’s final, but pointed out that he does have some back-up water should his primary area not pan out. “I’ve got some other stuff that I think I can catch some fish on if things get right, but right now I’m not planning on making any major adjustments to what I’m doing.”

Jordon Finds Water to Himself 
Kelly Jordon has a certain knack for finding the areas where the big fish seem to hang out. Perhaps it’s the years he spent as a guide at Texas’ lunker factory Lake Fork. Either way, his big-fish prowess has him in contention to earn his first Classic title. 

Kelly explained that his improved bag on the second day of competition wasn’t as a result of any major changes. “I didn’t really make any major moves today,” he said. “I was still fishing around the same areas, in fact, I was disappointed with this area yesterday. Today I wasn’t.”

The two areas he’s in aren’t that spectacular Kelly pointed out, but are obviously holding the right kind of fish. “I don’t have a soul in there with me,” he said. “It’s just a little deal, and there’s really not much to it. They just showed up. I caught 10 keepers out of there yesterday, and today I caught them again. I just hope that I didn’t hurt it too bad today.”

Fishing 49-degree water, Kelly explained that he’s had to move out a little deeper than what he was during practice. The adjustment is paying big dividends thus far, but Kelly pointed out that colder overnight temperatures might hurt. 

“I caught ‘em fast and quick the first day, and I caught ‘em fast and quick again today,” he commented. “It wasn’t as cold (Friday night) and I caught my biggest fish, so I’m hoping that doesn’t have anything to do with it or I might be struggling to catch quality.”

“It’s a lot easier to sleep looking up at the leader than looking down (the leader board) worrying about who’s breathing down your neck,” he said. “I really believe that anyone in the Top 15 has a shot because we’ve got a crazy curveball with the weather, so there’s really no telling what tomorrow’s going to be like. 

“This a pretty dynamic Classic. I still think that it’s anybody’s game.”

Martens Keying a Win
Aaron Martens has been heralded as perhaps the best “natural” fisherman in the sport today, having a knack for the obscure fish-catching technique. In this Classic, however, it’s not the technique that has him in position to win so much as it is his decision-making. 

An early move within the area he’s sharing with several competitors coincided perfectly with the low-pressure front. “I just couldn’t believe how aggressive my fish were for a period of time today, and hey just kept getting bigger and bigger.” he exclaimed. “Within an hour I was culling two-and-a-half pounders.”

Today’s front clearly had the right effect. Sunday’s, however, remains to be seen. “I don’t know what it’s going to do,” he said. “I think with where I’m at, regardless of what the weather’s doing I’m going to have a pretty good chance.”

While he’s sharing water with several other competitors, including Terry Scroggins, Aaron isn’t sure the pressure is affecting the bite as much as the wind. “There are a lot of boats in there where I’m at, but I don’t know if that’s affecting (the bite) or not,” he said. “(The bite) may have more to do with the cold wind blowing down it. It’s pushing them around a lot.”

With one day left to milk his best areas for bass, Martens is going to try a couple of different techniques than he has the first two days in an attempt to coax a bigger bite. “I’m going to try some baits to get some female bites,” he said. “They’re in there. 

“I might throw a crank bait a little, and if the weather will cooperate I might throw a Senko a little too.” 

In Classic competition, no one has finished in second place more than Martens. But to the affable Alabama (by way of California) pro, second place means that you were in the hunt at the very least. “If I finish in second place, at least I’m up there,” he said. “That’ll be four (seconds). I’ll take it, but I would much rather have the win.”