Kevin VanDam

Rookie Griffin Takes Top Spot

August 14, 2009
(bassfan.com, August 14, 2009)

Chad Griffin caught the biggest fish that came to the scale on day 1 of the Oneida Bassmaster Elite Series in New York. On day 2 he caught the biggest bag that’s been weighed on either day and took over the lead at the halfway point.

The Texas rookie, who has his water all to himself, sacked 18-08 today for a 2-day total of 33-11. He divulged that he’s catching everything on a flipping stick.

He’s a pound and a half up on Bernie Schultz, who’s 2nd with 32-03. The Florida veteran weighed 16-12 today, all largemouths, and doesn’t know whether he can catch another limit of green fish – or even one – on day 3.

South Carolina’s Jason Quinn boxed 16-05 today and climbed seven spots up to 3rd with a 31-12 total. He said he’s working a pattern that might be unique, at least among the leaders.

Day-1 leader Randy Howell of Alabama came in with 13-08 today and slipped three spots to 4th with 31-10. He said he had the bites to boat another big sack, but couldn’t convert.

Recent Forrest Wood Cup winner Greg Hackney caught the day’s third-biggest stringer (17-04) and jumped from 37th to 5th with 30-11. He said his carefree approach to the regular-season finale is helping him make the right moves at the right times.

Here’s a peek at the current Top 12, with red numbers in parentheses indicating deficit margin from the leader:

1. Chad Griffin: 33-11
2. Bernie Schultz: 32-03 (1-08)
3. Jason Quinn: 31-12 (1-15)
4. Randy Howell: 31-01 (2-10)
5. Greg Hackney: 30-11 (3-00)
6. Dean Rojas: 30-07 (3-04)
7. Takahiro Omori: 29-15 (3-12)
8. Pete Ponds: 29-12 (3-15)
9. Matt Sphar: 29-10 (4-01)
10. Terry Butcher: 29-07 (4-04)
11. Jeff Kriet: 29-05 (4-06)
12. John Crews: 29-02 (4-09 )

The Top 3 slots are occupied by anglers who’ve had little to shout about up to this point in the season. Griffin, who’s made three 50-cuts but has had no finish higher than 32nd, came in at No. 66 in the Toyota Tundra Angler of the Year race. Schultz and Quinn were 55th and 56th, respectively.

The new Top 12 contains six members who weren’t there yesterday: Griffin, Hackney, 2008 Oneida winner Dean Rojas (from 20th to 6th with 15-15 today), Matt Sphar (67th to 9th, 17-09), Jeff Kriet (32nd to 11th, 15-09) and John Crews (26th to 12th, 15-02). They replaced Dustin Wilks (3rd to 20th, 12-05), Peter Thliveros (4th to 24th, 12-04), 2006 winner Tommy Biffle (5th to 19th, 12-13), Mark Menendez (6th to 26th, 12-07), Gerald Swindle (7th to 15th, 13-04) and Skeet Reese (9th to 17th, 13-04).

It was another warm, calm, sunny day in the Syracuse area and that weather pattern is predicted to hold through the weekend. Tomorrow’s forecast calls for a high temperature of 89 degrees with wind out of the west/southwest to 5 mph.

http://www.bassfan.com/news_article.asp?id=3381

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