Buck Plays Tide Right For Day-1 Lead

By MLF Communications Staff

The James River showed out on Thursday. After 154 of the top professional bass-fishing anglers in the world launched this morning at the MLF Pro Circuit event in Virginia, 153 returned to the weigh-in scale this afternoon with a five-bass limit. And the lone angler who didn’t catch a limit managed to bring four bass to the scale.

After the final fish had been tallied, Pennsylvania's Grae Buck, who has two Top-25 finishes already this season, jumped out to the early lead with a stringer weighing 21 pounds, 3 ounces. He’ll bring a 4-ounce lead into Day 2 over Texas’ Dakota Ebare, who weighed a limit totaling 20-15. Chris Groh of Illinois sits just 8 ounces behind Ebare in third place with five bass for 20-07. Weights are stacked – just over 5 pounds separates 1st from 20th.

“I found two different areas (in practice) that had fish in it, but I never caught quality like this by any means,” Buck said. “Once I finally settled in today I got to see what was actually there and I caught them pretty consistently.”

Buck said that he caught around 15 keepers, with a 6-06 coming right around noon.

“The tide definitely played a role in where I was starting and where I was fishing at,” Buck said. “I’m hoping I can go out there again and catch a bunch of fish. I got that big one in the afternoon. I had to go looking for it – it wasn’t in the same spot where I caught a limit. Hopefully I can get another big one like that tomorrow. Those big bites really go far.”

Buck mentioned that there were numerous other competitors fishing in the same areas.

“There are a lot of people fishing there, but hopefully we can all work around the area together and catch them.”

Although Ebare is much more used to fishing in southern states like Texas and Louisiana, he said he felt comfortable with the James River present James River scenario. He weighed a fish that was just two ounces shy of 8 pounds, taking big-bass honors for the day.

"It felt a little like home in how it sets up," Ebare said. "The tide swings are much bigger here than they are in Louisiana, but once I figured out where I needed to be and how the fish were setting up, I settled in and knew exactly what to look for. I was at the right place at the right time today and was able to start running the tide, which is the key to all tidal waters. It doesn't matter what you are doing as much as where you're doing it."

" Historically on the James River, from what I've seen in past tournament results, consistency is the big thing, so I'm going into tomorrow as if I'm back to zero. On tidal fisheries, you can have 10 pounds as easily as you can have 20 because it's all about timing."

The tide also played a big role in how Groh caught his fish.

"It started slow, I started where I had some really, really good bites in practice, but the tide wasn’t quite right," Groh said. "I slid to where the tide was better and was able to get my first limit, but it only weighed 7 pounds. I knew when the tide went slack; they wouldn't bite, so I left. When the tide came back in, I went over the same spots I was catching small fish and they were all good ones.

Groh revealed that he caught all of his fish Thursday on a white Berkley Powerbait Buzz'n Speed Toad paired with a Berkley Fusion19 weighted frog hook.

"I went and checked some other spots for tomorrow and caught some that I probably shouldn't have," Groh said. "I feel confident that I'll catch fish tomorrow. It just might not be 20 pounds again."

In Pro Circuit competition, the full field of 154 anglers compete in the two-day opening round on Thursday and Friday. The Top 50 pros based on their two-day cumulative weight will advance to Saturday. Only the Top 10 pros, based on cumulative weight from the first three days, will continue competition on Sunday, where weights will be zeroed and anglers will compete in a one-day shootout for the grand prize of up to $135,000.

Anglers take off at 6:30 a.m. ET each day from the Osborne Landing, located at 9530 Osborne Turnpike in Richmond. Weigh-ins are held at the landing daily beginning at 2:30 p.m.

The MLF NOW! broadcast team of Chad McKee, Marty Stone and J.T. Kenney break down the extended action on all four days of competition from 7 a.m. to 2:15 p.m. ET. MLF NOW! is livestreamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com and the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) app.

Day 1 Standings

1. Grae Buck -- 21-03 (5)

2. Dakota Ebare -- 20-15 (5)

3. Chris Groh -- 20-07 (5)

4. Chad Warren -- 19-03 (5)

5. Tyler Woolcott -- 19-02 (5)

6. Jason Lieblong -- 18-13 (5)

7. Cole Floyd -- 18-06 (5)

7. Josh Butler -- 18-06 (5)

9. Tom Monsoor -- 18-03 (5)

10. Barron Adams -- 18-00 (5)

11. Cole Harris -- 17-15 (5)

12. Stephen Albertson -- 17-14 (5)

13. Phillip Dutra -- 17-12 (5)

13. Miles Howe -- 17-12 (5)

15. Jason Reyes -- 17-06 (5)

16. Tyler Stewart -- 17-03 (5)

17. Josh Bragg -- 16-11 (5)

18. Jacob Wall -- 16-08 (5)

18. Robby Lefere -- 16-08 (5)

20. Jim Moynagh -- 16-00 (5)

21. Tai Au -- 15-12 (5)

21. Kyle Hall -- 15-12 (5)

21. Jacopo Gallelli -- 15-12 (5)

24. Nick LeBrun -- 15-11 (5)

25. Jeff Reynolds -- 15-09 (5)

25. Chase Serafin -- 15-09 (5)

27. Joe Wieberg -- 15-07 (5)

28. Chad Grigsby -- 15-02 (5)

28. Kyle Cortiana -- 15-02 (5)

30. Kerry Milner -- 15-01 (5)

30. Joey Cifuentes -- 15-01 (5)

32. Darrell Davis -- 15-00 (5)

33. David Walker -- 14-14 (5)

34. Tom Redington -- 14-13 (5)

35. Justin Cooper -- 14-08 (5)

35. Jason Vance -- 14-08 (5)

37. Michael Neal -- 14-07 (5)

37. Braxton Setzer -- 14-07 (5)

37. Evan Barnes -- 14-07 (5)

40. Grant Galloway -- 14-06 (5)

40. Kyle Weisenburger -- 14-06 (5)

42. Robert Nakatomi -- 14-02 (5)

43. Brett Hite -- 14-01 (5)

44. Blake Hall -- 13-13 (5)

44. Cameron Mattison -- 13-13 (5)

44. Randy Despino -- 13-13 (5)

44. Nick Hatfield -- 13-13 (5)

48. Mitchell Webb -- 13-12 (5)

49. Brandon McMillan -- 13-11 (5)

49. Clabion Johns -- 13-11 (5)

51. Tommy Dickerson -- 13-10 (5)

51. Jimmy Reese -- 13-10 (5)

53. J Todd Tucker -- 13-07 (5)

54. Mike Surman -- 13-05 (5)

54. Blake Smith -- 13-05 (5)

54. Lane Olson -- 13-05 (5)

57. Keith Carson -- 13-03 (5)

57. Jared McMillan -- 13-03 (5)

57. Lance Crawford -- 13-03 (5)

60. Greg Bohannan -- 13-02 (5)

60. Ron Nelson -- 13-02 (5)

60. Mitch Crane -- 13-02 (5)

63. Bobby Lane -- 12-15 (5)

64. Brian Latimer -- 12-14 (5)

64. Ricky Robinson -- 12-14 (5)

66. Spencer Shuffield -- 12-13 (5)

67. Charlie Evans -- 12-12 (5)

67. John Voyles -- 12-12 (5)

69. Steve Lopez -- 12-11 (5)

69. Laramy Strickland -- 12-11 (5)

71. Larry Nixon -- 12-10 (5)

71. Matt Becker -- 12-10 (5)

73. Ramie Colson Jr -- 12-09 (5)

74. Bruce Parsons -- 12-07 (5)

74. Martin Villa -- 12-07 (5)

76. Mike McClelland -- 12-06 (5)

76. Brad Knight -- 12-06 (5)

76. Corey Neece -- 12-06 (5)

76. Cole Hewett -- 12-06 (5)

80. Jamie Horton -- 12-05 (5)

80. Pete Ponds -- 12-05 (5)

80. Cody Pike -- 12-05 (5)

83. John Hunter -- 12-04 (5)

84. Alex Davis -- 12-03 (5)

85. Wesley Strader -- 12-02 (5)

86. Darrel Robertson -- 12-01 (5)

86. Justin Lucas -- 12-01 (5)

88. Scott Dobson -- 11-14 (5)

88. Clayton Batts -- 11-14 (5)

88. Kyle Gelles -- 11-14 (5)

91. Michael Matthee -- 11-13 (5)

92. Skeet Reese -- 11-12 (5)

93. Chris Lane -- 11-11 (5)

93. John Cox -- 11-11 (5)

95. Scott Wiley -- 11-08 (5)

96. Richard Lowitzki -- 11-07 (5)

96. Andy Newcomb -- 11-07 (5)

98. Casey Scanlon -- 11-06 (5)

98. Jeff Bridges -- 11-06 (5)

100. Jason Abram -- 11-05 (5)

100. Lance Oligschlaeger -- 11-05 (5)

102. Matt Reed -- 11-04 (5)

103. Joshua Weaver -- 11-02 (5)

103. Kurt Mitchell -- 11-02 (5)

103. Billy Hines -- 11-02 (5)

106. Terry Luedtke -- 11-01 (5)

106. Todd Walters -- 11-01 (5)

106. Mark Fisher -- 11-01 (5)

109. Matthew Stefan -- 10-14 (5)

110. Nick Gainey -- 10-13 (5)

111. Dylan Hays -- 10-12 (5)

112. Colby Schrumpf -- 10-11 (5)

113. Jason Meninger -- 10-06 (5)

114. Terry Bolton -- 10-05 (5)

115. Miles Burghoff -- 10-04 (5)

116. Jimmy Neece Jr -- 10-03 (5)

117. Cal Lane -- 10-02 (5)

118. Randy Howell -- 10-00 (5)

118. Andrew Loberg -- 10-00 (5)

120. Jordan Osborne -- 9-14 (4)

121. Steve York -- 9-13 (5)

122. Rusty Salewske -- 9-12 (5)

123. Shane Lineberger -- 9-10 (5)

124. James Niggemeyer -- 9-09 (5)

125. Randall Tharp -- 9-05 (5)

125. Brandon Mosley -- 9-05 (5)

127. Charlie Ingram -- 9-04 (5)

127. Tim Frederick -- 9-04 (5)

127. Scott Towry -- 9-04 (5)

127. Jon Canada -- 9-04 (5)

131. Troy Stokes -- 9-03 (5)

132. Shonn Goodwin -- 9-01 (5)

132. Ron Farrow -- 9-01 (5)

132. Colby Miller -- 9-01 (5)

135. Jim Tutt -- 9-00 (5)

135. Jeff McLain -- 9-00 (5)

137. Dicky Newberry -- 8-13 (5)

137. Aaron Britt -- 8-13 (5)

137. Takayuki Koike -- 8-13 (5)

140. Derrick Snavely -- 8-11 (5)

141. River Lee -- 8-10 (5)

141. Christian Greico -- 8-10 (5)

143. Ricardo Gonzalez -- 8-08 (5)

144. Gary Yamamoto -- 8-07 (5)

145. Shannon Abbott -- 8-05 (5)

146. Dave Parsons -- 8-04 (5)

147. Bill McDonald -- 8-00 (5)

148. Rusty Trancygier -- 7-14 (5)

149. Stuart Arthur -- 7-12 (5)

149. Mark Rose -- 7-12 (5)

151. Jimmy Washam -- 7-10 (5)

152. Jason Blair -- 7-08 (5)

153. Trevor Fitzgerald -- 7-07 (5)

154. Clark Reehm -- 6-06 (5)