Day One of the KBF Open is complete and had CJ Espey taking the early lead with an impressive 40 inches. The Day One lead didn’t just net Espey some confidence but also a trip to Ray Scott’s Trophy Bass Retreat. Nine other competitors rounded out the top ten all within five inches of the lead including a three-way tie for second place just an inch and a quarter off the top spot.
Cody Black, Thursday’s Big Bass leader, was bumped from his perch Friday as Bob Lauber registered the new Big Bass leader with a 22.25 inch beast. Two others trail right behind him by half an inch. One fish, the biggest bass caught over the four day period, will win the massive prize package including the new ATAK kayak from Wilderness Systems, a Torqueedo motor and tons of other prizes to outfit the kayak.
With his Friday big fish, Lauber also pocketed a $500 HOOK 1 gift card for big fish and a $35 Power Team Lures gift card for the first fish over 20 inches registered into the Tourney X online scoring system on Friday. Mark Ferguson also pocketed a $35 Power Team Lures gift card for the first smallmouth registered into the Tourney X system.
Saturday has anglers chasing three fish to add to their Day One fish to make up a cumulative 5 fish limit. If anglers failed to register two fish on Friday they cannot fill any of those slots today. As was mentioned at the Captains’ Meeting, you can’t win it on Friday but you can lose it.
64 of the 153 anglers were lucky enough to submit a limit on Day One. With only 10 inches separating 1st and 40th the finish will be one to watch.
While final submissions are being entered and tallied this afternoon anglers will be treated to a concert from Nashville musicians Danica Honeycutt and Markus Fox. The concert is at the Conference Center at the Quality Inn in Paris, TN and is, just like the vendor fair, FREE to the public.
Payouts look great and has First Place at $7,000 and money will be paid to the top 15 finishers with 15th place taking home $400, more than double the entry fee.
Manufacturers’ money is available for additional payouts as well which could land an angler an additional $14,000.
More exciting incentives including the Columbia Comeback Challenge were announced last night which gives anglers, even those without a fish on Day One, a great chance to pocket some cash and gift cards.
Stay tuned here for additional updates this afternoon and all day tomorrow. If you’d like to follow the leader board go to tourneyx.com.
For additional details check out kbfopen.com.