Story by Justin Brouillard | Photos by Tanner & Travis Lyons
Day two is underway at the Chompers/NPFL Stop #5 presented by Bait-Wrx, and conditions remain tough on the field. As expected, the top guys on Live Coverage are catching some fish, with Joseph Webster, Dustin Perry, and Brandon Perkins making a move with the afternoon remaining on Lake of the Ozarks.
We knew coming in that docks would play, and likely be the winning pattern, but with fall conditions yet to arrive, the lake turnover has made it tough to catch keeper bass. Much of the field is targeting docks, and the rocky banks in between, but the top anglers have unlocked the key to catching 15-inch bass.
Perkins/Perry/Webster on Top
Unofficially, the Weigh-Live Tracker shows Brandon Perkins on top with a five-bass limit for over 15 pounds. Behind him, Dustin Perry has four bass and a double-digit limit. The two are atop the field, but Joseph Webster, with a few quality fish in the box, is in the mix.
Webster has not updated his Weigh Live Tracker as of the midway point, but he likely sits just behind Perkins with 11.5 pounds in his well. Look for him to be back in the top five when Big Al weighs the field starting at 3 p.m. CST this afternoon.
According to on-the-water photographers, Perkins is fishing similarly to most of the top anglers and is covering lots of water around docks and shoreline cover.
Webster is targeting docks, rotating between a Berkley Choppo, a small swimbait, and a jig, and covering water. Like the others who have figured out the tough bite, he has been consistent in catching five keepers and is picking apart the shallow cover.
The weigh-in this afternoon begins at 3:00 pm CST on TNPFL.com.
The top ten look like this:
Brandon Perkins 27-3
Dustin Perry 23-12
Michael Stout 22-4
Zack Birge 20-12
Josh Watkins 17-15
John Soukup 17-14
Jason Meninger 17-11
JTodd Tucker 17-8
Larry Wilcher 17-7
Spencer Peters 17-4
Follow along on the Weigh Live Tracker for real-time unofficial updates from the water.
Check out the Morning Story and Launch Photo Gallery, here!
