Story by Justin Brouillard | Photos by Tanner & Travis Lyons
It’s day two from Osage Beach, MO, for the Chompers NPFL Stop Number Five, presented by BaitWrx. Day one leader Michael Stout holds a 2-pound, 12-ounce lead over Josh Watkins, getting off to a strong start in the three-day event on Lake of the Ozarks (LOZ).
Overall, fishing conditions were tough, with only 27 anglers weighing a five-bass limit and just 93 bringing a 15-inch fish to the scales. LOZ is known for its big fish, and it didn’t disappoint. Stout caught a 6-pound, 7-ounce bass to anchor his day one bag, while Watkins had a 5-pound, 1-ounce kicker.
Michael Brewer, Stuart Arthur, and Brandon Classon all weighed bass over 5 pounds and are currently within the top 40. With big fish in the mix, expect major leaderboard changes on day two. Since all anglers fish all three days, there’s plenty of time for moves to be made.
Progressive AOY Update
While NPFL writer Ken Duke outlined what was at stake this week in Missouri, and will provide a more thorough daily update throughout the event, the AOY race is coming down to the wire this week with only one more event left in the season in December on Lake Murray!
Progressive AOY leader Kyle Welcher sits in 31st place with 10 pounds, 4 ounces. Drew Cook, who entered the event in second place just six points behind Welcher, has unofficially taken the lead after weighing in 12 pounds, 8 ounces on day one, placing him in 11th. Third place AOY contender Hunter Sales ended day one in 65th, causing a drop in his standings.
Bass Cat pro Matt Mollohan takes the lead in the Bass Cat Boats NPFL Quest Program.
Catch the Live Weigh-In from the Pa He Tsi Boat Launch this afternoon at 3:00 pm CST on TNPFL.com.
Weather Watch
This morning’s launch was cooler than day one, with temperatures around 47 degrees. Afternoon temps are expected to reach the upper 70s, with partly cloudy skies and SE winds starting at 4 MPH, increasing to 10 MPH by the afternoon.
How to Watch
Tune in daily from October 23 through 25 to watch the action from Lake of the Ozarks. Follow along and watch the daily LIVE Leaderboard, LIVE Blog and photo galleries throughout the event.
Under the Go Live Tab, choose LIVE Broadcast or check out the real-time, unofficial leaderboard on the Weigh Live Tracker with estimated weights entered by the anglers on the water, and join us for the LIVE Weigh-ins!
And be sure to follow us on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter.
The Chompers/NPFL Stop 5 on Lake of the Ozarks presented by BaitWrx is hosted by the Tri-County Lodging Association.
