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Combs out Front at West Point

Category: article

 May 2nd, 2013 by OutdoorsFIRST 

Modified May 2nd, 2013 at 12:00 AM

Keith Combs of Huntington, Texas, is having one heck of a year on the Bassmaster Elite Series by any standard. He won the event on Falcon Lake and heading into the start of the West Point Lake event out of LaGrange, Georgia he was sitting in the number 13 spot for the Angler of the Year title.  After Day 1 of the event, Combs fortune keeps moving in a positive direction. He is on top, thanks to a limit weighing 15 pounds 14 ounces.

	Keith Combs (Photo BassFIRST)

In second after the first day is Greg Vinson from Wetumpka, Alabama, just four ounces back from Combs.

Slow start for Combs.

“I had the craziest day,” said Combs. “I did not have a bite until 1:30 this afternoon. I told my marshal in the boat I thought I was going to zero. Then I started catching them. I caught the biggest fish, a 6-pounder, late in the day. I am pretty lucky to be here.”

Vinson surprised by his day.

“I am really surprised,” said Vinson. “The last time we were here I had an 18-pound limit and I wasn’t near the top. Today I knew what I had was good. I had to change what I had going initially today. It worked out. I think it will work tomorrow.”

In 3rd with 14 pounds and 2 ounces is Petal, Mississippi pro and reigning Classic Champ Cliff Pace. Pace found himself struggling like many of the pros today.

“I had a tough time, too,” said Pace. “It was a fortunate day for me. I scrambled around. I caught a couple fish early and that allowed me to experiment. All-in-all it worked out for the best.”

Aaron Martens of Leeds, Alabama weighed 13 pounds 5 ounces, enough for 4th after the first day. Martens had plenty of company today.

“I was around other anglers who caught ’em,” said Martens. “I did some sight fishing. I have about 30 waypoints. The sky was bad today for seeing into the water. It took an hour and a half to catch my first bed fish. I had to catch it, because one of the others guys would catch it if I didn’t.”

Rounding out the Top 5 is Auburn, California pro Skeet Reese with 13 pounds.

“I caught most of my fish fairly early,” said Reese. “I’m tickled to death to get the weight I caught. I think with all of the changing conditions the fish are confused. Maybe as confused as the anglers. I don’t know exactly what I am going to do tomorrow. Catch five and put them on the scales and see what happens.”