South Carolina angler Dustin Williamson takes the lead at the NPFL Stop 6 on Lake Murray hosted by Capital City Lake Murray Country with 19 pounds, 13 ounces. Known for a “hit or miss” history on this lake, Williamson wasn’t sure how his tournament would play out. But in the shortened event, he delivered big today.
Before the tournament, Williamson hinted that a shallow bite might produce the biggest fish of the event, and he might be right. However, he also noted that the offshore fish were less volatile and had the best chance of holding up over three days. With the event cut to two days, he’s focused on milking his area for all its worth and making a run on Finale Friday.
“I’m fishing a typical deal, similar to how I would back home at Clarks Hill this time of year,” he said. “I’m fishing three spots in one main area, and the key is finding the baitfish. I have never fished in this particular area before besides practice, but it has the right ingredients for how I want to target them.”
Purposefully leaving out details on how he’s catching the bigger, quality bass, Williamson mentioned he hasn’t had much company from other anglers, and figured out later in the day how to catch the bigger fish, after culling through over 25 bass throughout the day.
“My two biggest were over four pounds, and the other three were solid,” he said. “I’m around the right fish; the hard part is getting them to bite. Once I caught those two big ones, I stopped and saved them for tomorrow. I’m looking forward to going after them one more day.”
Brock Bila
Missouri angler and Bait Wrx pro Brock Bila sits in second place just behind the leader with a strong 19-pound, 9-ounce bag on first official day of fishing at Lake Murray. His solid bag puts him in striking distance heading into the final day.
Coming into the event, Bila had a practice plan in mind, but a split-second decision early on changed his entire approach. While he’s keeping the key details of his pattern under wraps, Bila shared that his strategy feels familiar to the way he fishes back home on Missouri’s Lake of the Ozarks and Table Rock.
“I had no idea that I could catch them this way coming in, but luckily, I had one of the boxes with me and decided to give it a try,” he said. “I was confident with my practice, boating 17-plus pounds each day, and the canceled day one actually worked in my favor. It might’ve been tough to fish how I am if we had started on time.”
Bila is targeting actively feeding bass in key areas around the lake and notes that he has the majority of his “four or five” spots to himself. Despite his confidence, the fish this morning had shifted due to post-front conditions, forcing him to relocate his schools.
“I’m rotating several spots, and on all but one of them – the key spot where I caught my biggest fish – the fish had vanished,” he added. “It took me a while, but once I figured it out, I was able to get on them and get to work.”
Part of his strategy involves staying on the move, and he credits his sponsor Wholesale Batteries for supplying him with Miller Tech Lithiums, which kept him charged and powered up throughout the day. With the shortened event, Bila is confident that potential weather changes may work in his favor on the final day.
“Today it was bluebird skies and chilly,” he concluded. “I think tomorrow we may have some clouds, and that will help my bite. I’m looking forward to getting back out there.”
Bila leads the NPFL Bass Cat Boats Contingency program with his strong day one of fishing.
Ron Farrow
South Carolina pro Ron Farrow sits in third place with an impressive 19 pounds, 6 ounces, including a 6-pound, 0-ounce lunker, after day one of fishing at Lake Murray. Farrow’s strong start puts him in a prime position heading into the final day of competition.
Growing up on Lake Murray and fishing his first tournament on these waters, Farrow is no stranger to the lake. He focused his efforts on the shallow water, relying on his knowledge of the area’s history and running a milk run of productive spots.
“I used to live here twenty years ago, so I know this place pretty well,” he said. “It’s changed, but I’m sticking with what I know—throwing some moving baits and slowing down when I hit the right areas.”
His morning started slow, likely due to the lack of wind, but as the afternoon progressed, he settled in and was able to put together his third-place bag.
“I was hoping to fish on Wednesday, but it is what it is,” he added. “It’s fishing. I think they’ll bite better tomorrow for everyone, but we won’t know until we get out there. The cold front after the storm slowed them down, but hopefully, they’ll get back to normal tomorrow.”
Power Pole Big Bass
Florida angler Matt Massey delivered a solid day one at Lake Murray, weighing in 16 pounds, 6 ounces, anchored by a massive 8-pound, 3-ounce kicker. Massey leads the Power Pole Big Bass with one day remaining. “The big fish came late in the afternoon after I returned to a productive spot,” said Massey, on stage. I caught it on the first cast.
Top Ten Anglers
Dustin Williamson 19-13
Brock Bila 19-0
Ron Farrow 19-6
Kyle Welcher 19-3
Bailey Gay 18-12
Zack Birge 18-9
Angel Rosario 17-14
Patrick Walters 17-11
David Williams 17-7
Hunter Sales 17-4
