LA CROSSE, Wis. — Caleb Kuphall was banking on his local knowledge and that expectation delivered both metaphorically and practically as the pro from Mukwonago, Wis., retained the lead on Day 2 of the Pro-Guide Batteries Bassmaster Elite at Upper Mississippi River.
Wisconsin's Caleb Kuphall maintains the lead on Day 2 of the Pro-Guide Batteries Bassmaster Elite at Upper Mississippi River with a total of 36 pounds, 2 ounces.
Photo by Seigo Saito/B.A.S.S.
After setting the high mark with a first-round limit of 18-pounds, 15-ounces, Kuphall entered Day 2 an ounce ahead of second-place KJ Queen. Today, Kuphall added 17-3, tallied a total of 36-2 and widened his lead to a 1-13 margin over Bryan Schmitt, who won the 2022 Guaranteed Rate Bassmaster Elite at Upper Mississippi River.
“What a day today; I think I’ve weighed in the two biggest bags that I’ve ever weighed in on this river today and yesterday,” Kuphall said. “I got out of the gate good this morning and caught them right away. I think I caught five and culled like four or five times in the first 40 minutes.
“I had a lot of confidence that I can catch a lot of fish here, but the big ones show up when they want to. We’ll see what happens. Hopefully another couple big ones show up tomorrow.”
Trusting the Mississippi River pattern he learned over 20 years ago, Kuphall has been focusing on undercut banks. Key spots had an isolated tree, a cluster of weeds, or a little point to influence fish positioning.
With practice bringing heavy rains, fluctuating water level and widespread turbidity has plagued many anglers fishing the river’s expansive backwaters and grassbeds. Sticking to main river banks, Kuphall has found ideal conditions for big fish to pull up and feed.
Kuphall fished one spot where his boat was sitting in 15 feet and the fish were in 5. Most of his action came in less than 3.
“I think I know where the bigger ones are coming,” Kuphall said. “I’ve caught a few that are deep in the sloughs, but it really seems that the bigger fish are out on the main river.
“It’s all area, so I think I have that going for me. I just have to keep pounding those areas and hopefully I can get another good bag.”
Kuphall caught all of his fish on a homemade Do-it Molds Sparky Head jig. Using a 3/8-ounce jig, Kuphall said, was critical.
“You could try throwing a 1/2-ounce and you might be able to fish it a little quicker, but you’ll miss a lot more fish,” Kuphall said. “That 3/8-ounce has a slower fall and when those fish are coming off the bank, a lot of times those fish are going to miss that heavier jig.”
Also important was his jig trailer — a green pumpkin Big Bite Baits 2.75-inch Chunk, which he hung on the hook, rather than thread it.
“That trailer gives that jig the action that it needed,” Kuphall said. “I’d say 50% of my bites were straight up reaction bites and the other 50 were ‘I want to eat it.’”
Hailing from Deale, Md., Schmitt turned in a remarkably consistent performance, by adding 17-2 to his first-round limit of 17-3 and improving from ninth to second with 34-5.
Schmitt had a good start to his morning, but continued his search for the clean water spots that concentrate fish amid the turbidity. Later in the day, he located just such a spot, caught one of his keepers on a frog and lost several quality fish that boosted his Day 3 optimism.
“I moved around late this afternoon and pulled into an area I had never been, but I think the current had put them there,” Schmitt said. “They were fresh fish and they were biting.
“This spot is a current break with grass and they might be coming there. We have some options tomorrow and that’s what you need.”
Pat Schlapper of Eleva, Wis., placed fourth on Day 1 with 18-8 and gained one spot with his second day’s limit of 15-4. His two-day total is 33-12.
Schlapper, who won the MAXAM Tire Bassmaster Elite at Sabine River, mostly repeated his grass-based program from Day 1. Fishing pressure disrupted his timing and took away the topwater from action that contributed much of his first-round weight.
“I only weighed one on a frog and I also weighed fish on a topwater, a fluke and flipping,” Schlapper said. “I just went and fished some other water that I wanted to try to eliminate and see what was there. I kinda got it narrowed down to what I need to do to have a chance at this thing.
“I’m going to start on some schooling fish and then, hopefully transition to frog fish and just see where I’m at.”
Cooper Gallant of Bowmanville, Canada and Jonathan Kelley of Old Forge, Pa., are tied for the lead for Phoenix Boats Big Bass honors, both with 5-pound, 9-ounce fish.
Chris Johnston of Otonabee, Canada leads the Progressive Bassmaster Angler of the Year standings with 773 points. Jay Przekurat of Plover, Wis., is in second with 749, followed by Trey McKinney of Carbondale, Ill., with 745, Kyoya Fujita of Yamanashi, Japan with 738, and Will Davis Jr. of Sylacauga, Ala., with 687.
Tucker Smith of Birmingham, Ala., won the Dakota Lithium Elite Series Rookie of the Year title with 631 points. Smith highlighted his debut season with a mid-May win at the Tackle Warehouse Bassmaster Elite at Lake Fork.
“It’s been an amazing year, but today, I was really stressed out when I had three (bass) for 12 pounds at 12:30,” Smith said of his risky afternoon call. “I had a gut decision to make a run to another pool where I had some bites in practice.
“I locked at 1 o’clock and ended up going to the place where I had some bites in practice. I made 10 casts, caught my weight and came all the way back. It was definitely a God thing because I was about to spin out, but I held it together somehow.”
Saturday’s takeoff is scheduled for 7 a.m. CT at Loggers Stadium. The weigh-in will be held at the stadium at 3 p.m.
Live coverage of the Pro-Guide Batteries Bassmaster Elite at Upper Mississippi River will be available Saturday on FS1 from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. before moving to Bassmaster.com from Noon to 3 p.m. Championship Sunday coverage can be found on FS1 from 8 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. with afternoon action to follow on Bassmaster.com.
This event is being hosted by Explore La Crosse.
Get all the tackle the pros are using this week here!
