Staff
They’re off and fishing at two separate high-profile bass fishing events involving anglers with local ties.
The Emo-based combination of Brett Meyers and Nathan Brigham are 10th out of 125 teams after Day 1 of the 2016 Kenora Bass International with a total haul of 16.38 pounds yesterday.
Meyers, now living in Kenora, and Brigham were less than a pound from cracking the top five.
Kenora’s Cam Dingwall and Kevin Medlund lead the pack after bringing in 19.02 pounds.
The duo leads by almost a full pound ahead of Kenora’s Adam Bachynski and Andrew Beernaert in second (18.10).
Winnipeg Jets defenceman Dustin Byfuglien from Long Lake, Mn., infused some big-league punch to the top section of the leaderboard as he and teammate Matt Peters from St. Francis, Mn., sit in third after yesterday with 17.96.
That puts them a whisper ahead of another hockey player, recent four-year Lakehead University Thunderwolves grad Carson Dubchak from Kenora and his brother, Brennan, who are fourth at 17.95.
Kenora’s Scott Dingwall and partner Mike Miller from Oshawa round out the top five (17.12).
Reigning Fort Frances Canadian Bass Championship winners Troy Norman from Fort Frances and Jay Samsal from Kenora are solidly in contention in 14th place with 16.04.
The KBI concludes tomorrow.
Meanwhile, Fort Frances Times columnist Jeff “Gussy” Gustafson from Keewatin had a difficult day on the water during first-day action at the 21st-annual FLW Forrest Wood Cup tournament on Wheeler Lake in Huntsville, Ala.
Gunning for the richest payday in competitive fishing with a $300,000 payout for first place, the two-time FFCBC champion along with Bemidji’s John Peterson in 2013 and 2014 brought in only four fish yesterday for a total of 8 lbs., 5 oz. to sit 32nd in the field of 50 who qualified for the high-stakes event.
John Cox (Debary, Fla.) leads the way with 16 lbs. 11 oz., while former FFCBC runner-up Brandon McMillan (Clewiston, Fla.) is second with 14 lbs., 14 oz.
Gustafson is currently fifth in the FLW 2016 Angler of the Year standings with 1,045 points this season, having posted earnings of $72,500 US so far.
Andy Morgan (Dayton, Tenn.) leads the way with 1,084 points.
The tournament runs through Sunday.
