OXFORD, Ala. (Major League Fishing) — Team Lucas Oil’s Luke Clausen and Michael Neal delivered a clinic in consistency and adjustments Thursday, racking up 32 scorable bass weighing 44 pounds, 4 ounces to win Elimination Match 2 of the Folds of Honor Patriot Cup Presented by B&W Trailer Hitches.
Despite calm, sunny conditions to start the morning, the veteran duo quickly deciphered the bite – then shifted gears perfectly when the fish changed. They posted eight scorable bass in Period 1, nine in Period 2 and 15 in the final frame to pull away and secure a “stress-free” qualification into Saturday’s Knockout Round.
“It’s been a pretty good day,” Neal said. “We only lost the lead for a brief time in the second period, so it was nice to stay pretty comfortably above that cut line. This format is all about the cut line, and we were above it the whole time. Today was fairly stress-free, which is very rare in this format.”
Team 7Brew Coffee’s Edwin Evers and Jesse Wiggins rallied midway through the second period to briefly take the lead. The duo finished with 19 bass for 27-3 to secure the second Knockout Round spot. Team B&W Trailer Hitches (James Elam and Alton Jones) and Team Kubota (Justin Cooper and Skeet Reese) were eliminated from competition.
Afternoon adjustment pays off
Early on, Clausen and Neal discovered that fish were sticking unusually tight to the bottom despite the calm, bright conditions. The duo then adjusted again later in the day when the wind picked up and pushed the baitfish higher in the water column.
“Really it was a one-two punch for us,” Neal continued. “We started off this morning kind of lost, but we found a point and got a few bites quick on a shaky head and drop-shot. Later in the day, that fizzled, so I moved toward some standing timber and stopped short – next thing I know, we’re catching them suspended. That’s what this format is all about, just figuring it out as you go.”
Clausen did much of his early damage with a finesse setup before joining Neal on the suspended bite later in the day.
“That shaky head rig was really good this morning,” Clausen said. “I was throwing a 3/16-ounce head with a green pumpkin worm on a Phenix 7-1, medium rod with 10-pound Seaguar fluorocarbon line – pretty simple, but hard to beat almost anywhere in the country. Later, when they lifted up in the water column, that minnow on a 1/4-ounce head was the deal. It was just a fun day making adjustments as we went.”
Beyond the fact that it advances them to the Knockout Round, the victory carried personal meaning for both anglers – longtime friends who hadn’t shared a boat in more than a decade.
“We don’t get to fish together much,” Clausen said. “I think the last time we fished together was in 2012 – right after (Paul) Elias won at Lake Guntersville on the Alabama Rig. I’ve known Michael since he was in high school, and it’s just fun to get out there with someone you’ve known that long and see how they fish. Especially when we’re kicking everybody else’s butt like we did today.”
“I told Luke he’s buying dinner tonight – this has been a guide trip,” Neal added with a laugh. “But this is the first two-man Team Series event where I’ve actually made it through the first round, so I’m excited. We’ve got a chance to make some more money and hopefully keep things rolling.”
Two more Knockout Round berths up for grabs
The final fleet of four teams will take to the water on Friday in the last match of the Elimination Round. Once again, only the top two will advance to the Knockout Round, which will span Saturday and Sunday.
Watch all the action through Oct. 27 on the RFD-TV Now Livestream from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET or at MajorLeagueFishing.com. In addition, RFD-TV will air the final period of each day live from 1-4 p.m.
WATCH LIVE - PATRIOT CUP DAY 3
