Combs Clings to Lead on Lake Tawakoni in PAA Bass Pro Shops Tournament Series

Power Tackle pro Keith Combs of Texas has a two-day total of 38.04 pounds and maintained his lead Friday in the the PAA Bass Pro Shops Tournament Series presented by Carrot Stix on Lake Tawakoni.

Combs is working shoreline cover with jigs and a new prototype bait from Power Tackle called the Lateral Shad. It’s a hybrid combination of a lead head with a soft body and flat shape, which causes it to glide. He caught 13.64 pounds Friday and will lead the Top 30 anglers out for Saturday’s final day.

“I think 12 pounds could do it (win), but someone else could come in with 18 pounds,” Combs said. “There’s not that many boats but this is the strongest field of anglers around. I just want to go fish for five good bites and get them in the boat.”

Ranger pro Todd Auten of South Carolina is second with 33.98 pounds and Yamaha pro Takahiro Omori of Texas climbed five positions to third with 30.17.

The top 30 anglers will fish Saturday on Lake Tawakoni, launching from West Tawakoni City Park at 7 a.m. They will weigh-in at 4:30 p.m. at Bass Pro Shops in Garland. The winner will earn a package worth more than $45,000 including cash and a new Phoenix 719 Pro boat outfitted with a Mercury Optimax 225 and T-H Marine Atlas Jackplate. Free seminars at Bass Pro Shops begin at 12:30 p.m. and will be presented by Kevin Early, Brian Clark, Jami Fralick, Harold Allen, Dave Mansue, Matt Reed, Justin Rackley and Brian Snowden.

Among those in the Top 30 are this season’s PAA Tournament Series champions – Nitro Boats pro Edwin Evers and Gene Larew Baits pro Tommy Biffle, both of Oklahoma. Joining them in the strong finals are current FLW Tour points champion and Damiki pro Bryan Thrift of North Carolina and 2009 Toyota Texas Bass Classic champion Dave Lefebre of Pennsylvania.

Shakeups in the standings ruled after persistent southwest winds wreaked havoc on some of the areas along with pounding from the anglers. The most significant moves were BassCat pro John Crews of Virginia (54 positions to eighth place) and Anglers Inn pro Bradley Hallman of Oklahoma (35 positions to seventh place). Among the Day 1 leaders, Omori moved five positions while Business Unlimited pro Lance Vick of Texas fell 10 spots and Bass Pro Shops pro Ott Defoe fell 32.

“I’m just grinding ’em out on the same deal,” said Auten, who won a 2009 PAA Tournament Series event. “I found one other key area with some fish in it and I think the wind is helping the bite a little bit.”

Tournament facts: The tournament is the third of four in the 2010 PAA BassPro Shops Tournament Series presented by Carrot Stix. The winner will earn a prize package worth more than $45,000 including cash and a new Phoenix 719 Pro XP boat powered by a Mercury Optimax 225hp engine and outfitted with a T-H Marine Atlas Jackplate . Eligible anglers also may benefit from the Bass Pro Shops Tournament Rewards and Phoenix Boats First Flight bonus payout programs.

About the PAA – The Professional Anglers Association is a non-profit organization that gives professional anglers a unified voice in order to aid in the growth of the sport of professional bass fishing. The PAA also aims to administer educational programs to the average angler, to increase enjoyment of the sport, and to embrace sound conservation practices to further the future of the sport.

PAA Associate Sponsors: The PAA Tournament Series is sponsored by Bass Pro Shops, E21 Carrot Stix, Lazer Trokar, Markel Insurance, Phoenix Boats, Nitro Boats, T-H Marine, Fishouflage, SolarBat, U.S. Reel, Sign Designs, BoatU.S. Foundation, Mercury Marine and Jasper Engines and Transmissionss.

PAA Hosts: The City of Garland, Texas

Day 2 Standings

Top 30 standings after two days of the PAA Bass Pro ShopsTournament Series presented by Carrot Stix on Lake Tawakoni.

By: Alan Clemons