Day 1 on the water

Competition gets underway on Day 1 of the Diet Mtn Dew Bassmaster Elite at Lake Guntersville.

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Competition gets underway on Day 1 of the Diet Mtn Dew Bassmaster Elite at Lake Guntersville.
Competition gets underway on Day 1 of the Diet Mtn Dew Bassmaster Elite at Lake Guntersville.
Guntersville resident, Sabine Champion and AOY front runner Chris Lane is ready to go.
Guntersville resident, Sabine Champion and AOY front runner Chris Lane is ready to go.
The boats head out on a beautiful morning.
The boats head out on a beautiful morning.
Rough weather in the forecast for Day 2, but not today.
Rough weather in the forecast for Day 2, but not today.
Micah Frazier eases around looking for his starting spot.
Micah Frazier eases around looking for his starting spot.
Chad Morgenthaler starts off-shore.
Chad Morgenthaler starts off-shore.
Brian Snowden starts a little off the bank as well.
Brian Snowden starts a little off the bank as well.
Randy Allen heads straight for the bridge.
Randy Allen heads straight for the bridge.
Mike Kernan coasts by.
Mike Kernan coasts by.
Hard to tell who some of these cats are.
Hard to tell who some of these cats are.
Hard for them to tell I'm not another competitor easing in on them too.
Hard for them to tell I’m not another competitor easing in on them too.
Things seem a little tilted here.
Things seem a little tilted here.
Randy Allen makes a cast.
Randy Allen makes a cast.
Mike Kernan slips on through.
Mike Kernan slips on through.
Lots of folks fishing under this bridge.
Lots of folks fishing under this bridge.
Brandon Palaniuk comes around the corner heaving a hefty swimbait.
Brandon Palaniuk comes around the corner heaving a hefty swimbait.
Palaniuk has a little competition for this spot.
Palaniuk has a little competition for this spot.
Terry Big Show Scroggins rolls through.
Terry Big Show Scroggins rolls through.
Palaniuk decides it's time to head out.
Palaniuk decides it’s time to head out.
Allen works his way around.
Allen works his way around.
The causeways and bridges on Guntersville always play a big part in tournaments here.
The causeways and bridges on Guntersville always play a big part in tournaments here.
Allen unloads.
Allen unloads.
Here comes Matt Herren.
Here comes Matt Herren.
And there he goes.
And there he goes.
Allen continues to work the bridge.
Allen continues to work the bridge.
Todd Faircloth loads up...
Todd Faircloth loads up…
and unleashes a cast.
and unleashes a cast.
Faircloth is working slow and methodical off-shore.
Faircloth is working slow and methodical off-shore.
The Big Show is on the move again.
The Big Show is on the move again.
Faircloth continues to heave his Carolina rig.
Faircloth continues to heave his Carolina rig.
...
…
...
…
Faircloth slowly pulls the rig back to him, then reels up the slack.
Faircloth slowly pulls the rig back to him, then reels up the slack.
Time to swap things up.
Time to swap things up.
A cast goes out...
A cast goes out…
Faircloth goes on point...
Faircloth goes on point…
and sets the hook.
and sets the hook.
Faircloth has one so far this morning...
Faircloth has one so far this morning…
and this makes keeper number two.
and this makes keeper number two.
...
…
Yusuke Miyazaki works off-shore as well this morning.
Yusuke Miyazaki works off-shore as well this morning.
Slow grind.
Slow grind.
Matt Lee on the move.
Matt Lee on the move.
Matt and brother Jordan call Guntersville their home waters.
Matt and brother Jordan call Guntersville their home waters.
Lee rolls on.
Lee rolls on.
Ken Iyobe works a bridge.
Ken Iyobe works a bridge.
Carl Jocumsen also on the bridge pattern.
Carl Jocumsen also on the bridge pattern.
...
…
...
…
Jocumsen slings a jig around.
Jocumsen slings a jig around.
No luck with this fish...
No luck with this fish…
but Jocumsen has had a good morning with around 17 pounds in the box.
but Jocumsen has had a good morning with around 17 pounds in the box.
Time to make a move.
Time to make a move.
Slow no wake.
Slow no wake.
No worries says Brandon Palaniuk.
No worries says Brandon Palaniuk.
Palaniuk hooks up.
Palaniuk hooks up.
He brings the fish towards the boat.
He brings the fish towards the boat.
This ones not going to help, Palaniuk already has 15 pounds or so in the boat.
This ones not going to help, Palaniuk already has 15 pounds or so in the boat.
All eyes on Palaniuk.
All eyes on Palaniuk.
A little photography competition here.
A little photography competition here.
Signs of life around these docks.
Signs of life around these docks.
Spectators coming out of the woodwork.
Spectators coming out of the woodwork.
Palaniuk works his way in to see if he can find any bedders.
Palaniuk works his way in to see if he can find any bedders.
He stretches to get a better vantage point.
He stretches to get a better vantage point.
Palaniuk has a little spray bottle ready to disperse the pollen if it gets in the way.
Palaniuk has a little spray bottle ready to disperse the pollen if it gets in the way.
Poles down as Palaniuk spots one.
Poles down as Palaniuk spots one.
After a few minutes, Palaniuk decides this one isn't worth waiting any longer for...
After a few minutes, Palaniuk decides this one isn’t worth waiting any longer for…
and soon finds another.
and soon finds another.
This one is big but isn't locked on.
This one is big but isn’t locked on.
Palaniuk continues to prowl around.
Palaniuk continues to prowl around.
Poles down.
Poles down.
Palaniuk peeks under the bushes and trees looking for another bed.
Palaniuk peeks under the bushes and trees looking for another bed.
And then...
And then…
he spots another.
he spots another.
These are all a little too finicky and Palaniuk decides to move on and look elsewhere.
These are all a little too finicky and Palaniuk decides to move on and look elsewhere.
The wind is starting to pick up.
The wind is starting to pick up.
J Todd Tucker works through the shallows searching for spawners.
J Todd Tucker works through the shallows searching for spawners.
Tucker uses a push pole to try to sneak up on the fish.
Tucker uses a push pole to try to sneak up on the fish.
With a pole in one hand and a pole in the other, J Todd works for this one but has no luck.
With a pole in one hand and a pole in the other, J Todd works for this one but has no luck.
Cameraman up high.
Cameraman up high.
Should be a pretty cool shot.
Should be a pretty cool shot.
Kevin Ledoux works a bridge.
Kevin Ledoux works a bridge.
Ken Iyobe continues to work hard.
Ken Iyobe continues to work hard.
The winds have calm down a little.
The winds have calm down a little.
Iyobe slings a swimbait out.
Iyobe slings a swimbait out.
Iyobe keeps an eye on his graph for any signs of life.
Iyobe keeps an eye on his graph for any signs of life.
The swimbait heads out again.
The swimbait heads out again.
We'll leave it with the mystery cameraman.
We’ll leave it with the mystery cameraman.
Day 1 leader Michael Iaconelli.
Day 1 leader Michael Iaconelli.
Day 1 leader Michael Iaconelli.
Day 1 leader Michael Iaconelli.
Day 1 leader Michael Iaconelli.
Day 1 leader Michael Iaconelli.
Day 1 leader Michael Iaconelli.
Day 1 leader Michael Iaconelli.
Day 1 leader Michael Iaconelli.
Day 1 leader Michael Iaconelli.