Bass Fishing Oct 2017 | Page 91

MOST CUP TOP 10s BEFORE AGE 30

5

Jacob Wheeler

4

Anthony Gagliardi

3

Brandon Cobb

3

Cody Meyer

3

Michael Neal

The quality of the fishing at Lake Murray surprised everyone this year. But how good was it?

A NEW AVERAGE DAILY WEIGHT RECORD

Justin Atkins’ average daily weight of 19.75 pounds surpassed David Fritts

’ previous record for highest average daily weight at a Cup, which he set in 1997 with 18.14 pounds per day on Lake Ferguson.

BIG STRINGERSS GALORE

The 2017 Cup also produced five of the 10 heaviest single-day weights in Cup history. Lake Murray has now produced seven of the top 10. Here’ s the full list:

1. 23-01 – David Fritts – 1997 – Day 4 – Lake Ferguson 2. 22-01 – Justin Atkins – 2017 – Day 3 – Lake Murray 3. 21-15 – Jacob Wheeler – 2012 – Day 1 – Lake Lanier 4. 21-11 – Travis Fox – 2017 – Day 3 – Lake Murray 5. 21-05 – Justin Atkins – 2017 – Day 1 – Lake Murray 6. 21-01 – Anthony Gagliardi – 2017 – Day 1 – Lake Murray 7. 20-02 – Steve Kennedy – 2014 – Day 4 – Lake Murray 7. 20-02 – Mark Rose – 2008 – Day 1 – Lake Murray 9. 19-15 – David Fritts – 1997 – Day 1 – Lake Ferguson 10. 19-12 – Brandon Cobb – 2017 – Day 1 – Lake Murray

BREAKING

DOWN THE FIELD

Past Cup Champs: John Cox, David Dudley, Anthony Gagliardi, Scott Martin, Darrel Robertson, Scott Suggs

Rookies of the Year: Zack Birge, Scott Canterbury, Bradley Dortch, Shinichi Fukae, Scott Martin, Scott Suggs, Bryan Thrift, Clark Wendlandt

First-Time Cup Qualifiers: Kyle Alsop, Justin Atkins, Bradford Beavers, Aaron Britt, Joey Cifuentes, Marshall Deakins, Bradley Dortch, Travis Fox, Christopher Jones, Hyo Chul Kim, Casey Scanlon, Andrew Upshaw

Anglers of the Year: David Dudley, Shinichi i Fuk

kae, Anthony Gagliardi, Scott Martin, Andy Morgan, Bryan Thrift, Clark Wendlandt

Oldest: Darrel Robertson, 67 Youngest:

Kyle Alsop, 23

YOUTH NOT WASTED ON THE YOUNG

Cup champion Justin Atkins is 27 years old, but he’ s not the only young gun to do well at this year’ s Cup. Three other pros age 30 or younger at the time of the Cup made the top 10: Brandon Cobb( 27), Michael Neal( 25) and Aaron Britt( 30

).

The 2004 Cup’ s top 10 also included four anglers age 30 or younger: Luke Clausen( 26), Scott Martin( 28), Anthony Gagliardi( 27) and Glenn Browne( 28).

Four is not the record, however. In 2016 at Wheeler Lake, half the top 10 was age 30 or younger. The list includes John Cox( 30), Michael Neal( 24), Jacob Wheeler( 25), Chris Johnston( 27) and Brandon Cobb( 26).

The 2000 Cup was the only one where all of the top 10 pros were over the age of 30.

COMPARING TO PAST MURRAY

CUPS

The Cup has been held on Murray three times, in 2008, 2014 and 2017. The first two were four-day tournaments, but this year’ s Cup was a three-day event.

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