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One hundred twenty three boaters and co-anglers launched
from Eagle Creek on June 23rd at 5:00 am. The practice had a mixed
bag of pre tournament talk going on and it seemed to be feast or famine
for those that had spent time on the water. The fish didn't seem
to be in one predominant pattern as fish were still being caught
in main lake pockets and shallow but most of the better fish had
already moved to their summertime locations. The top teams found
these locations and boated the quality fish that make the difference on
Shelbyville Lake. 
John
Wright of Shelbyville, Illinois is known as an angler to beat on
any body of water but at Shelbyville Lake he nearly always rises
to the top of the standings. On this day he bested the field with
a five fish limit weighing 16.07lbs out distancing the second
place boater Mike Barnes by more than two pounds. John
concentrated on ledges on the inside of points in water depths
ranging from ten to eighteen feet deep. John utilized both jigs
and worms to boat the winning stringer. He reported the bite to be
very slow and didn't catch any other keepers than what he had
brought to the scales. John is sponsored by: Ranger Boats 
Second
place angler Mike Barnes from Mackinaw, Illinois found an early
morning bite using a top water prop bait and boating two keepers
to start the day. He then moved to the points throwing a brown 3/8
ounce jig and working depths from ten to twenty five feet. Mike
reported culling through 9 keepers during the day with his best
five weighing in at fourteen pounds six ounces. Mike is sponsored
by: Ranger Boats and Mercury Outboards. 
Taking
the third place position was Brad Peters of Taylorville, Illinois.
Brad started mid lake and he and his co-angler boated seven
keepers and then they moved South boating six more keepers. He
reported fishing deep in water depths ranging from twelve to
twenty five feet. He was throwing a Carolina rigged lizard to
catch his fish. Brads co-angler also won the event and had big
bass on the co side. He reported they had doubles on two times
throughout the day. He had a total weight of thirteen pounds ten
ounces. Brad is sponsored by: R&B Marine and B&B
Glass. 
Big
Bass on the Boater side went to Shane Haslett. He only caught one
keeper during the day but it was the right one weighing in at five
pounds ten ounces. Shane reported catching the big fish in about
eighteen feet of water on a jig. 
Taking
the win on the co-angler side was Bill Higgins of Albers,
Illinois. Bill Texas rigged a creature bait and reported catching
6 total keeper during the day with his best five weighing fifteen
pounds nine ounces. As mentioned above he was fishing deep in
water depths ranging from twelve to twenty five feet. Bill
mentioned that cover on the drops was an important element in the
days success.
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