Matt Robertson Leads The Champions Tournament After Day 1
Robertson's 20-pound bag tops the field of 60 anglers in the historic tournament, but Day 2's sonar restrictions loom.
Matt Robertson currently holds the lead after the first day of The Champions tournament on Old Hickory Lake, bringing in a five-fish limit weighing 20 pounds. The tournament, which features a historic $3.25 million purse with a $1.25 million first-place prize, pits 30 Bassmaster anglers against 30 Major League Fishing pros.
Despite challenging conditions on the lake, Robertson managed to secure a significant lead, finishing Thursday with a 4-pound, 9-ounce advantage over second-place angler Fisher Anaya, who weighed in 15 pounds, 7 ounces. Michael Neal of MLF is in third place with 13 pounds, 9 ounces, followed by Bob Downey at 13 pounds, 7 ounces, and Bryant Smith with 13 pounds, 3 ounces.
Robertson described his Day 1 success, stating, "It was a pretty good day. A little rough, but once we got to where we wanted to go, it happened pretty quick. Caught two real quick, and then I started wanting to run around, but I just made myself sit there and grind it out. And yeah, we caught us a little bag today."
LiveScope Restrictions Could Impact Day 2
A significant factor for the second day of competition is the tournament's restriction on forward-facing sonar, often referred to as LiveScope. Anglers are permitted to use this technology on either Thursday or Friday, but not both days. This means competitors who relied on their electronics to find fish on the first day will have to navigate without them on Friday, potentially giving an advantage to those who saved their sonar usage for the second day.
Both Robertson and Anaya find themselves in different positions regarding LiveScope usage. Anaya used the technology on Thursday, meaning he will fish without it on Friday. "It's going to make it tougher," Anaya commented. He added that he believes he will need between 5 and 7 pounds to make the cut for Championship Saturday.
Robertson, conversely, caught his leading weight on Day 1 without using LiveScope. He retains the option to use it on Friday but expressed little intention to do so. "We didn't use no LiveScope today. We'll have it tomorrow, but not really planning on using it," Robertson said. "So try to catch us one or two tomorrow and call her good."
The Cut to Championship Saturday
The pressure is mounting for anglers to secure a spot in the top 15, as only those competitors will advance to Championship Saturday. On that final day, all previous weights will be reset, and the remaining anglers will compete for the $1.25 million grand prize. With many struggling to find bites, the margin for error is slim.
As of the end of Day 1, the Bassmaster team (Team Stars) holds eight of the top 15 positions, while the MLF team (Team Stripes) has seven. However, this dynamic could shift on Friday due to the sonar regulations and the challenging fishing conditions. Reigning Bassmaster Angler of the Year Trey McKinney is currently in 16th place, just one ounce behind Takahiro Omori, who is in the final qualifying position.
Friday's weigh-in is scheduled to begin at 4 p.m. CT at Sanders Ferry Park in Hendersonville. The winner of the Champions Cup team event will be determined, and the final 15 anglers will secure their places in the championship round.