IT’S A RUNAWAY TOURNAMENT ON THE PASQUOTANK RIVER IN THE BASSMASTER ELITE SERIES

BASS courtesy photo of angler Kyle Welcher surrounded by tournament director Lisa Talmadge (L) and weigh-in announcer Dave Mercer (R)

Kyle Welcher is shooting for one thing.

Everyone else is looking at something else.

After two days of fishing in the Bassmaster Elite Series stop on the Pasquotank River, the Opelika, Ala., resident is basically destroying the field – leaving the rest of the 101 competitors in his wake as they fight to make it to Sunday’s 10-angler final.

Heading into today’s third day round of 50 competitors, the 2023 Angler of the Year is the only competitor to register 30-plus pounds of largemouth bass each of the first two days.

Welcher – who has brought 60 pounds, 14 ounces to the scale – leads the 50th-place competitor by 37 pounds, 3 ounces.

He heads into today’s action with a 22-pound margin over second place – held by Carbondale, Ill., angler Trey McKinney, who enters Saturday with a 10-fish bag that went  38-14.

Jason Foutz of Charleston, Tenn., is third with 38-2, with the top five rounded out by Tyler Williams of Belgrade, Maine, with 37-9 and Brandon Lester of Fayetteville, Tenn., with 36-5.

“This might be my favorite place,” Welcher said during Friday’s weigh-ins. “I feel like I’m the chosen one.”

So does his competition.

With a first-day lead of nearly eight pounds, Welcher started Friday off with a 7-plus pounder. He finished with two of his daily five fish topping seven pounds.

But his weren’t the only big fish caught. Several more 7-pounders were decked and there have been a few fish topping eight – led by Gonzales, Louisiana, angler Greg Heckney’s tournament and Day 2 leader at 8-4.

“I broke that fish off yesterday and caught it today on my fourth flip,” said Hackney, who has competed in 19 Bassmaster Classics. This place “is a bit challenging.”

Many in the field once again made long, often brutal runs out of the Pasquotank to fish estuaries to the north, canals and coves to the east, and other rivers to the south.

But Welcher shunned the traveling scene and decided for the second day to stay close to home. On Friday he never went more than two miles away from the launch site.

He wasn’t confessing exactly where he was fishing, but locals watching the daily live broadcast on www.bassmaster.com know exactly where he was at. If he expands his field just a little for the last two. days, he can just about cash his $100,000 winner’s check and find a place for the hardware.

In two days, Welcher has burned less fuel getting to his spots than the rest of the field has used just driving to the launch ramps. And his insanely short runs have given him hours of extra time tossing baits into the river’s tannin waters – which has been helpful to his slow, patient style.

“He’s on something special,” competitor Brock Mosley said.

Just how special is two days away. Welcher is clearly on track to top the 100-pound mark for a four day, 20 fish limit.

It’s a feat rarely accomplished on any body of water.

But when you’re chosen …

As usual, stay tuned for more.