SHREVEPORT, La. — A change in his practice methods for the Bass Pro Shops Central Open on the Red River is paying off for Gerald Spohrer.

Last year the Gonzalez, La., angler ran the banks in practice and tried to make a milk run of spots during the tournament. However he found crowds on most of those spots and eventually finished 49th in the Open. This year Spohrer looked for more offshore targets in practice, a strategy that has him leading the pro division with 28 pounds, 14 ounces.

“I spent my whole practice fishing stuff where I thought the tournament would be won,” he said. “I know this river very well and I have a lot of experience here. I gambled and found some sweet spots that were holding some big ones.” Whenever he got a bite in practice he marked a waypoint in the oxbows he was fishing, and each competition day he has keyed on those waypoints.

The change in weather from clouds and wind yesterday to sunshine and a light breeze today made it easier for the 32-year-old Spohrer to work his area. “I had a problem with the wind yesterday,” said Spohrer, who had a 13-5 limit the first day. “It was blowing about 25 mph out of the south and I was fishing the northern end of an oxbow.”

The rough water made it difficult to see the stumps he was trying to target, but Friday he was able to locate the stumps easier and caught a heavier limit (15-9) while flipping to the wood cover. “The sun is positioning the fish on the stumps,” Spohrer said. Both days he spends a couple of hours fishing the stump field to catch bigger fish and then moves to other spots to complete his limit.

“Tomorrow I might just stay in that area all day,” Spohrer said.

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