Loberg Holds Firm Lead on Day 2 of Bassmaster Elite at Tenkiller

TAHLEQUAH, Okla. — Alabama’s Andrew Loberg maintained his lead on Day 2 of the Lowrance Bassmaster Elite at Lake Tenkiller, amassing a total of 35 pounds, 13 ounces. With two days of competition behind him, the 31-year-old pro leads a fierce field of 101 anglers.

Loberg began the tournament with a robust Day 1 weight of 17 pounds, 9 ounces, and improved that on Friday with a catch of 18 pounds, 4 ounces. He has a narrow 12-ounce advantage over fellow competitor Keith Combs, while the distance to third place exceeds 4 pounds.

“Fishing the Delta, you have to run a tide and most of the time you have to have a big flipping stick,” Loberg said. “The water fluctuation on Tenkiller correlates to the tide a little bit. It makes sense to me and I can run around and see what looks good.”

This week has suited Loberg well, as he previously secured a win at Lake Eufaula, utilizing both a square-bill and a jig. “There are big largemouth and they like to stay shallow,” he added. “Even offshore fishing, they stay in 10 to 15 feet of water and that’s still shallow.”

Emerging weather conditions posed a challenge, as the pros contended with heavy rains and thunderstorms on Friday morning. Still, every competitor managed to catch a five-bass limit for the second consecutive day.

Fishing primarily in shallow water, Loberg employed various techniques, including flipping baits and using ChatterBaits, swim jigs, and squarebills. He even hooked a bass using a buzzbait and a frog: “I’ve been just rolling into a stretch, seeing what it looks like and then throwing whatever I think will work,” said Loberg.

His strategy paid off when he landed a solid 4-pound largemouth on a ChatterBait around 11 a.m. “When something sets up right, you are going to get a bite. I got fortunate with a good bite,” Loberg commented.

The day included a key loss too, as Loberg lost a 4-pounder early in the morning. However, he quickly made up for it, catching additional fish in shallow bushes and flooded cover while navigating around thunderstorms.

Competition remains tight, with Combs and Downey also showing strong performances. Combs, who landed 19-2 on Day 2—the largest weight of the tournament so far—continues to apply pressure after finishing 7th in 2019.

The tournament progresses with the Top 50 anglers launching at Chicken Creek Boat Ramp at 6:30 a.m. CT, and check-in at 2:30 p.m. Weigh-in follows at the Cherokee Casino in Tahlequah at 3 p.m.