Two weeks ago in the Central Open at Alabama’s Smith Lake, Nick LeBrun was in first place going into the final day. He finished second by over 4 pounds to Jacob Powroznik. LeBrun caught only three keepers totaling 5-7 on Day 3.
The 37-year-old Bossier City, La., resident is in the process of reversing that outcome – in a big way – on Grand Lake. LeBrun has put on a topwater show this morning, relying exclusively on a River2Sea Whopper Plopper 130 in loon color, which is primarily black. He started the morning with a 5-pounder and closed the 9 o’clock hour with a 4-pounder, noting, “That fish right there is going to be key.”
It gave him a five-bass total of 16-6, according to BassTrakk, and a lead of almost 14 pounds over second place. The standings will undoubtedly tighten as the day goes on. So far this week the mid-day and afternoon bite has been key. But LeBrun has set a high bar in the first three hours of this final day of the final Basspro.com Bassmaster Open of the 2021 season.