Bass Pro Tour Stage 1, Day 1 Recap: Lake Conroe Delivers Fireworks and Strategy Shake-Ups

Jason George | Jan 31, 2025

Brent Ehrler Day 1 Bass Pro Tour, Lake Conroe / Photo by PMoore | Courtesy of MLF

The Bass Pro Tour is off to a roaring start and Lake Conroe wasted no time throwing a curveball at the best anglers in the game. With shifting weather, wind gusts up to 15 mph, and a brand-new rule limiting forward-facing sonar usage to just one of three periods, the playing field got interesting real quick.

Top 20 After Day 1: The Elimination Line

1. Nick LeBrun, Bossier City, La., 38 bass, 83-6
2. Takahiro Omori, Tokyo, Japan, 28 bass, 74-8
3. Spencer Shuffield, Hot Springs, Ark., 27 bass, 69-1
4. Ron Nelson, Berrien Springs, Mich., 28 bass, 60-3
5. Drew Gill, Mount Carmel, Illinois, 25 bass, 59-0
6. Jacob Wheeler, Harrison, Tenn., 24 bass, 58-1
7. Todd Faircloth, Jasper, Texas, 23 bass, 56-8
8. Dustin Connell, Clanton, Ala., 23 bass, 53-7
9. Jake Lawrence, Paris, Tenn., 20 bass, 53-6
10. Martin Villa, Charlottesville, Va., 23 bass, 53-3
11. Mark Rose, Wynne, Ark., 21 bass, 50-15
12. Justin Lucas, Guntersville, Ala., 20. bass, 49-5
13. Mark Davis, Mount Ida, Ark., 18 bass, 46-7
14. Edwin Evers, Talala, Okla., 19 bass, 46-1
15. Mark Daniels Jr., Tuskegee, Ala., 22 bass, 45-9
16. Jeff Sprague, Wills Point, Texas, 15 bass, 45-0
17. Colby Miller, Elmer, La., 19 bass, 44-3
18. Wesley Strader, Spring City, Tenn., 16 bass, 41-3
19. Fred Roumbanis, Russellville, Ark., 16 bass, 40-11
20. Ott DeFoe, Blaine, Tenn., 18 bass, 39-15

Fast Starts, Tough Calls, and Bold Moves

Let’s talk about Takahiro Omori. This guy came out swinging, landing six bass for 19-04 by 8:30 AM CST, all thanks to his dialed-in forward-facing sonar. But if you blinked, you might've missed Mark Davis snatching the lead minutes later with 22 pounds even, without using forward-facing sonar. Davis put on a power-fishing clinic, locking into eight bass, including a solid 4-09 kicker that helped him edge ahead early.

Dustin Connell 5lb 8oz Bass / Courtesy of MLF

Dustin Connell, one of the most methodical anglers in the sport, spent practice tracking down overlooked baitfish schools. By 8:51 AM, he sat in 18th place with 11-09 from five fish, proving that patience and a deep understanding of bait movement can still pay off in a high-tech era.

Then there's Edwin Evers, one of the biggest names in the game, who had a bit of a rough start. Sitting at 1-15 with just one fish, he didn't mince words about his decision-making: "I made a bad decision… I thought I could catch five or ten in the ditch, but it didn't happen." We've all been there, right?

Thinking we've got the perfect plan, only to realize we should've trusted our gut. He quickly pivoted to the back of a creek loaded with hydrilla, betting that submerged vegetation could turn his day around.

The Wheeler Clinic

Jacob Wheeler Period 1 Winner 22 bass for a total of 52-12 / Courtesy of MLF

By the time Period 1 wrapped up, Jacob Wheeler had officially turned Lake Conroe into his personal playground. He stacked up 22 bass for 52-12, including a chunky 4-14, showcasing why he's consistently one of the most dangerous anglers on tour. His weapon of choice?

The Rapala CrushCity Freeloader is a bait designed for bladed jigs but proves lethal for jig minnow forward-facing sonar techniques. Wheeler's performance had the rest of the field taking notes—or scrambling to adjust.

Nick LeBrun's Masterclass: Finding 'Em and Catching 'Em

Nick Lebrun Adds 50+ Pounds Without FFS To Take The Lead For Day 1 / Photo by PMoore | Courtesy of MLF

But the biggest story of the day? Nick LeBrun. The Louisiana pro put on a clinic, catching 38 bass for a staggering 83-6. He wasn't just consistent—he was dominant, executing a flawless blend of forward-facing sonar in Period 1 and power fishing in the hydrilla-choked creeks afterward.

LeBrun's reasoning for using his sonar early? Simple. He didn't want other anglers to get to those fish first, and he knew a weather front was rolling in. It worked. Seventeen of his bass came in that first period, totaling 35-11, but what set him apart was his ability to keep catching them after his sonar was shut down. He adapted, he adjusted, and he put on a show.

I was pretty certain that a lot of competitors found the same suspended fish that I had found... And they did; we kind of split them up. Another factor was just the weather. I didn’t want to risk going into the third period with bad storms and rain and really high winds and not even be effective.”

- Nick Lebrun

"I had a few areas that I knew had potential, but I didn't know what was really there," LeBrun admitted. "So I'm really excited about that." That's a dangerous statement for the rest of the field—if a guy catches 83 pounds accidentally, imagine what he'll do when he's dialed in.

Takahiro Omori Stays True to His Roots

Takahrio Omori Fishing a Grass Flat on Lake Conroe / Photo by PMoore | Courtesy of MLF

Omori, one of the tour's most respected power-fishing veterans, didn't care much about all the forward-facing sonar debates. Instead, he stuck to what he does best—locking a casting rod in his hands and grinding. A bladed jig in the hydrilla-heavy creeks was his weapon of choice, and it paid off with 28 scorable bass for 74-8. He even took the lead for a chunk of the day before LeBrun's late-game heroics stole the show.

"I started back there with only two boats, and after the first period, everybody got done with the forward-facing sonar bite; they just came to me," Omori said. "There ended up being like eight, nine boats back there sharing fish, so it's getting tougher and tougher. But I kind of expected that to happen. I'm glad I caught them early."

Big Fish Alert: Terry Scroggins Drops a 9-5 Hammer

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While consistency wins tournaments, big bass win headlines. Terry "Big Show" Scroggins delivered on his nickname, bringing a jaw-dropping 9-pound, 5-ounce largemouth to the scales in Period 1. That fish not only put cash in his pocket ($1,000 for the Berkley Big Bass Award) but also served as a reminder of Conroe's trophy potential.

What's Next? Qualifying Rounds & Strategy Decisions

Now comes the real decision-making. With one more day in the Qualifying Round, LeBrun has to decide: does he push hard for a guaranteed Championship Round berth, or does he back off and conserve his spots? That's the million-dollar question.

Meanwhile, Omori is all gas, no brakes. "I'm going to fish as hard as I can," he said. "I don't worry about saving fish because you never know what's going to happen."

For the rest of the field, it's time to adjust. Forward Facing Sonar worked early, but now the hydrilla bite is heating up. With the weather stabilizing and fish potentially pushing shallower, the next couple of days could be wild.

One thing's certain: Lake Conroe is putting on a show, and the Bass Pro Tour is just starting.

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