> Day 1: 5, 20-09 With how practice went for Rojas, he felt 20 pounds was a real possibility today, so he was pleased to hit his goal and he’s confident that he can transition away from sight-fishing tomorrow if need be and stay in contention.

“It put me in a good position for the rest of the week,” he said. “I’m glad I’m not down there where a lot of guys are. Every time we come (to New York), it’s always about ounces. You have to balance-beam every fish because that 1 ounce can make a big difference.”

He had his weight in the boat by 9 a.m. and spent the rest of the day trying to upgrade while formulating a plan of attack for Friday.

“I did some flipping and sight-fishing,” he said. “I know that it’s probably going to be won flipping so I wanted to get the sight-fish out of the way.”

He said he fished around many of the anglers in the Top 5 today so he knows there are quality fish in the area he’s focusing on. If the wind isn’t a factor tomorrow, he may try to pick off more spawning fish. Read more