Anthony Gagliardi, Prosperity, South Carolina's "Other Bass Pro," (Davey Hite,) makes his appearance at Top Gun as the World's Number 8 Pro.  Gagliardi, is one of the hottest pros on either tour in the last several years, having been close in the last two FLW Tour Championships finishing 5th in 2005 and 3rd in 2004.

Gagliardi is an accomplished Power Fisherman, however, like everyone in this field, is just as comfortable with finesse tactics as with the heavy artillery.  Anthony has a tour level win under his belt, as he was the winner of the Kentucky Lake FLW Tour stop in 2004.  

Gagliardi has made his mark in tournament fishing on the FLW Tour, he is considered to be one the tour's fastest rising starts.  He is keeping his first ProTourJournals for us.  

A Look At Anthony's Top 25's over the last 3 years.

August 10-"I spent a lot of time driving around the lake today, didn't fish too much.  This event is interesting because on the FLW Tour, I would have as many days as I needed to get ready.  Usually, I spend about five days ahead of a tournament learning the lake.  With only two days, I doubt that I will be able to risk looking for productive off shore structure, the water color really isn't good for off shore stuff anyway.  I looked a little today, but didn't find anything special, except for one road bed that I liked.  I caught only White Bass off of it, but I will visit that road bed each day of the tournament."

"I spent a majority of the day looking for off shore stuff, but I don't the water color is right for off shore, I just don't think I will have the time to find the right stuff out there."

"I found very little shore line brush, most of the shallow cover is dock related.  The lake water level is about two feet down, if it were up another two feet, this lake would have a lot of brush in it."

"I didn't catch many fish today, I did catch one keeper that was probably 2 1/2 pounds.  I did have two or three blows up on my top water, I think there will be some of that available this week."

"I will go to the banks tomorrow, and try to find out what they want in the shallows.  The docks are the dominant feature of this lake, as far as I can see.  The lake is big enough so that even if the entire field is fishing docks, there should be enough for twenty five boats."

August 11-"I fished a lot today, although I don't like to set the hook, mainly just shake the fish off.  I got some fish, although I wouldn't say that I am on them.  I like to think of day one of any tournament as one more practice day.  I know there are fish where I will be fishing tomorrow, but I don't know how big they are.  I get accused of sand bagging sometimes because I say I'm not really on them during pre fish.  Truth is, I really don't know if I am on them or not.  That first day of the event is kind of like a pre fish day that counts, if that makes any sense."

"I spent a lot of time marking spaces, actually marking docks.  I looked for docks that fit a specific definition:  A lot of shade, presence of some brush or cover nearby and deep water near by.  I feel that the deeper water sometimes allows the dock to replenish itself a little better."

"I have a lot of places to fish tomorrow.  I marked a lot of stuff on my GPS.  I don't know if all of my spots will hold fish, but they are spots that represent the kind of stuff, mainly docks that I want to fish.  There are a couple of off shore spots I want to look at, but it will mainly be docks."

"I will start out with top water tomorrow, I have had some success with that, then I will just go spot to spot.  I have enough places to fish to keep me busy tomorrow."

August 12-5 Fish / 9.21 / 10th place "I didn't get any bites on top water this morning, I was looking for that 3 to 5 pound bite that would have put me in the top three or four."

"The guys caught them well today, a little better than I thought they would, but it is a big fish deal.  Take a look at any of the leaders, Namiki had a big one, Hackney had a big one, you needed a kicker, they are out there."

"I caught seven keepers today, and still feel like I have a chance, I don't know if a guy is going to catch another five pounder tomorrow, someone will, just not necessarily the same guy who did today."

"I started out today throwing top water, but didn't get bit.  I moved to the docks and caught two keepers on the first dock I fished.  This kind of clued me in to the dock bite, remember, I didn't fish a lot of them during pre fish, I just marked the ones that looked good."

"I fished about half of the docks that I had GPS'd during practice, I will fish the other half today, except a stretch of docks on a bank that produced four of my seven keepers today.  I believe there are more fish on those docks, and I will visit them again today."

"The weigh in was cool, long but each of us did have a chance to get on stage and talk, without having to worry about being pushed along for the next guy to weigh in."

August 13-1 Fish / 1.68 / 6 Fish / 10.89 / 17th place "I really messed up today, I only had one keeper, and I missed a really big one.  My keeper came on a Brian's Bee Crank bait."

"This lake is getting beat up pretty bad.  There weren't as many pleasure boaters out today as I thought there might be.  We had overcast sky in the morning and I am sure that kept some off the water, however the field of pros are hammering the docks pretty good.  It doesn't take long for these kind of anglers to figure out a bite, and they have all been hitting the docks pretty hard."

"I am pretty much out of it at this point, I sure would like to weigh another five tomorrow, I am not sure what I will do yet."

"I will probably fish for big bites, although I really haven't given it much thought yet.  I will sleep on it tonight and then decide tomorrow morning."

August 14-1 Fish / 1.37 / 7 Fish / 12.26 / 23rd place 

"I just ran out of water.  Today, I caught my one fish on a trick worm, rigged on a "Spot Remover" jig head."

"I caught my fish this week on the spot removers and also on the small Brian's Tiny Bee crank baits."

"I really had a lot of fun at this event.  Being able to fish against the best is a tremendous opportunity, and one that I felt privileged to be invited to.  The weigh in show was unique, I think the guys really pulled it off well.  It just goes to show that there are other ways to conduct a weigh in.  It worked well."