Cullman native Jordan Lee reeled in five quality fish (20 pounds, 10 ounces) during Friday’s Bassmaster Southern Open on Smith Lake. The impressive haul vaulted Lee into first place by nearly two pounds over Bill Day II and Jesse Wiggins, also of Cullman, heading into the final day of spirited competition.

Lee also caught the largest fish out of 179 boats — a seven-pound, 13-ounce monster that all but sealed the stronghold on the top spot.

With torrential rain resulting in dirtier water, Lee wasn’t expecting to find the big surprise laying in wait for him in the same spot she had been back during a practice run on Tuesday.

“I couldn’t see her today, but I knew right where she’d been sitting,” he told Bassmaster.com. “I made three or four flips in there before she bit. That big one made my day. You don’t catch many of those at Smith Lake.”

Lee will try to take home the title on Saturday. Weigh-ins will be at the Smith Lake Dam Access Area at 2:30 p.m.

Normally, Saturday’s weigh-ins would result in a cut to the Top 12. However, with Thursday’s rain, the usual three-day long event was shortened to just two days on the water. 

Therefore, a full field will cast off into Smith Lake for the second straight day.