The weathermen near Mobridge, S.D., are likely not all that busy. Just pre-load a report predicting heavy wind and the work day is over. That should give the mechanically-minded among them time to moonlight at the Elite Series service yard, where boats are likely being put back together tonight with chewing gum and baling wire. Yes, it was rough on Oahe today, and the competitors let us know it early and often.
“She’s a little blustery out, a little walleye chop,” said big water expert and fashion icon Jeff Gustafson in the morning.
“I think we were on the Atlantic Ocean,” Bryan New likewise reported.
By the time the weigh-in got over 20 anglers deep, it was old news. “It got a lot rougher today, I don’t know if you’ve heard that or not,” Steve Kennedy deadpanned onstage.
Many of those who chose to run 60 miles or more found it to be worth their while and their pain. Those who found bronze gold at the end of that E-Ticket ride will ease the aches with checks and liberal doses of Advil. After tightening up their jackplates they may even call their hometown chiropractors to set up a post-La Crosse appointment. Other competitors tried to let discretion be the better part of valor, not always with the desired result: “I opted to stay close so I could walk in the morning,” said Koby Kreiger, who added 7-12 to his Day 1 catch of 13-15, and ended up in 52nd place, exactly a pound out of the cut.
Then again, making the run wasn’t a guarantee of success. Jamie Hartman reported that his boat got him 40 miles there and back “and it wasn’t worth it.” He finished 74th. Saving gas and vertebrae is always a good thing, but it doesn’t necessarily get you paid.
There doesn’t seem to be any rhyme or reason to these smallmouth – where they live or how and when they bite – but a few pros seem to have things figured out, including notable smallmouth hammer and previous Elite winner Chris Johnston. Nevertheless, there’s still a lot of wave-pounding left to go. Here’s what I’m thinking about at the halfway mark:
Under Pressure – While these smallmouth receive very little attention throughout much of the year, both the anglers and the pundits have repeatedly commented on how quickly they get impacted by boat traffic and fishing pressure. Once they’re put on notice, they go from punch-drunk stupid to ultra-wary in a heartbeat. I don’t get it, and no one seems to have a plausible explanation. Can it be won off one or two spots? Best guess is that in order to win, an angler will need to have multiple areas to himself, places that won’t get washed out by wind or other conditions. That’s why they play all four days (wind-permitting)
Twenties – Yesterday three anglers topped the 20-pound mark. Today there were three more, including a remarkable 23 pounds from the Sleepy Assassin Austin Felix, 21-6 from Caleb Kuphall and 20-2 from Marc Frazier (of course I picked the other Frazier in Fantasy Fishing). In 2018 there were three total over the entire tournament, with Clifford Pirch’s 20-11 taking top single-day honors. Unfortunately for Pirch, his 23-10 over two days isn’t much more than that, but it’s enough to allow him to fish tomorrow. He snuck inside the cut in 40th by less than a pound.
Consistency Or Fireworks? – Four anglers are within a pound and a half of Chris Johnston’s leading weight of 37-12. Johnston has been exceptionally consistent through two days, posting weights of 18-15 and 18-13. The next four all have brought in one bag over 20 pounds and one under 17. So who do you bet on?
What’s The Cut? – Forty-seventh place after Day 1 was 12-2, and as in 2018 the typically-expected cut weight (2X+1) was not met. In fact, at 22-11, the mark fell over 2 pounds short of the mythical mark.
Flippity Flop – Only three members of the Day 1 Top 10 stayed inside that mark. Brandon Card fell from 1st to 6th, Patrick Walters retained the 3rd place slot, and Chris Johnston jumped from 7th into the lead.
Time Is Money – While the wind clearly impacts the fishing and the boat rides, it also affects anglers’ time management. With little experience on Oahe, the anglers couldn’t have a meaningful sense of how long their runs would take. The LIVE staff reported that Patrick Walters made it back from his 60+ mile drive yesterday with three hours to spare. Today Seth Feider said “I keep leaving early.” He got back to the ramp with two hours he could’ve fished. In any tournament, time management is critical, but in this one it might prove especially beneficial … or costly.
Shallow Water Assassins – While most other anglers fought the offshore winds, North Carolina pro Todd Auten went shallow and reported catching his entire Day 2 limit on a buzzbait. They weighed 10-13, just 15 ounces more than his Day 1 catch. He missed the cut by exactly 2 pounds. Rookie Ohio pro Alex Redwine likewise found topwater action in effect. His weight went down 20 ounces as compared to his Day 1 catch, but with 24-2 total he made it to Saturday in 37th place.
K.I.S.S. – Reigning Classic champion Jason Christie, who finished 73rd, said he “tried to be too smart here.” Patrick Walters, currently 70 places up the food chain, said that he became a better smallmouth angler when he decided not to outsmart the fish. “It’s a lot simpler than we make it out to be,” he told Dave Mercer.
Say What? – Taku Ito and Matt Robertson were back-to-back in the weigh-in line. That conversation must’ve been epic.
Doing It His Own Way – For the second straight day Rick Clunn weighed in a green bass. “You know there’s a largemouth division?” he asked Dave Mercer.
How To Tell a Fake – Per Dave Mercer, the sign of an authentic Kenora Dinner Jacket is that “you can fit exactly two beers in each pocket.”
