COLUMBIA, S.C. — The last two times the Bassmaster Elite Series has been here – and it’s been a while – a four-day total in the 60-pounds-plus range has won it. However, the current version of 50,000-acre Lake Murray has fished much better than that. Wednesday evening, post-practice predictions for a winning weight were in the 80-pounds range. The four-day Marathon Bassmaster Elite at Lake Murray begins Thursday
“This lake over the last six months, well, for a year really, has been fishing great,” said Jason Williamson, who is from Aiken, S.C. “It’s been taking 25 pounds (in a five-bass limit) to win the team tournaments. I know some locals who’ve had 29 pounds. If you average 20 pounds a day, that’s going to be pretty strong this week.”
There are plenty of bass shallow on spawning beds, and the blueback herring spawn has begun on the shallow main lake points, so bass are chasing them too.
“There’s going to be a lot of shallow sight-fishing,” said Patrick Walters, who teamed with Gettys Brannon to win a College Championship on Lake Murray, April 16-18, 2015, representing the University of South Carolina. While earning his degree over four years at USC, Walters spent many days on Lake Murray.
“It’s where I fished my first ever bass tournament,” Walters said. “A big wave of fish has moved up shallow. The bed-fishing bite is going to be strong, especially the first two days. The (blueback herring) schooling bite is just medium right now. But that will change as the tournament goes along.
“You’re going to see some big bags – 25 pounds – the first day. The whole lake is going to play. Any single pocket you go into has got a fish on the bed.”
Steve Kennedy finished second to Fred Roumbanis, by a mere 1 pound, 9 ounces, the first time the Elite Series came to Lake Murray, May 15-18, 2008. Roumbanis’s total was 66-13, boosted by the big bass of the tournament – a 6-13 – caught on the final day. Kennedy is excited about what he’s found in practice this week.
“It’s going to be incredible,” Kennedy said. “We’re going to catch the heck out of them. I wouldn’t be surprised if someone had a 30-pound bag the first day. I think these first two days in particular are going to be incredible.
“The lake seems to be full of 3- to 3 1/2-pound fish. It may take 18 pounds a day to make the (top 50) cut, after what I saw (Wednesday). I think it may take as much as 23 pounds a day to win.”
While the anglers targeting shallow spawners may have an advantage the first two days, the blueback herring spawn is going to be a major factor sooner or later. The man comfortable fishing both ways may have an advantage.
Williamson noted that since the herring spawn has begun, the word is out.
“The worst part of the herring spawn is it tends to bring out everybody who owns a boat,” he said. “It will be tough on the weekend. Timing and a good rotation (of points to fish) is the key or camping on one spot, if it’s good. I tend to hop from point to point a lot. But on the weekend, someone may have to sit on a spot.”
Jacob Powroznik is another Elite Series angler with a lot of experience on Lake Murray. He predicted a winning total weight of 83 pounds. And, like others have noted, he thinks it will take a combination of bass on spawning beds and bass chasing spawning blueback herring on the long shallow points to take the trophy.
“I’ve fished here a lot,” Powroznik said. “But with the electronics and mapping there are no secrets.”
When asked to pick three anglers likely to do well here, Powroznik said, “Brandon Cobb, he’s a good sight fisherman, and he knows the herring bite. Patrick Walters, because of his experience here. And (Greg) Hackney. He’s been here a lot, and he knows this place. He’s one of those guys you can’t ever count out.”
