Elite

Smith Lake flyover

Take a flyover before the first-ever Bassmaster Elite Series event on northwest Alabama’s Smith Lake.

Posted on
Photography by
Craig Lamb
Summertime, fireworks and spotted bass. All three will be in play during the TNT Fireworks Bassmaster Elite at Smith Lake. This was the scene on Wednesday, June 26, when I took an early morning flight across key areas of the lake that might be in play. 
Call this tranquil scene the calm before the storm. The 21,000-acre tentacle-shaped lake with its labyrinth of creeks, coves and pockets is highly popular among recreational boaters. The reason is the clear, deep water that is ideal for water sports. Given that, the weekend session of the tournament could get another dimension of the game added to it, in the form of heavy boat traffic. And hence my reference to fireworks, both on the water and in the sky. 
Meanwhile, let’s take a flyover of the picturesque northwest Alabama lake that’s located on the far western edge of the Appalachian foothills. Note that I concentrated on points, where spotted bass are known to school, and the shallower areas where an early-morning largemouth bite might play out. 

Related