As we head into the Bassmaster Elite on Pickwick Lake this week, it’s easy to look back at last year’s event and wonder if I’m looking for redemption after finishing second. To tell you the truth, I’m not really approaching it that way.
That’s because this event will be completely different. Last year, big rains raised the river past flood level and brought massive current that completely changed what most guys had found in practice.
Those conditions prompted B.A.S.S. to postpone the tournament’s start by two days, so with the water coming up after practice, we just had to go out there blind. At that point, I had some advantage because I’ve spent a lot of time on Pickwick. I’ve seen those conditions before, and I knew what to do.
I didn’t know how good I was going to catch them; I just knew I was going to catch them. This year, we have normal conditions, and I don’t have any advantage at all.
With modern electronics, everyone has the same abilities, so there’s really not any local advantage during normal conditions. The only thing that might give me a little bit of an upper hand is that I already know where some of the schools will be. But these are offshore spots that they get on every year and stuff that I know everyone will find.
When they get offshore here in the summertime, there’s not really anywhere they can hide. Generally, I do best here early in the year, like February/March and then October/November when they get back off the ledges.
I know a lot of guys did well at the Wilson Dam tailrace last year, because all that current had the fish — especially the big smallmouth — up there eating. This year, the spillway gates are closed, so the tailrace won’t play a significant role.
This week’s tournament will have many opportunities, including a whole other lake — Bay Springs — that we can run to. You also have the Florence, Ala., end of the lake, which is more of a river deal than a ledge scenario.
Fishing pressure is going to be a big deal this week. The guy that can find those off-the-wall wolf packs, as opposed to those giant schools, will be the guy that does well.
However I end up fishing for them, I’m going to need to work on execution to get my season back on track. With the obvious exception of a second place at Chickamauga Lake, I’d have to describe my season as disappointing.
On paper, my overall performance isn’t that great, but a lot can happen in a tournament day that people don’t see — they only see the end result. In my case, I’ve made a lot of right decisions this year that the results don’t show.
Losing fish is part of the game we play — and I’m not using it as an excuse — but I have had a rough year of losing fish. I’ve lost more fish in the first half of this season, including the Bassmaster Classic, than I have the last three years combined.
I’ve lost fish on ChatterBaits, I’ve lost them on flipping jigs and I’ve lost them on crankbaits. I’m not saying I’ve been on winning patterns, but every tournament, I’ve had opportunities to make cuts.
That’s what I set out to do — make cuts every tournament. If you look at my results, I’ve had a 61st, a 63rd, a 65th and my worst was 74th at Santee Cooper. In all of these, I’m a couple fish away from being in the cut.
So, I may not have any advantage on Pickwick this week, but I know what I need to do. I’ll be focused on finding the most consistent bite I can and doing my best to get them in the boat.
