GROVE, Okla. — Check the mood of the 108 anglers and the tone is neutral at the 2018 Academy Sports + Outdoors Bassmaster Elite at Grand Lake.
Nobody is complaining and all are eager for what is to come.
Everyone is eager for spawning largemouth to flood the shoreline, so there is no need to complain. When the flood arrives is unknown, although prime conditions are in play for that to happen any day now.
Betting on the come and having the bass moving in the same direction, shallow, is the ideal scenario. Sunshine and warmer temperatures are in the forecast. So is a full moon on Monday. Between now and then changes in the fishing strategies are givens. What worked today, might not the next.
What is evolving on Grand Lake is a tournament junkie’s delight. Watching the scoreboard load up with weights and how the anglers adjust to the changes ahead is worth watching.
Here is how Thursday shook out for some of the top anglers.
Brock Mosley (23-5)
What worked: “Confidence. I’m using just a couple of baits and just grinding it out. What else helped was knowing what to look for when I got into an area. That was key because the water temperature is different up and down the lake.”
What didn’t work: “Nothing, wouldn’t change a thing.”
What he’ll change tomorrow: “Up and down the lake I’m running the same pattern, so my plan is being aware that change is the constant for the weekend. Being adaptable and open to change.”
Kyle Monti (22-6)
What worked: “After 9:30 today I had my total weight, backed off them and went practicing for new bass and water. So really what worked well was managing my area.”
What didn’t work: “Nothing, today went as planned.”
What he’ll change tomorrow: “Be open minded if the fish have moved. I have a good idea of where that will be, so it will be about avoiding getting locked into one area.”
Kevin VanDam (21-15)
What worked: “The cloud cover and wind kept my fish on the move and that’s when I’m at my best.”
What didn’t work: “The bass are spawning right now and what I’ve been keyed on is the prespawn bite and that is going away.”
What he’ll change tomorrow: “I don’t know yet because I would prefer clouds but there is much more sun in the forecast than we’ve had all week. I’ll just have to do my best and adapt to the changing conditions.”
Brent Ehrler (21-8)
What worked: “Running and a lot of spots and being able to pick up a few fish here and there. I don’t really have anything specific figured out just yet, but the potential is there if I continue covering a lot of water.”
What didn’t work: “Going back to areas where I caught fish in practice and there were none. My lesson learned today was about covering new water.”
What he’ll change tomorrow: “Try and catch an early limit so I can just relax and go from there. Today it took too long to do that and when I finally got the limit it got easier to focus on bigger fish.”
Gerald Swindle (21-8)
What worked: “Fishing slow. For bedding fish the strike zone is very small and making repeated casts over the same area, even when I was ready to move on, was the key for today.”
What didn’t work: “I can’t think of a thing that needs to be changed.”
What he’ll change tomorrow: “Milk every area for all it’s worth, probably even slow down even more as the bass move into my key areas to spawn.”
Stephen Browning (20-8)
What worked: “Slowing down. A lot of times when not getting a lot of bites in practice is go into an area and totally pick it apart and it just gets better.”
What didn’t work: “The midday bite. It slowed my momentum after doing so well earlier in the day.”
What he’ll change tomorrow: “Back off and work some areas where I watched other guys fish right over the bass. I feel like those guys fished right over them and were going too fast for the bite.”
Jordan Lee (20-4)
What worked: “The early bite. Being on my best spots early when the bite is best.”
What didn’t work: “Not being totally dialed in, but that will come tomorrow.”
What he’ll change tomorrow: “Try and make my bite work later into the morning.”