This one is going to be a tough event. Lake Guntersville will be challenging. I think it would surprise most people to know just how tough this place can be this time of year. It truly is one of the best lakes in the country; there is no doubt. With the number of tournaments and the pressure it gets, it is beaten to death but continues to produce.
This time of year is tough, though. A lot of the fish seem to go into hiding for a month or two. They hit the restart button or something. Due to that, if you can catch 13- to 14-pound bags here this time of year, that’s pretty darn good. The other 10 months out of the year, that weight wouldn’t get you a second look.
It’s going to be a grinder this week for sure. I’ve fished some club events here and a BFL Super Tournament back in the day, so I have some experience.
With that being said, I knew all of this coming into the official practice so I could mentally prepare for it. My practice has been good. I haven’t found a mother lode where I feel like I could sit and rail on them, but I’ve gotten some bites and bites doing what I like to do.
The guy who wins is either going to junk fish his way around or completely dedicate himself to his technique – 100% committed. Personally, I’m completely dedicated to what I’m going to do.
I feel confident fishing the grass this time of year, and the grass looks really good. It is as good-looking as it has been in the past three to four years. It is green and healthy where I like to fish. There isn’t a lot of grass in certain parts of the lake, but I like what I found.
The weather has changed. We got a lot of rain last week that affected the water levels, so I think conditions will be tough.
I hope to flip the grass the whole time. An X Zone Lures Muscle Back finesse craw, 1 1/2-ounce Mustad tungsten weight with a 4/0 Mustad Grip Pin Max flipping hook and 60-pound Vicious No-Fade Braid is what I plan to go to battle using.
I’m looking for five good bites every day, and hopefully, that is what happens. It should be fun; y’all stay tuned.