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Open On Smith Lake To Benefit From Blueback Herring Explosion
Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Opens champion David Kilgore will be one of 170 pros competing at the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Southern Open at Smith Lake out of Jasper, Ala, March 31–April 2. Kilgore took home top honors in 2014 when he won his third Open event with a three-day total weight of 54 pounds, 11 ounces.
“The reason I won the tournament the last time was because of the blueback herring, but I didn’t know that,” said David Kilgore of Jasper, who took first place with a three-day total of 54 pounds, 11 ounces. “I just thought the bass were feeding on shad.”
Now everybody knows about the blueback herring in Lewis Smith Lake, a 21,000-acre reservoir in north-central Alabama. Blueback herring lakes tend to fish a bit differently than other Southern waters with the usual forage of threadfin and gizzard shad. So there will undoubtedly be some surprises in store when the second Southern Open gets underway at Smith Lake March 31-April 2.
Wesley Strader of Spring City, Tenn., won the first Southern Open Jan. 28-30 at the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes in Florida.
Kilgore, who owns a home on Smith Lake, predicts that about 50 percent of the bass will have spawned by the time the tournament starts. And due to heavy rains that raised the lake level 17 feet last December, the lake isn’t as clear as usual in many places. That combination might take the sight-fishing aspect out of this event for the most part.
“There will be some, but I don’t think there will be a lot of it,” Kilgore said. “This is a hard lake to do that on three days in a row.”
In a major tournament on Smith at the same time last year, five anglers weighed 60-plus pounds over three days, and it took 65-5 to win. Kilgore doesn’t expect the winning weight will be that heavy in this Southern Open. But because the bass are generally shallow now, he thinks it opens the possibilities for several more anglers than usual.
“Normally, there would be about 15 people who can win it,” Kilgore said. “This time I think there are 30 or 40 guys who can win, just because the fish are going to the banks.”
One thing is guaranteed: The tournament won’t be won on an umbrella rig, which Kilgore primarily relied upon two years ago. Those multilure rigs are no longer permitted in B.A.S.S. tournaments.
Brandon Lester of Fayetteville, Tenn., finished seventh here two years ago. He said he was one of the few in the Top 10 who wasn’t using an umbrella rig, so Lester is planning to rely on the same techniques he used then.
“It’s going to be interesting for sure,” said Lester, who is coming off a 13th-place finish in the Elite Series season opener on Florida’s St. Johns River. “A lot has changed since the last time I’ve been there. I don’t think the bluebacks had really taken hold then.
“The lake is definitely on the upswing. It wouldn’t surprise me if it took 20 pounds a day to win. I don’t think it’ll be won on just spots or just largemouth (bass). I think it’ll take a mixed bag.”
Kilgore is sure some 20-pound daily limits will be weighed in. But he’s unsure if anyone will be able to do that three days in a row with all the fishing pressure from this tournament.
“I think it will take more like 18 pounds a day, about like it did last time,” Kilgore said.
Anglers will take off each day at 6:30 a.m. CT at Smith Lake Dam Access. Weigh-ins will be held at 2:30 p.m. at Smith Lake Dam Access the first two days, with the final weigh-in on Day 3 taking place at the Bass Pro Shops in Leeds, Ala., at 3:45 p.m.
The local host for the event is the Walker County Chamber of Commerce.
2016 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Opens Series Title Sponsor: Bass Pro Shops
2016 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Opens Series Platinum Sponsor: Toyota
2016 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Opens Series Premier Sponsors: Berkley, GoPro, Huk, Humminbird, Mercury, Minn Kota, Nitro Boats, Skeeter Boats, Triton Boats, Yamaha
2016 Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Opens Series Supporting Sponsors: A.R.E. Truck Caps, Carhartt, Dick Cepek Tires & Wheels, Livingston Lures, Lowrance, Power-Pole, Rapala, Shell Rotella, Shimano
About B.A.S.S.
B.A.S.S. is the worldwide authority on bass fishing and keeper of the culture of the sport, providing cutting edge content on bass fishing whenever, wherever and however bass fishing fans want to use it. Headquartered in Birmingham, Ala., the 500,000-member organization’s fully integrated media platforms include the industry’s leading magazines (Bassmaster and B.A.S.S. Times), website (Bassmaster.com), television show (The Bassmasters on ESPN2), social media programs and events. For more than 45 years, B.A.S.S. has been dedicated to access, conservation and youth fishing.
The Bassmaster Tournament Trail includes the most prestigious events at each level of competition, including the Bassmaster Elite Series, Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Open Series, B.A.S.S. Nation, Carhartt Bassmaster College Series presented by Bass Pro Shops, Costa Bassmaster High School Series, Toyota Bonus Bucks Bassmaster Team Championship and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the GEICO Bassmaster Classic presented by GoPro.
Lineberger Re Caps the St. Johns River
“Don’t wish for less challenge, wish for more wisdom.”
Jim Rohn
My first week on a new job, so to speak, did not go the way I had envisioned. Making at least the ‘50-cut’ in my first tournament of the Bassmaster Elite Series trail was all I have dreamt about since qualifying last year. Unfortunately, I did not have a top-50 finish.
The first day of the tournament I headed to Lake George as did many other anglers in the field. No sooner did I drop the trolling motor and it immediately seemed guys all around me were hooking up on quality bass. I actually felt jittery as my nerves reminded me that I was amidst the greatest anglers in the world. I feverishly cast and cast with nothing to show for it and “IT” finally happened. I gave in and started trying the same techniques the other guys where using. I was second guessing my abilities amongst the best after a subpar practice. I am very strong willed and pride myself in being mentally tough. Getting caught up in the moment would prove to be my first rookie mistake. As I strapped the rods down and headed in, I could not believe I had made such a mistake. I knew better. While some adjustments were necessary, I still had to fish the techniques I was comfortable with and what qualified me to be here in the first place. I had to fish my strengths!
Day 2 I found myself more settled into the task at hand and focused on my fishing, not the fishing going on around me. A few good ones hit top water baits for me during practice and had decided the night before that top water was the only way to catch a bag big enough to get me back up in the standings. Granted I only weighed in 3 fish on the 2nd day after some costly misses, but I had the right opportunities and was fishing my strengths. I felt I was making the correct choices and later would find out several of the top anglers were doing the same thing.
Moving forward from the St. Johns, I am very anxious to get to the next Elite Series event at Winyah Bay. The lesson learned from this first event is to not second guess myself and to fish with confidence. I would like to thank my family for making the trip from NC, my friends for watching via Bassmaster LIVE, and my sponsors Foothills Marine Center, Skeeter, Yamaha, Abu Garcia, Costa, TrueSouth Custom Lures, P-Line, Reaction Innovations, Bass Mafia, Bluewater LED, Brian’s Bees, Lowrance, and TH Marine.
“It’s not in the dreaming, it’s in the doing”
Mark Cuban
When the Weather Turns Bad
The job of a professional bass fisher has it’s trials and struggles, one thing they deal with day in and day out is the weather. Sudden changes in weather conditions can turn a fun filled day into a dangerous situation….quickly. Last week at the St.Johns River Elite Series the field was faced with just that scenario. Heavy rains and wind made running difficult as storms rolled in, here is look at what it looked like from the drivers seat of Clent Davis’ Phoenix Bass Boat.
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Cold Front Adjustments
Spring can be a magical time to catch the bass of a lifetime, how ever it can be quite frustrating as well. There is nothing worse than spending the week getting ready for a day on the lake only to be met by a nasty cold front. The best of lakes can go from being on fire to something close to the dead sea. When the mercury takes a sudden drop, here are a few tips from Elite Series pro Brent Chapman that will help you deal with these situations.
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Follow Brent on his Facebook page.
Check out Bass Quest Magazine, the best anglers and the best content hands down.
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Lineberger’s St. Johns River Re Cap
GILBERTSVILLE, Ky. (March 23, 2016) – FLW College Fishing is headed to Kentucky Lake April 1-2 for the second annual FLW College Fishing Open. The tournament, which is hosted by the Kentucky Lake Convention & Visitors Bureau and Moors Resort & Marina, will allow registration from any eligible college teams, regardless of division or location. Anglers who finish within the top 15 automatically qualify for the 2017 FLW College Fishing National Championship while the champions take home a Ranger Z175 with a 90-horsepower Mercury or Evinrude outboard.
Last year’s inaugural Open drew a huge field of 194 college teams from around the country, shattering the record to become the largest collegiate fishing tournament ever held. The University of Arkansas duo of Zachary Pickle and Drew Porto weighed a two-day total of 10 bass totaling 43 pounds, 12 ounces to earn the win.
“I expect Kentucky Lake to fish well for this event,” said 21-year Walmart FLW Tour veteran Terry Bolton of Paducah, Kentucky. “We’ve got a lot of big females that are starting to warm up and come shallow, so prespawn patterns are going to dominate.
“I think the tournament will be won offshore – that’s typically where the largest schools are,” Bolton continued. “Anglers won’t be fishing very deep, though. I’d say it’ll be won in less than 10 or 12 feet of water, but that could be in the middle of the lake or in a creek mouth. We’ll also see some decent ones caught off of the bank. Lipless crankbaits and umbrella rigs will definitely produce in these areas.”
Bolton said that the water on the west side of the lake is stained, while the east remains fairly clear. He said that red and Spring Craw-colored baits should be favored in these conditions.
“I think bass will be keying on the gizzard shad as they come shallow, so large, shad-colored jerkbaits should also do well,” said Bolton. “It’s all going to depend on water clarity.”
The Kentucky pro went on to say that a two-day catch worth 46 to 48 pounds should be enough to take top honors.
“We’ve seen some large stringers caught on Kentucky Lake the past couple of weekends,” said Bolton. “These collegiate teams are going to have a lot to work with.”
Schools are allowed to register up until the morning of the tournament. Entries may be made either by phone or at FLWFishing.com.
Schools currently registered to compete in the FLW College Fishing Open on Kentucky Lake include:
Adrian College – Brandon Herzberg, Clarklake, Mich., and Nickolas Marsh, Commerce Township, Mich.
Adrian College – Caleb Taylor, Zionsville, Ind., and Ben Barrus, Blissfield, Mich.
Adrian College – Zack Nelson, Northville, Mich., and Jarrett Martin, Gallipolis, Ohio
Arkansas Tech University – Ethan Stokes, Lee’s Summit, Mo., and Philip Gottsponer, Morrilton, Ark.
Bellarmine University – James Kuhns, Louisville, Ky., and Joseph Allgeier, Bardstown, Ky.
Bellarmine University – Matthew Smith, Bardstown, Ky., and Kathleen Guice, Chattanooga, Tenn.
Bellarmine University – Patrick Clark and Trevor Hulsey, both of Louisville, Ky.
Bemidji State University – Thor Swanson and Mitchell Swanson, both of Blaine, Minn.
Bowling Green State University – Corey Miller, Perrysburg, Ohio, and Walter Rauterkus, Avon, Ohio
Bryan College – Chandler Fogg and Conner Fogg, both of Kelso, Tenn.
Bryan College – Cole Sands, Dayton, Tenn., and Caleb Luzader, Cleveland, Tenn.
Bryan College – Conner Thompson, Fort Payne, Ala., and Christopher Kanute, Warrior, Ala.
Bryan College – Jalen Smith and Dylan Pritchett, both of Dayton, Tenn.
Bryan College – Nathan Bell, Riceville, Tenn., and Dylan Kear, Clinton, Tenn.
Bryan College – Robert Gibson, Decatur, Tenn., and A.J. Barnes, Harrison, Tenn.
Bryan College – Thomas Peck, Louisville, Ky., and Tyler Chumley, Lafollette, Tenn.
Coastal Carolina University – John Duarte and Jonathan Kelley, both of Middle River, Md.
Colorado State University-Pueblo – Austin Miles, Pueblo, Colo., and Tyler Hassler, Fountain, Colo.
Eastern Illinois University – Ian Snowden and Jacob Daily, both of Mattoon, Ill.
Eastern Kentucky University – Gavin Draper, Stanford, Ky., and Tate Clements, Brodhead, Ky.
Eastern Kentucky University – Shaw Owens and Corey Owens, both of Barbourville, Ky.
Harding University – Riley Mason, Searcy, Ark., and Jacob Frawley, Nolensville, Tenn.
Haywood Community College – Ryan McLaughlin and Justin St. Onge, both of Fairview, N.C.
Johns Hopkins University – Sanli Wang, Baltimore, Md., and Qiurun Chen, Haidian, Beijing, China
Liberty University – Zachary Phillips, New Hartford, Conn., and Andrew Johnson, Gainesville, Ga.
Marshall University – Johnathan Williams, Glade Spring W. Va., and Drew Sallada, Hurricane, W. Va.
Marshall University – Joshua Rawson, Sissonville, W. Va., and Philip Miller, Catlettsburg, Ky.
McKendree University – Jordan Ledbetter, Carlyle, Ill., and Taylor Schmitt, Belknap, Ill.
McKendree University – Reece Ellerbusch, Belknap, Ill., and Austin Chapman, Blue Mound, Ill.
McKendree University – Shane Campbell, Summerfield., Ill. and Phillip Germagliotti, Highland, Ill.
McKendree University – Trent Robinson, Carlyle, Ill., and Brock Wilke, Saint Rose, Ill.
Missouri State University – Cody Hamacher and Hayden Lee, both of Jefferson City, Mo.
Milwaukee School of Engineering – Marshall Sandretto, Winthrop Harbor, Wis., and Zach Regnier, Hager City, Wis.
Milwaukee School of Engineering – Patrick Schmidt and Zachary Ottman, both of Oshkosh, Wis.
Moraine Valley Community College – Kristopher Iodice and Ryan Kwiecinski, both of Oak Forrest, Ill.
Murray State University – Chandler Christian, Owensboro, Ky., and Lance Freeman, Eddyville, Ky.
Ohio State University – Jay Gramlich, Pickington, Ohio, and Jacob Miller, Thornville, Ohio
Roane State Community College – Kyler Hagler and Tavin Napier, both of Rockwood, Tenn.
Saint Ambrose University – Cole Atkinson and Tanner Atkinson, both of Camanche, Iowa
Saint Ambrose University – Michael Wolthusen, Stickney, Ill., and Blake Vincent, Kewanee, Iowa
Saint Cloud State University – Erik Quanrud, Cambridge, Minn., and Daniel Carlson, Milaca, Minn.
Saint Cloud State University – Joachim Speldrich, Paynesville, Minn., and Tyler Gromberg, Saint Cloud, Minn.
Saint Cloud State University – Seth Cupersmith, Minneapolis, Minn., and Alex Almich, Buffalo Lake, Minn.
Schoolcraft Community College – Clayton Hatton, South Lyon, Mich., and Anthony Gilmore, Livonia, Mich.
State University of New York-Brockport – Austin Littler, Camden, Ky., and Ronald Penders, Rochester, N.Y.
Tennessee Technological University – Travis Howard, Sparta, Tenn., and Jesse Garren, Lenoir City, Tenn.
University of Arkansas-Fort Smith – Kalen Peters, Alma, Ark., and Justin Harris, Elkins, Ark.
University of Arkansas-Fort Smith – Tyler Hammers, Poteau, Okla., and Michael Rowe, Barling, Ark.
University of Louisville – Grant Drexler and Corey Skaggs, both of Louisville, Ky.
University of North Carolina-Greensboro – Ryan Rainey, Chapel Hill, N.C., and Alex Thornton, Kernersville, N.C.
University of South Carolina – Patrick Walters, Summerville, S.C., and Gettys Brannon, Gaffney, S.C.
University of Wisconsin-La Crosse – Colby Wolff and Pat Bowers, both of Hudson, Wis.
University of Wisconsin-Stout – Cole Hefty, Madison, Wis., and Patrick Rohlfing, Eagle Lake, Minn.
University of Wisconsin-Stout – Conrad Fox, Prescott, Wis., and Colin Salchow, Lake Elmo, Wis.
University of Wisconsin-Stout – Drew Miller, Eau Claire, Wis., and Michael Tesch, Frederic, Wis.
University of Wisconsin-Stout – Justin Guarnaccio, Libertyville, Ill., and Myles Urness, Inver Grove Heights, Minn.
University of Wisconsin-Stout – Kai Guthrie, Chanhassen, Minn., and Jacob Carlson, Chaska, Minn.
University of Wisconsin-Stout – Tad Harnack, Brodhead, Minn., and Sam Wosika, Forest Lake, Minn.
The registration meeting for the Open will take place Thursday, March 31, from 4-6 p.m. at Moors Resort and Marina located at 570 Moors Road in Gilbertsville, with a pre-tournament meeting following registration at 6:15 p.m. The entire field of competitors will compete both days of the tournament. Teams must provide their own boat in order to compete.
Anglers will take off from Moors Resort and Marina at 6:30 a.m. CST each day. Weigh-in will be held lakeside each day beginning at 2:30 p.m. Takeoffs and weigh-ins are free and open to the public.
FLW College Fishing teams compete in regular-season qualifying tournaments in one of five conferences – Central, Northern, Southern, Southeastern and Western. The top ten teams from each division’s three regular-season tournaments and the top 15 teams from the annual FLW College Fishing Open will advance to the 2017 FLW College Fishing National Championship.
College Fishing is free to enter. All participants must be registered, full-time students at a college, university or community college and members of a college fishing club.
For regular updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow College Fishing on Facebook at Facebook.com/FLWFishing and on Twitter at Twitter.com/FLWFishing. Visit FLWFishing.com to sign up or to start a club at your school.
About FLW
FLW is the world’s largest tournament-fishing organization, providing anglers of all skill levels the opportunity to compete for millions in prize money in 2016 across five tournament circuits. Headquartered in Benton, Kentucky, with offices in Minneapolis, FLW conducts more than 235 bass-fishing tournaments annually across the United States and sanctions tournaments in Canada, China, Mexico and South Korea. FLW tournament fishing can be seen on the Emmy-nominated “FLW” television show, broadcast to more than 564 million households worldwide, while FLW Bass Fishing magazine delivers cutting-edge tips from top pros. For more information visit FLWFishing.com and follow FLW at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and Periscope: @FLWFishing.