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With a strong start to the Elite Series season at Seminole and the St. Johns, I headed into our tournament at Table Rock feeling good about my chances. I’ve fished there quite a bit at this time of year and I’m pretty good at both the jerkbait and Wiggle Wart bites that tend to dominate, but I’m also comfortable switching up my tactics as needed. The lake is very productive right now and I knew that the key would be not just catching fish, but finding a way to add a kicker or two each day, adjusting as the weather changed.

In any tournament on a lake where you have a lot of experience, one key factor is to integrate your history into your game plan without relying on it entirely. If you’re inflexible, that’s when you tend to stumble. I’m comfortable with Table Rock and knew that I wasn’t going to get stressed out, but my history almost got me into trouble.

I spent the first day of practice on the lower end of the lake in the clearer water. It was a dark and cloudy day and the water temperature hovered around 48 degrees, absolutely perfect for the jerkbait bite and I did pretty well with it. There was going to be a warming trend, though, so I knew I’d have to expand upon things on the next day.

On the second day, against my better judgment, I went up the White River into the dirtier water. I knew that there would be huge numbers of fish up there, and I was filming a Pro Patterns segment and wanted to give them plenty of action. The area didn’t disappoint – I probably caught 75 fish cranking a Wiggle Wart – but my best five were probably only 12 pounds or so. I was afraid to make that long run when I wasn’t sure if there were any big fish biting up that way.

I decided to stay down in the clear water most of the third practice day and the results were less than inspiring. Eventually I worked my way up into the dirtier water in Long Creek and that’s when I started getting bit real well, including some big bites. I figured that if it blew on tournament day I could spend my time in the clearer water and use the Long Creek fish, which weren’t far away, as my fallback spot.

It was critical to start each day on your most productive water because there was a golden hour to an hour and a half period that you had to maximize. On the first day of competition I started in the calm clear water in Indian Creek and missed that window of opportunity. The morning was brutal, with just four or five shorts to show for my efforts. I finally pulled up stakes and headed into Long Creek and started to catch short fish virtually non-stop, but I didn’t have a keeper in the box at 1:30. I was getting anxious and fishing too fast. Fortunately, that’s when the bigger ones started to bite and I ended up with a limit for 10-06. I was fortunate to have what I had. It left me in 84^th place, which is horrible, but in reality it was only a pound and a half out of the cut. With a big bite on Day Two I could be right back in it.

 

On the second day, the weather completely changed, with heavy winds and rolling storms. I started in Indian Creek once again and this time they bit. I had a limit by 10 o’clock and culled several times, but only had around 12 pounds at 12:30. I needed a big bite to make the cut. This time, I made the right move and went back to the dirty water and culled two or three more times, with a 6 pounder to boost my effort, jumping me into a tie for 29^th place. I’d salvaged the tournament.

The weather changed again on Day Three – it was cold and clear, with no wind. I started in the clean water again and true to form I couldn’t get a bite. By the time I left at 9 o’clock and went back to Long Creek, I’d missed my window of opportunity and was lucky to grind out three fish for 6-11 the rest of the day. Meanwhile, Kevin VanDam, fishing many of the same areas, went there first and lit them up. He had a huge bag on Day Three. That’s frustrating. If I’d even managed to catch a limit, I would’ve earned some critical points, but timing was everything.

The majority of my fish this week came on a Megabass Vision 110 jerkbait (Pro Blue), fished on a 6’6” medium-action Carrot Stix rod paired with a Team Lew’s reel and 8 lb. Toray fluorocarbon. I also added some on an old hand-painted Wiggle Wart. The crankbait was fished on a 6’9” medium-action Carrot Stix rod, a Team Lew’s reel and 10 lb. Toray fluorocarbon. A couple of key fish came on a shad-colored Hawg Caller spinnerbait, slow rolling it in the deeper trees. I had the right baits and the right tackle, but I made the wrong decisions.

We have a couple of weeks off before the next Elite Series event. The last four weeks were pretty rough, so this will give me a chance to catch up on the business side of the sport and reorganize my tackle before heading to Toledo Bend. I don’t know Toledo Bend or Dardanelle (the following stop) as well as I know Table Rock, but I love grass fishing and overall I’m fishing pretty well right now, so I’m sure I’ll be ready to get back on the road shortly. I’m 8^th in the Angler of the Year race and I think that this rest will allow me to get revved up again to keep the momentum rolling.

 

 

 

 

 

 

BRANSON, Mo. — They call him “McStick.” As of Sunday, they can call him “McRock” too.

Mike McClelland of Bella Vista, Ark., added a seventh Bassmaster title by a nail-biting 13 ounces over Mark Davis in Sunday’s final round of the A.R.E. Truck Caps Bassmaster Elite at Table Rock Lake.

“This is where I cut my teeth fishing,” said McClelland, now with four victories in his Bassmaster Elite Series career. “I’ve never had the opportunity to win a big one here before.”

To do it, McClelland sacked 61 pounds, 15 ounces of bass. His prize was $100,000 and an instant-in for the 2015 Bassmaster Classic, his 10th qualification for the world championship.

McClelland broke a six-year winner’s drought. His most recent victory before Sunday was in March 2008 on Florida’s Harris Chain of Lakes, when he added a sixth Bassmaster event title to his record. That was the end of a streak he had going from 2005 to 2008, with a win in each of those seasons.

“I seem to go in these spurts where I win a few, then I go years without winning one, and it really can get under your skin,” he said. “To win at Table Rock in front of all my friends and family and people who have supported me through the years is a phenomenal feeling.”

“And I just realized I’ve got a berth for the Bassmaster Classic. That’s an awesome feeling,” said McClelland, who missed out on the 2014 event last February.

McClelland said that “fishing by the seat of my pants” was one key to winning.

“I didn’t try to slow down and finesse fish into biting. I chased the wind,” he said. “On this clear lake, you always have to look for at least a little ripple.”

McClelland said he’s been fishing Table Rock since he was 8 years old. What he learned over the years helped him considerably in the Elite event. He knows the lake so well, he was able run his primary pattern through areas he had not tried out during the three-day practice.

And that pattern was fishing windy, rocky banks close to channel swings in creeks or main-lake pockets.

“This time of year, these fish want to be on the biggest, gnarliest rocks,” he said. “Some people get frustrated trying to fish that stuff, but it was key for me.”

He used his HeHsignature series stickbaits made by Spro, a McStick 110, mostly in a natural herring color, and a McStick 115 in clear chartreuse for shallower presentations.

When the water surface became slick because the wind died, he turned to a 4-inch paddletail swimbait near docks or over brush.

And the original Storm Wiggle Wart, which he’s had in his tackle war chest for years, played a role, too. The wide-wobbling crankbait clued him into one significant move he made on the second day. After the Wart was getting bites in shallower water, McClelland decided to run to a brushpile he knew of and use the McStick 115. The result was a 3 1/2-pound bass.

“You look at little keys like that over the course of the week, and they add up,” McClelland said.

Davis, whose four-day total was 61-2 for second place, made a heroic effort to make up the 4-6 McClelland had on him. Starting the final day in fourth place, Davis not only had to try to overtake McClelland, but also Aaron Martens and Kevin VanDam. While Davis’ 15-11 weight on Sunday was close to being enough, it couldn’t make up for Saturday’s stumble, when he weighed 11-12.

“I knew I blew it yesterday,” said Davis, who had led the 108-man field on Friday. “Did I do anything wrong? No. I caught lots of fish; I stayed on fish all four days. When it comes down to less than a pound like that, it just wasn’t meant to be.”

Davis spoke longingly of a few good-sized bass he hooked on a crankbait Sunday, but they threw it.

His consolation prize for a loss by 13 ounces was retaining the early lead in the Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year race. After Table Rock, Davis had 35 AOY points on Jared Lintner of Arroyo Grande, Calif.

An early lead is nice, he said but no guarantee.

“I know how AOY goes. You can have one bad day, one bad event. It’s not three strikes you’re out; it’s one strike you’re out,” Davis said. “Happy to lead? Yes. But I know what can happen.”

The AOY title in 2014 would be Davis’ fourth. His first was in 1995, the same year he took his sole Bassmaster Classic win. He followed with AOY crowns in 1998 and 2001.

Finishing in third place with a 60-15 total — just 1 pound behind McClelland — was Greg Hackney of Gonzales, La. Fourth place was claimed by first-day leader and the reigning AOY, Aaron Martens of Leeds, Ala., who tallied 60-1. Kevin VanDam of Kalamazoo, Mich., finished fifth at 59-15.

The Rookie of the Year Award leader after Table Rock, the third of eight regular-season events, was Jacob Powroznik of Port Haywood, Va. He has 227 points over the 222 earned by Chad Morgenthaler of Coulterville, Ill.

Bonuses that Elite pros earned at the Table Rock event were:

* Toyota Bonus Bucks award of $3,000 to the highest eligible finisher: Mike McClelland

* Toyota Bonus Bucks award of $2,000 to the second-highest eligible finisher: Edwin Evers of Talala, Okla., who finished at Table Rock in sixth place.

* Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year Bonus of $1,000 to the leader in the Elite Series points race: Mark Davis.

* A.R.E. Truck Caps Top Angler Award of $2,500 to the highest eligible finisher: McClelland

* Berkley Heavyweight Award of $500 for the best five-fish limit: Cliff Prince of Palatka, Fla., for his 19-10 of Day 2.

* Carhartt Big Bass of the tournament worth $1,000 plus another $500 for wearing Carhartt apparel: Aaron Martens for his 8-0 of Day 1.

* Power-Pole Captain’s Cash award of $1,000 to the highest finisher equipped with a Power-Pole anchoring system: Greg Hackney.

* Livingston Lures Leader Award of $500 for heading up the leaderboard on the second day: Davis.

* The Rigid Industries Jackpot was not claimed at the Table Rock event. A daily prize of $250 is offered for a 25-pound or heavier bag. The accumulated jackpot is now $1,500; that amount rolls over into the next tournament day of the Elite Series.

ESPN2 will air coverage of the Table Rock event on The Bassmasters TV show Sunday, April 20 at 8 a.m. ET.

The next stop for the Bassmaster Elite Series is the May 1-4 Evan Williams Bourbon Bassmaster Elite on Toledo Bend Reservoir out of Many, La., the fourth of eight regular-season events.

Local Host: Branson/Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce, www.bransonchamber.com.

 

2014 Bassmaster Elite Series Official Sponsors: Toyota, Bass Pro Shops, Berkley, Evan Williams Bourbon, Humminbird, Mercury, Minn Kota, Nitro Boats, Skeeter Boats, Triton Boats, Yamaha

2014 Bassmaster Elite Series Supporting Sponsors: Booyah, Carhartt, Diet Mountain Dew, Livingston Lures, Lowrance, Plano, Power-Pole, Ramada, Rigid Industries, Shimano

2014 Bassmaster Elite Series Proud Partner: Mustang Survival

 

About B.A.S.S.

B.A.S.S. is the worldwide authority on bass fishing and keeper of the culture of the sport. 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 presented by Allstate, B.A.S.S. Nation events, Carhartt Bassmaster College Series, Bassmaster High School Series, Toyota Bonus Bucks Bassmaster Team Championship and the ultimate celebration of competitive fishing, the GEICO Bassmaster Classic presented by Diet Mountain Dew and GoPro.

 

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Media Contact: Dave Precht, 205-313-0931, dprecht@bassmaster.com, and Helen Northcutt, 205-936-2044, hnorthcutt@bassmaster.com.

2014 A.R.E. Truck Caps Bassmaster Elite at Table Rock Lake  4/3-4/6
Table Rock Lake, Branson  MO.
Standings Day 4

 Angler                   Hometown              No./lbs-oz  Pts   Total $$$

1.  Mike McClelland        Bella Vista, AR         20  61-15  100 $102,500.00
Day 1: 5   15-06     Day 2: 5   16-14     Day 3: 5   17-09     Day 4: 5   12-02
2.  Mark Davis             Mount Ida, AR           20  61-02   99  $26,500.00
Day 1: 5   18-08     Day 2: 5   15-03     Day 3: 5   11-12     Day 4: 5   15-11
3.  Greg Hackney           Gonzales, LA            20  60-15   98  $21,000.00
Day 1: 5   16-00     Day 2: 5   14-10     Day 3: 5   13-14     Day 4: 5   16-07
4.  Aaron Martens          Leeds, AL               20  60-01   97  $16,000.00
Day 1: 5   18-11     Day 2: 5   14-05     Day 3: 5   12-14     Day 4: 5   14-03
5.  Kevin VanDam           Kalamazoo, MI           20  59-15   96  $14,000.00
Day 1: 5   14-00     Day 2: 5   12-00     Day 3: 5   19-07     Day 4: 5   14-08
6.  Edwin Evers            Talala, OK              20  59-11   95  $13,500.00
Day 1: 5   17-04     Day 2: 5   13-09     Day 3: 5   13-01     Day 4: 5   15-13
7.  Jeff Kriet             Ardmore, OK             20  59-05   94  $13,000.00
Day 1: 5   14-10     Day 2: 5   14-04     Day 3: 5   15-13     Day 4: 5   14-10
8.  Brandon Palaniuk       Hayden, ID              20  59-01   93  $12,500.00
Day 1: 5   16-13     Day 2: 5   13-10     Day 3: 5   12-10     Day 4: 5   16-00
9.  Cliff Prince           Palatka, FL             20  57-15   92  $12,500.00
Day 1: 5   09-06     Day 2: 5   19-10     Day 3: 5   12-15     Day 4: 5   16-00
10. Bill Lowen             Brookville, IN          20  55-13   91  $11,500.00
Day 1: 5   11-06     Day 2: 5   14-02     Day 3: 5   18-13     Day 4: 5   11-08
11. Kevin Hawk             Guntersville, AL        20  54-11   90  $11,000.00
Day 1: 5   10-06     Day 2: 5   16-03     Day 3: 5   15-11     Day 4: 5   12-07
12. Jared Lintner          Arroyo Grande, CA       20  54-02   89  $10,500.00
Day 1: 5   12-06     Day 2: 5   17-15     Day 3: 5   11-02     Day 4: 5   12-11
CARHARTT BIG BASS
Aaron Martens            Leeds, AL           08-00      $1,000.00
BERKLEY HEAVYWEIGHT
Cliff Prince             Palatka, FL         19-10        $500.00

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—————————————– Totals Day   #Limits    #Fish      Weight 1        96       521      1285-14 2        98       521      1330-14 3        38       227       556-00 4        12        60       172-00 ———————————- 244      1329      3344-12