While the FLW Tour pros duke it out on Chickamauga Lake and Watts Bar Lake this week, a field of 49 anglers will be working over Nickajack Lake in pursuit of the BFL All-American title.
According to Rogne Brown, who guides at Nickajack among other TVA lakes, it's anticipated the derby will be won offshore, but he wouldn't rule out somebody getting on a roll up shallow.
"It's going to fish extremely small," Brown said. "It's mostly a river lake. Only 8 or 10 miles of it fishes like a lake.
"Someone may get lucky in the river and do well, but there aren't many largemouths in the river stretch because there are no spawning flats there. It should be won on the lower end. Someone could get lucky and get a jig going on the river bank and catch 16 or 17 pounds a day, but the better fish are going to be caught offshore."
The lake has been off limits to competitors since June 17 and they'll get 1 day of practice on Wednesday in advance of the tournament that runs from Thursday through Saturday.
The All-American winner will walk away with up to $120,000 in cash and a berth in the Forrest Wood Cup at the Red River slated for Aug. 15-18.
Anglers will take off at 7 a.m. each day from Ross’s Landing located at 200 Riverfront Pkwy. in Chattanooga, TN. Weigh-ins on days 1 and 2 will be at Ross’s Landing beginning at 3 p.m. and the final day weigh-in will take place at the Walmart store located at 3034 Rhea County Highway in Dayton, Tenn., starting at 5:30 p.m.
