Last year, Kevin Short cranked to win the Pickwick Bassmaster Elite Series. He focused on the first drop outside the spawning areas and intercepted post-spawn fish on their way back out.
The cycle should be in reverse this time around. The Elite Series visits Pickwick next week – about 3 weeks earlier than it did last year. Not necessarily a huge calendar difference, but in April, those few weeks can mean everything and the lake could fish completely different than it did last year.
Chris Lane, who a little while back moved from Florida to Guntersville, is fishing Guntersville today. Front and center in his mind is the weather, and he feels that despite some warm teases, it's just too cold to expect much post-spawn activity at next week's event.
"It's freezing cold," Lake reported from the water. "The water temp has gone from 65 to 55 and dropping. That's a pretty substantial drop. Honestly, I believe Pickwick will be a full pre-spawn deal."
Daytime highs are predicted to climb back into the 80s this weekend, but are supposed to dip back down into the mid-60s during practice. That could put square-bills, jerkbaits and rattlebaits into play, but it should allow the plastics guys to fish their strengths around the grass – something Lane would welcome.
Another important factor according to Lane – a lot of rain.
"We've been getting a ton of rain," he said. "The water here on Guntersville's murky, and you don't see that a whole lot in April. So I really think you'll see the field flip-flop next week – sort of the opposite of who did well there last year. At least I hope so. I was 87th last year.
"I'll start my practice by really focusing on pre-spawn fish, because the water's so cold," he added. "And I think that action's going to be mainly south, where the grass is."
> The Pickwick Elite Series is a Wednesday (not Thursday) start, so fantasy-fishing picks need to be in a day early.
