Tennessee FLW Tour pro Wesley Strader is predicting that it could take as much as 20 pounds a day to win next week's Major at Lake Chickamauga in his home state, and as much as 15 a day just to make a paycheck (50th place).
"The water's falling right now, but it'll still fish good," said Strader, who lives about 15 minutes from the lake and finished 2nd to Mark Rose at the Chickamauga Eastern FLW Series last September. "You're getting ready to see what the place is all about. Over the last 10 years the (Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency) has put a million Florida-strain fingerlings in three creeks and for the last 4 or 5 years, it's been on fire.
"Guys are going to be able to catch them any way they want to at this tournament."
He's hoping to continue his sizzling start to the 2011 season at venue where he has vast experience over the past 20 years. He's 5th in the Angler of the Year (AOY) race after placements of 8th at Beaver and 16th at Hartwell.
The highest he's ever finished in the final points standings was 15th, so he's not focusing on making a run at the crown.
"No, no, no, no. You get on streaks in this game where you can't do anything wrong, and you can also have them where you can't do anything right. I'm on one of the good kind right now, so I just want to ride it out as long as I can."
