The recent Pickwick Bassmaster Elite Series was a tournament largely defined by moves. Perhaps that was because the fish were in transition between the pre-spawn and spawn and rapidly dropping water levels made everything difficult to figure out.
But there was also a strong current-related bite. Davy Hite won the event on that bite, but it was both cruel and kind to so many others. There's no better example than Tim Horton.
Horton (pictured to right in photo) targeted current-related fish and his climb was memorable for several reasons. One, it showed how an angler can rebound with smallmouths at Pickwick, even when the largemouth bite is smokin'. Two, it was a personal triumph for Horton, who's a local and counts Pickwick tourism among his sponsor partners. And three, it kept him within earshot of the Bassmaster Classic cutoff in the Elite Series points.
After Horton ended day 1 in 93rd (just six spots out of last), he crushed 21 1/2 pounds on day 2 and moved up 54 spots to 39th, where he was well inside that day's Top-50 cut. He slid back five spots the following day and finished 44th, but his day-2 climb was nonetheless astounding.
About what made the difference on day 2, Horton said: "The first day was just one of those unexplainable days – everything came unbuttoned. I had a similar weight (20-plus-pounds) hooked that day, but I just didn't get them in the boat, and I lost a 6-pounder right before weigh-in.
"I just landed them the next day. It happens in this sport for one reason or another. It seems like in one tournament every year, you just have a bad day like that. I didn't change my tackle or anything – I was swimming a Yum Money Minnow with a 1/2-ounce jighead in the current. I just lost them the first day and landed them the next."
He added: "I was so down after that first day and it was just so much fun to come back with that – especially with smallmouths."
The Sunline Strong Performer is brought to you by the great people at Sunline.
