By Todd Ceisner
BassFan Editor


The heavy rains that doused the southeastern portion of the country early last week had Wheeler Lake humming with current for the final Southeast EverStart of the season. It also put plenty of new shoreline cover in the water and gave refuge to the latest wave of bass looking for spawning habitat.

The conditions lined up just right for Rick Taylor, a Michigan native 10 years removed from a brief turn as a Tour pro.

"The raging water after all of that rain positioned the fish just how I needed it to happen," he said.

After opening the event in 2nd place, he slipped all the way to 10th after day 2, securing the last finalist spot by 2 ounces. With nothing to lose on the final day, he hammered a day 3-best 21-12 to erase a 5 1/2-pound deficit and post an improbable come-from-behind victory with a 3-day total of 57-09. J.T. Kenney wound up 2nd with 54-14.

After returning home a day after his triumph, Taylor was still trying to make sense of how he was able to pull off such a rally.

"It's been absolutely incredible," he said. "It's (started to sink in) only because I've talked about it all day since (Saturday night). I had 37 missed calls and 47 text messages from the time I weighed in until I got to my truck. My phone didn't stop ringing."

He had registered to fish all four Southeast EverStarts this season, but for one reason or another he had to back out of the first three events.

"It's been one of those years," he said. "I'm glad I finally got a chance to go down and fish one."

Here's how he did it.

Practice

Taylor devoted 5 days to probing around the Tennessee River impoundment, uncovering a feverish buzzbait bite before the heavy rains moved across the region, triggering him to change his game plan for the tournament.

"They were eating that thing up," he said. "Then we had 4 days of rain and mud and in my head, I was all about the buzzbait deal. Then I went back into those areas and all I saw was mud.

"I switched to a spinnerbait and vibrating jig and that showed me where they went. Once I figured that out, I picked up a flipping stick and went to work flipping bushes, slowly. The conditions are what I took advantage of. That lake usually doesn't fish like it fished. The Pickwick EverStart was won on ledges and that's how Wheeler should've been won."

Competition

> Day 1: 5, 20-06
> Day 2: 5, 15-07
> Day 3: 5, 21-12
> Total = 15, 57-09

Taylor couldn't have asked for a better start to the tournament, despite the fact that the three areas he figured would produce a quick limit were covered up by other boats. His third fish of the first morning was a 6-pounder that set the tone for his 20-06 stringer that landed him in a tie for 2nd.

"I had three areas with just gobs of fish on them," he said. "I could catch them on a jig, a worm, a spinnerbait or a crankbait. It didn't matter. I could catch five in 15 minutes. On day 1, I went to all three spots and they all had boats on them. I got put into a position where I had to go try for five big ones early."

That wasn't a problem for him.

"I'd find the fish on the edge of the grass and could catch them on a spinnerbait or (vibrating jig) in practice," he said. "I made one pass through this area and didn't get bit. I went back and flipped it and my co-angler caught a 4-pounder. Then I slowed down and caught a 2 1/2 and a 3 and then the 6-pounder. After that, I spent more time flipping."

He was so dialed in on the flipping pattern in the bushes that he provoked a 5 1/2-pounder off the same bush that produced the 6.

"With the water starting to fall, the fish were starting to come out of the bushes," he said. "I made a pass through a series of bushes and found I could catch a fish out of the same ones at different times using the exact same pitch. The big fish learned the best feeding spots and that was a prime example of it. They were both big pre-spawn females. I'd say about 60 percent of the fish were spawning in the bushes."

Stiff winds greeted the field on day 2 and it negated his best areas that attracted several more boats than the previous day. He punted and moved into Fox Creek where he caught 15-07 and narrowly made the final-day cut.

"The wind was 20 to 25 blowing into the areas I wanted to fish," he said. "So I went to my backup flipping stuff that was a lot more sheltered. That turned out to be a key because with the heavy wind, there were about 10 more guys who wanted to fish the area I fished on day 1. They couldn't fish it either because of the wind so it was kind of a Godsend. Luckily, I managed to pull it off and made the Top 10.

"The fact that I was tied for 2nd and dropped to 10th was disheartening. I did all the calculations you usually have to do to figure what I needed to make the cut and I didn't think I'd need 15 pounds to make it. I know I was pretty fortunate to weigh what I did."

With the field reduced to 10 for the final day and nothing to lose based on his position, he chose to return to his big-fish areas that produced on day 1 and spend all day there.

"I told my co-angler to get used to the scenery because that's all we'd be seeing," he said.

His best fish was a 5 1/2-pounder that fell for a spinnerbait near where he saw some shad flickering on the surface.

"I knew I had some nice fish, but it finally hit me in the afternoon," he said. "Like a (knucklehead), I left my key area because I had lost 4-pounder on a log on day 2 and I wanted to see if I could catch it. So I flipped back in there and had another fish come out. When I caught it and tried to cull, that's when I realized I had some decent fish."

Still, he thought there was no way he'd caught enough to make up the deficit he faced.

"I had no idea," he added. "I wasn't antsy because I had nothing to lose. No way did I think I was going to win that tournament. I had caught so many big fish that week that I did not know I had big fish. You just get acclimated to it. It's happened to me on Erie before with smallmouths, but this is the first time I've had it on a river system in the South. I was catching so many fish that I didn't know how big they were.

"I thought I had 18 or 19 pounds. When the scale read 21-12, I said, 'Holy crap.' So I sat in the hot seat the whole time and had no inclination that I'd win the tournament. Zero to hero is what I did."

Pattern Notes

> With so much current moving through the lake, he figured out the right presentation for the fish that had moved out away from the bushes. "I found out that all the spinnerbait and (vibrating jig) fish, none of those fish would bite the bait with it going down current," he said. "I had to pull the bait against the current. These fish wanted it slow."

> His flipping areas didn't require an extra-long flip. He said several 3 1/2-pounders took his tube bait about 4 feet from the boat.



Rick Taylor
Photo: Rick Taylor

A War Eagle spinnerbait and a Terry's Tackle Right Bite tube were the go-to baits for Taylor at Wheeler Lake.

Winning Gear Notes

> Spinnerbait/Vibration jig gear: 7' medium-heavy G. Loomis casting rod, Shimano Curado casting reel, 25-pound Gamma Edge fluorocarbon line, 3/4-ounce War Eagle Nickel Screamin' Eagle spinnerbait (white silver).

> He didn't use any soft-plastic trailer on the spinnerbait "because the bait has such big blades, it does everything you need it to do," he said.

> He also caught a few keepers on a Boo-Yah Boogee Bait with a Reaction Innovations Skinny Dipper trailer.

> Flipping gear: 7'6" heavy-action G. Loomis casting rod, Shimano Chronarch casting reel (7.0:1 gear ratio), 25-pound Berkley Trilene Big Game monofilament line (green), 1/4-ounce unnamed tungsten flipping weight, 3/0 Gamakatsu EWG Superline worm hook, 4.5" Terry's Tackle Right Bite tube (black neon).

> He opted for a 3/0 hook "to make the bait as light as I could," he said. "I wanted to slow everything down."

> Taylor was thankful for the help of fellow competitor Dan Welch, who scrounged up about 10 Right Bite tubes that he gave to Taylor so he could finish the tournament.

The Bottom Line

> Main factor in his success – "Just slowing down and being methodical. I fished good all week. If you're flipping, you're going to miss some fish. It just happens. I'd say I missed maybe 5 percent of the fish so my success rate was really good. I had my limits by 8:30 mostly and when you can do that, your brain can just relax."

> Performance edge – "My Power-Pole really did help me. I could move up to five or six bushes and stall myself and pitch into those bushes and fish them very slowly and methodically."

Notable

> Taylor and his wife own and operate several businesses that keep them very busy, but Taylor said he'd be open to a return to Tour-level competition, possibly next year.

Much of the tackle referenced above is available at the BassFan Store. To browse the selection, click here.

Final Standings

> Field size: 98 boats

1. Rick Taylor -- West Olive, Mi -- 20-06 (5) -- 15-07 (5) -- 35-13 (10) -- 21-12 (5) -- 57-09 (15) -- $28,958

2. JT Kenney -- Palm Bay, Fl -- 19-02 (5) -- 18-08 (5) -- 37-10 (10) -- 17-04 (5) -- 54-14 (15) -- $10,859

3. Jeff Fitts -- Keystone Heights, Fl -- 20-02 (5) -- 20-11 (5) -- 40-13 (10) -- 13-14 (5) -- 54-11 (15) -- $7,240

4. Jordan Lee -- Auburn, Al -- 16-12 (5) -- 22-03 (5) -- 38-15 (10) -- 15-09 (5) -- 54-08 (15) -- $6,516

5. Koby Kreiger -- Okeechobee, Fl -- 15-06 (5) -- 20-07 (5) -- 35-13 (10) -- 18-08 (5) -- 54-05 (15) -- $5,792

6. Chad Aaron -- Lawrenceburg, Tn -- 19-09 (5) -- 18-12 (5) -- 38-05 (10) -- 13-05 (5) -- 51-10 (15) -- $5,068

7. Brian Merriman -- Falkville, Al -- 22-05 (5) -- 18-15 (5) -- 41-04 (10) -- 10-03 (5) -- 51-07 (15) -- $4,344

8. William Davis -- Sheffield, Al -- 20-06 (5) -- 16-15 (5) -- 37-05 (10) -- 13-09 (5) -- 50-14 (15) -- $3,620

9. Josh Dorr -- Pickens, SC -- 17-11 (5) -- 18-03 (5) -- 35-14 (10) -- 12-14 (5) -- 48-12 (15) -- $2,896

10. Eddie Jewell -- Lawrenceburg, Tn -- 18-00 (5) -- 18-15 (5) -- 36-15 (10) -- 11-04 (5) -- 48-03 (15) -- $2,172

The following anglers did not make the cut and did not fish on day 3.

11. Thomas Helton -- Charleston, Tn -- 18-05 (5) -- 17-07 (5) -- 35-12 (10) -- $1,810

12. Clayton Batts -- Macon, Ga -- 16-14 (5) -- 18-10 (5) -- 35-08 (10) -- $1,810

13. Tony Davis -- Williston, Fl -- 17-02 (5) -- 17-15 (5) -- 35-01 (10) -- $1,810

14. Timothy Dearing -- Loudon, Tn -- 15-15 (5) -- 18-11 (5) -- 34-10 (10) -- $1,810

15. Ben Todd -- Pierson, Fl -- 16-14 (5) -- 17-11 (5) -- 34-09 (10) -- $1,810

16. Daniel Chad Crouch -- Athens, Al -- 16-08 (5) -- 18-00 (5) -- 34-08 (10) -- $1,448

17. Jonathan Newton -- Rogersville, Al -- 17-15 (5) -- 16-07 (5) -- 34-06 (10) -- $1,448

18. Shaye Baker -- Tallassee, Al -- 14-01 (5) -- 19-11 (5) -- 33-12 (10) -- $1,448

19. Kent Ware -- Wadmalaw Island, SC -- 17-12 (5) -- 15-11 (5) -- 33-07 (10) -- $1,448

20. Lionel Botha -- Okeechobee, Fl -- 18-00 (5) -- 15-03 (5) -- 33-03 (10) -- $1,448

21. Michael Hughes -- Greenville, SC -- 17-05 (5) -- 15-09 (5) -- 32-14 (10)

22. Sam Moody -- Athens, Al -- 14-10 (5) -- 18-03 (5) -- 32-13 (10)

23. Joel Green -- Moulton, Al -- 17-12 (5) -- 15-01 (5) -- 32-13 (10)

24. Larry Jones -- Acworth, Ga -- 14-13 (5) -- 17-13 (5) -- 32-10 (10)

25. Barry Wilson -- Birmingham, Al -- 17-00 (5) -- 15-10 (5) -- 32-10 (10)

26. Randall Tharp -- Gardendale, Al -- 15-15 (5) -- 16-11 (5) -- 32-10 (10)

27. Pete Thliveros -- Saint Augustine, Fl -- 15-11 (5) -- 16-10 (5) -- 32-05 (10)

28. Leon Williams -- Fairdale, Ky -- 16-08 (5) -- 15-12 (5) -- 32-04 (10)

29. Miles Burghoff -- Guntersville, Al -- 15-01 (5) -- 16-15 (5) -- 32-00 (10)

30. Jeff Sparks -- Chickamauga, Ga -- 16-00 (5) -- 15-15 (5) -- 31-15 (10)

31. Simon Borja -- Maryville, Tn -- 13-14 (5) -- 17-10 (5) -- 31-08 (10)

32. Leon Brewington -- Moulton, Al -- 13-04 (5) -- 18-03 (5) -- 31-07 (10)

33. Chad Menard -- Rogersville, Al -- 15-00 (5) -- 16-05 (5) -- 31-05 (10)

34. James Kemper -- Frankfort, Ky -- 16-08 (5) -- 14-11 (5) -- 31-03 (10)

35. Tom Spangler -- Corryton, Tn -- 16-04 (5) -- 14-14 (5) -- 31-02 (10)

36. Cruz Cope -- Treadway, Tn -- 13-03 (5) -- 17-12 (5) -- 30-15 (10)

37. Lonnie O'Neal -- Valdosta, Ga -- 11-15 (5) -- 18-11 (5) -- 30-10 (10)

38. Troy Gibson -- Eufaula, Al -- 12-02 (5) -- 18-03 (5) -- 30-05 (10)

39. Lavoy Lemmond -- Decatur, Al -- 15-07 (5) -- 14-13 (5) -- 30-04 (10)

40. Gary Thacker -- Athens, Al -- 14-12 (5) -- 15-01 (5) -- 29-13 (10)

41. Aaron Hastings -- Middletown, Md -- 14-09 (5) -- 15-02 (5) -- 29-11 (10)

42. Jonathan Poole -- Trinity, Al -- 15-00 (5) -- 14-11 (5) -- 29-11 (10)

43. Rodger Beaver -- Dawson, Ga -- 14-08 (5) -- 15-01 (5) -- 29-09 (10)

44. Scott Canterbury -- Springville, Al -- 14-08 (5) -- 14-15 (5) -- 29-07 (10)

45. Preston Clark -- Eagle Lake, Fl -- 11-09 (5) -- 16-15 (5) -- 28-08 (10)

46. Greg Buie -- Athens, Al -- 15-02 (5) -- 13-05 (5) -- 28-07 (10)

47. Nicholas Reeves -- Moulton, Al -- 11-09 (5) -- 16-12 (5) -- 28-05 (10)

48. Clark Smith -- Pell City, Al -- 14-02 (5) -- 14-02 (5) -- 28-04 (10)

49. Joe Holland -- Jefferson, Me -- 13-03 (5) -- 14-13 (5) -- 28-00 (10)

50. Jerry Lawler -- Athens, Al -- 10-01 (5) -- 17-07 (5) -- 27-08 (10)

51. Darrell Davis -- Dover, Fl -- 11-10 (5) -- 15-14 (5) -- 27-08 (10)

52. Clifford Dawson -- Ocala, Fl -- 13-13 (5) -- 13-10 (5) -- 27-07 (10)

53. Ralph Laster Jr -- Lees Summit, Mo -- 11-00 (5) -- 15-14 (5) -- 26-14 (10)

54. Tommy Robinson -- Westland, Mi -- 13-10 (5) -- 13-04 (5) -- 26-14 (10)

55. Jason Abram -- Piney Flats, Tn -- 8-15 (5) -- 16-14 (5) -- 25-13 (10)

56. Jeff McMillan -- Belle Glade, Fl -- 10-07 (5) -- 15-02 (5) -- 25-09 (10)

57. Sam George -- Athens, Al -- 11-06 (5) -- 13-13 (5) -- 25-03 (10)

58. Shane Jewell -- Lawrenceburg, Tn -- 11-14 (5) -- 13-00 (5) -- 24-14 (10)

59. Rick Williams -- Decatur, Al -- 11-05 (5) -- 13-06 (5) -- 24-11 (10)

60. Ron Brown -- Mount Pleasant, SC -- 13-10 (5) -- 10-12 (5) -- 24-06 (10)

61. Michael Daniel -- Moulton, Al -- 8-14 (5) -- 15-06 (5) -- 24-04 (10)

62. Michael Brewer -- Leoma, Tn -- 12-00 (5) -- 12-00 (5) -- 24-00 (10)

63. Jeff Hebert -- Greenwood, In -- 9-07 (5) -- 14-03 (5) -- 23-10 (10)

64. Lee Black -- Danville, Al -- 13-04 (5) -- 10-00 (5) -- 23-04 (10)

65. Scott Mcglinchey -- Indianapolis, In -- 15-11 (5) -- 7-02 (5) -- 22-13 (10)

66. Mike Parrott -- Ashland, Al -- 12-07 (5) -- 10-05 (5) -- 22-12 (10)

67. James Johnson -- Decatur, Al -- 8-09 (5) -- 14-01 (5) -- 22-10 (10)

68. Sean Skey -- Sumter, SC -- 11-15 (5) -- 10-11 (5) -- 22-10 (10)

69. Joe Walters -- Summertown, Tn -- 6-08 (5) -- 15-10 (5) -- 22-02 (10)

70. Royce Railey -- Columbus, Ga -- 9-15 (5) -- 11-10 (5) -- 21-09 (10)

71. Cal Clark -- Pulaski, Tn -- 10-06 (5) -- 10-11 (5) -- 21-01 (10)

72. Harry Moore -- Valley, Al -- 10-11 (5) -- 10-06 (5) -- 21-01 (10)

73. Daniel Welch -- New Martinsville, WV -- 9-10 (5) -- 10-14 (4) -- 20-08 (9)

74. Frank Mackin -- New Port Richey, Fl -- 8-05 (5) -- 11-15 (5) -- 20-04 (10)

75. Scott Castleberry -- Decatur, Al -- 9-08 (5) -- 10-09 (5) -- 20-01 (10)

76. Darren Gallaher -- Hixson, Tn -- 10-07 (5) -- 9-09 (5) -- 20-00 (10)

77. Tony Harvey -- Killen, Al -- 10-04 (5) -- 9-11 (5) -- 19-15 (10)

78. Nathan Davis -- Decatur, Al -- 10-02 (5) -- 9-08 (5) -- 19-10 (10)

79. Michael Stevens Jr -- Fayetteville, Tn -- 8-01 (5) -- 10-10 (5) -- 18-11 (10)

80. Rick Nitkiewicz -- Pittsburgh, Pa -- 13-03 (5) -- 5-03 (5) -- 18-06 (10)

81. Alex Pappas -- Jensen Bch., Fl -- 7-00 (5) -- 10-11 (5) -- 17-11 (10)

82. Jim Blanchard -- Albany, Ga -- 8-12 (5) -- 8-10 (5) -- 17-06 (10)

83. Harold Rodgers -- Moulton, Al -- 8-02 (5) -- 7-07 (5) -- 15-09 (10)

84. Erwin Cole -- Murfreesboro, Tn -- 5-07 (5) -- 8-06 (5) -- 13-13 (10)

85. Nick Gainey -- Charleston, SC -- 11-09 (5) -- 0-00 (0) -- 11-09 (5)

86. Jerry Gore -- St Cloud, Fl -- 10-09 (5) -- 0-00 (0) -- 10-09 (5)

87. Stephen Cook -- Rogersville, Al -- 10-02 (5) -- 0-00 (0) -- 10-02 (5)

88. Bobby Simmons -- Columbia, Tn -- 9-09 (5) -- 0-00 (0) -- 9-09 (5)

89. Robert Boyd -- Russellville, Al -- 9-06 (5) -- 0-00 (0) -- 9-06 (5)

90. David Pollard -- Carrollton, Ga -- 9-04 (5) -- 0-00 (0) -- 9-04 (5)

91. Phil Mansfield -- Palm Harbor, Fl -- 2-13 (2) -- 6-07 (5) -- 9-04 (7)

92. Matt Stasiak -- Pittsburgh, Pa -- 1-08 (1) -- 7-04 (5) -- 8-12 (6)

93. Bill Hutchison -- Bessemer, Al -- 1-02 (1) -- 7-05 (5) -- 8-07 (6)

94. William Kisiah -- Slidell, La -- 6-11 (5) -- 0-00 (0) -- 6-11 (5)

95. Stephen McKinnie -- Umatila, Fl -- 3-05 (3) -- 0-00 (0) -- 3-05 (3)

96. John Cromwell -- Arlington, Tn -- 3-03 (3) -- 0-00 (0) -- 3-03 (3)

Jason Borden -- Union Grove, Al -- 0-00 (0) -- 0-00 (0) -- 0-00 (0)

Paul Malone -- Pleasant Valley, Ia -- 0-00 (0) -- 0-00 (0) -- 0-00 (0)

Big Bass Award

> Day 1 – Nicholas Reeves: 6-02
> Day 2 – Jordan Lee: 6-15