Big Ones Scattered All Over At Guntersville

By John Johnson
BassFan Senior Editor

The Bassmaster Elite Series season got under way last month at a place where catching a limit of bass averaging 3 pounds apiece is an epic achievement. Now the circuit has arrived at a much more tradition-rich venue where that same size sack is the equivalent of the proverbial dog that won't hunt.

Only one angler (winner Chris Lane) was able to compile 50 pounds worth of fish over 4 days last month at the Sabine River. Chances are good that the victor at Lake Guntersville will more than double that total, and several other competitors could crack the century mark as well.

This marks the fifth time since the Elite Series' inception in 2006 that it'll visit the famed Alabama fishery. The lake has also hosted two Bassmaster Classics, including the 2014 version won by Randy Howell.

Some 30-pound stringers are a near certainty and 10-pound fish are a distinct possibility. To the disbelief of many, the lake continues to kick out a phenomenal number of 5-pound-plus largemouths despite ridiculously heavy angling pressure that would turn some impoundments into nothing more than a haven for pleasure-craft enthusiasts.

Guntersville won't be easy pickings for everybody in the field, though. The big fish are widely scattered, with some actively involved in the annual spawning rite and others still in preparation for that phase. Those who fail to connect with at least one 5-pounder per day will be stuck with the type of mid-teens bags that just about anybody can catch on any given day at this time of year.

Before getting into more about the bite, here's a rundown of the lake itself:

BassFan Lake Profile

> Lake name: Guntersville
> Type of water: Lowland reservoir fed by the Tennessee River
> Surface acres: Approximately 70,000
> Primary structure/cover: Grass (hydrilla and milfoil), ledges, creek channels, humps, riprap, boat docks
> Average depth: Roughly 15 feet
> Species: Largemouths, spotted bass
> Reputation: Big-bass factory that sustains itself despite an incredible amount of fishing pressure.
> Primary forage: Shad
> Weather: A bit unsettled, with the daily high temperatures bouncing up and down and a chance of precipitation in the forecast on several competition days.
> Water temp: Low to mid 60s
> Water visibility/color: A fairly heavy stain in the upper portion due to recent rain; clearer in the middle and lower portions
> Water level: Full pool
> Fish in: 0 to 15 feet
> Fish phase: Pre-spawn/spawn
> Primary patterns: Crankbaits (lipless and lipped), jerkbaits, swimbaits, jigs, plastics, spinnerbaits, possibly some sight-fishing
> Winning weight: 100 pounds (4 days)
> Cut weight (Top 53 after 2 days): 35 pounds
> Fishing quality (1=poor, 5=great): 3.5 for Guntersville
> Biggest factors: Fish phase – both spawners and pre-spawners could result in the kind of weight that'll be necessary to get paid.
> Wild card: Visible giants on the beds, as they can instantly transform a run-of-the-mill bag into a profitable one

Here's a good look at Guntersville (depth contours included), courtesy of the folks at Navionics:

Pick Your Method

As recently as a couple of weeks ago, there was talk that an average of 20 pounds per day might be required just to secure a paycheck (Top 53 after 2 days) at this event. Bags in the mid 30s have been winning recent one-day local derbies.

The volatile weather that's moved in this week, though has caused many to scale back on those predictions – but not by a lot.

Lots of big fish are either on the banks or sitting out on the nearest drops, just waiting to make their move, and they're biting just about anything that moves. The only negative in this scenario is that the big ones aren't grouped up in many places – individual specimens can be found just about anywhere.

"They're everywhere," said veteran Guntersville guide Curt Staley. "I really don't think there's one area doing a lot better than any other. We had a full moon Friday and it pulled up a bunch of fish, and the timing's right.

"It might come down to whoever can find a big group waiting to come in (to the beds). A lot of guys will be targeting that little bit deeper water – 6 to 10 feet – by cranking or throwing swimbaits or whatever. It could be won on bedding fish, but they're not all up there yet."

One drawback is the amount of grass is down somewhat this year, so that will make the lake fish a bit smaller than usual. And it won't just be Elite competitors vying for the best stretches of grass, as there'll be a lot of recreational anglers or those competing in (or practicing for) local tournaments, as well.

"I think the middle of the lake to the lower end will be the key because it's got some of the best looking water," Staley said. "Down toward Brown's Creek or Alred's (Marina) it's just a little bit cleaner.

"We've had some rain coming in and the upriver stuff is going to muddy up faster, and guys are going to want to stay around the cleanest water. Around Alred's or Brown's, it won't dirty up at all in some places. They can get in there and work those stump beds and places like that."

Field Notes

Following are practice notes from some anglers who'll be competing this week.

Josh Bertrand
"I've had what I feel like were a couple of pretty lucky bites and I've caught a couple of big fish, but it doesn't seem like it's going to be something that's easy to duplicate. It's just been kind of one here and one there and I think that's typical for springtime – they're not just loaded up on a spot. It was cool to catch those big ones, but they didn't tell me a whole lot.

"I think I need to have multiple places I can settle into and pick off one here and one there. I'd like to be able to dial down on a couple area and fish around and catch fish throughout the day.

"There's going to be big ones caught, but I don't think it's going to be super-easy or everybody. The lake's been getting its usual pressure, which is pretty intense, and I don't think there's any way it's going to take anything close to 20 pounds a day to get paid. For the first cut, I think somewhere around 17 will do it and 20 pounds will be a really good day."

Kelly Jordon
"It's been a crazy practice and a crazy week at a crazy time of the year. There's storms coming and there's a million different things going on. It's going to be a very interesting tournament.

"I've heard a lot of weights thrown around, but I think it'll take around 16 pounds a day to get a check, with 17 being on the high end, for sure. I could've gotten that the last 2 days (of practice), but there's a lot of stuff changing right now. It's setting up pretty well and it should be a fun tournament. You can catch them doing a million different things, but the big ones have been kind of elusive for everybody.

"This is a huge transition time (regarding spawn phase) and there's been a lot of rain. Now there's going to be a little cold snap during the tournament and we're still on the back side of a full moon.

"There's a lot of stuff going on that if you looked at them on a sheet of paper, they'd probably be negatives. But there's also a chance it could bust wide open if the weather's not real nasty."

Russ Lane
"I'm catching a few fish, but I haven't found any of the big schools like I wanted to find. I caught some nice ones each day of practice, but they're definitely scattered out. I'll probably go with a mix of a little shallow and a little deep. There's a bunch of things working but nothing seems to be really dominant.

"I think you're going to need 17 pounds a day to get paid and it's going to take a big one each day to get that. With the average keeper being 3 pounds, there's no way that less than 50 out of more than a hundred guys aren't going to catch five of them on Lake Guntersville.

"I'm hoping the sun comes out because we haven't been seeing very much of it. I've got some stuff that the sun might help."

Kevin Short
"I feel pretty good about it – every day has gotten a little bit better. We actually got a little bit of sun (toward the end of practice) and that warmed things up, and the fish are coming. The one thing is I don't think anybody around here has a job because they all seem to be out fishing all the time. It's great that they're able to do that.

"I'm not really finding fish bunched up like they would be if it was the first of May and they were heading back out. It's been a cold winter and there's not a lot of grass growing – when you do find it, it's good-looking grass, but there's just not a lot of it. I've got to figure one of the reasons guys have been catching a lot of fish is because they don't have as much grass to hide it. Now they might be leaving the grass and concentrating more on taking care of business.

"It's going to fish real small. I was at the mouth of a pocket (on Tuesday), and it was a little bitty pocket, and there was like five Elite guys in the back of it. They were just boat to boat to boat."

David Walker
"It's Lake Guntersville and I'm expecting big things, and I'm just hoping I'll be a part of that. It seems like the big fish are just randomly showing up when you're catching the smaller fish. That being said, somebody could come up with a technique or a place and just run of with it, but I think the majority of the field is hoping to catch that one 5- or 6-pounder every day to make your day.

"Catching one of those is going to be the difference between a payday and nothing and without them I don't think you have a chance, really. I think the winning weight's going to be right around that (century) mark. This is just an unbelievable lake and how it withstands the pressure it gets is beyond me. It's pretty amazing and it's quite a place."

Keith Poche
"I've been running to a lot of different spots, thinking I'm going to fish shallow. I've gotten a lot of bites, but a lot of them have been small fish. As far as catching the 4- and 5-pounders, that hasn't been happening.

"I've only caught two over 4 pounds, so it's been pretty slow. I've been shaking a lot of them off because I've had boats around, but the ones I've checked, the quality wasn't there. Most of the bites I shook off felt like small buck bass.

"There's a lot of bucks up and the females have to be right there waiting to go up. When they're cruising they're hard to catch – you have to run into them at the right time. Some of the areas where I've gotten bites, I'm just hoping they're still there come tournament time. It's an ever-changing deal and you just have to make the right adjustments."

Top 10 to Watch

With the above in mind and more, here are BassFan's recommendations for the Top 10 to watch in this event.

1. Chris Lane – He rides momentum – good or bad – about as hard as anyone in the sport. Coming off his victory at the Sabine River, he's got a lot of it in his favor right now.

2. Randall Tharp – He calls Florida his home now, but he developed most of his considerable talent at Guntersville. The former Forrest Wood Cup winner has logged just one single-digit finish in his past 18 tour-level events, so he's due.

3. Randy Howell – He possesses a great deal of Guntersville mojo after winning the Bassmaster Classic there 14 months ago. He thrives on positive energy and a lot of it will be coming his way this week.

4. Kevin VanDam – Back in 2007, he won an Elite Series event at Guntersville in April right after posting a mediocre finish at Clarks Hill. He's coming off a 46th at the Sabine River, so that scenario is similar. He'd love to recapture his former magic at a lake he's long adored.

5. Mike Iaconelli – He triumphed at Guntersville in 2006 on his way to the Angler of the Year title and posted a Top-5 three years after that. He's had some poor finishes at the lake recently, but he wasn't fishing nearly as well then as he is right now. He's another guy with the ability to sustain momentum.

6. Aaron Martens – Yet another former Guntersville winner who's on top of his game. He's mentioned on numerous occasions over the past couple of years how he's grown weary of coming close to winning, but not sealing the deal. This might be his week.

7. Keith Combs – This is a guy who relishes big-weight events, so this derby sets up well for him. It's easy to envision him using a crankbait to pick off one huge fish after another on their way to the spawning grounds.

8. Steve Kennedy – He put himself in a hole with a 91st-place finish at the Sabine and the sooner he starts digging his way out, the better the chance he avoids missing his third Classic in 4 years. He likes the venue and he's an ace with a swimbait, so this week represents a big opportunity.

9. Justin Lucas – The transplanted Californian who now lives in Guntersville just keeps getting better as he goes. He's already logged Top-10 showings at the Classic and the Sabine and stands a good chance of making it three in a row.

10. Mike McClelland – He's been on a nice roll recently and seems to make the right decisions at every venue he visits. He struggled at Guntersville early in his career, but has fared much better on recent visits.

Launch/Weigh-In Info

The field will launch at 6:15 a.m. CT each day from Guntersville City Harbor. Weigh-ins will get under way at 3:15 p.m. at the same location.

Notable

> Brent Chapman is fishing outside his "comfort zone" this week, while Chris Zaldain has reverted to a technique that produces at Clear Lake in his native California during this time of year. Both are relatively confident they can catch solid bags on day 1. To read their practice recaps, click here to visit Pro View Reports.

Weather Forecast

> Thurs., April 9 – Mostly Cloudy - 82°/66°
- Wind: From the SSW at 13 mph

> Fri., April 10 – T-Storms - 69°/51°
- Wind: From the W at 9 mph

> Sat., April 11 – Partly Cloudy - 73°/53°
- Wind: From the NNE at 8 mph

> Sun., April 12 – P.M. Showers - 75°/60°
- Wind: From the NNE at 8 mph