Destination: Lake Murray

Wal-Mart FLW Tour, March 12-15

Anglers who thought they knew this South Carolina reservoir will have to learn it all over again thanks to a 15-foot, two-year drawdown for repairs to the dam. Anthony Gagliardi, an FLW Tour pro from Prosperity, S.C., says even the locals won’t know what to expect this spring.

“The bass will probably be on their beds or in a prespawn mode, but many of the places they traditionally spawn will be dry,” he said. “I think the lake is going to fish small this tournament, and if the bass are bedding, there will be a bunch of anglers trying to catch the same fish.”

Spinner baits, jerkbaits and crankbaits are good choices in the upper end of the lake, where bass will likely still be in the prespawn phase. Down lake, look for remaining hydrilla beds and spawning bass in the pockets that still have water.

Links:

Pro field
Co-angler field
Tournament details and payouts
Pre-tournament press release