The experts weigh in
Top pros offer predictions, insight into 2004 Wal-Mart FLW Tour Championship
With the start of the 2004 Wal-Mart FLW Tour Championship just around the corner, FLWOutdoors.com decided to ask some the top pros in the nation who didn’t qualify for this year’s championship if they could lend some insight into the prestigious year-end event. Specifically, FLWOutdoors.com contacted seasoned veterans Mike Wurm of Hot Springs, Ark., David Fritts of Lexington, N.C., Paul Elias of Pachuta, Miss., Craig Powers of Rockwood, Tenn., and Dion Hibdon of Stover, Mo., and picked their brains about the upcoming championship – scheduled to take place Aug. 11-14 in Birmingham, Ala. Pros were asked to predict the future champion as well as what lake conditions and techniques bass-fishing fans could expect to see at Logan Martin Lake. Here are some of the excerpts from those interviews.
FLWOutdoors.com: You have previous experience fishing a Bassmaster Classic on Logan Martin Lake. What can the anglers expect in the 2004 FLW Tour Championship?
Wurm: One thing for sure is that they’re all going to catch a lot of fish, so that’s not going to be the issue. The deciding factor is probably going to be who can find those areas holding the bigger fish. Everybody in the field should catch a limit. But it’s going to be the anglers who find the areas holding the largest concentrations of big fish who will probably do the best.
FLWOutdoors.com: What type of techniques will be successful?
Wurm: This time of year, the early morning top-water bite could be the deciding factor. If you’re able to do that and put some good fish in the boat early, the other guys are going to have to play catch-up. But after the sun comes up, I think crankbaits, plastic worms and Carolina rigs on brush piles and deep structure will be the way to go. Finding the right areas with good cover is going to be very important this tournament. For me, the winning combo is going to that early morning top-water bite combined with some structure fishing later on in the day.
FLWOutdoors.com: So, in your opinion, who is the favorite heading into the championship?
Wurm: There are a lot of good fishermen, and it’s fairly wide open, but I think Matt Herren is the guy to watch. He’s a local guy from Alabama, and he has a lot of experience fishing the Coosa River chain. Although there are other guys from Alabama in the tournament, I think (Herren) knows this river system the best. Besides Matt, you always have to watch out for the experienced guys, guys like Aaron Martens. And one other guy that we shouldn’t discount is Shinichi Fukae. He’s caught fish everywhere he’s gone this year, and he practices as hard as anybody. So, I wouldn’t count him out either.
FLWOutdoors.com: How would you describe Logan Martin Lake?
Fritts: Logan Martin is a good lake. I won the Bassmaster Classic there in 1993. There are a lot of spotted bass – some big spotted bass as well – and those fish are definitely going to be a factor. Logan Martin is also a river-type lake with a lot of different structure. You have a lot of docks, points and rip-rap, so there are many ways to fish this lake.
FLWOutdoors.com: How would you target this lake?
Fritts: I think most fish are going to be caught in 5 to 7 feet of water. Some will be caught deeper and some more shallow, but in general, I think most of the fish are going to come out of that depth range. Current is also going to be a factor. Anywhere there is current, guys should have some success. A lot of different baits will work on this lake – crankbaits, Carolina rigs and spinnerbaits – so there is no one, single way to catch fish. Personally, if I were fishing in the championship, I’d get out on the main river, look for current and start throwing a DT-10 crankbait.
FLWOutdoors.com: Who do you think has the best chance to walk away with the $500,000 first-place prize?
Fritts: I think the championship is anybody’s ball game, just because there are so many ways to catch fish and so much structure. That’s why it’s such a great lake to host a championship.
FLWOutdoors.com: What is your general overview of the Logan Martin?
Elias: It’s an awesome lake. It’s a good offshore fishing lake, but this time of year you can still catch some fish shallow as well.
FLWOutdoors.com: What are the key factors anglers will be looking for at Logan Martin?
Elias: A big key to fishing Logan Martin will be what Alabama Power does. If Alabama Power starts generating current on that lake, the offshore fish will bite on deeper structure. And if that’s the case, I think the shallow-water guys are going to have a hard time competing with the anglers going after the deeper-water bites. But if there isn’t any current, guys should have success fishing shallow water and boat docks with jigs. Looking at the field, there are more shallow-water guys than deep-water anglers, so you might see the winner come from that group. But if I was fishing this tournament, I’d totally rely on the offshore fish and pray that Alabama Power produces current.
FLWOutdoors.com: What techniques should prevail during the championship?
Elias: I think you’ll see a lot of deep cranking, some Carolina rigs as well as some heavy spinnerbaits. There might be a bit of a top-water bite there as well for at least part of the day.
FLWOutdoors.com: Who is your favorite for the championship?
Elias: With the way the field is set up, I’d say Greg Hackney will be a big-time threat. But I think you also need to watch out for Tom Mann Jr. This lake really suits his style as well.
FLWOutdoors.com: What are the most important factors anglers will have to consider heading into the championship?
Powers: Current is going to be the key factor in my opinion. I think a lot of the guys are going to be fishing the current. And the closer you get up toward the dam, the more current you’re going to find. And that’s why you might even see some of the guys using jet boats, because I’m not sure some of the larger boats are going to be able to get that close to the dam.
Another important factor is going to be the total weight it takes to advance. If it winds up taking 12 to 15 pounds to move on, I think the shallow-water fishermen will do well. But if it takes 15 to 20 pounds, the anglers fishing deep water are probably going to win this tournament. The higher the weight totals, the better off the deep fishermen will be. But it’s not going to be easy for the deep fishermen either, because there is going to be a lot of pressure from local anglers on the offshore holes this time of year. Unlike some other lakes, there are probably only about 25 good offshore fishing spots. So to be successful fishing deep, you’re really going to have to use a combination of two or three techniques to get a five-fish limit.
Spotted bass are also going to come into play in the championship. Unlike the smaller spots you find at places like Kentucky Lake, the spotted bass at Logan Martin are huge by comparison. There are some 5- and 6-pounders out there. And I’ll tell you what, they fight as hard as any fish out there.
FLWOutdoors.com: So what techniques do you think will prevail?
Powers: I think you’ll see some deep cranking, which will probably serve to spread the field out some. A lot of the guys are going to go with Carolina rigs tipped with 10- to 12-inch worms. There will be swimbaits and some jigs. You’ll also see plenty of flipping. And my guess is that there will be a great dock-fishing bite as well.
FLWOutdoors.com: Who do you see as the top contenders?
Powers: Here are my five favorites. I’m picking Shinichi Fukae for the simple fact that he could catch fish in a bucket of water. He’s had a phenomenal year, he practices harder than anybody, and I don’t see why he can’t continue his success in the championship. I’m also picking Greg Hackney because he’s as hot as a pistol right now. This lake really suits his style. Tracy Adams is another guy to watch out for. Tracy had a great year and he traditionally does well in championships. David Dudley is another guy who has a good chance. He’s about as good of a junk fisherman as any. He’s really versatile, never gets stuck on one (technique) and is willing to change patterns if he needs to at any time. Finally, I’m going with Alton Jones. In my opinion, he’s one of the top 10 fishermen in the world. I have a lot of confidence in his abilities, and he’s one of the smartest fishermen I know.
FLWOutdoors.com: With a win at Logan Martin Lake during the 1997 Bassmaster Classic and two other Classic appearances on the same body of water, how do you rate the upcoming 2004 FLW Championship venue?
Hibdon: First of all, the lake fishes really big, so there is going to be plenty of room for everyone. It’s definitely going to be a real, well-rounded tournament. I don’t think someone can win the tournament off of one area alone, though. I think it’ll be a pattern that ultimately wins the tournament. But this lake won’t exclude anybody heading in, because everyone will be able to fish to their strengths. It’s just that good of a lake.
FLWOutdoors.com: What techniques do you think will be most pronounced come tournament time?
Hibdon: There will be a lot of flipping and pitching, and you’ll see a lot of jigs and tubes. A lot of the guys will target boat docks. There could be a good top-water bite as well. Some guys will throw crankbaits, jigs and worms into deep cover, which could work out really well. Basically, there are a lot of options on Logan Martin and they’re all pretty good.
FLWOutdoors.com: There has been a lot of talk about whether the winning pattern will come deep or shallow. What is your take on the situation?
Hibdon: The deep fishermen will have a good time. But there is a lot of stuff for the shallow fishermen as well. There are lots of good boat docks, shallow wood, lots of options. The crazy thing I’ve noticed about Logan Martin over the years is that half of the top 10 is usually made up of deep-water fishermen and the other half is shallow-water fishermen. So I think the tournament can be won both ways. But again, it’s going to depend on the weight needed to advance. There are tons of fish there and they’re easy to catch. But there are certain things you have to do to catch the bigger fish. It wouldn’t surprise me if it took 20 pounds to win.
FLWOutdoors.com: So who, in your opinion, is the favorite?
Hibdon: I think everybody has a shot. To say anyone has a distinct advantage, I really don’t think so. But if I had to make a prediction, I’d probably go with one of the veterans, the old-timers. With this (head-to-head) format, you have to win every day. You can’t really make a mistake. And that’s what makes me feel like the older guys will have an advantage. They’re going to be focused on fishing that day, not on the $500,000 (first prize). And when you have prize money that big, some of the younger guys can lose their focus. You can never count out the local guys. But sometimes the local advantage can hurt you because you get stuck on what worked before. But if I was going to single out some of the locals, I think Greg Pugh could do well. He is fishing extremely well right now, and he has some good knowledge of this lake. Todd Ary is another guy. I don’t know him as well, but he probably knows that body of water pretty well.
FLWOutdoors.com: How do you think this championship stacks up to previous FLW Championships?
Hibdon: Most of the FLW Championships we’ve fished in the past – the James River, Cross Lake and Fort Gibson Lake to name a few – were really tough fisheries. But Logan Martin is a lot different. There are tons of fish here, and most of the anglers are going to catch some pretty good limits. The crowd is really going to enjoy the weigh-in as well. Overall, it’ll probably be the best championship we’ve ever had. I’m really looking forward to it.