No depth finders needed

Shallow bite dominant at Kerr this week in Stren Northeast

HENDERSON, N.C. – Those who know the history of Kerr Lake as a bass fishery know its infamous reputation as a deep-water crankbait lake, especially in the early summer and fall, when bass tend to gang up on deep offshore structure.

To be considered a top tournament contender on Kerr this time of year, it usually takes a comprehensive knowledge of the lake’s deep, offshore features in 8 to 20 feet of water.

But things have been different this week. Instead of the top 10 being filled with deep crankers and Carolina riggers with local addresses, the top 10 is filled with bank beaters from Kentucky, Ohio and Pennsylvania.

Even some of the lake’s best deep-water fishermen, like Gerald Beck, David Wright and Chris Baldwin, are suspiciously absent from the top 10.

So what’s going on at Kerr?

Local cranking expert Gerald Beck, who did make the top-20 cut and ended up 14th, noted that he never observed a shad spawn this year.

“Normally these bass go deep right after the shad spawn,” Beck said. “And for some reason, I never saw a shad spawn here this year. I think some of these fish are still cruising the banks wondering what happened to their free, shad-spawn meal ticket.

“There are some fish deep,” he added. “But that deep bite is not what it usually is for this time of year.”

Todd Auten of Lake Wylie, S.C., who is in fifth place, has found that there is still so much bait up shallow that bass have not needed to go deep to eat.

“There are pods of baitfish everywhere in the shallows,” he said. “Several times I’ve thrown to a dark spot in the water, thinking it was a big stump, only to find out it was a tight school of baitfish. And anywhere there’s shade, there’s a pile of bait up under it.”

Other anglers think the recent passage of Tropical Storm Alberto has kept the lake waters higher and cooler than normal, therefore extending the bass’ postspawn, shallow-water feeding spree.

“When I get in clear enough water, I can see wolf packs of good bass cruising the shallows, bullying any kind of shad or baitfish they can find,” said Jacob Powroznik. “All I know is I like it, and I hope they keep doing it.”

Powroznik, along with Tim McDonald of Hagerhill, Ky., and Larry Evans of Southpoint, Ohio, all share the top spot going into the last day, each with the identical weight of 15 pounds, 10 ounces. All three intend to stick to their shallow-water game plans today to sit in the winner’s circle this afternoon.

The final weigh-in of the Stren Series Northeast event on Kerr Lake begins at 4 p.m. today at the Henderson Wal-Mart.

Wednesday’s conditions

Sunrise: 5:56

Temperature at takeoff: 62 degrees

Water temperature: 75-80 degrees

Expected high temperature: 87 degrees

Wind: SW at 5 to 10 mph

Day’s outlook: sunny and warm