Staff Picks: Ouachita River

Tournament site

Despite repeated stops in Louisiana over the last few years, this marks the first time the FLW Tour has paid a visit to Monroe and its access to the Ouachita River. Still, despite the seemingly unfamiliar water, expect nothing less than good old backwater bass fishing when the tour rolls into town. The Ouachita River starts in the Ouachita Mountains of Arkansas and flows down through northeast Louisiana where it eventually meets up with the Red River. At Monroe, FLW anglers have access to the Monroe pool, which includes the popular fishery of D’Arbonne Bayou, or they can lock up into Arkansas with access to the Felsenthal Wildlife Refuge. Right now, it appears the bass in most areas of this stretch of river have lots of refuge. High water levels have flooded the banks and up into the cypress trees. That, plus cool temperatures this time of year, could make this a tougher tournament for anglers. Word is that the flippers and pitchers should come out ahead of the pack, as well as anyone who can just plain find a hole full of fish among the miles of flooded timber. In that sense, it might be best to avoid pattern fishermen in your picks.

Hot picks

Not surprisingly, the staff also likes Louisiana favorite Greg Hackney the best at the Ouachita. He squeezed four picks out of the six pundits. Coming in behind him with three picks apiece were rookie sensation Bobby Lane, resurgent veteran Dan Morehead and red-hot Dean Rojas. Also catching their attention is another driven FLW rookie, Art Berry, who earned two picks.

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Wal-Mart FLW Tour stop No. 3

Ouachita River, West Monroe, La.

March 9-12

Patrick Baker Editor FLWOutdoors.com Record: 2-0 Points: 1,351	VS.	Chris Eubanks Editor FLW Outdoors Record: 0-2 Points: 1,383
1) GREG HACKNEY . For most of 2004 with amazing FLW Tour and BASS performances, Gonzales, La., pro Greg Hackney was poised to own the year, but he was ultimately relegated to second fiddle in both circuits. Louisiana’s Ouachita River presents Hackney with a perfect opportunity to make first chair. It’s his domain; it’s his turn. 2) DAN MOREHEAD . Fishing the FLW Tour since its inception, this Kentucky pro has amassed an amazing track record in 10 years: Angler of the Year, seven championship appearances, 10 top-10s and two wins. Add to that a 2004 EverStart Series second place on another Louisiana river and an FLW top-10 last month, and Dan’s the man at the Ouachita. 3) J T KENNEY . If the tourney is to be won by the stick, I’ll go with the flipping king. 4) GREG PUGH . In five years on tour, he just keeps getting better. And this year he’s on a roll. 5) SAM SWETT . Just over a year ago, this Covington, La., pro took top honors when the tour visited his home waters of the Atchafalaya Basin. He was so dialed in that he knew to zig when the field zagged. I look for him to earn his second trip to the finals when the tour returns to Cajun country.		1) BOBBY LANE . I said it last time: I’ll ride him until he lets me down. 2) ART BERRY . He has a good history on the river and, although he made a top 10 at Toho, he’s still underrated. 3) GREG HACKNEY . Hackney is going home and needs a big finish to get back on track to making the championship. He excels in tough conditions, and the river will probably be tough. 4) DION HIBDON . Besides being a threat to win anywhere, Dion has done well in river tournaments in the past. (See the Red River, 2000.) 5) DAN MOREHEAD . I know I’m picking another top-10 finisher from Toho, but Morehead is another angler who has proven his ability on river systems.

Rob Newell Contributing editor FLW Outdoors Record: 1-1 Points: 1,439	VS.	Keith Lebowitz Co-host “FLW Outdoors” on FSN Record: 1-1 Points: 1,364
1) CLARK WENDLANDT . I’m going to start my picks with a couple of pros who are currently sitting someplace in the standings where they know good and well they should not be. Who better to start with than Wendlandt? While I hesitate to use the “S” word with Wendlandt, he’s going to break out of this “little dip” in performance soon and, when he does, he will take no prisoners. His year will turn around at the Ouachita. 2) DAN MOREHEAD . Morehead needs to make up some ground if he is going to make the championship, so he better get started at the Ouachita River. 3) JASON KILPATRICK . He had a great year last year and is off to a slow start this year, but Kilpatrick is a river rat and he’ll get it done in Louisiana. 4) BOBBY LANE . This will be the third time I’ve picked Lane this year. Yes, the tour has left Florida, but I still have faith in Lane. 5) ART BERRY . This kid is just getting started at showing what he can do on the FLW Tour.		1) CHAD GRIGSBY . Check out his last five regular-season tournaments: He’s on fire. No longer giving sponsor rides after two days of fishing (he used to be my day-three guide), he’s now a threat to crack the top 10 every time out. 2) WESLEY STRADER . He’s been guiding quite a bit lately on days three and four, so he’s way overdue for a top-10. 3) DEAN ROJAS . Next time you see him, look in his eyes. He’s got Angler of the Year on his mind and I, for one, believe him. 4) BOBBY LANE . Why not? If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. This rookie ain’t broke, literally and figuratively. 5) JOHN SAPPINGTON . He really wants to make a push to the top 48. I know he’s not fully healed – heck, he never will be – but on guts alone, I’m giving him the nod.

Jeff Schroeder Editor FLWOutdoors.com Record: 1-1 Points: 1,414	VS.	Gary Mortenson Editor FLWOutdoors.com Record: 1-1 Points: 1,315
1) TOM MONSOOR . This tournament’s setting up a lot like the Atchafalaya Basin last year and Kentucky Lake the year before that with high, riverine water flooding way back into the woods. Monsoor – a top-fiver at both of those FLW tourneys – seems to thrive in high, mucky river conditions where there’s a lot of water to fish. He’s a master at finding the needles in the haystack with that swimming jig of his. His last two FLW top-10 finishes were a third and second place, respectively, so there’s nowhere to go but up. 2) GREG HACKNEY . The swamp rats will thrive on the Ouachita River, and is there a more accomplished swamp rat right now than Hackney? This tourney’s in his backyard, so spending crucial practice time away at the Clarks Hill BASS event the week before won’t hurt him here. Plus, he hasn’t made an FLW cut yet this season, so, yes, you could say he’s hungry. 3) DEAN ROJAS . In my opinion, the best bet to win 2005 AOY. Rojas is finding fish and he’s catching them right now, and when he does that he’s an unavoidable force. 4) GARY YAMAMOTO . Guess who else likes fishing flooded timber? Mr. Senko’s starting to piece together his best FLW season ever, and the Ouachita will play right into his hands. 5) SEAN HOERNKE . Flies under the radar because he hasn’t made any FLW cuts yet, but he’s usually good for the top 50, especially now that we’re out of Florida. Hoernke’s a river rat from eastern Texas who, I have a feeling, feels right at home in northern Louisiana.		1) DAVID DUDLEY . I’m banking heavily on the Manteo Machine this week. Why? He’s an expert in river fishing, he likes fishing wood, and, most importantly, he told me to pick him. And even if he does poorly I still win because that means I’ll get to give him grief all the way until the next tour stop. What’s more enjoyable than that? 2) DAVE LEFEBRE . The Keebler Kid has been off my list for the past two tournaments and I’ve regretted it both times. Over the past two seasons, it’s been hard to argue that Lefebre hasn’t been the most consistent angler on tour. So, in an effort to redeem myself in the eyes of the snack-food king, I’m putting him on the list this time. 3) GREG HACKNEY . The resident of Gonzales, La., should get back on the horse during the Ouachita River event. Quite simply, he’s just too good an angler to turn in another so-so performance. And, he’s fishing in very familiar territory. 4) DEAN ROJAS . Another fishing machine, Rojas has been nothing short of sensational the past two seasons on the FLW Tour. Rojas rarely has a bad tournament and that’s exactly the type of angler I’m looking for when the FLW Tour hits a difficult venue like this. 5) KELLY JORDON . As hot as any angler on the tour right now, Jordon appears finally to have gotten over the hump after winning his first-ever FLW Tour event at Lake Okeechobee. The long-time BASS juggernaut is now as multi-dimensional as ever.

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