DECATUR, Ala. – In the world of top-level professional fishing, the name of the game is usually figuring out what the bass want and then adjusting tactics to suit their fickle fancy.
Only occasionally does a tournament trail visit a venue at just the right time, where anglers have the complete say-so in how they fish and with what.
The Wal-Mart FLW Series BP Eastern event on Wheeler Lake this week happens to be one of those rare events, where anglers will not be relegated to just two or three predominant patterns.
With springtime creeping into northern Alabama, water temperatures rising into the 60s and the promise of stable weather in store, anglers will be able to pick their weapons at Wheeler this week.
Lures choices will run the gamut from jigs and spinnerbaits in a foot of water to shaky heads and drop-shots in 20 feet of water.
In addition, Wheeler, which weighs in at some 68,000 acres, offers a myriad of fishy cover options, including grass flats, ledges, riprap, lay-downs, docks, rocks and just about anything else you can think of.
“It’s nice to be able to fish whatever you want, whenever you want,” said National Guard pro Jonathan Newton of nearby Rogersville, Ala. “Wheeler has always been the kind of fishery that gives the angler more control of what and how they fish; being here in the spring, when the water is warming and fish are coming to the bank, only enhances that control.”
Currently, Wheeler is chock full of 12- to 14-inch keeper bass. The pretournament consensus is that there will be plenty of fish caught and plenty of limits weighed. However, getting a five-bass limit to push its way into the teens in terms of weight each day will be the trick for scoring a top-10 on Saturday.
“With so many keepers biting, it will be hard to separate yourself from the pack,” Newton suggested. “We may see a couple of 20-pound bags this week, but I think top one-day stringers will be in that 16- to 18-pound range.”
The one variable that could help make that separation possible is a yo-yoing water level on Wheeler.
“They dropped the water about 2 feet during practice, but this morning it’s back up about 2 feet,” Newton noted. “Even though the weather is stable and warming, having the water level jump around like that has a profound impact on these fish. When the water moves that much, that fast, entire schools of fish will completely vacate or move into areas within a matter of hours.”
Newton plans to use the water level’s volatility to his advantage.
“If I have any advantage as a local at all, that’s it,” he added. “I know how fluctuating water can mess with these fish.”
For that reason, Newton believes the winner of the event will probably not fish the same area all four days.
“Sometimes, in order to do well here, you have to fish one area one day and then fish a completely different area the next,” he added. “If the water keeps moving around like it is, I think that will be a factor here: fishing completely new water several times during the four days.”
Logistics
Anglers will take off from Ingalls Harbor located at 802 Wilson St. N.W. in Decatur at 7 each morning. Wednesday, Thursday and Friday’s weigh-ins will also be held at the marina beginning at 3 p.m.
Saturday’s final weigh-in will be held at the Wal-Mart store located at 2800 Spring Ave. S.W. in Decatur beginning at 4 p.m.
Children will also be treated to a Family Fun Zone prior to Saturday’s weigh-in from noon to 4 p.m. at Wal-Mart. Activities in the Family Fun Zone include a trout pond, a Ranger boat simulator and assorted fishing-themed games. All activities are free and open to the public.
The entire field competes for the first three days of FLW Series events. Co-angler winners are determined on day three based on the heaviest accumulated three-day weight. The top 10 professionals continue competition on day four, and the winner is determined by the heaviest accumulated weight from all four days.
Sunrise: 6:42 a.m.
Temperature at takeoff: 46 degrees
Expected high temperature: 69 degrees
Water temperature: 60 degrees
Wind: SSW at 10 to 15 mph
Day’s outlook: partly cloudy and cool