Picking Pickwick
Final AFS Southeast event begins in Alabama
FLORENCE, Ala. – The third and final FLW American Fishing Series event in the Southeast Division is under way on Pickwick Lake.
But just because this event is being held on Pickwick Lake does not mean everyone necessarily plans to fish Pickwick Lake. Contestants are allowed to lock up into Wilson Lake or run far to the southwest to the Tombigbee Waterway and even to Bay Springs Lake.
Competitors are not, however, allowed to lock into Wheeler or fish Tennessee waters on the western end of Pickwick.
Choosing to lock or run out of Pickwick means sacrificing a lot of fishing time, but the gamble can pay off. The last time the AFS visited Pickwick was for the championship in 2009; Mark Rose of Marion, Ark., won that event by running to Bay Springs Lake, some 70 miles away.
Also, Wilson usually produces a couple of top-10 contenders in Pickwick tournaments as well. As of this morning, 18 pros had signed up for lock times to go to Wilson.
One who will be staying on Pickwick today is Yamaha pro Greg Pugh of Cullman, Ala. Pugh has recently been busy producing his own line of custom lures, and one of his first offerings is his 1-ounce football-head jig, called the Gorilla Jig, which is hand-tied with longer, thicker mop-style skirt material.
“There’s no better place to put a football jig through the paces than right here on Pickwick Lake,” Pugh said. “I’m excited to see what it will catch.”
Several pros believe top weights at Pickwick will push the scales to 18 or 19 pounds today with a two-day total of about 25 pounds to make the top-10 cut for Saturday.
Logistics
The American Fishing Series event on Pickwick Lake will begin at 6:30 a.m. with takeoffs Thursday, Friday and Saturday from McFarland Park. All weigh-ins will also be held at McFarland Park starting a 2 p.m. on Thursday and Friday. Saturday’s final weigh-in will begin at 2:30.
Minimum length limits for the event are 12 inches for largemouth and spotted bass and 14 inches for smallmouth bass.
Thursday’s conditions
Temperature at takeoff: 58 degrees
Expected high temperature: 83 degrees
Water temperature: 78 degrees
Wind: NNW at 10 to 15 mph
Day’s outlook: breezy and cool