Martin’s menu
EverStart leader rolls out the buffet for Guntersville bass
GUNTERSVILLE, Ala. – As tournament leader Casey Martin of Huntsville, Ala., began pulling his rods out of the rod locker on the final morning of the EverStart event on Lake Guntersville, it became readily apparent that he has had to lay out the all-u-can-eat buffet this week to wrangle his leading weight of 49 pounds, 2 ounces out of Lake Guntersville.
February is generally considered rattling lipless lure month on Lake Guntersville. And while Martin has used a pair of rattle baits this week, including a Rat-L-Trap and an Excalibur Xr-50, he has also relied heavily on a pair of suspending jerkbaits – a MegaBass 110 and a Spro McStick – as well as an Omega Swim Jig.
Each type of lure has been used for a specific set of cover and conditions. Martin uses the rattle baits to probe grass in the 3- to 6-foot range, the jerkbaits come into play on rock bluff walls and rip rap and the swim jig has been his go to lure when fishing up shallow around pad stems.
“The Omega swim jig has been my big fish bait so far,” Martin said. “Three of the biggest fish I’ve caught this week, including a 7-pounder, came on the swim jig.”
Martin’s goal coming into the event was to have three different sets of water available for super cold conditions, normal conditions and very warm conditions and he has utilized all three.
“When it was really cold, the jerkbaits on the rocks were the best combination,” Martin explained. “As it has warmed up, the lipless baits in the grass are always a player here. And it actually got warm enough to swim the jig up shallow. So I’m literally using all three patterns each day.”
Martin enters the final day of the EverStart with nearly a 6-pound lead, but no lead is safe on Guntersville.
The final day weigh-in will begin at 4 p.m. CST at the Guntersville Walmart.
Conditions
Temperature at takeoff: 35 degrees
Expected high temperature: 69 degrees
Water temperature: 50 to 60 degrees
Wind: South 10 mph
Day’s outlook: Sunny, warmer