In some tournaments, the luck of the draw means more than in others. Usually it's getting in the first flight and having more time to take advantage of an early topwater, low-light bite. In this event, it's just the opposite, according to Steve Kennedy.
"I can't wait for that last flight tomorrow," Kennedy said yesterday, after finishing in 63rd place with 14-10 in a first flight start. "They're not fired up in the morning."
Kennedy is mostly fishing shallow, looking at some of them on – believe it or not – spawning beds.
"I know I caught one 4-pounder on a spawning bed," Kennedy said. "I think another four or five were on beds. Two fish I had to throw three different baits to finally catch them."
Although there are more and more fish moving out to join schools on deeper structure, their usual summertime pattern, there are still enough fish shallow to stay in contention this week. The main reason for that is water temperature. Kennedy noted that it was 72 degrees during the tournament here in 2013. He saw mostly 67 degrees during practice. this week. It has since warmed to 69, which is sending more and more fish deep. But the spawning window is always wider than most anglers recognize, and it should continue to be an option the rest of the week.
When you're looking at them, the higher the sun, the easier it is to see them and get them to bite.