"Second again this year!" Bobby Lane declared Saturday as the Alabama Charge winner, Davy Hite, weighed in.
Lane was smiling, but he was obviously disappointed about being the runner-up for the second time this year. He also finished second on Lake Tohopekaliga in January at the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Southern Open.
"Second never gets old, but you want to win," Lane said. "I stayed consistent all week and was very happy about my fishing."
Lane said much of his catch came out of a shallow area of Pickwick Lake that held a lot of fish — and a lot of fellow competitors.
"I keyed in on little things that (other) guys weren't looking for," Lane said. "If it was a hole, a log, a tree on the bank, a bush behind a tree, I tried to get a cast in there. I think guys overlooked that pattern all week; I keyed in on it and made it work."
Lane saluted winner Hite for the 21-1 sack he managed at the Wilson Dam the final day to win by a margin of 8 pounds. Lane said he did not regret his choice, made before the first cast, to stay away from the tailrace.
"I told myself I will never go to the tailrace, and after this tournament, I promise you I'll never go to the tailrace," he said.
He stuck with his strengths.
"I don't fish well in that kind of water, and smallmouth are fun to catch, but I don't have all the techniques and tactics to catch them," Lane said. "I like to stay on the move, find new fish, fish swimbaits and jigs and football jigs."