I fished Lake George’s southwest corner (along with three-quarters of the field) during the 2014 Bassmaster Elite Series event on the St. Johns River, and I learned it is difficult to have a strong tournament when you’re playing bumper boats, even when sight fishing.
The spawn should be further along when the Elites visit the St. Johns River, March 17-20, because of a mild winter, so look for the majority of the field to be sight fishing.
I, however, am not basing my picks solely on an angler’s sight fishing ability. I’m also considering anglers who are willing to avoid fishing in a crowd. Sure, there may be a few anglers who make the final day cut with a flotilla of boats surrounding them, but the top finishers and the eventual winner will likely be fishing away from everyone else at some point during the four-day event.
Bucket A: Ehrler
My pick: Brent Ehrler
Brent Ehrler is one of the most consistent anglers on tour who can cover water quickly and efficiently, which an angler will need to do on the massive river system. He’s also a skilled sight fisherman and avoids fishing in a crowd if he feels he has the potential to win.
Seriously considered: Jacob Powroznik
Powroznik’s skill set amazes me, and like Ehrler, he is one of the most consistent anglers on the Elite Series. Powroznik’s sight fishing skills are as strong as anyone on the Elite Series, and he always seems to be around the “winning” fish.
Bucket B: B. Hite
My pick: Brett Hite
Before you accuse me of my West Coast bias, remember no angler has won more money fishing a vibrating jig than Brett Hite. What makes Hite so effective with the vibrating jig is that he has the confidence to throw it all day, long after other anglers lose interest.
The St. Johns River is full of vegetation, which is where the vibrating jig excels. I expect Hite to have a strong tournament if the bass are willing to chase down a moving bait.
Seriously considered: Todd Faircloth
Faircloth is one of the most talented grass fishermen on the Elite Series, so he’s a solid pick. He showed off his skills by keying in on vegetation seams (where two types of vegetation come together) during his second-place showing on the St. Johns in 2012, so look for him to be around the Top 12.
Bucket C: Scroggins
My Pick: Terry Scroggins
I know this is the obvious pick in Bucket C, but I can’t find a good reason not to pick the angler with the most experience on the St. Johns River. Scroggins has had two solid Elite Series finishes here (sixth and 27th) and knows those key little out-of-the-way stops that might very well make all the difference this time.
Seriously considered: David Williams
I learned Williams was willing to avoid fishing in crowds during the Lake Havasu Elite event last year in Arizona. While the majority of the field stayed closed to the tournament launch, Williams ran to the opposite end of the lake to the Bill Williams River and came close to winning. Because I’m putting stock in anglers avoiding crowds for this event, I almost picked Williams.
Bucket D: Tharp
My Pick: Randall Tharp
Randall Tharp is a threat to win whenever he fishes in Florida. Like Faircloth, he’s one of the most accomplished vegetation anglers in the field, so I can easily see Tharp finding the winning fish with his flipping stick.
Seriously considered: Chad Morgenthaler
Morgenthaler has proved he can beat the best on Florida waters. He’s also strong in events scheduled early in the year.
Bucket E: C. Grigsby
My Pick: Chad Grigsby
Chad Grisby is one of the most talented newcomers on the Elite Series this year. He’s competed on the FLW Tour for several years and has a lot of experience fishing in Florida early in the year. He’s a skilled sight fisherman who is just as comfortable fishing eelgrass as he is lily pads, which makes him my pick.
Seriously considered: Drew Benton
Benton is another Elite Series rookie who I expect to fish well. He’s from Panama City, Fla., and has a tour-level win on Okeechobee. He’s an excellent shallow-water angler and understands how fish relate to vegetation.
Those are my picks. Who are yours?