When this first-ever Elite Series event was scheduled on Lake Oahe, a notable, relatively untouched smallmouth bass fishery, there were winning weight predictions of 80 to 100 pounds for this four-day tournament.
After 2 1/2 days of practice, however, the Elite Series anglers expressed no such thoughts. There was lots of a talk about post-spawn, skinny smallmouth and the fishing funk that takes place after the spawn. The most common winning weight prediction from the pros was around 64 pounds.
These guys often get accused of sand-bagging/low-balling/poor-mouthing the bite before a tournament begins. But Friday’s Day 1 totals proved them accurate this time. Only one angler, David Fritts with 19 pounds, 7ounces, approached a 20-pound bag. Three guys had 18 pounds and two more had 17. Ninety-three of the 107 anglers had limits, no one zeroed and everyone weighed at least three bass. That average bass weighed was 2.2 pounds. Fritts had the big bass with a 4-11.
The field will be cut to the top 50 after today. Rick Clunn was in 50th place after Day 1 with 10-3.
Alton Jones’ prediction on Thursday is worth repeating: “I think 16 pounds a day will win it. You may catch 20 or 21 pounds one day, but an average of 16 pounds a day should win it. I’ll be shocked if 15 pounds a day doesn’t make the Top 12. Maybe 11 pounds a day will get you a (top 50) check.”