Almost exactly the same number of bass totaling the same total weight were caught by the 94 Elite Series anglers on Day 1 and Day 2 at Chickamauga Lake. The totals were 394 bass weighing 1,192-1 on Day 1, and 390 bass weighing 1,182-2 on Day 2. Individually, however, a bunch of guys who caught ‘em Thursday, didn’t catch ‘em Friday, and vice versa.
Two-time Bassmaster Angler of the Year Gerald Swindle mentioned on stage Friday the mind game that is tournament bass fishing in general and Chickamauga Lake in particular. Swindle talked about the thoughts going through your head when you end Day 1 in 67th place, like he did with four bass weighing 10 pounds, 4 ounces, and – four tournaments in – it feels like your whole season is on the line the next day.
But at least Swindle has some experience in this situation. Matty Wong has practically none. This is only his 8th B.A.S.S. tournament, and he came into this one on a losing streak – 92nd at the Harris Chain, 54th at the Bassmaster Classic, 180th in the Cherokee Lake Open and 94th at Santee Cooper.
Wong and Swindle weighed the two heaviest limits at Chickamauga on Day 2. Wong’s 25-13 rocketed him from 64th place on Day 1 (4 bass/10-9) to 8th place on Day 2 with a two-day total of 36-6. Swindle’s 23-4 zoomed him from 67th (4 bass/10-4) to 13th with 33-8.
There were seven 20-pound bags caught on Day 1 and six on Day 2, but no angler showed up on both lists. One of the Day 1 success stories, Matt Herren, caught only two keepers Friday and fell all the way to 59th place, missing the top 47 cut for Day 3.
So who’s going to catch ‘em today? Chickamauga Lake, clearly, is difficult to predict.