During the 90-minute delay, the marina was abuzz with dock talk. One comment that stuck in my mind came from Boyd Duckett,10th on the scoreboard after Friday.
“The guys fishing spots don’t want to go out, while the anglers fishing patterns do,” he said.
Duckett said that during the delay when there was a possibility the day would be cancelled. Translated, Duckett was referring to the wind and boat position. The “spot” anglers are fishing community holes unprotected from the wind. Keeping a boat on spot and making precise lure presentations will be a challenge today in the gusty conditions. On the flip side, the “pattern” anglers can adjust strategies and chose protected areas that are productive.
Another comment from yesterday and this morning was how “small” the lake is fishing. Small, as in the best areas have concentrated populations of smallmouth.
“What has surprised me the most is how small it fishes and how everyone seems to be able to find the same fish,” said Brent Chapman, the current Toyota Bassmaster Angler of the Year leader. ” It’s a massive lake but there seems to be a lot of dead water in it. There are spots way up the lake that you can run and see five boats on it. I would have thought everyone would be more spread out.”