“Basically, the day was that 5-10,” said Walker, who had an 8th-place total of 14-5. “I had a limit but two were little ones. I culled a 12 1/2-incher with that 5-10. I gained about five pounds with that cull.”
It’s easy to see how important a kicker largemouth bass is at Lake Martin. Walker is spending the bulk of his day trying to catch a kicker, or two, or more.
“You take away that one fish and I’m in the 40s (in the standings) with everybody else,” Walker said. “Granted, I feel like I’m fishing for that type of fish because I’m not laying up, just trying to catch some little fish on a worm. I’m fishing the way you can catch a big stringer. But the numbers (of largemouths) being as low as they are, you can definitely not make that cast (which produces a 5-10).”
Walker explained that he’s targeting stained water, “chasing mud,” as he put it. And that’s an ever-changing scenario on Lake Martin because it clears so quickly.
“The rate that it clears is pretty strange,” Walker said. “It gets dirty instantly, and when you go back the next day, it has already settled out. Evidently, there’s not a lot of fertile water here. I was surprised. There were a couple of pockets I went in (Thursday) that (Wednesday) were just mud holes. I didn’t want to fish them (Thursday). It was too clear.
“I’m just chasing mud. That’s what I like to do. I don’t mind cold, clear water, but the water temperatures are on the rise.”
Walker has a limit so far today, but it weighs just under six pounds. He’s hoping for another midday game-changer largemouth.