The weather forecasters missed it again. Yesterday afternoon everyone was nervous about the potential for a Day 2 cancellation. Winds out of the north up to 18 mph, they said. The boats left the dock under sunny skies and a temperature of 53 degrees. The forecast now calls for light winds from 5-11 mph. Same thing on Championship Sunday.
Here are three things to watch for as the day unfolds.
Weather: Some want calm, others don’t care. No matter the preference, today is setting up for ideal conditions to catch largemouth and smallmouth. The high sun will position largemouth and smallmouth tighter to cover. That will help everyone fishing in shallow water for largemouth. Flipping shoreline cover and offshore grass will be a big deal. It already is for Todd Faircloth and Alton Jones Sr.
Fishing pressure: On the Vermont side alone are eight permitted club-sized tournaments. Now another factor is adding to the pressure. That is the community holes. The Inland Sea, The Gut and other popular areas will get more pressure as anglers jockey to get inside the Top 51 for Championship Sunday.
Mixed bags: Yesterday everyone I spoke with talked about catching mixed bags of largemouth and smallmouth. Of course, those anglers are fishing in deeper water inhabited by both species. Some anglers are catching a mixed bag limit and then culling up with smallmouth. So it will be interesting to see which species becomes the most reliable for consistency and weight.