The Mountain Dew Bassmaster Elite at Tennesee-Tombigbee Waterway was difficult for a lot of people. Even though it was not easy for me, I felt right at home. Thankfully, that familiarity allowed me to notch my best finish in Elite competition.
I got off to a good start and rode that momentum to a fifth-place finish. The key to my success was how similar this fishery was to my home waters on the Coosa River.
Even though the Tenn-Tom is a manmade canal, it functions like a river system with vegetation, including my favorites — willow grass and dollar pads. I got my bigger bites out of water willow, and I got more bites out of the dollar pads.
I was fishing a pretty big area a couple miles north of takeoff. I did not fish the 2025 Open at the Tenn-Tom, but watching that event helped me define a direction. More than anything, it showed me there was water similar to what I fish at home.
Going into the event, I knew there would be an opportunity for me to do well. I had one really good day of practice, and I decided I was gonna gamble and try to catch big ones. So, I stayed local.
I felt like I could lock down and catch anywhere from 9 to 12 pounds, but I knew if I stayed local, I could not weigh in a bass or I could catch a big bag. I took the chance and caught a big bag and fished the entire tournament there.
I caught most of my fish on a swim jig, and I feel there’s no one better than me at swimming a jig, so I was right at home. I felt like I could go behind people and get bit.
I wasn’t fishing fast. I was very methodical, and I know a few little tricks to trigger more bites. I also know exactly what to look for and how to make the right cast. I really understand how those fish set up, so this tournament was definitely in my wheelhouse.
I realized I was on something special about an hour into the first morning. I really didn’t hammer that stuff in practice; I fished through there really fast. I was more or less looking for productive water.
There was a shad spawn going on during the tournament, but that was not my focus. I wanted to be in an area where shad were present, but I was fishing for staging fish. I was running a very specific deal and catching prespawn and postspawn fish.
The thing that hurt me was the cold front that arrived the night before Day 3. I think that locked them down and made them stop coming and leaving.
I was stubborn, because I thought we were far enough along into the spring that those fish would still have to go. Hindsight’s 20/20, but I wish that on the third and fourth days, when I struggled, that I would have bailed myself out by going to places that had a hardcore shad spawn. I could have caught that 11- to 12-pound bag, instead of trying to fish for those bigger fish.
This was the first time I’ve led a Bassmaster Elite Series event (Day 2), and it felt great. Obviously, the week didn’t turn out my way, but it just wasn’t my time.
In terms of putting together a winning program, I do feel like we’re almost to the peak of the mountain. You never know when it will happen, so I’m gonna stay focused, keep my head down and do what I have to do to win one of those blue trophies.
