With light weights and fish measuring mishaps at the Elite Series opener on Guntersville in his rearview mirror, the always happy John Cox begins round two of the season at Lake Martin this week with nothing but positive vibes and numerous measuring accessories on board his aluminum Vexus®.
Q: First things first, did you make sure there’s a measuring board in your boat?
Cox: I borrowed one from a buddy at Guntersville. I hope he doesn’t want it back. (laughs) Plus, my buddies at Vexus gave me a hard time, and bought me a tape measure and one of those soft tapes that tailors and seamstress use.
Q: After a brutal Day 1 at Guntersville, you managed to catch nearly 18 pounds on Day 2. What was the difference?
Cox: It was like I got up on the wrong side of the bed last Thursday. Ice was freezing in my rod guides and reels, and I got spun out mentally fighting casting issues. Things thawed out on Friday, I went back to the same areas with the same lures and caught a decent limit.
Q: Let’s move on to Lake Martin. Do you have any history on that 100-year old reservoir?
Cox: A little bit. I fished it once when I was 18-years old and did terrible, but went back as an FLW angler and cashed a check.
Q: This is a forward-facing sonar event, and lots of 10-12-pound spotted bass limits are likely to be weighed-in, with a 14-pound limit generally being highly regarded. What will your approach be?
Cox: I’ll probably try to find a place to catch a limit, and then go hunt a bigger largemouth to separate myself from the pack.
Q: Will the spinnerbait and buzzbait be key for you at Martin?
Cox: I hope so. They’re both classic pre-spawn baits that allow me to cover a ton of water to keep up with the ‘scopers’ — and we’re facing a big warming trend that should also make them players.
Note: Five years ago, Cox won $100,000 at this time of year on Smith Lake, another well-known Alabama fishery full of spotted bass. Hopefully some of the similarities will translate to a magnificent week on Lake Martin for the lighthearted Florida pro.
