SCOTTSBORO, Ala. — Kyle Welcher doesn’t like to stay put, but switching off his core instinct and committing to one area delivered a big Day 2 improvement that put him atop the leaderboard for the FXR Bassmaster Elite at Lake Guntersville.
After placing 18th on Day 1 with 20 pounds, 7 ounces, the pro from Valley, Ala., sacked up 24-9 and surged into the lead with a two-day total of 45 pounds.
“The moral of the story was hunkering down and staying put,” Welcher said. “I did better than I did yesterday; I didn’t run around as much and that was the way to catch ’em.”
Welcher, who won the 2025 St. Croix Bassmaster Elite at Pasquotank River by parking in one key area, knew he’d have to employ the same uncomfortable strategy on Guntersville.
“It’s the hardest thing for me to do; it goes against everything that I want to do,” Welcher said. “But when it’s tough and it’s hard to run around and get bites, sometimes that’s the best thing to do.
“That’s something I’ve had to learn by fishing on the Elites. I didn’t have the patience whenever I first started out here.”
Welcher said he fished south of the takeoff site at Goose Pond and focused on a 3-acre stretch. He tried the same area he fished on Day 1, but when the bites failed to materialize, he repositioned and relocated his fish.
“They had slid 150 yards away and I caught them there today,” Welcher said. “The majority of what I’m fishing is eelgrass, but every now and then, I’ll pull up some coontail or some hydrilla, but it’s 90% eel grass.”
Welcher stuck with the same lipless bait/bladed jig combo that much of the field has been throwing. His choice was a 1/2-ounce Rapala Snare and an unnamed bladed jig with a Crush City Freeloader trailer.
Describing his presentations, Welcher said: “It was early-slow and late-fast. That was the biggest adjustment I’d make throughout the day. I think they get up higher in the water column as the sun gets up.”
A gloomy Day 1 brought mostly overcast skies, light breezes and air temperatures that struggled to reach the low 40s. By contrast, the second round saw bright, sunny conditions, stronger afternoon wind and a high of 61.
“I think the sun is the major thing, but the wind could’ve helped a little” Welcher said. “I caught a couple big ones after it started blowing today, but I caught most of the fish I weighed in before the wind started blowing. I definitely think the sun helps you get more bites.
“I had my limit probably at, like, 10 o’clock and I had the last one I weighed in at 2.”
Looking ahead to Semifinal Saturday, Welcher said he’ll give his area another shot, but he expects he’ll need to continue narrowing down his focus.
“There’s a lot of dead water this week; I’ve never seen Lake Guntersville with so much dead water,” Welcher said. “It’s very difficult to get a bite just covering water. They’re definitely schooled up in small little areas.
“I think that’s what’s going to win this event — schools in small little areas.”
Jamie Hartman of Newport, N.Y., is in second place with 44 pounds. On Day 1, he caught 20-12 and placed 14th. A second-round limit of 23-4, moved Hartman up a dozen spots.
“I’m still grinding them,” said Hartman, who won the 2019 Elite event at Lake Guntersville. “They’re coming slow but they’re coming steady. God blessed me yesterday and He really blessed me today.
“I backed off of them again today. I think I have a lot of fish in the area. I don’t know, but I’m not leaning on them too much, so I hope I get to crack another bag like that and fish on Championship Sunday.”
Hartman said he expected the day’s warming conditions would move more fish into his area, but he was careful not to conserve productivity for at least one more day.
“I can’t take that chance and keep leaning on them,” Hartman said. “I’m only making one pass and then I’m leaving.”
Hartman attributed his success to a specific technique predicated on precise casts. He kept the details guarded, but noted that he could run the lake and use a particular bait and presentation in other areas.
“I just have it zoned so good in my area that I called my shots several times today,” Hartman said.
Hunter Shryock of Ooltewah, Tenn., is in third place with 41-14. His daily weights were 21-1 and 20-13.
“Yesterday, it was fast and heavy, but today, we had to nickel and dime ’em, bounce around and learn some things,” Shryock said. “I think I found a special bait and a special color that’s working right now. I’m gonna ride with it and see what happens tomorrow.”
Shryock said he based his bait choice on the lake’s clarity level and the common choices he’s seen other competitors using. Standing out from the crowd, he said, boosts his confidence.
“Overall, it’s about putting yourself around fish and having to settle down and fish,” he said. “You start running around on this place and you can get (spun out) in a hurry.”
Cooper Gallant of Bowmanville Ontario is in the lead for Phoenix Boats Big Bass honors with his 8-4.
Saturday’s takeoff is scheduled for 7 a.m. CT at Goose Pond. The weigh-in will be held at the same location at 3 p.m.
Live coverage of the FXR Bassmaster Elite at Lake Guntersville will be available on FS1 from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. before moving to Bassmaster.com from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Championship Sunday coverage can be found on FS1 from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. with afternoon action to follow on Bassmaster.com.
This event is being hosted by Mountain Lakes Chamber of Commerce.
