Fantasy Fishing: Big bass, big stage, big expectations

Written by

Pete Robbins

Lots of anglers go to famous Lake Fork every year hoping for the catch of a lifetime and leave with their tails tucked between their legs. It’s one of the best-managed, most fertile public trophy fisheries in the country, yet it’s comparatively small and gets a ton of educated pressure.

Obviously, B.A.S.S. has lots of recent history here, and we’re expecting big weights, but while the Century Club belts may need to be on order, they won’t necessarily be for the obvious contenders. Recall that last year Lee Livesay, as close to a sure thing as imaginable and a past winner on Fork, finished a disappointing 82nd. Meanwhile, a teenager put in an epic performance.

Remember, though, that tournament started on the last day of February, a more level playing field than mid-May. Livesay once again fail to contend, but the post-spawn time frame could take a bunch of anglers out of the running. These could still be multiple patterns – an offshore bite, a shallow vegetation bite, and of course some minnow pinging – but it should be as “easy” as it would’ve been a month or two earlier.

That’s a roundabout way of saying that none of us know much about what’s going to happen. As we’ve seen at Ray Roberts and Hartwell, the rookies are every bit as likely to come out on top as the grizzled vets. Pick someone with nerves of steel and with some decided edge – whether that’s history in Texas, an ability to close, or a just an “always on ‘em” ability. Here are my top picks:

BUCKET A: WALTERS

Finned Freak of Nature: What has distinguished the short-but-lofty career of Patrick Walters is not just his consistency, but also his ability to be on the leading edge of trends. When he won at Fork in 2020 with a then-record margin of victory, he was one of the few who’d dialed in forward-facing sonar. He’s good everywhere, but his ability to close is the result of always doing something extra. He’s no longer the young gun on tour, but he’s top 20 in the AOY race, a title that has narrowly eluded him on several occasions, and this might be a time to make a move on it.

Slot Limit Pick: Last year’s event notwithstanding – or perhaps because of last year’s struggle – don’t expect Lee Livesay to finish outside of the top ranks twice in a row on his home waters. Like Walters, he’s a closer, and when he sniffs a win he’s tough to beat.

BUCKET B: PATRICK

Finned Freak of Nature: Kyle Patrick made a top ten last year at Fork, and hasn’t missed a check this year since the season-opener. He’s exceptional with forward facing sonar but can also fill in the gaps with other techniques. He may be hopped up on Sour Patch Kids much of the time, but like many of the sophomore class he’s good at making top tens and seems to have his third consecutive Classic within his sights.

Slot Limit Pick: Jacob Foutz has fished Fork twice, and has finished in the top 30 both times. He’s been inconsistent this year, but he’s a check cashing machine, and should pop out at least a top ten or two before the season is over.

BUCKET C: FOTHERGILL

Finned Freak of Nature: If Easton Fothergill figures out Florida, the rest of the field better watch out. He won at Ray Roberts, which isn’t exactly like Fork, but it has lots of similarities. Moreover, the consensus among the other knowledgeable pros I’ve talked to is that: (a) nothing fazes him; and (b) unlike some of his contemporaries, he’s more than likely to have multiple patterns and techniques in play. Kid’s a winner and why not two Texas wins in a 60 day period?

Slot Limit Pick: Tyler Williams finished 4th at Fork last year and already has a top ten this season. His jig is a big fish bait, and as long as he doesn’t stray too far from it he could easily earn an Elite win – or several of them – in the not-too-distant future.

BUCKET D: COBB

Finned Freak of Nature: Last week, Brandon Cobb “pulled a Livesay,” missing the cut on his home waters, but recall that he won here in 2019 just a week or so earlier in May than this event. Since that time his results have been mixed, but he’s due for a big payday.

Slot Limit Pick: Mild-mannered Ray Hanselman doesn’t get a lot of attention, and his track record since joining the Elite Series has been mixed, but he’s a certified Texas hammer with a bunch of hardware. His Elite record on Fork has been poor, but if he wins you shouldn’t be surprised.

BUCKET E: ZALDAIN

Finned Freak of Nature: Chris Zaldain is often a high-risk, high-reward-potential pick. His Texas chops let him down at Ray Roberts, but his record at Fork is sterling. It includes lots of checks, a pickup truck, and a 5th place finish. In Bucket E it’s a risk worth taking.

Slot Limit Pick: Unlike the stereotypical Japanese angler, Kenta Kimura is a dedicated power fisherman, with all sorts of little-known baits and techniques in his repertoire. His results on Fork have been far from exceptional, so he’s a high-risk, high-reward pick here. He’s too good to stay mired in Bucket E for long, and at some point he’s going to revert to the lane that produced a bunch of Top 10s and an Opens win in 2022.