Fantasy Fishing: Going mobile

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After two river bangers, the Elites head back to a traditional southern reservoir – and give the service crews a slight bite of rest — albeit with a couple of asterisks. The first is that it’s a blueback herring lake, which differs substantially from the standard shad fisheries. The second is that FFS will be allowed – and when that’s the case it will somehow play a role in the tournament’s outcome.

With four Elite tournaments in the rearview mirror, it’s moving time. If you’re not inside the Classic cut, or in position to make a run at AOY, it’s time to alter that or get left behind. The notion of “moving” is also fitting because I don’t think an angler will be able to camp on a single spot and get things done. This is an event where hours on the outboard and miles on the trolling motor may end up correlating with success.

The bluebacks are fast-moving fish and the bass are rarely far behind. Pick anglers who will stay on the move day-to-day and hour-to-hour. Covering water to keep up with the forage isn’t optional.

With that in mind, here are my picks:

BUCKET A: Home State Hero

BLUEBACK WRANGLER: He may have finished a semi-forgettable 38th the last time the Elites visited Murray, but Brandon Cobb excels on blueback fisheries and knows how to close the door on a victory. He was 6th here in 2023 and h’s fishing well this year, with four straight money finishes, including two in the top 20, and enters the tournament quietly residing in 6th for AOY. Ignore him at your own peril.

SOLID ALTERNATE: While others may get the rookie plaudits and wins, Caleb Hudson continues to cash checks and holds the top spot in the ROY race – along with 5th in AOY. Few of us know much about him, but until he stumbles it’s foolish to doubt him – and he hails from blueback territory.

BUCKET B: The Reigning Champ

BLUEBACK WRANGLER: Patrick Walters is a threat to win anywhere – north, south, east or west, and on largemouths, smallmouths or spots – but he should be a heavy favorite in the next two, where he has substantial experience. He won the last time the Elites fished Murray and was 4th in 2023. While I hate picking that kind of low-hanging fruit, I don’t expect Walters to burn me as others have.

SOLID ALTERNATE: Surge Squadder Paul Marks is another blueback expert who sometimes gets overshadowed by his fellow super-sophs. Other than a stumble in Muskogee, he’s fished very well this year and won last year at Hartwell.

BUCKET C: Not Quite Smallmouth Disneyland

BLUEBACK WRANGLER: This has not been a great season so far by Taku Ito’s standards. Despite two checks to start the Elite Season, the river derbies hurt him, which is why he’s in the unfamiliar Bucket C. Expect a mixed-bag tournament with FFS to get him back on track. I don’t see a scenario where he misses a Classic, and improving upon his 30th place finish from Murray in 2024 will get him back from just outside the cut.

SOLID ALTERNATE: Austin Felix missed a Top 10 the last time at Murray by a single spot and was 17th in 2023. This is one that just seems to set up well for his sneaky finesse tactics. He’s not a blueback native but coming off a runner-up in Muskogee he can keep some serious momentum going. His finishes have gotten better with each event this year.

BUCKET D: Sleeping at Home

BLUEBACK WRANGLER: Sometimes the hometown events are a curse, but don’t expect that to happen to Bryan New twice. He was 60th last time at Murray and 87th the year before. Perhaps more importantly, he only has one check (42nd in Muskogee) this year, and needs the power of home cooking to turn his season around and earn a second consecutive Classic berth.

SOLID ALTERNATE: Like his buddy Paul Marks, Emil Wagner is a Lake Lanier blueback and spotted bass expert. Unlike Marks, Wagner’s season hasn’t gone the way he wanted so far. This is a great opportunity for a turnaround and it’ll just take a couple of top twenties to get back into the Classic cut.

BUCKET E: Perpetual Motion Machine

BLUEBACK WRANGLER: If my theory is that you have to be in motion to excel at Murray, it stands to reason that Kyle Patrick should be my number one draft pick. The kid is a whirling dervish and despite a season that’s been uncharacteristically mediocre, he’s no doubt salivating over this venue and the northern events that aren’t all that far off. He was 37th at Murray in his rookie season on tour.

SOLID ALTERNATE: At some point Steve Kennedy is going to come around – with or without the big bait – and nail a top five, if not a win. You’ll want to be there when it happens.