Fantasy: Opt for top smallie guys

How your team does on the St. Lawrence could very well depend on how strong your Bucket E pick is.

Tackling the St. Lawrence River is easier said than done, but two years ago Brandon Palaniuk made it look quite simple. This time around, Lake Ontario isn’t in the playing field and Palaniuk’s honey hole isn’t in play.

The St. Lawrence River should show out once again at how strong of a smallmouth fishery it truly is. Here are my early Bassmaster Fantasy Fishing picks for the summertime smallmouth smashfest.

Bucket A: Zaldain

Conservative pick: Ott DeFoe

Ott DeFoe has a reputation for being a consistent angler no matter where the Elites travel. A third-place finish on the St. Lawrence River makes this pick even sweeter. His ownership isn’t too high, which is something I shy away from, so DeFoe is still a worthwhile pick from what I see.

Dark horse pick: Chris Zaldain

Chris Zaldain is one of the best anglers on the Bassmaster Elite Series when it comes to landing fish with light line and a spinning setup, and when it comes to smallmouth he is near the top once again.

Pairing his skill set with a good first half of the season, I could see “Zaldaingerous” exceling on the waters of the St. Lawrence River. Not to mention that the California Kid has less than 1 percent ownership sweetens the deal even more. I like to call it a low-risk, high-reward situation.

I’ll take Zaldain when brown fish and light line are in the mix.

Bucket B: Walker

Conservative pick: Jonathon VanDam

Jonathon VanDam is one of the best smallmouth fishermen on the Elite Series, and he has proven it the last few years. He finished second at this event in 2013 and has also done well in Michigan when smallmouth are involved. Conservatively, he is one of your best bets, but his ownership percentage makes me shy away.

Dark horse pick: David Walker

David Walker has had a pretty good season with some ups and downs so far, and for some reason I think he could do well here. In 2013 he finished 40th, but he was just one solid keeper from being in the Top 20.

I think he will take the lessons he learned at Guntersville and slow down enough to separate himself and find those bigger bags. Walker also finished 12th at Bays de Noc for the AOY Championship, so whether it is finesse fishing or power fishing for smallies, I think Walker will do just fine.

I’m going with Walker because it’s hard to find that consistent of an angler with that little ownership percentage. I could see another Top 12 in Walker’s future here.

Bucket C: Murray

Conservative pick: John Murray

John Murray is one of those Western anglers who excels in clear water and fishing deep at times. Last time they visited the St. Lawrence River, Murray was fishing on the final day. Murray isn’t going to be an angler picked first for some events, but for me he is one angler I am watching for this event.

Dark horse pick: Brett Hite or Mark Davis

I am torn between two anglers that could go under the radar at the St. Lawrence River. So instead of giving you one perspective, here are the benefits of Mark Davis and Brett Hite, both of whom have shown to be fantastic finesse fishermen in their own right.

Davis probably has the most patience of any angler and also has an uncanny ability to squeeze as much as possible out of a given area. Hite brings the west-coast flair to his finesse tactics. When anglers can’t get a bite, they often fall back on a drop shot. Hite starts with it and excels from the get-go. This leads me to believe that this could line up to be a derby made for Hite.

While Murray may slip under the radar for many Fantasy Fishing players, he will certainly be on my radar and is my Bucket C choice for the St. Lawrence River.

Bucket D: Faircloth

Conservative pick: Todd Faircloth

Since cashing a check at the Sabine River, Todd Faircloth has underperformed from what many people expect from him. I completely expect the Texas angler to bounce back and put together a good tournament here. This pick is strictly based on playing the numbers and the turnaround of Todd Faircloth’s season.

Dark Horse pick: Seth Feider

Rookie Seth Feider is a Minnesota resident and undoubtedly has a handle on slaying smallmouth up North. Although New York is far from Minnesota, they are still smallmouth, and Feider knows all about those creatures. I expect Feider to put together his best finish of the season and possibly break out at the St. Lawrence River.

I’m going with a hunch here. Faircloth is my choice because he can’t continue this cold streak for much longer. He has proven himself as one of the best anglers for the last few seasons and these hiccups are going to end soon. It’s early, but Faircloth is my pick.

Bucket E: Wellman

Conservative pick: Paul Mueller

Paul Mueller has to love the challenge of diverse fisheries that the Elite Series pros face throughout the season, but coming close to home will be a welcomed sight. Although he had a rocky start to the season and a tough break at the California Delta, Mueller has cashed a check at Havasu and at Kentucky Lake via the Second Chance event. Heading back to smallmouth waters could be the shot in the arm that this rookie needs.

Dark Horse pick: Nate Wellman

Being a smallmouth guide and a Northern angler is a natural translation, no matter where the Elites travel for smallmouth events. Only 4 percent of Fantasy Fishing players are picking Wellman, and that is also because of unexpected selections that accompany him in Bucket E. With Chad Pipkens, Cliff Pace, Mueller and numerous other finesse anglers in this bucket, players get to pick from a good selection of fishermen.

I tend to lean toward anglers with lower ownership to gain an advantage even if it is ever so slightly. I’m going with Wellman for his smallmouth knowledge and low ownership percentage. Bucket E could be an interesting category with the sticks in that group.