Elite: Forget practice?

Late winter and early spring in the South, especially Florida, can be a roller coaster of emotions. What to expect from one day to the next can be a straight-up guess.

But guessing is not how this event will be won.

The angler who makes good decisions and executes each day will likely hold the coveted blue trophy over his head on Championship Sunday after the 2019 Power-Pole Bassmaster Elite at St. Johns River that begins Thursday, Feb. 7.

Knowing how finicky these Florida largemouth can be when cold temps set in will play mind games with rookie and veteran anglers alike.

A major shift in conditions recently occurred. It was cold for a couple of weeks, and now the 75-angler field is looking at near 80-degree temps and mostly sunny for the four official competition days.

“It’s going to be a game of adapting and positioning yourself to intercept transitioning fish,” said Drew Benton, a native Floridian. “We’ve had a pretty long stretch of cold weather here, even through most of our practice time. But the weather pattern is greatly improving, which should make the fishing pretty good for the next few days.”

Benton started his career as a Bassmaster Elite Series rookie at this very location, and enjoyed quite a showing managing his first Top 12 with a solid fourth-place finish.

Benton would go on to win Rookie of the Year in 2016.

“It’s pretty easy to get hung up on what you learned in practice, especially in Florida when the conditions are constantly changing,” he said. “The bass are wanting to move from their winter ranges into a full-on prespawn mode, which will push them into shallow water, especially the smaller male bass. The angler who wins this event will need to stay ahead of that transition.”

The 30-year-old pro is a strong favorite at this event, but even he knows not to get ahead of himself.

“Practice was good because it told me that things are changing, but whether or not it’ll change into my plan of attack is the real question,” he said. “One thing is for sure, someone is going to crack a giant bag this week, I bet several exceeding 30 pounds will be weighed in. Hopefully I will be one of them,” he laughed.

Kyle Monti from Okeechobee, Fla., is a fishing guide and pro angler who’s seen all that Florida weather can dish out.

“Hurricane Mathew really affected the vegetation in this fishery, and around this portion of the state,” he said. “In fact, I think the St. Johns fishery is starkly different than it’s been in recent history. It’s no secret that much of the grass and vegetation is not as readily available as it has been in years past. In Florida, you fish the grass.

“To me the key will be getting to where the fish want to be.”

Monti spends more time on Florida bass waters than the vast majority of the Elite Series, yet he knows to temper his expectations.

“I think 13 pounds each day will keep an angler in contention to make the first cut, but to have a shot at winning two big bags in the 25- to 30-pound range will most likely be necessary — if not more,” he said. “The weather is turning better by the day, and I think more and more fish may continue to push shallow, but ruling out a deep-water bite would be a mistake.”

This is the earliest that the Elite Series has visited the St. Johns, and the results will be telling. Monti feels that experience and good decision-making will be critical. He also said that relying too much on the information gathered during the three-day practice period could be a mistake.

“I know that too much practice can set unrealistic expectations, especially when things are changing by the hour. I plan to let the bite evolve. You know, let the bass tell me what they want.

“Understanding Florida bass and how they typically respond to the conditions will be important, and keeping an open mind will make or break the tournament for some guys,” he said. “I’m confident that it’ll be very competitive, and someone is going to find some very big bass. They live here for sure. You won’t want to miss these weigh-ins.”