Pros pick their Top 3 for Seminole

With spawning on the minds of these Georgia bass, the anglers are adapting. As a result, some favorites have emerged from the pack of Elite Series pros.

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Ronnie Moore

For the first stop of the Bassmaster Elite Series season, the anglers are hitting the shores of Lake Seminole. Due to the streak of warm weather that has graced southern Georgia, many of the fish are moving shallower as they prepare to spawn.

Bassmaster has some history with this body of water; multiple anglers fishing in this weekend's event have notched victories on this body of water which extends from Georgia into Florida and even touches the Alabama border. Most recently, Gary Klein won this event in 2003 with 69.15 pounds. Michael Iaconelli collected a win on Seminole in 2002 with 55.2 pounds, winning by a 5-pound margin. In 2000, Shaw Grigsby took home first place with 73.14 pounds while beating second place by 10 pounds.

Grigsby also took first place seven years earlier when he weighed-in 64.13 pounds.

With spawning on the minds of these Georgia bass, the anglers are adapting. As a result, some favorites have emerged from the pack. From the mouths of Elite Series pros, here are their top picks to thrive in the friendly confines of Lake Seminole.

Hank Cherry's picks

  1. Hank Cherry – “I’m going to be fishing different than everyone else.”
  2. Terry Scroggins – “This is his part of the country, and the fishing is setting up for what he is good at.”
  3. Jacob Powroznik: – “He is an incredible sight fisherman.”

Keith Combs' picks

  1. Todd Faircloth – “This is a grass lake, and he excels fishing around vegetation. It suits his style.”
  2. Alton Jones – “If the conditions set up for sight fishing, few are better at it than Alton.”
  3. Cliff Prince – “He told me he saw two 9-pounders yesterday.”

Jonathon VanDam's picks

  1. J Todd Tucker – “He lives here!”
  2. Kevin VanDam – “Uncle Kevin can find where the prespawners may be.”
  3. Terry Scroggins – “He is a Florida guy, and he is such a great sight fisherman.”

Terry Scroggins' picks

  1. Shaw Grigsby – “He has won here before and he excels at sight fishing.”
  2. Dean Rojas – “Always a contender when fish are shallow on beds.”
  3. Hank Cherry – “He is the 2013 Rookie of the Year and he has been on a hot streak.”

Brett Hite's picks

  1. Michael Iaconelli – “He has a previous win on Seminole under his belt.”
  2. Shaw Grisby – “Grigsby is such a great sight fisherman.”
  3. Randall Tharp – “No doubt, he is the hot fisherman right now.”

John Murray's picks

  1. Shaw Grigsby – “He has caught so many fish here before.”
  2. Brett Hite – “He started the year hot and has remained on fire.”
  3. J Todd Tucker – “Local.”

Kevin VanDam's picks

  1. Dean Rojas – “The moon is setting up right and he is a great sight fisherman.”
  2. Alton Jones – “He is a phenomenal sight fisherman.”
  3. J Todd Tucker – “He is a local (laughs).”

Dean Rojas' picks

  1. Gary Klein – “He is a great sight fisherman when the pressure is on.”
  2. Randall Tharp – “He is hot right now and he excels in shallow sight fishing tournaments.”
  3. Glenn Browne – “Sight fishing is the name of the game and he is good at it.”

Ott Defoe's picks

  1. Steve Kennedy – “He told me 5-pounders are swimming everywhere.”
  2. Randall Tharp – “He always brings his confidence wherever he fishes.”
  3. Alton Jones – “They are going to be on the beds, and he is a sight fishing specialist.”

Cliff Prince's picks

  1. Randall Tharp – “On top of being a great overall fisherman, he excels at sight fishing.”
  2. Bobby Lane – “This is his area of the country and he is a great sight fisherman.”
  3. J Todd Tucker – “This is his home lake.”

Fred Roumbanis' picks

  1. J Todd Tucker – “He is so familiar with the body of water and he will know when to make the necessary adjustments.”
  2. Jacob Powroznik – “Dude is an excellent sight fisherman, one of the best.”
  3. Fred Roumbanis – “I’m overdue for a win and I had a really good practice.”

Justin Lucas' picks

  1. Alton Jones – “There are plenty of sight fish to go around.”
  2. Greg Hackney – “Grass is aplenty here, and he is great at fishing vegetation.”
  3. Josh Bertrand – “I just have a gut feeling.”

Byron Velvick

  1. Ish Monroe – “It’s a given; he is a sight fishing machine.”
  2. Shaw Grigsby – “He is a shoe-in because there will be a lot of sight fishing happening.”
  3. Byron Velvick – “Let's just say it has been a fun couple days (jokingly laughs).”