Day 2 aerial tour of Elite patterns

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It’s Saturday morning at the Whataburger Bassmaster Elite at Neely Henry. The weather is overcast, the skies are calm, and Bassmaster air traffic control cleared me to fly the drone. Come along for the tour.
It’s Saturday morning at the Whataburger Bassmaster Elite at Neely Henry. The weather is overcast, the skies are calm, and Bassmaster air traffic control cleared me to fly the drone. Come along for the tour.
The first stop was a bridge directly across from the venue at Coosa Landing Boat Ramp. Seth Feider is in the hunt for bass staging along the rocky shoreline.
The first stop was a bridge directly across from the venue at Coosa Landing Boat Ramp. Seth Feider is in the hunt for bass staging along the rocky shoreline.
The Landing is behind us, and the current is running between 5 and 8 mph. My boat driver is good friend Dan O’Sullivan, who took me on the tour and gave me that info.
The Landing is behind us, and the current is running between 5 and 8 mph. My boat driver is good friend Dan O’Sullivan, who took me on the tour and gave me that info.
Feider is using an Outkast Tackle Pro Swim Jig on points. Yesterday, the fish positioned on shady cover in these areas.
Feider is using an Outkast Tackle Pro Swim Jig on points. Yesterday, the fish positioned on shady cover in these areas.
That is a no-go with today’s overcast conditions, due to an incoming front. Feider told me he’s sticking to the plan. There is another goal in mind, other than winning this event. Feider is in the hunt for the Bassmaster Angler of the Year title.
That is a no-go with today’s overcast conditions, due to an incoming front. Feider told me he’s sticking to the plan. There is another goal in mind, other than winning this event. Feider is in the hunt for the Bassmaster Angler of the Year title.
That black spot in the sky of the photo is a swallow. The birds swarmed the drone from the bridge in the previous photos. I had to go Top Gun and take evasive action to escape the attack. And I’m not kidding.
That black spot in the sky of the photo is a swallow. The birds swarmed the drone from the bridge in the previous photos. I had to go Top Gun and take evasive action to escape the attack. And I’m not kidding.
We leave the swarm and Feider and travel downstream. In the background is the Interstate 759 bridge. It’s less than 1 mile from the first stop, and we encountered about 6 boats along the route, all of the anglers casting to structure forming current breaks.
We leave the swarm and Feider and travel downstream. In the background is the Interstate 759 bridge. It’s less than 1 mile from the first stop, and we encountered about 6 boats along the route, all of the anglers casting to structure forming current breaks.
The current is slowing down and as you can see, the water clarity is still marginal and borderline muddy.
The current is slowing down and as you can see, the water clarity is still marginal and borderline muddy.
Ahead of the bridge and in the background, is downtown Gadsden. This is Buddy Gross, fishing the Coosa grass, as the locals call it, that grows along the shoreline.
Ahead of the bridge and in the background, is downtown Gadsden. This is Buddy Gross, fishing the Coosa grass, as the locals call it, that grows along the shoreline.
Ahead of Gross and in the grass, you can see two egrets on the lookout for shad, which is why he’s there. Find the birds, find the bait, catch the bass.
Ahead of Gross and in the grass, you can see two egrets on the lookout for shad, which is why he’s there. Find the birds, find the bait, catch the bass.
This is the ideal setup that occurs during the shad spawn.
This is the ideal setup that occurs during the shad spawn.
We move down lake and find Patrick Walters, fishing down current from an island.
We move down lake and find Patrick Walters, fishing down current from an island.
Walters has an eye on his forward-facing sonar, looking for bass that are holding below current breaks.
Walters has an eye on his forward-facing sonar, looking for bass that are holding below current breaks.
Walters told me that timing is everything with these points. The bass come and go, depending on the time of day when they feed.
Walters told me that timing is everything with these points. The bass come and go, depending on the time of day when they feed.
At 9 a.m., there was a lot of movement from the boats. My guess is that’s because every one of them were running a junk fishing pattern.
At 9 a.m., there was a lot of movement from the boats. My guess is that’s because every one of them were running a junk fishing pattern.
Walters is a junk fishing aficionado and I zoomed down on his deck to find each side piled high with rods.
Walters is a junk fishing aficionado and I zoomed down on his deck to find each side piled high with rods.
Walters leaves after spending time on the point.
Walters leaves after spending time on the point.
We move farther down river and find Jason Christie.
We move farther down river and find Jason Christie.
The Oklahoma pro was fishing an island with lots of floaters and driftwood lodged against the shoreline.
The Oklahoma pro was fishing an island with lots of floaters and driftwood lodged against the shoreline.
Christie packs it in and goes down river.
Christie packs it in and goes down river.
And toward Minnesota Bend, looming in the background.
And toward Minnesota Bend, looming in the background.
Our next stop was Little Bridge Marina and BBQ, where the meat was on low heat and the smoke was pouring out of the stack.
Our next stop was Little Bridge Marina and BBQ, where the meat was on low heat and the smoke was pouring out of the stack.
And not surprisingly, Scott Canterbury was there, not for the BBQ but for the bass. Marinas and docks are on the top of his list for fisheries like this one.
And not surprisingly, Scott Canterbury was there, not for the BBQ but for the bass. Marinas and docks are on the top of his list for fisheries like this one.
We move on to Canoe Creek, where we find an angler in the back.
We move on to Canoe Creek, where we find an angler in the back.
The casting targets were the riprap shoreline running along the causeway.
The casting targets were the riprap shoreline running along the causeway.
Our final stop was Matt Arey. He waved me off and asked me to fly outside and behind him.
Our final stop was Matt Arey. He waved me off and asked me to fly outside and behind him.
The reason being that he could see the bass and bait activity ahead of his boat.
The reason being that he could see the bass and bait activity ahead of his boat.
Arey was looking to score a Championship Sunday appearance.
Arey was looking to score a Championship Sunday appearance.
And it looks like he just helped that cause by catching this keeper.
And it looks like he just helped that cause by catching this keeper.