Day on the lake: David Fritts

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In professional bass fishing circles, versatility is commonly regarded as the ultimate virtue. The versatile angler is familiar with the full spectrum of lure styles and adept at executing a wide variety of presentations. Consequently, he can catch schooling bass on topwaters, jerk lunkers out of matted vegetation with a punch jig and fool finicky spawning fish into biting shaky head worms. Yet, while versatility is indeed commendable, deep truth lies in the old adage, “Jack of all trades, master of none.” Case in point: While there are plenty of great crankbait fishermen on the pro circuit, David Fritts is the one, the only crankbait master. By rejecting the doctrine of angling versatility and instead devoting his entire fishing career to immersing himself in what other pros probably consider the most arcane nuances of a lone lure category, Fritts has become the diving bait shogun, the Yoda of crankbait fishing. Consider yourself fortunate, grasshopper, for you are about to drink from the deep well of the master’s crankin’ wisdom. <p> <b>6:40 a.m.</b> We arrive at Lake R’s deserted launch ramp. Fritts, a longtime Ranger pro staff member, is between boats; I’ve arranged to borrow a Triton 21 TrX for our outing. (Bass Pro Shops owns both boat brands.) Fritts pulls a small tacklebag and three of his signature Lew’s Perfect Crank baitcasting rods from his truck; each rod is equipped with a Lew’s BB1 reel spooled with 12-pound Trilene fluorocarbon. “I fish crankbaits on braided line in tournaments, but I forgot to bring any braid with me for this article. With crankbaits, I want the least amount of line stretch possible so I can feel exactly what the lure is doing.” Fritts ties on three of his signature Berkley crankbaits: a lipless vibrating Warpig, a 5/8-ounce ­medium-diving Dredger 14.5 and a 1/3-ounce Bad Shad 7 shad mimic. What, only three rods!? Most pros start their Day on the Lake with a dozen or more! “Heck, three should be plenty,” Fritts says. <br> <b>7:05 a.m.</b> We launch the Triton. Fritts checks the lake temp: 52 degrees. “The water looks clear enough to fish a jerkbait. I brought a couple jerkbaits with me, but I’d rather crank.” <p> <b>7 HOURS LEFT</b><br> <b>7:11 a.m.</b> Fritts makes a short run to Lake R’s dam, which is strewn with riprap. “Rock is a prime bass attractor late in the season. I haven’t determined yet whether or not this lake has any grass in it, but once the water cools and daylight diminishes, bass will usually vacate grass cover and will head for rock if it’s available.” The boat’s front graph is not working. Many pros would be apoplectic over this malfunction, but Fritts maintains his cool. “Hey, it is what it is. The console graph works fine, so maybe you can keep your eye on it and holler out any major depth changes?” <br> <b>7:12 a.m.</b> Fritts makes his first casts of the day to the dam with the 3/4-ounce Dredger 14.5 in the honey color pattern. I ask him about his reel preferences. “I’ve been with Lew’s forever. The BB1 is a slow-speed reel with a 5.1:1 retrieve ratio; it takes up 21 inches of line with each turn of the handle. You don’t want a fast-­cranking reel this time of year; the water’s cold and the fish tend to be lethargic. The way the BB1 is designed, you can actually feel your lure vibrate through the reel, not just through the rod. I can fish without a graph, but if I can’t feel what my lure is doing down there, I’m lost.” <br> <b>7:30 a.m.</b> Fritts has cranked the Dredger halfway down the dam; he reverses directions and parallel cranks the plug over 22 feet of water. <br> <b>7:38 a.m.</b> Still crankin’ riprap. I ask Fritts whether he’s suffered rotator cuff tears, carpal tunnel syndrome or other injuries commonly associated with long-term casting and reeling. “I had to wear a brace on my left arm for a couple months several years back, but nothing beyond that. If I couldn’t crank, I’d probably quit fishing.” <br>
In professional bass fishing circles, versatility is commonly regarded as the ultimate virtue. The versatile angler is familiar with the full spectrum of lure styles and adept at executing a wide variety of presentations. Consequently, he can catch schooling bass on topwaters, jerk lunkers out of matted vegetation with a punch jig and fool finicky spawning fish into biting shaky head worms. Yet, while versatility is indeed commendable, deep truth lies in the old adage, “Jack of all trades, master of none.” Case in point: While there are plenty of great crankbait fishermen on the pro circuit, David Fritts is the one, the only crankbait master. By rejecting the doctrine of angling versatility and instead devoting his entire fishing career to immersing himself in what other pros probably consider the most arcane nuances of a lone lure category, Fritts has become the diving bait shogun, the Yoda of crankbait fishing. Consider yourself fortunate, grasshopper, for you are about to drink from the deep well of the master’s crankin’ wisdom.

6:40 a.m. We arrive at Lake R’s deserted launch ramp. Fritts, a longtime Ranger pro staff member, is between boats; I’ve arranged to borrow a Triton 21 TrX for our outing. (Bass Pro Shops owns both boat brands.) Fritts pulls a small tacklebag and three of his signature Lew’s Perfect Crank baitcasting rods from his truck; each rod is equipped with a Lew’s BB1 reel spooled with 12-pound Trilene fluorocarbon. “I fish crankbaits on braided line in tournaments, but I forgot to bring any braid with me for this article. With crankbaits, I want the least amount of line stretch possible so I can feel exactly what the lure is doing.” Fritts ties on three of his signature Berkley crankbaits: a lipless vibrating Warpig, a 5/8-ounce ­medium-diving Dredger 14.5 and a 1/3-ounce Bad Shad 7 shad mimic. What, only three rods!? Most pros start their Day on the Lake with a dozen or more! “Heck, three should be plenty,” Fritts says. 7:05 a.m. We launch the Triton. Fritts checks the lake temp: 52 degrees. “The water looks clear enough to fish a jerkbait. I brought a couple jerkbaits with me, but I’d rather crank.”

7 HOURS LEFT7:11 a.m. Fritts makes a short run to Lake R’s dam, which is strewn with riprap. “Rock is a prime bass attractor late in the season. I haven’t determined yet whether or not this lake has any grass in it, but once the water cools and daylight diminishes, bass will usually vacate grass cover and will head for rock if it’s available.” The boat’s front graph is not working. Many pros would be apoplectic over this malfunction, but Fritts maintains his cool. “Hey, it is what it is. The console graph works fine, so maybe you can keep your eye on it and holler out any major depth changes?” 7:12 a.m. Fritts makes his first casts of the day to the dam with the 3/4-ounce Dredger 14.5 in the honey color pattern. I ask him about his reel preferences. “I’ve been with Lew’s forever. The BB1 is a slow-speed reel with a 5.1:1 retrieve ratio; it takes up 21 inches of line with each turn of the handle. You don’t want a fast-­cranking reel this time of year; the water’s cold and the fish tend to be lethargic. The way the BB1 is designed, you can actually feel your lure vibrate through the reel, not just through the rod. I can fish without a graph, but if I can’t feel what my lure is doing down there, I’m lost.” 7:30 a.m. Fritts has cranked the Dredger halfway down the dam; he reverses directions and parallel cranks the plug over 22 feet of water. 7:38 a.m. Still crankin’ riprap. I ask Fritts whether he’s suffered rotator cuff tears, carpal tunnel syndrome or other injuries commonly associated with long-term casting and reeling. “I had to wear a brace on my left arm for a couple months several years back, but nothing beyond that. If I couldn’t crank, I’d probably quit fishing.”

<b>7:45 a.m.</b> Fritts runs a mile uplake to a primary point, which he cranks with the Dredger. “This time of year, I look for sharp dropoffs into deep water and places where a deep structure meets a shallower one, like a channel intersecting a flat. And, I’m not overly concerned about my crankbait bumping off hard objects or the bottom now, because in clear conditions like we have here today, bass often suspend rather than hold tight to cover.” <p> <b>6 HOURS LEFT</b><br> <b>8:08 a.m.</b> Fritts runs to the extreme upper end of Lake R to examine a ditch he located with the console graph’s mapping feature. He cranks the Dredger around the structure. <br> <b>8:06 a.m.</b> He bags a short fish on the Dredger. <br> <b>8:07 a.m.</b> The Dredger is digging up strands of dead grass, so Fritts switches to the Bad Shad in the blue back color pattern. “This lure runs around 8 feet. I designed it to have a distinctive side roll and ‘tail wag’ that gives it a totally different look than any other shad mimic. It’s my go-to crankbait in cold, clear water; I’ve had suspending bass swim up 25 feet to grab it.” He promptly catches a short fish on his second cast. “Both of those rats were hanging right off the edge of the ditch.” <br> <b>8:10 a.m.</b> Fritts bumps bottom with the Bad Shad. He examines the lure and scrapes a tiny blob of mud off its bill. “You don’t want any mud or grass on your crankbait or it’ll mess up its balance.” He hangs a good fish on his next cast, but it comes unbuttoned. “There’s a bunch of fish around this ditch, but they aren’t very aggressive.” <br> <b>8:14 a.m.</b> Another small bass strikes the Bad Shad. “Last night was the full moon, which usually makes for a tough late-season bite.” <br> <b>8:18 a.m.</b> Fritts is fancasting the Bad Shad around the outer perimeter of the ditch with a 7-6 cranking rod. “Generally speaking, the longer the rod, the greater the casting distance, and the shorter the rod, the greater the accuracy. If I’m fishing open water like I am here, I’ll go for distance with a rod up to 9 feet in length. If I’m throwing to specific targets, which I’m usually doing when fishing a squarebill, I’ll use a shorter rod, usually 6-8. I host casting contests for Lew’s around the country; the record distance so far is 99 yards with a 3/4-ounce weight, my signature 7 1/2-foot cranking rod and a Lew’s BB1 reel.” <br> <b>8:25 a.m.</b> Fritts combs the flat adjacent to the ditch with a 1/2-ounce chameleon pearl Warpig lipless crank. “The grass is thicker on this flat; I want to try yo-yoing the Pig around it.” The plug snags in the stringy vegetation. “This dead grass is a pain to fish.” <br> <b>8:27 a.m.</b> A bass bumps the Bad Shad three times during a single retrieve without hooking up. “They’re just head-butting it!” <br> <b>8:31 a.m.</b> Another nonkeeper hits the Bad Shad. What’s Fritts’ biggest crankbait bass, and best crankbait day, ever? “A 9-4, although I had one on at Lake Falcon [Texas] that I estimated at 16 pounds. I once cranked up a five-fish limit on Falcon that weighed 37 pounds and change during a tournament; I actually culled five other limits on that same day that weighed 35 pounds apiece.” <br> <b>8:44 a.m.</b> Fritts cranks the Merc and idles around to scope out the meandering ditch with his electronics. “This ditch zigzags all over the place. I’ll come back here later.” He heads back downlake. <br> <b>8:50 a.m.</b> The wind has picked up as Fritts casts the Bad Shad to a main-lake point. <br> <b>9 a.m.</b> A good fish slams the Bad Shad on the point but doesn’t hook up.
7:45 a.m. Fritts runs a mile uplake to a primary point, which he cranks with the Dredger. “This time of year, I look for sharp dropoffs into deep water and places where a deep structure meets a shallower one, like a channel intersecting a flat. And, I’m not overly concerned about my crankbait bumping off hard objects or the bottom now, because in clear conditions like we have here today, bass often suspend rather than hold tight to cover.”

6 HOURS LEFT8:08 a.m. Fritts runs to the extreme upper end of Lake R to examine a ditch he located with the console graph’s mapping feature. He cranks the Dredger around the structure. 8:06 a.m. He bags a short fish on the Dredger. 8:07 a.m. The Dredger is digging up strands of dead grass, so Fritts switches to the Bad Shad in the blue back color pattern. “This lure runs around 8 feet. I designed it to have a distinctive side roll and ‘tail wag’ that gives it a totally different look than any other shad mimic. It’s my go-to crankbait in cold, clear water; I’ve had suspending bass swim up 25 feet to grab it.” He promptly catches a short fish on his second cast. “Both of those rats were hanging right off the edge of the ditch.” 8:10 a.m. Fritts bumps bottom with the Bad Shad. He examines the lure and scrapes a tiny blob of mud off its bill. “You don’t want any mud or grass on your crankbait or it’ll mess up its balance.” He hangs a good fish on his next cast, but it comes unbuttoned. “There’s a bunch of fish around this ditch, but they aren’t very aggressive.” 8:14 a.m. Another small bass strikes the Bad Shad. “Last night was the full moon, which usually makes for a tough late-season bite.” 8:18 a.m. Fritts is fancasting the Bad Shad around the outer perimeter of the ditch with a 7-6 cranking rod. “Generally speaking, the longer the rod, the greater the casting distance, and the shorter the rod, the greater the accuracy. If I’m fishing open water like I am here, I’ll go for distance with a rod up to 9 feet in length. If I’m throwing to specific targets, which I’m usually doing when fishing a squarebill, I’ll use a shorter rod, usually 6-8. I host casting contests for Lew’s around the country; the record distance so far is 99 yards with a 3/4-ounce weight, my signature 7 1/2-foot cranking rod and a Lew’s BB1 reel.” 8:25 a.m. Fritts combs the flat adjacent to the ditch with a 1/2-ounce chameleon pearl Warpig lipless crank. “The grass is thicker on this flat; I want to try yo-yoing the Pig around it.” The plug snags in the stringy vegetation. “This dead grass is a pain to fish.” 8:27 a.m. A bass bumps the Bad Shad three times during a single retrieve without hooking up. “They’re just head-butting it!” 8:31 a.m. Another nonkeeper hits the Bad Shad. What’s Fritts’ biggest crankbait bass, and best crankbait day, ever? “A 9-4, although I had one on at Lake Falcon [Texas] that I estimated at 16 pounds. I once cranked up a five-fish limit on Falcon that weighed 37 pounds and change during a tournament; I actually culled five other limits on that same day that weighed 35 pounds apiece.” 8:44 a.m. Fritts cranks the Merc and idles around to scope out the meandering ditch with his electronics. “This ditch zigzags all over the place. I’ll come back here later.” He heads back downlake. 8:50 a.m. The wind has picked up as Fritts casts the Bad Shad to a main-lake point. 9 a.m. A good fish slams the Bad Shad on the point but doesn’t hook up.

<b>5 HOURS LEFT</b><br> <b>9:09 a.m.</b> Fritts bags his first keeper of the day, 1 pound, 1 ounce, from the side of a main-lake pocket on the Bad Shad. “He was out in front of a submerged tree branch.” <br> <b>9:11 a.m.</b> Fritts continues fishing the Bad Shad. Rather than crank the lure straight in, he makes a long cast, then moves the bait by pulling his rod back fairly slowly rather than by turning the reel handle. He then lowers the rod to the starting position while reeling in slack line, and repeats. “In cold water, baitfish tend to dart or swim a short distance, stop, swim a little more, then stop again. This retrieve replicates their tentative, erratic movements.” <br>
5 HOURS LEFT9:09 a.m. Fritts bags his first keeper of the day, 1 pound, 1 ounce, from the side of a main-lake pocket on the Bad Shad. “He was out in front of a submerged tree branch.” 9:11 a.m. Fritts continues fishing the Bad Shad. Rather than crank the lure straight in, he makes a long cast, then moves the bait by pulling his rod back fairly slowly rather than by turning the reel handle. He then lowers the rod to the starting position while reeling in slack line, and repeats. “In cold water, baitfish tend to dart or swim a short distance, stop, swim a little more, then stop again. This retrieve replicates their tentative, erratic movements.”
<b>9:14 a.m.</b> Fritts bags his second keeper, 1 pound, 4 ounces, on the Bad Shad. “That fish was holding right where a 12-foot channel swings in against the bank.” <br>
9:14 a.m. Fritts bags his second keeper, 1 pound, 4 ounces, on the Bad Shad. “That fish was holding right where a 12-foot channel swings in against the bank.”
<b>9:16 a.m.</b> Keeper No. 3, 1 pound, 14 ounces, nails the Bad Shad. “There’s a little flat there in between two deep pockets. I’m having to hit a lot of different places today to get on fish; they’re pretty scattered out. It’s not easy covering water and fishing slow at the same time.” <br> <b>9:32 a.m.</b> Fritts fishes the Bad Shad through the center of a deep pocket. No luck there. <br> <b>9:47 a.m.</b> Fritts runs straight across the lake to fish a long stretch of bank with the Bad Shad. The wind is blowing 15 mph as he drifts past points, pockets and undercut banks. <br>
9:16 a.m. Keeper No. 3, 1 pound, 14 ounces, nails the Bad Shad. “There’s a little flat there in between two deep pockets. I’m having to hit a lot of different places today to get on fish; they’re pretty scattered out. It’s not easy covering water and fishing slow at the same time.” 9:32 a.m. Fritts fishes the Bad Shad through the center of a deep pocket. No luck there. 9:47 a.m. Fritts runs straight across the lake to fish a long stretch of bank with the Bad Shad. The wind is blowing 15 mph as he drifts past points, pockets and undercut banks.
<b>9:51 a.m.</b> Fritts pulls the Bad Shad through a section of bank littered with leaves and other debris on the surface. He gets a strike, but there’s no hookup. <br>
9:51 a.m. Fritts pulls the Bad Shad through a section of bank littered with leaves and other debris on the surface. He gets a strike, but there’s no hookup.
<b>10:01 a.m.</b> Fritts moves to a steep bank with a retaining wall, where he does the pull-and-stop with the Bad Shad. He bags his fourth keeper, 1 pound, 8 ounces. “There’s a 7-foot ditch right along that wall, and that’s where the fish was. He slammed it!”
10:01 a.m. Fritts moves to a steep bank with a retaining wall, where he does the pull-and-stop with the Bad Shad. He bags his fourth keeper, 1 pound, 8 ounces. “There’s a 7-foot ditch right along that wall, and that’s where the fish was. He slammed it!”
<b>4 HOURS LEFT</b><br> <b>10:05 a.m.</b> Fritts moves the boat farther out and reverses direction on the same bank. <br>
4 HOURS LEFT10:05 a.m. Fritts moves the boat farther out and reverses direction on the same bank.
<b>10:13 a.m.</b> Fritts’ fifth keeper, 2 pounds, 2 ounces, strikes the Bad Shad halfway back to the boat. “This one was suspended out in open water.” What’s his take on the day so far? “I’ve managed to put together a limit of small keepers on the Bad Shad. The fish are either shallow or close to where a deep channel or drop cuts into the bank or a flat. The south wind is picking up; that often moves suspending fish up shallower. I’m going to stick with the pull/stop/pull retrieve and hopefully get on some bigger bites.” <br> <b>10:22 a.m.</b> Fritts moves to a main-lake point and catches a tiny bass on the Bad Shad. <br> <b>10:31 a.m.</b> It’s warming up as Fritts moves farther uplake to hammer another point. A shorty hits the Bad Shad at the boat. “They definitely aren’t stacked on these points; it’s just one fish here and one there.” <br> <b>10:45 a.m.</b> Fritts wind-drifts around the point to a channel bank. We’re sitting in 20 feet; he’s throwing to 3 feet. <br> <b>10:56 a.m.</b> He bags a nonkeeper in the back of a small pocket. <p> <b>3 HOURS LEFT</b><br> <b>11:08 a.m.</b> Still hammering the bank with the Bad Shad. I ask Fritts how it feels to be back fishing B.A.S.S. events. “The Elites today are totally different from the B.A.S.S. Invitationals and Opens I used to fish. The young kids on the trail are really proficient with their electronics, and they use a lot of methods like drop shotting and shaky heads that I’ve never gotten into. I’m old school; my boat is loaded with the latest [Raymarine] electronics, but I also still mount flasher units at both the bow and console! Each time I rig a new boat, I pray that my flashers won’t die. You can’t get parts anymore!” <br> <b>11:17 a.m.</b> Fritts idles to another point and cranks the Dredger across the structure. It dredges up a wad of snot grass. <br> <b>11:25 a.m.</b> The wind is howling as Fritts moves to another point to try the Bad Shad. <br> <b>11:38 a.m.</b> The point transitions into a sand flat, where Fritts catches a short fish on the Shad. <br> <b>11:52 a.m.</b> Fritts has fished a 100-yard stretch of channel bank without a strike. “They obviously ain’t where we are!” <p> <b>2 HOURS LEFT</b><br> <b>12:08 p.m.</b> He gets a good hit on the Bad Shad, but there’s no hookup. <br>
10:13 a.m. Fritts’ fifth keeper, 2 pounds, 2 ounces, strikes the Bad Shad halfway back to the boat. “This one was suspended out in open water.” What’s his take on the day so far? “I’ve managed to put together a limit of small keepers on the Bad Shad. The fish are either shallow or close to where a deep channel or drop cuts into the bank or a flat. The south wind is picking up; that often moves suspending fish up shallower. I’m going to stick with the pull/stop/pull retrieve and hopefully get on some bigger bites.” 10:22 a.m. Fritts moves to a main-lake point and catches a tiny bass on the Bad Shad. 10:31 a.m. It’s warming up as Fritts moves farther uplake to hammer another point. A shorty hits the Bad Shad at the boat. “They definitely aren’t stacked on these points; it’s just one fish here and one there.” 10:45 a.m. Fritts wind-drifts around the point to a channel bank. We’re sitting in 20 feet; he’s throwing to 3 feet. 10:56 a.m. He bags a nonkeeper in the back of a small pocket.

3 HOURS LEFT11:08 a.m. Still hammering the bank with the Bad Shad. I ask Fritts how it feels to be back fishing B.A.S.S. events. “The Elites today are totally different from the B.A.S.S. Invitationals and Opens I used to fish. The young kids on the trail are really proficient with their electronics, and they use a lot of methods like drop shotting and shaky heads that I’ve never gotten into. I’m old school; my boat is loaded with the latest [Raymarine] electronics, but I also still mount flasher units at both the bow and console! Each time I rig a new boat, I pray that my flashers won’t die. You can’t get parts anymore!” 11:17 a.m. Fritts idles to another point and cranks the Dredger across the structure. It dredges up a wad of snot grass. 11:25 a.m. The wind is howling as Fritts moves to another point to try the Bad Shad. 11:38 a.m. The point transitions into a sand flat, where Fritts catches a short fish on the Shad. 11:52 a.m. Fritts has fished a 100-yard stretch of channel bank without a strike. “They obviously ain’t where we are!”

2 HOURS LEFT12:08 p.m. He gets a good hit on the Bad Shad, but there’s no hookup.

<b>12:15 p.m.</b> Fritts runs uplake to a tributary arm and cranks the edge of a shallow flat. <br> <b>12:23 p.m.</b> He catches three short fish on the Bad Shad. “Surely there’s a big fish out here somewhere!” <br> <b>12:32 p.m.</b> Fritts follows a shallow point offshore and catches another nonkeeper. <br> <b>12:39 p.m.</b> Another short fish eats the Bad Shad. <br> <b>12:47 p.m.</b> Fritts runs downlake to crank a point he fished earlier.
12:15 p.m. Fritts runs uplake to a tributary arm and cranks the edge of a shallow flat. 12:23 p.m. He catches three short fish on the Bad Shad. “Surely there’s a big fish out here somewhere!” 12:32 p.m. Fritts follows a shallow point offshore and catches another nonkeeper. 12:39 p.m. Another short fish eats the Bad Shad. 12:47 p.m. Fritts runs downlake to crank a point he fished earlier.
<b>1 HOUR LEFT</b><br> <b>1:05 p.m.</b> Fritts races back uplake to the meandering ditch he fished earlier. <br> <b>1:05 p.m.</b> Here, he catches his sixth keeper, 1 pound, 6 ounces; it culls the 1-1 he caught earlier. “This is a far cry from Lake Falcon!” <br> <b>1:17 p.m.</b> He switches to the Dredger on the ditch and bags a small bass. <br> <b>1:29 p.m.</b> Fritts catches a tiny fish near a culvert. “There’s no water flowing in back here; it’s just static.” <br> <b>1:47 p.m.</b> With time running out, Fritts rockets back downlake to crank a concrete retaining wall. No takers here. <br> <b>1:57 p.m.</b> He moves to a submerged ledge and cranks up another shorty. <br> <b>2:05 p.m.</b> Back to the boat ramp. Fritts ends his day on Lake R with six keeper bass; the five biggest weigh 8 pounds, 2 ounces.
1 HOUR LEFT1:05 p.m. Fritts races back uplake to the meandering ditch he fished earlier. 1:05 p.m. Here, he catches his sixth keeper, 1 pound, 6 ounces; it culls the 1-1 he caught earlier. “This is a far cry from Lake Falcon!” 1:17 p.m. He switches to the Dredger on the ditch and bags a small bass. 1:29 p.m. Fritts catches a tiny fish near a culvert. “There’s no water flowing in back here; it’s just static.” 1:47 p.m. With time running out, Fritts rockets back downlake to crank a concrete retaining wall. No takers here. 1:57 p.m. He moves to a submerged ledge and cranks up another shorty. 2:05 p.m. Back to the boat ramp. Fritts ends his day on Lake R with six keeper bass; the five biggest weigh 8 pounds, 2 ounces.
<b>THE DAY IN PERSPECTIVE</b><br> “I had a lot of bites today, but I wasn’t contacting quality fish,” Fritts told Bassmaster. “I’m not a big believer in a so-called ‘bite window’ where the fish are active and then suddenly shut off; I believe they’re always biting somewhere, and the challenge is to figure out where. After covering a lot of water today, I’m convinced that the big fish are out deeper. If I were to fish here tomorrow under these same conditions, I’d spend more time cranking deeper structure because the ­quality fish obviously haven’t moved up yet.” <p> <b>WHERE AND WHEN FRITTS CAUGHT HIS FIVE BIGGEST BASS</b><br> 1 pound, 4 ounces; blue back Berkley Bad Shad 7 crankbait; channel bank; 9:14 a.m.</b><br> 1 pound, 14 ounces; same lure as No. 1; shallow flat between two pockets; 9:16 a.m.</b><br> 1 pound, 8 ounces; same lure as No. 1; ditch near retaining wall; 10:01 a.m.</b><br> 2 pounds, 2 ounces; same lure as No. 1; open water adjacent to ditch; 10:13 a.m.</b><br> 1 pound, 6 ounces; same lure as No. 1; ditch in upper end; 1:05 p.m.</b><br> TOTAL: 8 POUNDS, 2 OUNCES
THE DAY IN PERSPECTIVE
“I had a lot of bites today, but I wasn’t contacting quality fish,” Fritts told Bassmaster. “I’m not a big believer in a so-called ‘bite window’ where the fish are active and then suddenly shut off; I believe they’re always biting somewhere, and the challenge is to figure out where. After covering a lot of water today, I’m convinced that the big fish are out deeper. If I were to fish here tomorrow under these same conditions, I’d spend more time cranking deeper structure because the ­quality fish obviously haven’t moved up yet.”

WHERE AND WHEN FRITTS CAUGHT HIS FIVE BIGGEST BASS
1 pound, 4 ounces; blue back Berkley Bad Shad 7 crankbait; channel bank; 9:14 a.m.
1 pound, 14 ounces; same lure as No. 1; shallow flat between two pockets; 9:16 a.m.
1 pound, 8 ounces; same lure as No. 1; ditch near retaining wall; 10:01 a.m.
2 pounds, 2 ounces; same lure as No. 1; open water adjacent to ditch; 10:13 a.m.
1 pound, 6 ounces; same lure as No. 1; ditch in upper end; 1:05 p.m.
TOTAL: 8 POUNDS, 2 OUNCES