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Ah, fall at last. This week will be interesting at the NOCO Bassmaster Elite at Lake Guntersville. It is the first week of fall and that means transition from summer to fall patterns.
All captions: Craig Lamb
All captions: Craig Lamb
Photo: Andy Crawford
As Andy Crawford and myself produced this gallery, the temperature in Scottsboro was 66 degrees, with a steady 15 mph wind from the northeast. Expect more of it to come during the tournament. This is the first of two cold fronts; the second arrives later in the week. Nighttime lows are forecast in the 40s and daytime highs will be in the 60s.
Photo: Andy Crawford
This edition of Dock Talk comes to you from Goose Pond Colony Resort in Scottsboro, Ala.
Photo: Andy Crawford
Drew Cook
“We are in between summer and fall. The water came up about a foot in the last two weeks.”
“We are in between summer and fall. The water came up about a foot in the last two weeks.”
Photo: Andy Crawford
“That took out all of the cheese (deteriorating vegetation) from the surface with the rising water breaking it up.”
Photo: Andy Crawford
“The cheese is washing away, so you don’t have that really good frog bite that everyone was hoping for this week. I think you will probably see the lowest weights in 20 years for this time of year. Maybe 11- to 13-pounds will make Top 40.”
Photo: Andy Crawford
Brandon Palaniuk
“This is my first time here when the grass is not below the surface. I’ve only been here in early spring. It’s quite different. It’s really tough to find them, but I really like the style of fishing.”
“This is my first time here when the grass is not below the surface. I’ve only been here in early spring. It’s quite different. It’s really tough to find them, but I really like the style of fishing.”
Photo: Andy Crawford
“You are able to do a lot of different things to catch a fish, but catching a big one is tricky, and getting multiple bites in the same area is too. They seem really spread out. We had a cold front, and another is on the way, and my lack of fall southern fishing experience will pose a challenge. I’m going to grind it out. I don’t think I’m alone.”
Photo: Andy Crawford
Bill Weidler
“The fish are transitioning from deep to shallow water. This cool weather is getting the bait active, so moving baits are producing, and the bass are moving up into the grass, so there will be a punch bite going on.”
“The fish are transitioning from deep to shallow water. This cool weather is getting the bait active, so moving baits are producing, and the bass are moving up into the grass, so there will be a punch bite going on.”
Photo: Andy Crawford
“I’ve fished here now for 15 years. It’s my favorite lake. I expect good things to happen this week.”
Photo: Andy Crawford
Will the punch bite be in play? Bill Weidler thinks it will be, and others I have spoken with not in this gallery do too.
Photo: Andy Crawford
John Cox
“I wish I knew what was going on out here. The hydrilla is starting to die, water is coming up. It feels like there should be a frog bite going on, a shallow bite, but I don’t know if we haven’t landed on them with the bass beginning to transition.”
“I wish I knew what was going on out here. The hydrilla is starting to die, water is coming up. It feels like there should be a frog bite going on, a shallow bite, but I don’t know if we haven’t landed on them with the bass beginning to transition.”
Photo: Andy Crawford
"I’ve got a feeling the quality fish are concentrated in some areas that I haven’t found. I think if some of our guys land on them, they are going to wreck them. But it’s not like you can just go down the bank and eventually find them. It’s been pretty miserable.”
Photo: Andy Crawford
Where has John Cox been? Take a guess.
Photo: Andy Crawford
Seth Feider
“Practice has been bad. The bite has been random. I’ve never been here this time of year. They seem to be really spread out.”
“Practice has been bad. The bite has been random. I’ve never been here this time of year. They seem to be really spread out.”
Photo: Andy Crawford
Harvey Horne
Harvey Horne came to the ramp to launch his boat. “With the weather coming in this week the bite has slowed down. I found an area with a lot of fish, and I’m going back out to try another similar area.”
Harvey Horne came to the ramp to launch his boat. “With the weather coming in this week the bite has slowed down. I found an area with a lot of fish, and I’m going back out to try another similar area.”
Photo: Andy Crawford
“It’s on the opposite end of the lake. It’s just a backup plan for Day 2 if Wednesday is a bust. It’s not an easy bite right now. There are very few fish grouped up. But when you do find one of those groups of fish you can get right in a hurry. “
Photo: Andy Crawford
Skylar Hamilton
“It’s not been great. It reminds me a lot of the Classic practice from March. I couldn’t really get anything consistent dialed in. It’s not the Guntersville in the fall that I’m used to from the past.”
“It’s not been great. It reminds me a lot of the Classic practice from March. I couldn’t really get anything consistent dialed in. It’s not the Guntersville in the fall that I’m used to from the past.”
Photo: Andy Crawford
“I couldn't go down the bank and throw a frog like I used to do. I also think fishing pressure could be a factor. More anglers on the water during COVID and the usual nonstop schedule of tournaments could be why.”
Photo: Andy Crawford
Dale Hightower
“It’s been tough, real tough. Practice was better the past two days with the cooler weather. It’s definitely pushing the fish toward a fall pattern. For me, it’s been all about junk fishing, which is what I do when I can’t put together a pattern.”
“It’s been tough, real tough. Practice was better the past two days with the cooler weather. It’s definitely pushing the fish toward a fall pattern. For me, it’s been all about junk fishing, which is what I do when I can’t put together a pattern.”
Photo: Andy Crawford
“I’m just running and gunning, just going fishing. If I see something that looks good, I stop and fish it. About all I can do is hope for the best.”
Photo: Andy Crawford
Cliff Prince
“It’s been one here, another there. Very tough to put together a consistent bite.”
“It’s been one here, another there. Very tough to put together a consistent bite.”
Photo: Andy Crawford
“I’m going back out and try to get back at it. I can catch numbers but not the quality.”
Photo: Andy Crawford
Jeff Gustafson
“I’ve only been here in the winter when I practiced for the Classic in March. So, it obviously looks a lot different with all the grass. I’ve had a really good practice. I think I can put together a decent limit, it’s been good.”
“I’ve only been here in the winter when I practiced for the Classic in March. So, it obviously looks a lot different with all the grass. I’ve had a really good practice. I think I can put together a decent limit, it’s been good.”
Photo: Andy Crawford
“I’m not seeing 20 pounds, but the guys I am staying with are having a tougher time than me.”
Photo: Andy Crawford
Ed Loughran
“Practice has been extremely difficult. I had five keeper bites in three days. The bite is extremely tough, which is what I’m also hearing from everyone. It’s September in the South.”
“Practice has been extremely difficult. I had five keeper bites in three days. The bite is extremely tough, which is what I’m also hearing from everyone. It’s September in the South.”
Photo: Andy Crawford
