DAYTON, Tenn. — There’s no sense in sugar coating it. Lake Chickamauga has been stingy this spring.
A lack of grass and snowstorms as recently as the beginning of this week probably haven’t helped. Unfortunately, there’s not much can be done about the grass ahead of the upcoming Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine Volunteer Division event on Chickamauga this Saturday. But the weather is forecast to warm up significantly this weekend, and with plenty of big fish still living in the lake, there could be big weights on tap.
What to expect
As a guide, your job is to put clients on fish. Hence why guide and tournament angler Dillon Falardeau admits he and many fellow guides have been forgoing Chickamauga this spring in favor of neighboring Nickajack Lake.
“It’s just been a lot harder this spring,” Falardeau said. “The one thing I’ll say, though, is I don’t do ‘Scoping on my guide trips. So, while traditional fishing has been tough [on Chickamauga], there are still plenty of big fish to be caught ‘Scoping right now.”
The cold spring has most of the lake’s giants still roaming open water, chasing balls of baitfish and “not even thinking about spawning.” That’s made them easiest to target with forward-facing sonar. As a result, Falardeau says anglers are going to need to lean hard on the allotted three-hour window with the technology come this event.
That said, the warm weather, with temperatures potentially reaching the 80s, will certainly get fish heading shallow. Now, there’s very little grass to be found – what Falardeau calls “Chickamauga’s hidden secret,” as no one really seems to know why the grass has diminished so much – but anyone who finds some should be one to watch.
“On the lower end, where I live and guide, grass is near impossible to find,” Falardeau said. “But there’s still some on the upper end, and whoever stumbles upon that this year is going to catch some real big fish.”
With the water temperatures in the upper 50s and potentially getting into the 60s by the event, don’t be surprised if someone finds a shallow pattern around grass, rock banks or even straight mud that can produce enough big bites to contend.
Baits to bring
Falardeau admitted anyone who doesn’t utilize FFS at this event is probably making it impossible to win. Hence, jighead minnows and Alabama rigs will be key players.
Outside that three-hour period, though, look for power fishing to dominate. Lipless crankbaits will be big players around mud lines and in the backs of pockets. Squarebill crankbaits and vibrating jigs should be on anglers’ decks and produce around rock and even where the grass used to be.
What will it take?
Even when it’s not fishing like it normally does, Chickamauga is still one of the best lakes in the country — and one that pumps out giant, Florida-strain bass. This time of year, those giant, Florida-strain bass should be at their fattest.
That alone has Falardeau figuring someone will bring in a bag near the 30-pound mark, and most in the top 10 will weigh in excess of 20 pounds.
“There are just too many big fish, and someone will roll into the right ones,” he said.