WARSAW, Mo. – How many rods do you own? Because when it comes to the upcoming Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine Ozark Division event on Lake of the Ozarks, you might need all of them.
“Oh, this is the time of year, on that lake … it’s definitely when I have the most rods on my deck,” said local Brad Jelinek.
What to expect
It’s easy to understand Jelinek’s comment about rods when you figure out what all is happening in the fishery.
“Oh, it’s going to be full-blown spawn,” Jelinek said.
Now, which spawn and where you focus on it is where the plethora of rods comes into play.
For starters, the bass spawn may be starting to wane, but it will still be a major pattern for many anglers. For those who want to look at the fish, they’re going to want to stay in the clear water. However, there will be equally as many pros who don’t want to actually see the fish on beds, instead opting to blind cast to targets like laydowns where a bed is likely. The river is a perfect place for that.
And Jelinek says both will be productive. He does warn that you need a little luck for either.
“I think if you’re doing it, the key will be catching one big female,” Jelinek said. “And more than likely, you’ll have to find that during the tournament. You can rely on the males being on bed if you find them in practice, but the females are notorious for showing up and being gone the next day.
“So, you’re going to have to be a little lucky.”
That luck may be needed even if an angler opts to forgo spawning bass and instead opt for a shad spawn pattern, as that will also be in full effect. But as fickle as female bass can be, so too, can the shad moving around to spawn. Be in the right place at the right time, and big things could happen. Get it wrong, and nada.
And then there will be plenty of fry guarders hanging around the shallows, too. Meaning anglers will need to keep an open mind and plenty of rods at the ready.
Baits to bring
If you didn’t guess, with that many rods out, anglers will probably have even more lure options.
For sight-fishing, soft plastics will reign, and Jelinek said to have a cycle of different ones ready. And no matter what, a wacky rig is going to be on almost every deck, be it for spawners or fry guarders.
Then there’s the shad spawn, which will require topwaters, spinnerbaits or possibly a big swimbait to coax a kicker bite.
“You need to be ready for everything,” Jelinek said. “You could go out expecting to focus on the shad spawn, and then see a 4-pounder on bed. Or maybe you see a fry guarder. Or maybe you want to make a run and flip a jig in the dirty water. By the time the tournament day is done, you could have 15 rods on the deck.”
What will it take?
With the fish spawning, Jelinek says there will be plenty of bass caught this event that a week earlier weighed 4 pounds and now only weigh 3 pounds. So, his expectations for a big winning bag are tempered.
“I think if someone gets to 19 pounds, they’ll have very good shot at winning,” Jelinek said. “But the weights will drop, and 16 pounds could get you in the Top 10.”