Home Lake Curse or Advantage?

Weighing the pros and cons of fishing a major tournament in my backyard

(The writer's opinions and observations expressed here are his own, and do not necessarily reflect or represent the views, policies or positions of FLW.)

Over the years I have heard hundreds of opinions on whether a home playing field for a national-level tournament is a blessing or a recipe for disaster. As I prepare for the next Walmart FLW Tour stop at Lake Hartwell, which I consider my home lake, I find myself pondering these opinions even more.

The last time the Tour visited Hartwell in 2014, fishing my home lake was far from an advantage. The lake was higher than ever before, not to mention unbelievably muddy and cold. I fished Hartwell like it was the same old lake where I had put in hundreds of days on the water. In reality, it was an entirely different animal.

After a dismal first day I was sitting outside the top 100. I approached day two with a completely open mind and fished like it was a lake I had never seen before. I ended up with a respectable bag and moved all the way into the top 30.

With that being said, I still don’t believe my knowledge on Hartwell was my downfall. Casey Ashley, another local, went on to win the tournament by a large margin by fishing brush piles that he had located over the years, so it looks as if the home lake was definitely an advantage for him.

What it comes down to is preparation and using past experiences as a guide, but not fishing memories – as cliché as it might sound.

I think the positives and negatives all come with how you approach the tournament, not only in official practice but in pre-practice as well. I didn’t fish Hartwell at all throughout the fall and winter months, so I spent a great deal of time on the water there after I returned from Florida and before the lake went off limits per Tour rules.

The fishing will change drastically in the weeks and days immediately before the tournament, but I think it helps greatly to be in touch with the fish and know what stage they were in before the off-limits period started. In 2014, I didn’t prepare nearly as well as I should have. This year I’m not making that same mistake.

Knowledge of the lake can be an awesome weapon when attempting to pattern fish in the three official practice days. I have fished nearly every inch of Lake Hartwell in the past, so if I determine a pattern or type of area to look for I should know where more similar areas are located. I just have to be careful not to only fish where I have had success in the past. I made that mistake in 2014. I had a horrible practice, yet in the tournament I still fished some of the same areas I had already checked in practice, even though they weren’t productive. I only fished those areas because of history. In that case, the home lake was a curse.

There is also a list of X factors that come in to play. The stress at the pro level is drastically increased from the start. The race for points to qualify for the Forrest Wood Cup is tight, and you can’t afford a stumble.

Previously, I let the expectations and stress get to me. I was a rookie on Tour and hadn’t really gotten into the swing of competition at this level. I still am by no means experienced at the pro level, but I am learning to manage the emotions.

The other factor that is hard to explain is the “tournament mentality” that we anglers slip into when out on the road for a Tour event or other big tournament. Away from home, there is only one thing on my mind – how to find them tomorrow. That’s all I have to think about.

This time around, it’s different because I’m staying at home. I’ll have the same tournament-related thoughts, as well as all the everyday things such as household chores, friends and family, and such. It’s not entirely a bad thing, but it is harder to achieve the same focus that comes with being on the road and being immersed only in the tournament. Though, it does feel pretty good to sleep in my own bed at night, so I’m not complaining. 

So is competing on your home lake a curse or an advantage? Honestly, I’m still not sure. I’ll let you know after this week.