Last stop on 2003 FLW Tour is shaping up to be a good one
Professional bass anglers are renowned for bluffing from time to time. Even if bass are jumping in the boat during practice they will say, “It’s been tough.”
This week, at the final FLW Tour stop on Wheeler Lake, pros have relinquished the need to bluff. It’s no secret; the fish are biting on Wheeler Lake.
The general consensus among pros who have been practicing on the lake for the last week is that Wheeler is giving up large numbers of keeper bass in the 1- to 2-pound range. The trick to scoring a top 10 will be landing a fish in the 3- to 5-pound class to anchor a five-fish limit each day.
As usual, much of Wheeler’s 70 miles of fishable water will be reduced to the bass-rich Decatur Flats – a seven-mile stretch of water between the Highway 31 Bridge and the Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant on the north side of the lake. The prolific area is well known for producing healthy bass and tournament wins.
Wheeler contains three species of bass and every kind of fish-holding cover imaginable. But invariably, catching largemouth bass on the Decatur Flats is always a dominant force in bass tournaments.
The last time the FLW Tour visited Wheeler in March 2002, Larry Nixon of Bee Branch, Ark., won by catching his final day’s weight in Second Creek. But he qualified for the finals on the Decatur Flats, along with a majority of the other top 10 finalists.
The flats are a playground and cafeteria for largemouth bass. The water depth varies from 4 to 8 feet, and the bottom is sliced and diced by dozens of ditches, humps and ridges. Coverwise, the contours are laden with milfoil and stumps.
The key to fishing the flats successfully requires knowledge of how the bass relate to the ridges, grass and forage. Popular baits for combing the flats include top-waters, small crankbaits, worms and jigs.
“I think those that qualify for the top 10 will catch at least some portion of their fish off the flats,” says pro Todd Ary of Birmingham, Ala., who fishes Wheeler often. “There are some other patterns working – fishing the shallow bank grass and catching spots up the river – but I don’t think a guy can put together 13 pounds a day for two days in a row by just fishing the bank.”
Ary says it’s important to understand the more subtle aspects of fishing flats to do well on the Decatur Flats.
“The place is complex, it’s like a maze of ditches and grass,” he notes. “The fish react differently to lake levels, increased or decreased current, fishing pressure, wind and the location of forage. Right now we have a big mayfly hatch going on. Of course, the mature mayflies are on the trees around the shoreline. But the hatches happen out on the lake and on the flats. The hatches attract bunches of 2- to 3-inch bream and the bass feed on them. So knowing where those hatches are occurring on the flats is a big key for me right now.”
Overall, Ary finds the fishing to be very good on Wheeler and has the top-10 cut figured at about 26 pounds.
Another angler who will be relying on the flats this week is Dan Morehead of Paducah, Ky., the current leader for the Land O’ Lakes Angler of the Year award. He is hoping that the plentiful largemouth on the Decatur Flats will protect his 26-point lead over David Dudley of Manteo, N.C., who is closest to catching him.
Morehead likes what the flats have to offer but says he is not relying solely on a flats-fishing program.
(Photo by Rob Newell)” BORDER=”1″ ALIGN=”LEFT”>“One reason the flats are fishing so good right now is because we have had stable weather and stable water,” he points out. “All it takes is a mean southwest wind, and that place can go from feast to famine. So I have several contingency plans should that happen.
“I feel pretty confident about this week,” Morehead says. “I have been catching plenty of fish, and I am just trying to pace myself and not wear myself out before the competition starts.”
Morehead took most of the day Tuesday to go through his boat, equipment and tackle with a fine-tooth comb to make sure everything is ready for Wednesday.
“At this point, preparation is critical,” he says. “I want to make sure everything is in tip-top shape for the week. Boat and tackle efficiency will be at a premium.”
Competition begins at 6:30 a.m. Wednesday at Joe Wheeler State Park.