GUNTERSVILLE, Ala. — As the sun crested the ridges that surround Lake Guntersville and illuminated this iconic fishery on the second morning of competition at B&W Trailer Hitches Stage 1 Presented by Mercury, Mark Daniels Jr. was preparing to try and duplicate what he described as an excellent start to his eighth season on the Bass Pro Tour.
“Man, what more can you ask for to start the season?” MDJ said. “I’m inside the Top 10; I’m fishing a pattern that I’m super comfortable with and confident in. I put myself in a good position right out of the gate, which is all I could ask for. If I was giving it a letter grade, I’d give it an A-minus.”
The California native who now calls Alabama home caught more than 80 pounds of bass on Day 1, which placed him firmly inside the Top 10 in seventh place. He hung 29 scorable bass on the BUBAA scales, all while battling frigid temperatures and a brutal north wind that even the most die-hard angler would deem lousy fishing conditions.
MDJ and the rest of the Bass Pro Tour roster proved that even uncharacteristically cold weather can’t cool down the hot fishing on Guntersville. The caliber of anglers competing in this stacked 51-person field deserve much of the credit, but so does this body of water. The consistency with which this fishery churns out quality bass, regardless of fishing pressure or conditions, is truly incredible.
Guntersville is not only showing out in terms of catch rates. We’re seeing a myriad of techniques, presentations and baits being used to mine chunky largemouth from the grass lines and offshore haunts that the Tennessee River chain of lakes is known for. While several anglers are using their one period with forward-facing sonar to bolster their weight totals, there are others who didn’t rely on the technology at all en route to heavyweight days on the water.
“I didn’t weigh in a single scorable bass yesterday using LiveScope,” Daniels Jr. said. “Y’all know I love to use FFS, and I still turned mine on during the third period. But every one of the 29 scorables I caught came fishing a hard reaction bait, not looking at a screen. It certainly helps, but you don’t need ‘Scope to smash them in the wintertime.
“Today, my main goal is to make the Top 25 cut; but really, I am hoping to catch about seven keepers in the first period to lock up the cut and then spend the next two periods practicing for the weekend. That’s the number one and number two goals.”
That’s one of the things unique to the Bass Pro Tour’s format – tournament strategy and gamesmanship begins on Day 1 for these anglers, and it turns into a form of on-the-water chess by Day 2. Only, the chess pieces in this game have tails and like to move on their own, throwing a wrinkle into even the best game plans.
MDJ spent last night thinking through different scenarios and mapped out what he believed it would take for him to advance to Saturday and, ultimately, to win this event, down to the specific number of scorable bass.
Another factor exclusive to this event is how spread out anglers can get thanks to being able to trailer and launch from different boat ramps due to the cold weather. This, on top of what is already a smaller field of 51 pro anglers, has allowed competitors to fish extremely free during Stage 1.
“I’ve been getting a nice 30-minute drive in my cozy Tundra each morning instead of a freezing boat ride up the lake,” Daniels Jr. said with a smile. “I love that our league allows us to trailer in inclement weather, but more than just safety and comfort, it really spreads us out. I literally saw one competitor’s boat yesterday. For that to happen on Guntersville is crazy, man. Usually, we’re out here fighting a flotilla of competitors and local boats alike.”
Overall, MDJ is liking what he is seeing to start of the 2026 season. The Team Toyota pro will look to continue the momentum he ended his 2025 campaign with and give himself an opportunity to claim his first BPT trophy on the shores of this famous fishery by Sunday afternoon.