Stage Four at Lake Chickamauga Should be a Spawn/Prespawn Slugfest
When the MLF Bass Pro Tour rolls into Dayton, Tenn., next week (April 9-14) to fish Lake Chickamauga, expect big bass, and plenty of them.
According to local MLF pros Jacob Wheeler, Andy Morgan, and Michael Neal, this impoundment of the Tennessee River is stacked with good, scorable-size largemouth, and some of the best double-digit trophy bass fishing opportunities in the country.
“Multiple 10-pounders are possible,” said Wheeler, who won an Elite Series event here in 2014. “This lake has some of the best big-bass-catching opportunities in the country, but don’t forget, there are a ton of 2- to 4-pounders as well.”
Morgan agrees with Wheeler.
“There are seriously unbelievable numbers of 2- to 4-pounders in Chickamauga,” Morgan confirmed. “I wouldn’t be surprised to see a few 10-pounders and several in the 7- to 8-pound range.”
Morgan has recent experience with those Chickamauga giants: he caught a 13-pounder there in early March 2018, a fish that he documented on his Facebook page.
“That’s not the only one of those swimming in this lake,” Morgan said.
Early Arrival on Chickamauga
Many national tournaments fished on Chickamauga in the past 10 years have taken place later in the season – mid to late-June – when the lake’s largemouth are schooled up offshore. The MLF Bass Pro Tour arrives in town during the classic pre-spawn/spawn period, and unlike the offshore-ledge bite that has dominated many events in the past, the 80-angler field may just be in for a big bass treat in the shallows.
“The water levels are right where they’re supposed to be for this time of the year,” said Michael Neal. “There will be a slow, but steady rise in levels throughout the tournament unless there’s a massive rainstorm. The bass will be up on the shallow rocks, pea gravel, sunken stumps, and laydowns. All of the classic pre-spawn/spawn cover. Fish will be
No Local Advantage?
Will local knowledge factor play a part in the outcome on Chickamauga? Wheeler, Morgan and Neal agree that it won’t.
“Not this time out,” Wheeler said. “It’s pretty common knowledge about some of the known big-fish areas like Harrison Bay, Sequoia, and the Powerplant, but I’m not sure those will be players. They’ll still be productive, but there will be bass caught dam-to-dam. Lots of good bass – you can’t dink yourself to first place here.”
Morgan confirms: “It’s going to be classic pre-spawn/spawn fishing. I think the known areas for big fish will still be the same areas that produce the bigger fish, they’ll just be shallower.”
Neal also feels that his lifetime experience on Chickamauga won’t be of significant benefit to him.
“With so many bass pushing up toward the banks, there’s really no advantage for anybody,” says the Dayton native. “I think things like having a huge local tournament going on the Saturday of our event will have more impact than an angler with local knowledge.
“I believe the Top 10 will end up being spread out from one another on the lake and will show everybody just how good Chickamauga is. I mean, it’s so good right now, it’s hard to explain. Just check out the Fish Dayton page on Facebook: there are already 50 bass over 10 pounds registered there for 2019. Those are just the bass people took the time to report!”
Baits and tactics will run the gamut, according to Neal: “You’ll need to throw Rat-L-Traps, vibrating jigs and swimbaits; you’ll have to flip and pitch, and throw wacky rigs.”
Wheeler’s advice? Look somewhere else for advice.
“I’ve finished second in the last two events I’ve fished, so I’m not going to say anything about how to fish Chickamauga,” Wheeler joked. “I don’t think we could’ve picked a better time to fish this lake, but these MLF pros are too good. Ultimately, this will be a great event, but I’m not giving anybody anything.”