IUKA, Miss. — Few things fire up the fishing on a TVA lake more than current, and if the forecast holds, there should be plenty of it when the Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine Mississippi Division takes on Pickwick Lake on Saturday. Considering the fishing was already heating up, the event could be a smashfest.
What to expect
With four BFL victories on the fishery and even a pair of top-six finishes just last year, it’s a safe bet to assume Trent Suratt has his finger on the pulse of Pickwick. And right now, that pulse is strong.
“Oh, they’re biting right now,” said the Lawrenceburg, Tennessee angler. “This warm water has really got them going. I’ve seen 60-degree water in some places. So, we’re not far from spawn mode.”
That’s already good news. Even better could be the fact that it’s rained in the area in recent days, which is forecast to clear up before the event. As long as that muddy up the lake too much, the extra water in the system should cause the TVA Authority to pull even more current than normal and help the bite.
“That’d be great if they do,” Suratt said. “You could see some really big weights if that happens.”
With a strong current, Pickwick’s famous smallmouth bite below the Wheeler Dam should certainly be in play. That said, Suratt thinks staging largemouth are going to be the winning pattern.
“Even though they won’t have as much time, I think the ‘Scopers are going to catch some big bags from the ditches and staging areas, especially around Koger Island,” he said.
Baits to bring
Even with the three-hour time limit on forward-facing sonar, Suratt knows how quickly the technology can be used to catch a megabag on Pickwick tossing around soft-plastic minnows.
Outside of that window, swimbaits in the current near the dam are always a staple. Meanwhile, Suratt figures a vibrating jig will be key for covering water around emerging grass. But really, he says anglers should be able to throw whatever they want and catch fish for this event.
“Pretty much everything is in play,” Suratt said. “You want to throw it, go do it.”
What will it take?
This winter has seen winning limits routinely hitting the 28- to 30-pound range, including multiple bags over 30 pounds. Does Suratt think that will be needed now? Probably not, but he says anyone looking to win is probably going to need to be in the mid 20s, and the potential for a 27 to 28 pounds is very much in play.