SCOTTSBORO, Ala. – The famed Lake Guntersville will host the fourth Choo Choo Division event for the Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine on May 17. The legendary lake needs no introduction and has been fishing exceptionally well recently despite all the pressure it receives from bass anglers.
This year, BFL anglers benefit from an expanded slate of Regionals, which minimizes travel costs and provides more opportunities to qualify for the $120,000 BFL All-American while fishing familiar, closer-to-home waters. Click here to find out more.
What to expect
Tackle Warehouse Invitationals pro and well-known Guntersville guide Alex Davis expects his home lake to shine despite all the tournament pressure in recent months. This event will be held on the heels of a Toyota Series event, but he says there should still be plenty of bass to be had.
Davis reports both shallow and deep options, and anglers will have their choice of attack plans.
“There is a bunch of shad activity in the mornings – maybe not a true shad spawn bite happening, but there’s plenty of shad up shallow,” he said. “You’ll probably see some guys stay shallow all day and catch them, and then you have the mid-depth stuff. Because of the time of year, there’s a little bit of the fish just about everywhere.”
You can also fish with traditional ledge fishing techniques away from the bank. According to Davis, the issue is crowding and limited fish offshore.
“There’s some offshore, but those are getting beat to death right now, and you’ll have the added pressure from the Toyota Series,” Davis said. “The deep stuff can be excellent, but there’s just not a lot of fish out there yet.”
While the whole lake has winning potential, Davis believes the hot stretch will be between Honeycomb and Goose Pond.
“That’s usually where everyone does the best because that’s where the biggest concentrations of fish are,” he said. “I’m not saying you can’t do well up the river, but it seems like the biggest schools this time of year seem to always live from Goose Pond down to the dam.”
Baits to bring
An array of soft plastics and vibrating jigs should work well for a shallow approach. For the deep bite, deep-diving crankbaits and finesse rigs are just two of the many ways to catch bass on the ledges.
What will it take?
Davis reports most local events are taking 25 or 26 pounds to win, and he expects the same in this BFL. A solid day that should earn a check is a weight in the upper teens.
Sign up to Fish 4 Free!
Because this is the fourth event of the season for the Choo Choo Division, every Phoenix Bass Fishing League angler will receive an Abu Garcia gift pack valued at $230 for boaters and $180 for co-anglers – a value that exceeds the entry fee. It’s like Fishing 4 FREE! Plus, participants will receive a code for 25% off an order at AbuGarcia.com. Sign up today at MajorLeagueFishing.com or call (270) 252-1000 to take advantage of this incredible offer. Anglers will receive their gift box at the event.