Ohio River-Tanners Creek Super Tournament will be all about the bait
Where there’s prey, you’ll find predators. Anglers fishing the Ohio River-Tanners Creek Super Tournament, the final event of the season for the Hoosier Division of the Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine, better keep that in mind, as finding the bait will be paramount to success.
Tournament details
Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine Hoosier Division Super Tournament
Lawrenceburg, Ind.
September 28-29
About the fishery
Want to get away from the crowd? Anglers will have plenty of room to do so when they launch out of Tanner’s Creek. Located near the three-state intersection of Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky, the venue allows anglers to run as far as their hearts desire, even if it means locking through the Meldahl Lock and Dam to the east and Markland Lock and Dam to the west.
Wherever they go, there will be plenty of wood, rock and man-made cover for all three species of bass to hold around. Largemouth are usually the main players, but anglers shouldn’t sleep on the smallmouth in the Tanner’s Creek area or anywhere they can find current.
Of course, like any river, water level and clarity fluctuations are always something to watch, especially in the days leading up to the event.
What to expect
With the weather starting to cool off, the baitfish in every fishery are going to be on the move, with the bass not far behind them. In the river, that move will be toward main-river haunts. Thus, local hammer Chris Wilkinson won’t throw a cast unless he sees bait.
“Honestly, I don’t even know what species the main baitfish are in the river,” Wilkinson said. “I just know if I see bait flipping on the surface or see bait balls on my electronics, I always feel better this time of year.
“If you’re not fishing around the bait, you’re not fishing where you need to be in this event.”
The river is hardly a slugfest place, with limits often being tough to come by and 8 to 9 pounds a day being more than enough to put a boater in contention for the win. So, anything pros can do to increase their chance of getting bit is always key.
Forward-facing sonar is usually a great way to do that, and Wilkinson says it never surprises him anymore if it’s a player in any event. That said, the river doesn’t typically set up well for that style of fishing, with targeting wood and rock using buzzbaits, spinnerbaits and crankbaits most often representing the winning ways.
Then again, if the current is really flowing, Wilkinson says don’t sleep on pros running up toward Cincinnati to target smallmouth.
“That area can be really good when it’s right,” he said. “It’s just very dependent on the conditions.”