ROGERSVILLE, Ala. – Spring showers may bring flowers, but they also can bring challenges when it comes to fishing. That will certainly be the case for the upcoming Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine event on Wheeler Lake if the forecast holds true for March 29. With the potential for severe storms and significant winds (from the worst direction, too), anglers will definitely have their work cut out for them.
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What to Expect
According to local Trent Suratt, Wheeler’s fishing has been pretty solid the last few weeks, with fish staging up ready to rush to the banks to spawn. In fact, with the warm weather this week, he says he wouldn’t be surprised if the smallmouth hasn’t already started spawning.
So, that’s the good news.
The bad news is the forecast could make it all irrelevant.
“If that wind blows out of the southeast and the rain comes, it will make it rough,” Suratt said. “That wind direction would completely muddy up the Decatur Flats. So, anyone wanting to fish there would need to catch their fish quick before it gets really windy.”
Another option is always to run to Guntersville Dam, where a local tournament last weekend was won with 23 pounds. However, it’s a long run, and it could be running right into the wind.
Baits to bring
Most any conversation regarding Wheeler Lake starts about fishing the Decatur Flats, which is where Suratt thinks the tournament will most likely be won by someone using forward-facing sonar to target stumps with a soft-plastic minnow bait or jerkbait. However, if he were fishing the event, he says he’d probably focus more on dragging a Carolina rig on gravel staging points, especially if the wind blows.
And for anyone running to the dam, swimbaits are a solid bet. Just bring a lot of them to account for getting hung up.
What will it take
Obviously, if the weather forecast holds true, fishing could get pretty rough in a hurry. That said, Suratt says he still thinks it will take more than 20 pounds to win.
“The fishing has just been too good, recently,” Suratt said. “Somebody will still catch 20 to 23 pounds because they always do.”
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Every Phoenix Bass Fishing League angler fishing the fourth event in each division this season 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. Click here to sign up for the Abu Garcia Fishing 4 Free promotion, or call 270-252-1000 to take advantage of this offer. Anglers will receive their gift pack at the event.