The Bass Pro Tour’s best will take the water on Virginia’s Smith Mountain Lake this weekend looking to earn big cash with big bass. The sixth annual edition of B&W Trailer Hitches Heavy Hitters Presented by Bass Pro Shops starts Saturday and continues through Thursday.
The good news for Phoenix Fantasy Fishing players is there are only 30 anglers in the field for this unique all-star event, so there shouldn’t be as many tough lineup decisions. However, this tournament is tricky to handicap because it comes with a lot of wrinkles.
Pros will fish from league-issued boats, and there’s just as much emphasis on catching the big bass each round as there is on actually winning the title belt – in fact, the angler that boats the biggest bass of the Championship Round will earn $100,000. Adding to the intrigue is the fact that this will be the first time Smith Mountain has ever hosted a tour-level event for MLF or FLW. The last time it appeared on the national stage was 15 years ago at a 2010 Bassmaster Elite Series stop, so just what to expect from the fishery remains a mystery.
We consulted some local experts and took a look at past Heavy Hitters events to break down everything you need to know to assemble the perfect Fantasy Fishing squad.
The heaviest hitters
Even though the event has changed venues (and even states) every single year, a handful of anglers seem to have a knack for cashing in at Heavy Hitters. A few of those are back in the field at Smith Mountain, and it would be foolish to overlook them.
Topping the list is Alton Jones Jr., who has won more money at Heavy Hitters events than anyone else. Jones cashed in $150,000 in big bass bonuses at the 2022 event on Lake Palestine, then blew the field away the following year on Bussey Brake. His father, Alton Jones, is the only other past Heavy Hitters champion in this year’s field, having won in 2021.
Alongside the younger Jones, only one angler in the field has logged three Championship Round appearances at Heavy Hitters events. That would be Brent Ehrler, who not only has that going for him but is fishing well right now, having made at least the Knockout Round in each of his past three BPT events.
A little bit of local knowledge and history
Given the fact that Smith Mountain hasn’t hosted a national-level event in 15 years, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that the field as a whole has very little experience on the fishery. However, it’s worth noting that Virginia native Martin Villa has competed there a handful of times in BFL events over the years. He will likely know the playing field better than anyone. Also, Edwin Evers and Bobby Lane both finished among the Top 10 at the 2010 Elite Series event on Smith Mountain, so they should at least have an idea of where to start.
FFS could be a factor
Because anglers will be competing out of league-issued boats, there’s no restriction on how much they can utilize forward-facing sonar during Heavy Hitters. While the technology on those boats is limited (and might be different than some pros are used to running), you can bet some of the more tech-savvy anglers in the field will use it to their advantage, especially since Villa noted forward-facing sonar tends to be very productive in the deep, clear waters of Smith Mountain.
Of course, we’re primarily referring to Drew Gill here. Gill is pretty much a lock for a Top 10 every time he launches his boat, and there’s no reason to expect this week will be any different, especially since he showed he’s perfectly comfortable fishing his way out of league boats when he won the Summit Cup last fall alongside Marshall Robinson. Same goes for Dustin Connell and Jacob Wheeler. Neither angler has yet added a Heavy Hitters belt to their impressive hardware hauls, and it wouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone if one of them did so at Smith Mountain.
Other names to know
Group A:
Matt Becker – A few anglers I’ve talked to about Smith Mountain compared it to Lake Murray, and Becker has an incredible track record on Murray, including a Top 10 there earlier this year. He’s also just a hammer pretty much everywhere, as he’s logged three straight Top 10s in BPT regular-season events and finished third in his Heavy Hitters debut a year ago.
Mark Daniels Jr. – Daniels is another angler who did well at Murray, where he finished fourth. The West Coast transplant typically seems to be at his best in clear-water fisheries, and Smith Mountain fits that bill.
Group B:
Justin Lucas – Lucas represents another angler with West Coast roots who excels in clear water, although he’s been successful just about everywhere by this point in his career. He has two top-five finishes in Heavy Hitters events, including a near-miss in 2022, when he lost to Ott DeFoe by 12 ounces.
Marshall Robinson – Robinson is another angler who excelled at Murray, where he finished third, and who will be at home on a clear fishery that contains blueback herring. He’s equally adept using forward-facing sonar and plying the bank, which should serve him well on the sprawling lake.