3 BIG THINGS: What Will it Take? Who Will Rally? And Will the Shallow Bite Hold Up?

James Watson will be one of the anglers looking for answers in the Knockout Round on Lake Fork. Photo by Phoenix Moore

March 17, 2020 • Tyler Brinks • Bass Pro Tour

LAKE FORK, Texas – The race for the championship trophy at the General Tire Stage Three Presented by TrueTimber from Lake Fork, Texas has entered the home stretch. Half of the field has been eliminated, and the rest still have a shot at the title.

The event has produced big bass after big bass crossing the gunnels and making their way to SCORETRACKER®, but the fish on the bank have been getting pounded both the MLF pros, and by the usual heavy fishing pressure on Lake Fork.

Today’s Knockout Round will be the final day on Fork before competition switches to Lake Athens for the Championship Round.

Here are three big things to watch for in today’s Knockout Round: What’s it going to take to advance? Who will rally to make the Championship Round? Will the shallow bass be enough?

What’s it Going to Take to Advance?

The anglers who are still standing at Lake Fork have things pretty much dialed in. They’ve done enough already to beat at least half of their groups. The remaining anglers also have a good idea of the areas and techniques that are working.

With both Mark Daniels, Jr. and Brandon Coulter already qualifying, eighth place or better is what the anglers in the Knockout Round are gunning for. During their first day on the water, 57-12 from Fletcher Shryock marked eighth place. Group B’s first shot at Fork took only 39-8 by Todd Faircloth to settle in eighth.

The past two days have shown some great individual totals, but the day best catches were Josh Bertrand’s 43–6 and Coulter’s 52-6.

What’s the target number for the 38 anglers fishing the Knockout? Will 30 pounds be enough? Will it take over 40 pounds?

One thing is sure, the field will be fishing their hardest and won’t leave anything on the table. It’s setting up to be a race to the finish.

Who will Rally to Make the Championship Round?

This scenario has played out before: someone squeaks into the Knockout Round, and then things click and come together enough to advance to the Championship Round. With weights starting back at zero, its anyone’s game at this point. Will that scenario happen this week?

Will someone like Aaron Martens – who finished 20th in his group – catch enough to advance? Weights zero again during the Championship Round on Lake Athens, so no one left in the field can be counted out.

Will the Shallow Bass be Enough?

As has been displayed all week on MLF NOW!, the vast majority of the field is fishing shallow cover, and many are relying solely on bedding bass to rack up their totals. Will there be enough shallow bass left to advance?

Now, the advancing anglers from each group will fish together and many of them will find out that they are fishing the same places as those from the other group.

Will this bring the collective weights down, or will the fishing start improving with warmer weather and more bass pushing shallow?

Or will the offshore anglers (or those fishing in slightly deeper water) find success in the Knockout Round?

Those questions will be answered at Lines Out.