Racing for the ledges of Loudoun

Offshore fishing likely key to success in Tennessee

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Hot days, warm water and long casts: If you are a bass fishing regular on TVA impoundments, you know that summertime and ledge fishing go together like warm apple pie and vanilla ice cream.

So when the green flag dropped at the fifth Wal-Mart FLW Tour stop on Fort Loudoun-Tellico lakes this morning, it was no surprise to see Tour pros racing hard to be the first to make a cast on Fort Loudoun’s ledges.

Offshore ledges are the premium bass cover right now on TVA impoundments and it’s no secret.

Over the course of the last month, pro anglers from all over the country have demonstrated the productivity of ledge fishing on TVA lakes.

Two weeks ago, the Stren Series Southeastern event on Lake Pickwick was dominated on offshore ledges, as were the recent BASS Elite Series events on Kentucky Lake and Wheeler Lake.

Bass throughout the entire Tennessee River system make offshore humps, points, breaks, ridges and bars their homes during the summer. For that reason, local anglers are favored here more than at any other venue the FLW Tour has visited this year.

One local angler who will be gunning hard at Loudoun-Tellico this week is Andy Morgan of nearby Dayton, Tenn. Not only does Morgan have his eyes on the $125,000 tournament prize, he is also the current FLW Land O’ Lakes Angler of the Year leader. A win here could give him a significant AOY lead in the points race going into the final stop in Detroit.

“Locals should do a lot better here this time than the last time we were here,” Morgan said. “Last year we were here in March when a lot of fish were up on the bank looking to spawn. This time fish are offshore on subtle places that only the locals know about.”

Another thing that will be different this time around will be the lack of keeper smallmouth bass – Fort Loudoun’s bonus species – which helped propel leaders to the top of the heap last year.

Smallmouths must be a minimum of 18 inches to be deemed keepers on Fort Loudoun. Those size fish are much more vulnerable in the colder waters of March than in the warmer waters of June when they become quite illusive.

Consequently, this event will likely be a battle of largemouths, which need to be 14 inches to keep. But even the largemouths have proven to be pretty illusive on Fort-Loudoun and Tellico lakes recently.

“This won’t be a slugfest like we’ve seen on some of the other TVA lakes this year,” Morgan said. “It’s going to be a grind. There are a lot of boats fishing the ledges – it’s going to be a take-a-number kind of deal out on those places the first two days. Twelve to 13 pounds a day will be strong Thursday and Friday.”

Morgan plans to play musical ledges with the crowd this week.

“It’s not about where I’m going to fish, it’s more about where I can fish,” he added. “My strategy is to just ride down the lake and look for vacancies on key places. Making any kind of definitive plans in a tournament like this is a waste of time. You just kind of get out there, duck and roll and see what’s available to work with.”

Another local favorite, Ott Defoe of Knoxville, formulated the same kind of strategy for his fishing day.

“I’m going to kind of junk it up today,” said Defoe this morning as he pulled a bevy of rods out of his rod locker. “Whether you’re fishing on the bank or offshore, this lake is all about tiny little sweet spots. A 20-yard stretch of bank here, a short rock ridge there, a section of over-hanging limbs up the river, a 10-yard key stretch of rip rap at the dam – it’s a run and gun kind of lake.”

Even though many pros will be fishing ledges offshore this week, both Morgan and Defoe point out that Fort Loudoun’s ledges are much different than ones you might find in Pickwick or Kentucky Lake.

“Loudoun doesn’t have a lot of defined hard river bars or shell beds like you would find at on other TVA Lakes,” Morgan said. “It’s more silted in and the contours are not near as drastic.”

Defoe describes Loudoun’s offshore structure as being “vague.”

“You can look at a contour map of Pickwick or Kentucky Lake and see the definition and good places to fish – Loudoun is not like that,” Defoe explained. “I guess because we have so much silt, the topography is much more subtle and obscure. I think the biggest downside to that is the fish don’t replenish on those places near as fast as they do on the more defined contours and breaks in places like Kentucky Lake and Pickwick.”

Consequently, Defoe also believes locals will be more of factor this time around.

“Guys who have spent more time on this lake simply know where more of those little out-of-the-way places are,” Defoe added. “And the more of those places you know, the more chance you have of separating yourself from the pack.”

He, too, believes a two-day total of 24 to 26 pounds will put an angler in the hunt for a top 10.

Logistics

Anglers will take off at 6:30 a.m. each day from the Tellico Recreational Area Ramp east of Lenoir City, Tenn., at the junction of highways 321 and 444.

Thursday and Friday’s weigh-ins will also be held at the Tellico Recreational Area Ramp beginning at 3 p.m.

Saturday and Sunday’s weigh-ins will be held at the Knoxville Convention Center located at 701 Henley St. in Knoxville beginning at 4 p.m.

In conjunction with the weigh-ins Saturday and Sunday, FLW Outdoors will host a free Family Fun Zone and outdoor show at the Knoxville Convention Center from noon to 6 p.m. each day.

The Family Fun Zone offers fans a chance to meet their Fantasy Fishing team anglers face-to-face and review the latest products from Berkley, Lowrance, Ranger, Evinrude, Yamaha and other sponsors while children are treated to giveaways, fishing themed games and rides like the Ranger Boat simulator.

Children 14 and under visiting the Family Fun Zone on Sunday will receive a free rod and reel combo while supplies last.

One lucky member of the audience will even win a new Ranger boat during the final 4 p.m. weigh-in Sunday, June 22. Admission is free, and you must be present to win.

Thursday’s conditions

Sunrise: 6:19 a.m.

Temperature at takeoff: 57 degrees

Expected high temperature: 85 degrees

Water temperature: 80 to 83 degrees

Wind: NW 5 to 10 MPH

Day’s outlook: sunny and warm