The ‘stage’ is set

Staging bass vs. bank bass at Eufaula

EUFUALA, Ala. – On day one of the Stren Series Southeast Division event on Lake Eufaula, the anglers concentrating on prespawn staging bass took a dominant lead in the standings.

The top four anglers – Frank Jordan, Steve Stewart, Ryan Ingram and Lee McCracken – all caught 18-pound-plus limits of bass by sitting outside spawning areas and fishing deeper water for fish moving up to spawn.

On day two, the staging-bass anglers held their ground, but a new set of names, who are fishing shallow, started to move into the top five, including Michael Brown (2nd), Adam Postelle (4th) and Glenn Brown (5th).

Going into day three, the stage is set for a battle at Eufaula in which staging bass versus shallow bank bass.

Those fishing out deep are throwing crankbaits to deeper ditches, drops and ledges near spawning areas. And the bank beaters are blistering shallow, grassy pockets and docks with spinnerbaits, jigs and vibrating jigs.

With pre-frontal balmy, cloudy weather moving in today, it should be interesting to see which camp prevails. While the weather is playing into the hands of the shallow-water anglers, Eufaula water levels continue to drop.

Since the event began, the water has fallen some 14 inches – quite a bit of a drop on a flat lake like Eufaula.

The day-three weigh-in begins Friday at 3 p.m. at Lakepoint State Park.

Friday’s conditions

Sunrise: 6:51 a.m.

Temperature at takeoff: 52 degrees

Expected high temperature: 68 degrees

Water temperature: 68 degrees

Wind: SSW at 10 to 20 mph

Day’s outlook: cloudy and windy