The Inside Line

Of all the events slated on this year’s Bassmaster Elite Series schedule, none was more concerning than Winyah Bay. Serving as the confluence to numerous rivers, this South Carolina tidal system can be unpredictable and stingy … even when the conditions seem right.

Of all the events listed on this year’s Bassmaster Elite Series schedule, I was most optimistic about this one.

That may come as a shock to some of you since my favorite fishery — the St. Lawrence River — is also on the schedule. And you know how much I like that place.

The reason I wanted Hartwell was the timing. It fell dead on the spawn, and I love to sight fish. And with more than 56,000 surface acres, I knew I’d find somewhere to fish by myself.

Gary Dobyns loves the spring season; but not only for the warming weather — he’s more enamored with the seasonal bass movement that increases the levels of both quality and quantity. No doubt, the prespawn is the time to punch your ticket on a whopper and the renowned rod maker is all about maximizing his opportunities.

At nearly 40,000 surface acres, Lake Lanier is spacious and welcoming. Its beautifully sculpted shorelines feature countless points, pockets and coves — all comprised of rock, sand or clay.

The main body of the lake is deep and clear but to the north, the rivers feeding Lanier flow with a chalky stain.

Fishing in February on the St. Johns River can mean feast or famine, rarely anything in between. It’s all dependent on the weather. If a severe cold front moves in, forget about it. But if temperatures are on the rise, you better make sure your tackle is up to the task.

When B.A.S.S. first released the 2018 Bassmaster Elite Series schedule, I saw plenty of opportunity. Most of the venues seemed perfectly suited to my style of fishing, and I was anxious to get things rolling.

Unfortunately, with each passing event that optimism faded. In the end, I was left with the worst season of my 30-plus-year career.

ICAST is still nearly two months away, but if industry buzz is accurate this is going to be the year of the trolling motor. With the introduction of the Ultrex a few years back, Minn Kota took a substantial lead in what was up until then a two-horse race at the top end. Now it appears that Garmin, Lowrance and possibly one other company (Power Pole?) are going to join the party.

Prior to B.A.S.S. and Carhartt signing a sponsorship deal in 2012, I owned exactly one piece of Carhartt clothing. Now I own several dozen, quite a few given to me when working at Bassmaster events, but plenty purchased with my own cash.

“If it’s big enough to take my bait, it’s big enough to hit my plate.” (Deion Sanders)

When the Bassmaster Tour visited the Potomac River 30 years ago, everyone knew that Jay Yelas was likely going to spend some time on an abandoned wharf called Fox’s Ferry. Why wouldn’t he? It contributed to a win in 1993 along with several other top five and top ten finishes. I’m sure that other anglers fished it during practice and competition, but on some level everyone knew it as “Jay’s spot.”

The Elite takes a pause after the completion of the Guntersville tournament on June 24 until St. Lawrence practice starts on August 12, a hiatus of seven weeks. Some of the older and injured pros among them will use the off time to heel their bodies. Some of the ones close to the bottom of the AOY race will have to lick a different kind of wound.

In the summer of 1995, after studying for and taking the bar exam, I went to Alaska for just under a month with my friends Matt and Cory. We planned to tent-camp around the state – from Anchorage to Denali to Fairbanks to North Pole to Chicken to Dawson City (Yukon) to Wrangell-St. Elias, to Valdez to Seward to Homer and back to Anchorage. Just reading that itinerary takes me back and makes me tired at the same time.