DECATUR, Ala. — Smack dab in the center of the Tennessee River Valley in north Alabama is an unassuming lake braced on either end by powerhouse bass fisheries on the Tennessee River. Lake Guntersville and Pickwick Lake get most of the angling attention, but Wheeler Lake is near and dear to Mark Menendez.
The original Bassmaster Elite pro with 30 years on the tour after 294 events ranks Wheeler among his all-time favorites. The accolades are justified as Menedez has more Top 10 finishes on Wheeler than anywhere else.
“It’s just one in a series of Tennessee River lakes, and it’s the most oddball of them all,” Menendez said. “The lower end is like Kentucky Lake, the middle has the Decatur Flats, and the upper end is just straight river.
“What is in play in one section might not be in the others,” he said. “That’s what makes it special.”
Wheeler stretches 60 miles from Guntersville Dam to Wheeler Dam. Those sections referred to by Menendez, therefore, fit into three compact strike zones of opportunity.
“It’s like a three-layer cake,” he said. “If you don’t like the top layer, you just go to the second or third layers and find your favorite flavor.”
The timing couldn’t be better for Menendez to be fishing the Nitro Bassmaster Elite Qualifier at Wheeler Lake presented by Bass Pro Shops. He’s competing more out of necessity than to pay homage to his favored fishery.
“The reality is I’m fighting for my life, my career is at stake,” Menendez said. “If I can get a Top 10 here then I can go into Lake Okeechobee with a clear mind.”
Wheeler is the second of three stops of the short and ultra-competitive EQ season, which concludes in November in south Florida. Menendez fell outside the cutline to requalify for his status as an Elite pro for the 2026 season. The EQ series offers him a second chance to retain his status for another year. The Top 10 anglers in EQ points receive invitations for the 2026 Elite season.
In 11th place after Day 1, Menendez is hyper-focused on continuing his momentum on Day 2.
“Today’s goal is to fish clean,” he said prior to takeoff. “I did that yesterday and am around the right fish, so today is all about making the most of every opportunity.”
Fortunately, Menendez is doing what he likes to do the most, which is cover water with Strike King crankbaits.
“I’m blending in two different patterns, and cranking is my go-to for going through numbers of fish to find the quality bite,” he said.
“My fish aren’t relating to a specific flat or contour. When I find a particular hard spot that rolls into that contour then I know I’ll get a bite.”
Sifting through numbers of small fish is tedious but necessary, given his choice of strategies. On Day 1 he caught 20 keepers and the best five weighed a respectable 16 pounds.
“Gray hair promotes patience, and you know that eventually you’ll get your chance at a rogue school of three pounders that makes the time worth the effort.”
Menendez also realizes this isn’t a typical tournament. The entire season is condensed into only three chances to achieve the goal.
“With the EQs you aren’t fishing for consistency just to make the final day, or to be consistent across a long season of highs and lows,” he said. “Here you are fishing to make the season successful every day, every cast.”
Menendez knows that the window of opportunity closes more with each competition day. Should he make the Championship Saturday cut the veteran pro will have four tournament days to close the deal before the season ends.
