Day 1 of the Nitro Bassmaster Elite Qualifier at Wheeler Lake presented by Bass Pro Shops saw blustery conditions that presented positioning and presentation concerns. Modern equipment like GPS enabled trolling motors help, but so does some good old-fashioned fishing sense.
Case in point: Lucas Lindsay, the pro from Auburn, Ala., who placed 5th with a first-round limit of 19 pounds, 7 ounces.
“I trolled the entire river bar from Ingalls Harbor (tournament takeoff site) to about a mile and a half to two miles below the power lines and I found some zones that I thought would play,” Lindsay said. “I usually cuss the wind, but today, I let it work for me.
“I let the wind push me kind of across the flat. It’s going with he current, so that helped.”
Lindsay, who caught a 4 1/2-pounder in the first 10 minutes of his day, attributed his productivity to the strategic use of his Power Poles.
“I used my Power Poles to help keep my boat stable,” he said. “It actually helps with Livescoping, so I’d put the poles down a little in the water and that allows you to have a little more level shot at your screen.”
He’d also use his Power Poles for selective targeting.
“Every time I’d see one, I would lower the poles and make that cast,” Lindsay said. “You have to understand that you’re not gonna hit every bass, so for me, it was about finding the blend between efficiency and fishing something quickly.
“I knew I was gonna miss some, so I would make a pass, come down and make another drift. If I felt like there was a lot of fish in the area, I would swing back around and make that drift again.”
A solid strategy, no doubt, but Lindsay said he made the most of his time, but discerning which areas were worth a windy day focus.
“I didn’t really get to fish the place that I had the biggest fish during practice,” he said. “The wind didn’t blow it out, but it was too rough for me to make those presentations where I felt like I was giving it a good try.”
The Day 2 forecast calls for a little less wind, but Lindsay’s strategy points will remain valid. It’ll be interesting to see if his plan delivers another strong bag.
