Fantasy Fishing: Here we go again

Written by

Kyle Jessie

It was pretty obvious when you looked at the 2022 Bassmaster Elite Series schedule that there were going to be several slugfest events. So far this season, the weather hasn’t gotten too crazy, allowing every single fishery to show out. The Guaranteed Rate Bassmaster Elite at Chickamauga Lake is looking to be no different.

Expect more spawning fish, but also don’t count out the prespawn bite in this event either. Given the time of year, it seems obvious that the event would once again be dominated by sight fishing like we saw at Santee Cooper, but given the current water level at Chickamauga Lake, there will likely still be plenty of prespawn fish to be caught.

Having a hard time remembering to set your Rapala Bassmaster Fantasy Fishing team? Sign up for the new text alert feature! Haven’t created a Fantasy Fishing account yet? No problem! Sign up and play for free at BassmasterFantasy.com. Players win prizes at each specific event, and there are prizes for overall winners at the end of the season as well. You can still play the remainder of the season even if you missed out on the earlier events.

Let’s get into some Fantasy Fishing picks.

BUCKET A: MULLINS

Buddy Gross and John Cox are the obvious choices in Bucket A, and for good reason, but both are currently at player percentages of more than 20%. With that said, David Mullins is a great choice in Bucket A as well at a much lower percentage. The Tennessee native has had a fantastic season to this point, and this event sets up extremely well to his strengths.

Solid secondary selection: If you’re looking to take a leap of faith and go with an extremely low player percentage, Ray Hanselman could be a great pick in Bucket A. The Texas pro has a knack for showing up in these big weight events in a big way. Currently, Hanselman is the lowest selected angler in the Bucket and could be a steal of a pick.

BUCKET B: ZALDAIN

It’s no secret that Chris Zaldain slings a big swimbait as well as anybody on the Elite Series, and this event could be the perfect storm to make that work. The seven-time Bassmaster Classic qualifier doesn’t necessarily have the best track record at Chickamauga, but the timing of this event could work to his favor.

Solid secondary selection: Luke Palmer has the momentum rolling in his past two events, registering back-to-back Top 10 finishes. The Oklahoma pro has been the best pick in his Bucket for both of those events. Look for Palmer to keep the momentum rolling.

BUCKET C: LOGAN

For the most part, I haven’t made Fantasy Fishing picks based on history for the majority of the season. With that said, there’s something about Chickamauga Lake that fits well with Wes Logan. In two B.A.S.S. events on Chickamauga Lake, the Alabama pro has a 14th-place finish in the 2020 Elite event and a ninth-place finish in an Open back in 2017. Look for the “Little Ball of Hate” to show out at Chickamauga.

Solid secondary selection: Given the stylistic similarities between Wes Logan and Matt Herren, it seems that Herren could be a solid pick as well. Back in 2014, the Alabama pro went against the grain at Chickamauga in a BASSfest event where everyone was fishing offshore, and he flipped a jig to a third-place finish. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Herren power fish his way to a solid finish.

BUCKET D: SHRYOCK

Hunter Shryock now calls Chickamauga Lake home after spending the majority of his life in Ohio. The combination of his experience on Chickamauga, as well as his history of success in springtime events, makes Shryock a solid pick in Bucket D. The Tennessee native is one of the better sight fishermen on tour, and he likely knows where to look during practice if he chooses to go that route.

Solid secondary selection: After winning the Bassmaster Rookie of the Year title in 2021, Josh Stracner has experienced a tough start to the year in 2022. This event sets up well for the Alabama native to bounce back. Also, Stracner travels with hometown favorite Buddy Gross, so that shouldn’t hurt either.

BUCKET E: LOUGHRAN

Ed Loughran has experienced a slow start to the 2022 Elite Series season, but this could be the event he breaks out of his slump. The Virginia pro registered a Top 10 finish at Chickamauga back in 2020.

Solid secondary selection: Although Jacob Foutz is one of the youngest anglers on the Elites, he guides on Chickamauga and fished at Bryan College in Dayton, Tenn., during his collegiate career. So he’s put in as many hours on this body of water as anyone besides Buddy Gross. Look for Foutz to make a statement.