Minnesota pro Bob Downey is gearing up for his second Bassmaster Classic and looks forward to taking on the Tennessee River in Knoxville. It's a venue he has fished before and he had a solid event last time, so he'll have a little more confidence when he launches his boat. His plan going into practice is based on his belief that weights will be tight and sticking to his strengths as an angler will be his best shot to do well.
Thoughts on the Bassmaster Classic Venue
When the Elite Series visited in 2021, Downey scored a 12th-place finish. That good finish gives him an idea of what to do this time, but it's a month later in the calendar and Downey predicts the fish will be much further along in their transition toward spawning.
"I like the lakes (Fort Loudon and Tellico), but the weather has been really volatile this spring," he said. "It will take daily adjustments to win, but that's what makes it exciting. If you can stay in it and have a big bag on the last day, you'll have a shot to win it."
Downey is predicting a tougher fishery with a lot of similar weights. "I don't think it's going to be a slugfest and don't think someone will run away with it," he said. "I like that. The grinder events are good for my fishing style. I think you'll see a lot of 12 and 14-pound bags and someone who can average 15 or 17 a day will be right in it at the end."
According to Downey, the fishery has both largemouth and smallmouth bass, but the smallies can be hard to predict. "That's how it was won last time, but I don't know if someone will be able to catch five a day," he said in reference to the 18-inch minimum size for smallmouth. "I caught a few last time but stumbled into them. They definitely seem more random there."
Three Patterns in Play
During the last trip, a crankbait was a big player for Downey and he thinks it will be again this time.
"It could be a Rapala DT-6 or a squarebill; it's going to depend on the water temperature," he said. "If the water is in the low to mid-50s, it will be the DT-6 and warmer than that; it will be more of a square bill type bite."
For both baits, he likes St. Croix's Legend Tournament Bass 7-foot, 2-inch medium "Carbon Cranker," which is a composite crankbait rod.
"I like the lightweight feel of that rod for those crankbaits from a fatigue standpoint and fishing a crankbait all day," he said. "I'm also a fan of fiberglass for cranking to land more fish, so it's a nice balance because it does have some glass in it."
Another bait Downey plans to use is a 3/8 or ½-ounce pitching jig around docks and shallow cover. For pitching jigs, he's a fan of the 7-foot, 3-inch medium heavy, extra-fast St. Croix Victory Bass rod.
"Everyone sets the hook a little different, but I like to jack 'em," he said. "That's why I like a softer rod because I tend to set too hard with a stiffer rod and you end up losing fish that way. The Victory lineup, in general, have a little softer actions. I like that for pitching and it also helps you land more fish, in my opinion, because you don't make too big of a hole in their mouth."
Another option that Downey can see being part of a Classic-winning pattern is a vibrating jig. It's almost certain that they'll catch plenty of fish this week and he'll have them ready to go.
For his vibrating jigs, Downey prefers the softer action of a fiberglass rod, again to increase his landing percentage. "I'm on the glass program and the 7-foot, 2-inch heavy Legend Tournament glass rod is excellent for a ChatterBait," he said. "I also use the Mojo Bass with the same action and like that one, too."
Finally, Downey believes a swimbait could be the way for a big Tennessee kicker. Whether a Magdraft, hollow belly, or other big soft paddle tail swimbait, he's a proponent of the Victory lineup for the softer actions. According to Downey, the same rod he uses for pitching does well for these baits, but he'll also bump it up to a heavy version when needed.
As the Bassmaster Classic approaches, Bob Downey is excited to compete on a fishery he likes. He's planning to stick with his confidence lures as he believes the bass will be shallow and moving baits like vibrating jigs and crankbaits will shine. Mix in jigs and swimbaits, and he has a solid game plan to contend for the win.
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