As the reigning Bassmaster Elite Series Angler of the Year, Seth Feider will have plenty of eyes on him over the next week, waiting to see if he can add a Bassmaster Classic trophy to his growing resume. The Minnesota angler known for his laidback approach is going into this event ready for anything. He knows that the fishing will be heavily influenced by the weather and conditions and realizes he will need to make the right calls when fishing on Lake Hartwell.
History on Hartwell
Feider has been to Lake Hartwell before, including an 18th place finish there for the 2018 Bassmaster Classic. He's never had a great tournament there but also hasn't had a bad one.
"I think I've gotten a check every time I've been there," he began. "I like the lake and it's a great tournament lake where guys can spread out and fish how they want to. I'm thinking the bite's going to be pretty wide open and you'll see a bunch of different ways to catch fish and do well in this one."
With a mix of largemouth and spotted bass in the lake, Feider keeps an open mind for which to target and how to catch them when he fishes Lake Hartwell.
"I'm hoping the water is up, so I can get up shallow along the bank and throw a spinnerbait or ChattterBait," he said. "It's possible to win with either all largemouth or all spotted bass, but I'm thinking a mixed bag will be the best way to win it."
Pattern Predictions
When targeting spotted bass, Feider believes it could be a number of different techniques that come into play. From shallow to deep, he'll have his bases covered and be ready with a variety of lures rigged up.
"It might be finesse with drop-shots, Neko rigs, and wacky rigs or maybe something like a wake bait," he shared. "If the water temps are around 50-degrees, which I think they will be, it will be wide open and you should be able to catch them however you want to."
He thinks the same will be true for largemouth, and many lures will account for fish crossing the stage at the Bassmaster Classic.
"Flipping should catch some and there are tons of docks on the lake to do it," he said. "It could also be swimbaits for the big bite and a wacky-rig if you want to be finessy."
Cold Mornings and Nice Afternoon Weather
This time of year is unique as it often starts off freezing cold and warms up nicely as the day goes on. That requires anglers to dress accordingly and be ready with plenty of layers.
"The takeoff will be cold, and I'll be bundled up with a beanie, gloves, and my Simms Thermal Midlayers under my ProDry rain suit," said Feider. "It's a time of year when you have to strip down and take a layer off a few times each day. By the end of the day, I might be out there in a SolarFlex UltraCool Hoody sun shirt."
Feider is a big fan of the ProDry bibs and jacket for how well they keep him warm and for how long they last and keeps him dry in extreme conditions.
"I've worn a bunch of rain suits in my life and they're all good when you first get them or if it's only raining a little," he said. "The ProDry stays good for years and is hands down the best on the market. It will keep you dry on days where it is raining for eight hours straight and most people wearing other stuff are getting soaked."
Being from the cold state of Minnesota, Feider knows a few things about staying warm while fishing and has two favorite products for staying comfortable on the water.
"The Simms Fall Run Insulated Vest is so comfortable and the best layering piece you can have," he said. "I don't like to have too many layers where I can't fish the same and move freely. I also always wear the Lightweight Wool Flex Gloves when it's cold because they are warm and you can still fish with them on since the thumb and pointer finger can be exposed."
Seth Feider comes into his fifth Bassmaster Classic with plenty of momentum from last season's remarkable run to the Angler of the Year title. He's excited to fish for the Bassmaster Classic and winning here would further cement his name as one of the best anglers on the Bassmaster Elite Series. To do it, he's preparing to look for both largemouth and spotted bass on Lake Hartwell and is ready for anything that the fish and Mother Nature throw at him.
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