Having already won the Bassmaster Classic, Tennessee pro Ott DeFoe is vying to add a REDCREST trophy to his mantle. Only one other angler, Edwin Evers, can claim to have done that and DeFoe is eager to get to Alabama's Lake Guntersville to compete for his chance at the REDCREST title. He believes the fishing should be excellent and that it will take almost non-stop fish catching to keep up with the Major League Fishing's every fish counts format.
He's factoring in the time of year, quality of the lake, and format in his game plan for this event.
Planning for a Slugfest
Lake Guntersville has always been a great lake that is well-known in bass fishing circles. Recently, the fishing has been excellent, and it takes some serious weight to win local events. DeFoe knows how it's fishing and expects the bass to be plentiful in this event. He also thinks most will be shallow and ready to bite, giving the anglers plenty of choices regarding baits and techniques.
"The fish should be in all phases of the spawn. Some may have already spawned, but I think the bulk of the fish population will be spawning or coming in to spawn," he said. "That's going to be good for the fishing, and it's already been very good out there lately. I've been watching the tournament results all last year, and although it's slacked off a little bit from the fall and winter when every event took well over 30 pounds to win, the weights have still been very, very good."
Those tournament results always need a caveat since they are five-fish limits compared to the MLF format, where they catch and weigh everything they can, but DeFoe still thinks the fish population is strong for all sizes of fish.
"There's a lot of fish in there right now, with a big class of 4 and 5-pound fish," he said. "That's a good thing for our format. It sounds like, overall, Guntersville has been incredible."
DeFoe says slowing down to catch a fish is a gamble, considering the possible spawning fish. "It's something you have to consider with our format because even if you see a seven or 8-pounder, you have to see how easy it is to catch versus going down the bank and catching four 2-pounders," he said. "It takes a quick decision to read those fish and see if they are worth spending time on because otherwise you can get behind and can't catch up."
DeFoe's Planned Tactics
With many of the bass likely shallow and on a fishery full of vegetation, DeFoe believes soft plastics and jigs should be the way to go. He says it's possible that hardbaits like his Rapala OG Series of crankbaits could play for pre and post-spawn bass; he's anticipating swim jigs and wacky rigs to dominate.
"Truthfully, I don't see a bunch of hard baits being a factor in this one, but the VMC Heavy Duty Swim Jig is certainly going to be a player," he said. "I like to use the 3/8-ounce size and add a big bulky soft plastic trailer. Bama Craw is an excellent color in that jig, and I'll be fishing it high in the water column around scattered grass, where I think those fish will be."
A bulky trailer with flapping appendages will help him keep the bait higher in the water column. "You can keep that bait up and cover a lot of water doing that," he said. "You wind it around, and many of those fish will come and show themselves if they are on a bed, and if they don't bite the jig, you can pitch something else in there to them."
The other pick is straightforward for springtime bass fishing, a soft stick bait on both a wacky and Neko rig. DeFoe prefers a VMC Redline Wacky/Neko hook in the #1 size for both. "That's a perfect hook for a five-inch bait, and it's got the perfect wire. It's not too heavy or light, and it will not flex on you," he said. "The guard on the weedless version is also very helpful when fishing around grass, so you're not always worried about getting hung up. Plus, it's super sharp, and the straight shank design is perfect for hooking those fish right where you want to."
As one of the select anglers to have qualified for all six REDCREST events, DeFoe will look to bring home the trophy in Alabama in early April. He's always a threat to win when the bass are shallow, and it appears that this event will be right in his wheelhouse, with plenty of aggressive bass swarming the shallows of Lake Guntersville.
Advertising