Berkley Northwest Big Bass Tournament
Potholes Reservoir is one of the best fisheries in the state of Washington and is the host to bass tournaments big and small every year
The fishery is one of the more unique places in the region thanks to its unique topography and miles of fishable water.
The lake is home to big largemouth and smallmouth bass, and over the past few years, it has hosted several big bass events, but none of them are as big as the upcoming Berkley Northwest Big Bass Tournament that will award a new Skeeter boat to the winning angler.
How it Works
If you have never fished a big bass format event, you are in for a fun time at Potholes. The biggest fish of each hour (seven total) will win $2,000, and the overall winner will take home the ZX190.
Since this is a Berkley event, only their products may be used as outlined in the rules.
- All contestants must EXCLUSIVELY use Berkley baits during this event. This includes Berkley, Sebile, Johnson, or any other Pure Fishing brands. The complete line up may be viewed at www.purefishing.com/ourbrands/
- Spinnerbait frames, jig heads, buzz bait frames, etc. may be used only when broken down to terminal tackle where ALL plastics have been removed and replaced with ONLY BERKLEY PRODUCTS.
- All terminal tackle must include a “functional” full-length Berkley soft plastic.
- Non-Berkley soft plastic trailers are NOT permitted.
Just Say No to Smallmouth
Potholes has some big smallmouth, and they are a player in tournaments and a great way to fill out a limit if things get tough, but they are unlikely to be a factor in this event. Due to the format, a quality five pound plus smallmouth is not going to hold up on a lake with this many big bass.
Where to Fish
Potholes has two distinct parts, the main lake that features rocky shoreline and “the dunes” that is a maze of wood, grass, and beaver huts. Anglers should stick to this section of the lake as each of the seven hours will likely be won by largemouth caught here.
Baits to Use
Many Berkley products could fool a winning big bass, but smaller baits and deep-water finesse techniques are unlikely to take home the top honors. Instead, larger soft-plastics fished around cover are going to be the best shot at catching a big Potholes bass.
The General
This soft-stickbait comes in three sizes: 4”, 5”, and 6” and for this event, anglers fishing the 5” and 6” size will have their best chance at winning an hourly prize or the new Skeeter boat.
Competitors will find the bass that are likely in all three stages of the spawn, and that could mean a wacky-rig with The General may be the way to go for this event. Anglers can also fish them weightless and with a small bullet weight and pitch around the abundant cover here.
Pit Boss or Bunker Hawg
Both of these baits are excellent when rigged on a Texas-rig with a bullet weight and stout hook. Each of them are perfectly at home around the heavy-cover that Potholes provides.
Finesse Fishing
While traditional deep-water dropshotting will be unlikely to land a big bass winner at this event, the drop-shot could still play a role if a big one is on a spawning bed. Each of the baits listed above is capable for spawning bass, but it may take a downsized presentation to get a big one to bite.
If that is the case, the Powerbait Maxscent Hit Worm or Flat Worm may be what is needed. Both of these finesse baits will work great on a dropshot, and the addition of Berkley’s MaxScent may be what is necessary to get the big one to bite.
Swimbait
If you prefer to fish faster, Potholes has some great swimbait water, and the 6” Powerbait Hollow Belly Swimbait in the Bluegill or Perch colors will provide a big profile presentation that often tricks big bass.
These swimbaits can be fished just about anywhere without hanging up, and fishing thick cover could be the best approach at this event.
Berkley Hardbaits
There are several great styles of Berkley hardbaits that will catch Potholes bass, but in this format and for this time of year, a Squarebull squarebill crankbait is one of the best choices.
It can be fished around the bushes and wood without hanging up and could end up being the way to catch the winning bass.
Potholes has proven to be a favorite among Washington bass anglers, and it offers an excellent venue for a big bass tournament. The Berkley Northwest Big Bass Tournament has anglers here excited, and one lucky team will take home a brand new Skeeter bass boat on May 18th.
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