Top 150 Solo on Guntersville April 21 and 22
ATHENS, Ala. – The Southeast Division of the American Bass Anglers Top 150 Solo Series, Presented by Caymas Boats heads to Lake Guntersville, Ala. on April 21-22, 2023, for the second of three events this season.
Each angler pays $600 to enter each divisional tournament and everyone fishes alone on both days. No more than 150 anglers can participate in any divisional event. If 150 anglers participate, the winner will take home a guaranteed $20,000. If fewer competitors register, the top 20 percent of the field will each earn a portion of the prize money, based on the number of entries.
The Guntersville tournament will run out of Goose Pond Ramp, located at 417 Ed Hembree Drive in Scottsboro, Ala.
The largest reservoir in Alabama runs about 75 miles along the Tennessee River and spreads across 69,100 acres. Among the best lakes in the nation for producing giant bass, the impoundment record topped 14 pounds. Each year, Lake Guntersville delivers some double-digit bass and countless largemouth in the 3- to 8-pound range. The lake also holds spotted bass and smallmouth bass.
“Lake Guntersville is renowned for its largemouth bass fishing,” described Phil D. Ekema, the Alabama Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division district fisheries supervisor in Tanner. “It also has some smallmouth. For smallmouth, the river section towards the upper end is primarily where anglers find them.”
In the northern portion, the lake retains much of its riverine characteristics. The lower lake turns into a typical southern reservoir. Throughout the lake, vast grass flats along either side of the main river channel and in major creeks grow thick with milfoil, hydrilla and other vegetation.
“Lake Guntersville is a very fertile lake with good aquatic vegetation from many different types of grass,” Ekema reported. “It has many different habitats, but the vegetation and the forage base are the key for bass with bream and shad being the primary bass forage.”
Bass normally start spawning in March or early April and could continue through May. At tournament time, anglers will likely see some spawning and many post-spawning bass, possibly even a few pre-spawn fish. In the spring, many anglers fish frogs over the extensive grass mats.
“We see several double-digit bass caught each year on Lake Guntersville,” advised Mike Carter with Mike Carter’s Pro Guide Service (423-802-1362, www.mikecartersguideservice.com). “My biggest bass weighed 11.97 pounds, but we’ve seen several bass in the 11- to 13-pound range in recent years with some over 13 pounds. To catch the bass coming back out from spawning, I like to fish points with ChatterBaits, spinnerbaits and Rat-L-Traps. Frogs are always good. Bass explode through the grass to hit a frog.”
Just about any part of the sprawling lake could produce a giant bass on any cast, particularly in the spring. Several large feeder creeks flow into the system. The shad spawn on Lake Guntersville usually begins in April and goes into May. A shad spawn at the right time could greatly affect fishing. Post-spawn bass feed heavily upon shad and bluegills, so baits that mimic these fish species could work.
During a 2-day ABA Top 150 Solo Series, Presented by Caymas Boats, Southeast Division tournament, held May 6-7, 2022, Ronald “Chip” L. Rockhill from Santa Rosa Beach, Fla. won with a 2-day limit of 10 bass weighing 40.51 pounds. He topped that catch with a 6.01-pound bucketmouth he caught the first day.
Leading wire-to-wire, Rockhill caught five bass weighing 22.83 pounds, the second largest single-day bag in the tournament, on Day 1. On Day 2, he brought in five keepers for 17.68 pounds.
“I caught all my fish punching dollar grass,” Rockhill recalled. “I found one little stretch of grass upriver that was probably about 200 yards long. I just went back and forth on it for two days. To get those big bites, I had to pitch 15 to 20 feet back in the grass. On the first day, I punched with a 1.5-ounce creature bait.”
Jett B. Loach from Chickamauga, Ga. finished fourth with 10 bass going 36.46 pounds. He took the tournament lunker title with an 8.15-pound bucketmouth.
“I threw a Senko wacky style the whole time both days,” Loach advised. “I found some grass and beat it to death for two days. The big fish was my fifth fish on the first day. I caught one almost six pounds as my fifth fish on the second day.”
Other hot baits in that 2022 tournament included deep-running crankbaits fished on the river ledges around offshore grass and shell beds in 10 to 12 feet of water, trick worms worked around grass in 10 feet of water, Speed Worms and jigs.
The division concludes its regular season on June 2-3, 2023, at Lake Eufaula, Ala. The event runs out of Lakepoint Resort State Park, located at 104 Lakepoint Drive near Eufaula, Ala. To register for the Eufaula event, see www.americanbassanglers.com/proddetail.php?prod=15585.
For information on the Southeast Division, call Tournament Director Floyd Vaughn at (256) 230-5633 or CLICK HERE.
The ABA Top 150 Solo Series, Presented by Caymas Boats, features two regional divisions. The Southeast and Southwest Divisions each hold three 2-day tournaments for the season. Both divisions offer big cash payouts and chances for anglers to advance to higher levels of competition.
Anyone who wishes to fish an ABA event must become an ABA member. ABA members can receive discounts from some sponsors. For example, Optima Batteries will give ABA members 25 percent off and free shipping on any battery. Membership costs $35 a year, but anglers can save money by signing up for multiple years. A life membership costs $450.
Anglers could also qualify for one of two post-season tournaments. The top 15 points holders in each division at the end of the regular season will qualify to fish the ABA Top 150 Solo Series Championship, providing they fished all three of their divisional events. The Tour Championship will take place Oct. 6-7, 2023, at a venue to be announced later.
Conducted like the divisional events, the Tour Championship will involve two days of intense competition with the winner taking home $25,000. In addition, every angler in the field will receive a payout.
Anyone who wishes to fish an ABA event must become an ABA member. ABA members can receive discounts from some sponsors. For example, Optima Batteries will give ABA members 25 percent off and free shipping on any battery. Membership costs $35 a year, but anglers can save money by signing up for multiple years. A life membership costs $450.
For more information or to register for any ABA Solo 150 event, see www.americanbassanglers.com/Top150.
American Bass Anglers is sponsored by Caymas Boats, Mercury Marine, MotorGuide, T-H Marine, Power Pole, RT Outdoors, Optima Batteries, Hotel Planner.com, and LurePartsOnline.com.
About American Bass Anglers: American Bass Anglers is committed to providing low-cost, close-to-home tournaments for the weekend angler and, at the same time, offering each competitor an upward path for individual angler progression.
For more information about American Bass Anglers, the Open Series, the American Fishing Tour, the American Couples Series, the annual Military Team Bass Tournament, and the Top 150 Solo Tour, all presented by Caymas Boats, visit www.americanbassanglers.com or call (256) 232-0406.
This story was written by ABA staff writer John N. Felsher. To submit articles of interest email info@americanbassanglers.com.
