The weather looks good – outstanding, in fact – so the Anglers Choice Invitational Tournament Trail finally appears poised to get one of its two classics completed this weekend.With plenty of sunshine and temperatures in the 70s – in stark contrast to torrential rains that flooded vast regions of the Carolinas and Virginia last week – anglers can look forward to enjoying a nice day on the water in the Anglers Choice Triton Classic on High Rock Lake Saturday and Sunday.

The first championship, the Anglers Choice Ranger Classic, originally scheduled for Oct. 3-4 on Kerr Reservoir, had to be rescheduled for Nov. 7-8 back on Kerr out of Occoneechee State Park. 

“The Governor of Virginia declared a state of emergency that weekend, so for everybody’s safety, we put it off until that weekend in November,” said tournament director Chris Lucas. In a letter posted on the Anglers Choice website, Lucas cited heavy flooding which made it dangerous to travel to and from the lake plus the danger posed by trees and other debris floating in the lake. The Dan River, which feeds into Kerr, reached the 19-foot flood stage late in the week, with that water estimated to pour into the lake by the afternoon before the tournament began.

“I think everybody was in favor of erring on the side of safety and caution and I think it has worked out all right,” Lucas said. “The fish will will be biting in November and if the weather stays like it is now it should be a good tournament.”

Prior to the original date for the Ranger Classic on Kerr, Lucas said he expected 130 to 140 boats and he hopes most of those will compete in the re-scheduled tournament in November. 

“The only problem is it will be hunting season by then, but even though guys might rather be hunting they will be fishing for a new boat.”

Lucas said the entry at High Rock this weekend will be considerably less, probably 50 to 60 boats, but that actually favors the anglers.

“The odds of winning a new boat will be a lot more in your favor,” he noted.

While the weather has cleared off, he said, the water apparently has not. One angler told Lucas that he went to the mouth where the Yadkin River runs into High Rock and it is still muddy in that area.

“I haven’t heard a lot other than the water is a little muddy at High Rock,” he said. Muddy water at High Rock is not that unusual, but I figure the weights will probably be down a little bit.”

But, he added, “One guy told me he caught some fish. They’ll just have to catch them in the mud.”

David Wright and Jeff Coble repeated as points champions, he said, and they will have their entry fee paid for the B.A.S.S. Toyota Team Championship. Lucas said Anglers Choice will send 12 teams to the Toyota Championship at Lake Guntersville in December.

“We had one team finish second in the Toyota Team Championship this past year and one angler, Brandon Gray won the individual title and went on to fish in the Bassmaster Classic on Lake Hartwell. We are hoping to repeat that success this year,” he said. 

Lucas said he expects to post the 2016 schedule on the website this week.

 

Anglers Choice Triton Classic

Oct 17-18, 2015

High Rock Lake

Southmont Wildlife Area Access

Call Chris Lucas 276-358-0844

www.anglerschoicemarine.com