Herlong Would Love To See The Sun Shine Bright For Saturday’s Sc Bfl On Lake Wateree
While forecasters are predicting a long, hot summer, it would suit Eddie Herlong if it gets started this Saturday.
A good, sunny and hot day would be the ticket for the way Herlong wants to fish in the Walmart Bass Fishing League South Carolina Division tournament on Lake Wateree Saturday.
“Typically, after the spawn, the hotter the weather the better the fish bite. A good, hot, sunny – or even partly cloudy – day they will try to get in the shade somewhere, under docks or whatever. That just makes it easier to find the fish for someone who likes to fish shallow,” said Herlong.
“Sunshine puts them in the shade and when they find shade I can find shade,” said the Prosperity, S.C., angler who is a co-leader in the S.C. Division points race with Hank Cherry of Maiden, N.C. “It puts them in the brush, under docks, and that that makes it easier to pinpoint them. When it is a cloudy day they sort of roam around, they don’t get under the docks or relate to structure as well.”
That wisdom holds true for the shallow fish, said Herlong who has been a force in local South Carolina tournaments for decades.
“It may not affect the deep fish as bad, but I normally don’t fish deep,” he said.
Cherry and Herlong are ranked 1 and 2, in a tie for the points lead in the South Carolina Division with 572 points each. Cherry has won $3,723 this year so far to Herlong’s $1,653.
They have similar records in the three tournaments held to date. Cherry finished second in the Lake Murray tournament Feb. 25 while Herlong, who lives near the lake, finished 18th. On March 17 Cherry finished 6th and Herlong 7th on Lake Wylie. Then at Santee Cooper April 14 Herlong was 6th while Cherry finished 23rd.
Herlong has practiced on Lake Wateree several times over the last week or two with mixed success. His best day came last week when he boated a 5-pounder, two 4-pounders and a 3-pounder.
“I am going Friday to see what is happening. It is supposed to be cloudy and that is a minus for me, but I hope the clouds are gone and the sun is shining on Saturday,” said Herlong who predicted it will take about 18 pounds to win Saturday’s BFL on Wateree.
“If somebody gets on some good deep fish it might take more than that,” he added.
As for the weather, he has plenty of experience over the years dealing with whatever Mother Nature throws at him in a tournament, so he is prepared to adjust.
“You can’t control the weather. It’s going to do what it wants so you just have to try to fish around it,” he said.
Walmart Bass Fishing League (BFL) – South Carolina Division
Sat, Jun 2, 2012
Lake Wateree
Clearwater Cove Marina
