As the 2017 Forrest Wood Cup approaches and the official practice period draws to a close, one thing is certain – the pros are struggling to put together plans that will carry them through three days of competition during the slowest month of the year on a lake that has become stingy with its ample population of bass.
David Dudley has taken to social media to laugh at his feeble efforts. We’ve shared some of that with you on our AnglersChannel Instagram page.
Zack Birge seems less amused with his difficulty in locating fish. He says he found one little deal late today that may pan out during the tournament. That’s when you want to see results anyway – when it counts. And how many times have we heard a winner look back and talk about how poorly practice went for them?
Look out for Birge.
Jeff Sprague was upbeat. “I’m actually surprised about the weather. It’s a lot cooler here this year than it has been in previous years we have had the Cup, so I’m kind of wondering what that’s going to do to the fish, but that’s been the biggest factor so far.”
What’s Sprague’s target weight? “I think it’s going to take somewhere between 14 and 16 ½ pounds a day to win this tournament. It’s fishing a little better than it did last time we were here so I think we’re going to see a little bit heavier bags than we did in previous years.”
This year’s Cup is 3-day race, not a 4-day affair as in years past. How does this affect angler strategies?
Says Sprague, “I absolutely think it’s going to be a different strategy this year with the shorter time span of 3 days. In a 4-day tournament you can take a risk by holding out on your spots, but with 3 days, you just have to pull on everything that bites. It’s the Forrest Wood Cup. No one is going to be fishing safe.”
Sprague isn’t playing it safe with his answers either. He has already revealed a lure choice that he expects to be a big player for him this week. “Tattletail Worm by Gene Larew. For sure.”
A special thanks to The Pro Agency for help in compiling this report.