Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, June 27, 1990 TAG: 9006270048
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B7 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BILL COCHRAN OUTDOOR EDITOR
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Smith Mountain Lake was that strange to the Shreveport, La., angler on his first practice day Tuesday for the Wrangler/B.A.S.S. National Championship.
"Just about everything is different here - clear water, deep drop-offs. I am used to a lot more stumps in the water - stumps, logs, grass. I'm not used to clean slopes."
The lake's clear, deep water also was a shock to Hoot Gibson, a 48-year old lure maker from Philadelphia, Miss.
"We don't have anything that even resembles this type fishing," he said, seeing the lake for the first time Tuesday. "Deep water in Mississippi is 20 feet. I saw my depth finder hit 103 feet today, and it kinda bothered me."
For Bill Mason of Aurora, Col., Smith Mountain was little more than a river with a slight swelling compared to the huge impoundments that he fishes back home.
"I'm not used to big-river fishing," he said following a tough day on the lake.
While some of the Deep South fishermen were wondering if the Smith Mountain bass would be able to read the brand names stamped on their lures, Terry Howell said water clarity wouldn't be a problem for him.
"Back home, we have a lot clearer water," said the fisherman from Helper, Utah. "I am used to water where you can see down 20 feet. Clear water doesn't bother me at all."
What did bother him was the lack of rocks to offer cover and holding spots for bass.
"There aren't many rocks here," he said. "There isn't much vegetation growing in here, either."
Howell wasn't happy with his first practice day, nor was Thompson. But there was no panic in their voices when they said so.
"I didn't catch but one bass you could weigh during three practice days for our division tournament, yet I finished second place," Thompson said. "I just kept narrowing down the places where there weren't any bass. It takes a lot to get me discouraged."
Thompson will be narrowing down still more water today, the last day of practice before the three-day tournament, which has a final weigh-in 2:30 p.m. Saturday at the LancerLot.
For Jerry Elder, the tournament favorite from Lynchburg, it was the contest rules that did the narrowing. Elder had planned to fish above Bay Roc Marina but learned just before practice that section would be off-limits to contestants.
"It put me into sudden shock for about five minutes," he said. "I have had good luck up there in the summertime. I was counting on maybe one of the three tournament days they would be hitting up there."
The purpose of practice is to establish a pattern that will produce fish. That means finding what depth the bass are holding, what kind of cover they are snuggled against - boat docks, brush, rocks - what type lure - color, weight, speed - will get them aggressive.
by CNB