Let's talk about the Elite derby in my backyard....Elite Series stop at Lay Lake, AL. ** Now with 100% more pics

[AlabamaSpothunter]

Lake isn't fishing huge but should be a fun derby to follow.

 

Brandon Palaniuk is laying the hammer down to the field right now.   We should see some big Spots as well.

 

Think I might go down and see the weigh in on Sunday.   

 

Watch live here....2023 Whataburger Bassmaster Elite at Lay Lake - Bassmaster

[FishHastings]

Where is Zona this week. Why is he missing from the broadcast?

[12poundbass]

11 hours ago, FishHastings said:

Where is Zona this week. Why is he missing from the broadcast?

He’s probably filming a new episode of his show. His kids need shoes! ?

[TnRiver46]

Been watching, looks like the fishing is as tough as woodpecker lips. I love the coosa, I’ll be fishing that water willow on the Alabama river later this month 

[AlabamaSpothunter]

17 minutes ago, TnRiver46 said:

Been watching, looks like the fishing is as tough as woodpecker lips. I love the coosa, I’ll be fishing that water willow on the Alabama river later this month 

Coosa is my favorite body of water, but apparently, they are mis managing the heck out of the lakes.  I didn't even realize how much they were spraying on Lay.

 

Funny how we can have 20lb bags up north and down south, but in the middle we don't have any banger lakes currently.  

 

I will say they hit this area at the worst time, we are 98% post spawn, and we got the first week of very rapidly rising water temps into the 80s.

 

Fishing has sucked this week big time.

[TnRiver46]

They spray everything in TN and AL, it’s so stupid 

[AlabamaSpothunter]

The incredibly frustrating things as an TN or AL Bass angler is that we know what happens when States in similar climates or areas capable of producing world class fish put money and effort into developing those fisheries.

 

CA eventually lost the battle, but man I'm so freaking jealous of Texas.   I'd be way more good with my State taxes if I knew they had a remote chance at actually being used for a Sharelunker program, or like what Florida did and built Headwaters which to my understanding was purpose built for trophy Bass.   

 

These guys aren't catching a thing......hard not to be ashamed of the fishery. 

[TnRiver46]

Good to hear wheeler is rebounding, everyone said it was awful 3-4 years ago. TVA is a federal utility with more money than bout anybody, they couldn’t care less about the fishing haha. They issue permits to people that spray herbicide, and probably make even more money on those 

[AlabamaSpothunter]

We're gonna get the Ben Milliken show on it next week.......absolutely stoked about it too!   

 

2023 St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Wheeler Lake - Bassmaster

[AlabamaSpothunter]

Brandon Palaniuk is absolutely laying the wood to them, and the field.    Hope he takes the blue trophy, can't believe he's got Beeswax to himself as well.  

[PhishLI]

Lots of guys got spanked badly, and to add insult to injury, the Sabine is next.

[AlabamaSpothunter]

One thing I've learned in my short time back following the Elite series, somebody will always catch them.

 

Lake is fishing tough, but my enjoyment level is still extremely high.   It's gonna shape up to be a great competitive derby over the weekend.  

[PhishLI]

For sure, but this year, even in MLF, lots of guys below the handful of those hitting them well have been getting stomped. More than usual, it seems. The Sabine tourneys are almost painful to watch. A bunch of 8" bass being caught feels like punishment! 

[TnRiver46]

Holy smokes christie just weighed in the biggest bass of the year , 9+ 

[Texas Flood]

I’m happy to see Feider made the top 10. 

[AlabamaSpothunter]

I lost my marbles when he dropped a 23lb bag with a 9.4 kicker.....EPIC, wow, wow, wow!

 

I've been glued to this derby, the TB Milliken victory really got the juices flowing, but now I'm fully back to loving this sport.      Great top 10.

 

I'm going tomorrow to the weigh in and meeting a new fishing friend I met in a big swimbait group.    Should be an awesome day, albeit hot.  

[AlabamaSpothunter]

Yeah he was struggling, he's kind of old school, I like that about his game. 

 

2 AOY winners, a Classic winner, 30% Alabama guys, it's gonna be a great show tomorrow.  

[TnRiver46]

Have fun and take us some photos @AlabamaSpothunter!!!! I love going to the events 

[AlabamaSpothunter]

Thanks brother and will do!   I'm pumped, been since I was a kid and would go see the Classic weigh ins at the BJCC in Birmingham.    

[AlabamaSpothunter]

You weren't lying brother, I had so MUCH FUN and the entire crowd got absolutely dumped on during weigh in.   

 

Had no idea how accessible the pros were and how transparent the weigh ins are.   There isn't a place that's off limits to the fans, you can go right up to the weigh in tanks, out to the pier and look at their rigs, walk up to any of these superstar anglers and have a conversation with them.   JUST AWESEOME!  Best pro sport in the world because of this, no other pro sport allows such great interaction with the pros and fans.   

 

Didn't hurt that it was an epic showdown b/t two guys that I wanted to win.....the hometown hero, and the prodigy, a guy who I bought about $850 worth of rods in part because of.   

 

Brandon Palaniuk lost because of a dead fish penalty, second time I've witnessed this happen to angler in person. The stark differences in emotion between Will winning a $100k and then Brandon losing on a dead fish was pretty extreme to witness.   Got to hear him tell the story of the dead fish, and then had a short conversation with him.   He was absolutely heartbroken, as you can imagine.  Talked with Brandon Cobb who was just a super nice humble dude as well.   

 

On the other hand it was incredible to watch a hometown kid win it in front of his family, friends, and the hometown crowd.   

 

B.A.S.S. man for life, nobody does it better!  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Jrob78]

What an awesome day that must've been!!

[AlabamaSpothunter]

The best part was meeting a new fishing friend for the first time in real life.   We struck up a friendship in a Swimbait Universe post on FB and have been chatting back and forth on social.  

 

The older I get the more of that social anxiety I get when taking chances in regard to going new places or meeting new people.    I have no idea why because it always is worth going or meeting.  

 

Seeing Dalton Bobo lose the Classic by a dead fish penalty at the BJCC was the saddest I've ever been watching a sport, and so I've been researching how many times this has happened......Just twice in terms of literally losing the derby, and then Shaw had a whole livewell die in a classic.   What are the odds that I'm live at both events, and 26 years apart.

Rules are rules: The dead fish penalty - Bassmaster

 

I really can't fathom how that must feel, and I kind of regret congratulating him and trying to share a kind word, dude looked gutted and likely didn't want to talk with anyone.     

[Jrob78]

Good on you for stepping out of your comfort zone. I struggle with that stuff too but like you said, it usually always ends up being worth it in the end.

 

I feel terrible for BP, he seems like such a good dude and lead the tournament the whole way through only to lose on a dead fish. He's going to lose sleep over this one.

[AlabamaSpothunter]

Right on friend, and the older I get the more men I meet that feel the same way.   As a kid and young adult I was the opposite, but middle age has been different.   I need to remind myself and force myself out of my comfort zone more often, life is just too short.   

 

I agree 100% about BP, but he had a fantastic support system.  Apparently, his family travels the whole time with him as they were talking about it on BASS Live, I watched his wife back the trailer down the ramp.   If I hadn't heard him telling either his own cameraman or some other youtuber about the dead fish I'd have no clue.  Still can't find anything about it on the internet.   The crazy thing is that he did that through the gills surgery on numerous fish before today.   Saw Bryan New have to take small bolt cutters and cut the top of the hook and then do the same procedure as well and didn't hear about that fish dying.   I hope we get the longer version of this particular fish.   I just caught the tail end of the conversation.  

 

Now I'm really considering driving up to Wheeler for the Open this weekend if Milliken makes the cut. ? 

[Jrob78]

Man, I feel you on that! I've always been introverted but it has definitely gotten harder as I've gotten older and as my friend group has shrunk. I'm also more confident and less concerned about impressing people so that helps balance it out some. 

 

It's hard to imagine the pressure these guys are under and how one slip up, that probably wasn't even his fault, ended up costing him so much money and a win. At least BP is doing well financially and it won't harm is career. This win might catapult Davis Jr's career and at least keep him on tour for years to come. I am definitely going to be looking for the story to come out about what happened.