THE TOURNAMENT REPORT
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1. TOYOTA SERIES
SOUTHWESTERN DIVISION
Toledo Bend
Jan. 30-Feb. 1, 2020
Cody Huff used a classic
Ozark strategy for catching
bass at Toledo Bend, where
he won by jigging a 7/8-ounce
War Eagle Jiggin’ Spoon for
suspended fish in deep
water. Most of Huff’s fish
were 15 to 30 feet down in
40 to 70 feet of water.
Wintry conditions made
his job a little tougher, as
bass Huff was able to catch
partway back in the creeks
the first two days slid out
near the main channel by
day three. Once he relocated
them, Huff carefully “video-
gamed” the fish on his elec-
tronics, watching them rise
up to eat and expertly play-
ing them with a vertical
presentation below the boat.
What made the difference
for Huff was his ability to
remain on the trail of wan-
dering bait balls and the
66
schools of bass feeding on
them, despite fluctuating
conditions that had every-
thing on the move. He used
his electronics to spot and
stalk the school each day,
covering areas from the bank
to the main river channel.
2. TOYOTA SERIES
SOUTHERN DIVISION
St. Johns River
Feb. 13-15, 2020
Getting away from pres-
sure was a key factor in
Trevor Fitzgerald’s winning
strategy at the St. Johns
River, where he squeezed
through some shallow water
(which likely kept other pros
out) to access a prespawn
staging area in the south
end of Lake George.
Fitzgerald’s winning spot
was a depression where
bass had holed up in
advance of the spawn. With
unstable weather conditions
that had fish indecisively
pushing up and moving off,
rather than committing
wholly to spawning on the
bank, it was a perfect stag-
ing area for big bass to
bunch up.
Slowing down with a
shaky head tipped with a
Reaction Innovations Pocket
Rocket in black and blue
and dragging a black and
blue Reaction Innovations
Machete Worm was a criti-
cal move to get finicky fish
that were “biting funny” to
hook up. Other than his
ditch, Fitzgerald ran a few
other areas, but found it
necessary to hit new water
each day. His final-day limit
of 19-8 was easily the best
of the day and secured the
victory.
3. TOYOTA SERIES
CENTRAL DIVISION
Lake Chickamauga
Feb. 27-29, 2020
Jim Neece Jr. strung
together three great days of
fishing to earn the victory
at Chickamauga. He
weighed in limits of 18
pounds or more all three
days, including a day three-
leading 20 pounds, 9
ounces for a 57-5 tourna-
ment total and the win.
Neece spent the tourna-
ment rotating through a trio
of points and breaks on the
main river channel. On the
final day, due to a drop in
water level, he had to
adjust and fish a little shal-
lower. Otherwise, he
enjoyed the benefits of sta-
ble fishing.
The Tennessee pro
started practice with an
umbrella rig, but it wasn’t
producing how he’d hoped
it would, so he made the
switch to a Zoom Swimmer
in chartreuse and blue and
used that setup exclusively
throughout the entire
week, rigged on an 8:1
gear ratio reel to keep his
swimbait moving in the
current the way his fish
wanted it.
FLWFISHING.COM | MAJORLEAGUEFISHING.COM | APRIL-MAY 2020