Mark Rose
new fisheries, large fisheries or fisheries that have under-
gone a dramatic change in forage or water level.
“Really big places like Lake Erie or St. Clair; I want to see
what it’s going to look like,” Cox says. “Or, when a lake is
drawn down, like Lanier, that’s the only pre-practice that’s
worth it.”
In rare circumstances, a new phase will begin for a lake, such
as the proliferation of blueback herring or expansion of aquatic
weeds, and that changeup requires advanced scouting.
Lake Ouachita, the site of the 2018 Cup, is a good exam-
ple. Grass is growing in previously void areas. Many of the
qualifiers visited the lake before it went off limits July 23, and
scouting the grass was a priority. The goal for many wasn’t to
find fish, but to get the “lay of the lake” and find out how far
the growth had progressed.
AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2018 I FLWFISHING.COM
“If anything pops up in a lake, absolutely, that will be part
of my pre-fish,” adds Dudley. “Wherever there’s grass, there
will be winning fish. I’ve learned not to focus on any one
thing, though.”
Lighter, Late-Summer Schedules
It’s worth pointing out that another reason why many pros
pre-fish for the Cup is because their schedules in late sum-
mer are generally lighter and more flexible. Tournament sea-
son winds down in early summer, and the sport show season
doesn’t pick up until fall and winter.
Still, there are important strategic reasons to consider pre-
fishing or not, other than convenience, and the best pros in the
business recognize the inherent advantages and disadvan-
tages of dedicating valuable time to early scouting efforts.
29