Hard Cover or Vegetation ? Why Not Both ?
Tournament takeoff is out of Veterans Freedom Park in La Crosse – on the upper third of Pool 8 – but the field has the option to fish any of the three pools . That ’ s a lot of water for just 25 anglers fishing in each group , which means endless possibilities when it comes to exploiting productive hard cover and vegetation .
Edwin Evers won REDCREST 2019 out of La Crosse focusing on the backs of creeks , primarily targeting laydowns . That pattern might come into play again in the TITLE , but it ’ s far from the only way to win .
“ There ’ s going to be guys that have success on the wing dams on the main river for sure ,” Evers says . “ The duckweed and backwater grass are going to play a key role in deciding this one as well . There ’ s also guys who ’ ll find them on shell beds and boat docks . All of these targets can and will come into play .”
Pro Circuit analyst Marty Stone echoes Evers ’ prediction that a multitude of patterns and targets could hold the winning fish come the end of August .
“ There ’ s always guys that do well on hard cover like rocks , laydowns , wing dams and docks ,” Stone says . “ Then there ’ s the guys who do well fishing vegetation like milfoil , hydrilla , duckweed , lily pads and coontail . I think if a guy can find a way to not just rely on just hard cover or vegetation , but mix in both , he ’ ll have the best chance to win .”
Largemouth or Smallmouth Could Get You a Win
Pro Circuit veteran Tom Monsoor is a seven-time winner on the Upper Mississippi River , with all seven wins coming in August or September . Although he didn ’ t qualify for the 2021 TITLE , Monsoor is excited for what should be a two-species slugfest on his home fishery .
The Wisconsin native won those tournaments — including the 2020 Pro Circuit Super Tournament — fishing for both largemouth and smallmouth , and advises that both species have the potential to earn an angler a large check in the TITLE ’ s late-August time frame .
“ I think guys can easily fish for both smallmouth and largemouth and be successful ,” Monsoor posits . “ If the water is low , which it currently is , I expect the smallmouth out on the main river to be a big player . Someone can find some really good smallmouth out there and win with just those .”
Monsoor says 20-pound bags can be caught during the TITLE ’ s August window , but expects for the winner to leave with an average of about 15 pounds per day . Stone agrees that there are some bigger bags available in Pools 7 , 8 and 9 , but predicts that consistently weighing bags over 16 pounds will be a tall task .
“ So much will be changing ( on the river ) the time of year we ’ re getting there , and the weather is always a factor is a six-day event ,” Stone says . “ That ’ s why I think 14 to 15 pounds a day can get you pretty darn close to a win . Fish management is going to be a key in this one .”
PHOTO BY KYLE WOOD
The 2021 TITLE Competition Format
The 2021 Tackle Warehouse TITLE Presented by Mercury will feature a competition format that combines elements of both the Pro Circuit regular-season event format and the 2020 TITLE / Bass Pro Tour formats . Here are the need-to-know facts about the 2021 TITLE format :
Unlike the 2020 TITLE at Sturgeon Bay , Wisconsin – where every fish over 1 pound counted – this year ’ s Pro Circuit championship event will be based around a daily five-fish limit . Anglers will weigh in daily at Veterans Freedom Park in La Crosse .
The field of 50 will be broken into two groups of 25 ( Group A and B ), which will compete in two qualifying days apiece . The Top 10 weights from each group will advance .
The individual anglers with the heaviest two-day weights from each group will skip the Knockout Round and advance straight to the Championship Round .
The 18 remaining anglers ’ weights will be zeroed for the Knockout Round , and the eight anglers with the heaviest one-day weights in knockout competition will advance to the final day .
At the end of competition in the Championship Round , the angler with the heaviest five-fish weight will be crowned the 2021 TITLE champion .
Tournaments on the Upper Mississippi can be won on either smallmouth or largemouth .
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