ON TOUR
COSTA FLW SERIES
detaIlS
May 4–6, 2017
presented by lowrance
hosted by Rhea economic & tourism council
costa flw Series division: Southeastern
LAKE CHICKAMAUGA
DAYTON, TENN.
By Richard Simms
photoS by Matt pace
Winning angler
William Weidler, bessemer, ala.
Winning Weight: 45-02 (10 fish)
stat line: weidler has fished only six
flw events since 2007. this is his
first win. he also finished sixth at the
bassmaster Southern open on
chickamauga just two weeks prior to
the costa flw Series event.
CONDITIONS
Weather | fishing cancelled on
day one due to predicted high
winds and heavy current; cool
with drizzling rain on day two;
post-frontal on day three
air temperature | morning
temps in the upper 40s to low
50s; highs in the 50s and 60s
Water temperature | low 70s
Water clarity | 1 to 2 feet of vis-
ibility or less, with the exception
of a few clearer creeks
Wind | south at 10 to 15 mph on
day two; south at 5 to 10 mph on
day three
moon Phase | waxing gibbous
Predominant lake features |
shallow grass, deep river ledges,
flats, humps, flooded wood cover
and creek channels
fishery type | Tennessee River
impoundment of approximately
36,000 acres, including the conflu-
ence of the Tennessee and
Hiwassee rivers
92
Recent tournament experience on the lake helped Weidler dial in the winning pattern.
Winning baits
Weidler says the lure that won it for
him was a black and blue Dirty Jigs No-
Jack Swim Jig with an H&H Lure Co.
Swamp Frog trailer.
“The frog trailer comes in black with
white feet, and I dye them [the feet] blue
to match the bait [jig skirt],” he says.
He used the swim jig the entire
tournament.
tactics and target areas
Weidler concentrated on fishing
areas with bedding bluegills. His sweet
spot was barely five minutes from the
takeoff point outside Dayton Boat
Dock, near the lower end of Hiwassee
Island where the Tennessee and
Hiwassee rivers join.
“I know that shortly after the spawn
the big female bass will feed heavily,
and a lot of times they’ll hang around
bluegill beds,” he says. “That’s where I
caught all my fish – either in transition
areas leaving spawning bays or around
bluegill beds. I had fished a 300-yard
stretch and had several bites, but decid-
ed to go a little deeper into the spawn-
ing pocket. I could hear the sand on the
bottom when I put my Power-Poles
down, and I could see the bluegill beds.
I knew they [bass] had to be in there.”
Presentation keys
Although Weidler had located a key
pattern in fishing around bluegill beds,
he says a couple of different presenta-
tion techniques helped trigger strikes.
flWfIshIng.com I july 2017