The Toyota Series Southwestern Division visited Lake Texoma the same week of April as anglers will be visiting Eufaula this year , and while the first two days were canceled due to high winds , the final day was a bed-fishing bonanza .
Will the same thing happen at Eufaula ? There ’ s no way to know what the air and water temperatures will do leading up to the event , but Elam believes it ’ s a safe bet the tournament will be won up shallow near the bank . “ Some guys might find some offshore stuff , but most everything should be centered around fish moving up ,” Elam posits . “ I ’ ve never actually fished a bed-fishing tournament on Eufaula , but plenty of prespawn and postspawn events . Guys will be able to catch them on a spinnerbait or squarebill , or slow down to flip if needed . If they go on beds , it ’ ll be fun .”
Much like Grand and Texoma , Eufaula is devoid of vegetation , and rock reigns supreme for structure . It ’ s also typically clearer than the other two fisheries . That all combines for an ideal bank-beating
and bed-fishing event , as anglers will certainly look to find the 7- , 8- and 9- pounders that call Eufaula home .
Alone and happy
“ If any lake in Oklahoma still has something out there people don ’ t know about , it ’ s Eufaula ,” Elam says . “ I have to imagine there ’ s still plenty of unturned stones out there .”
Elam says he won ’ t be surprised if someone finds a special deal all to themselves they can ride to victory – or at least a Top 10 . Why he thinks it is simple : With all the attention on Grand Lake and the sheer size of Eufaula , there are still plenty of unknown needles to be discovered in the proverbial haystack that is Eufaula . And if an angler finds one ? “ They could blow it away ,” Elam says . “ That would probably help with the consistency issue that will be so important .”
consistency
Anyone who ’ s fished Grand Lake will tell you it ’ s maddening how quickly things can change . Patterns seem to dissolve in an hour . Elam doesn ’ t feel Eufaula is nearly as temperamental as its in-state sister lake , but it can still get finnicky .
“ You get a cold front with a north wind and it ’ ll wreak havoc ,” he says . “ It ’ ll definitely make it tougher .”
That ’ s where Elam figures a 17- to 18- pound average will have a pro in contention to win , and that average may be all over the map , with 22 pounds one day , 12 pounds the next and 17 pounds the final day , for instance .
“ Guys are just going to have to grind it out all three days ,” Elam says . “ Oklahoma tournaments nowadays are always about grinding it out . You ’ ll need a milk run of spots to just keep hitting to try and methodically build your bag .
“ I ’ ve always wished a national tournament would go there . It ’ s just such a big playing field , which makes for a really cool tournament , especially since it will be so new to so many guys . You ’ re going to see something cool and new .”
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