“ No matter how guys fish that week , this place is going to shock them . It ’ s going to be a phenomenal finale .”
ILLUSTRATION BY BRANDON ROWAN
Great Lakes events . That said , VanDam says Saginaw ’ s smallmouth can be notoriously hard to find compared to those in the other Great Lakes , and the “ better ” areas are typically so far apart that it doesn ’ t leave a pro many options once they ’ re out there .
Then there is the always-present risk of rough water , as it only takes a little wind from the wrong direction to make it treacherous to head out into open water . That could completely scrap any plans for a pro .
Thus , VanDam expects some pros sample the smallmouth in attempts to shoot for the win – it ’ s hard to pass up chasing 4- and 5-pound smallmouth , after all . But , he says they better spend at least one day in the bay or river dialing in the largemouth bite as a fallback plan in case Mother Nature decides not to cooperate one day .
“ No matter how guys fish that week , this place is going to shock them ,” VanDam said . “ It ’ s going to be a phenomenal finale .”
JUNE-JULY 2023 | MAJORLEAGUEFISHING . COM 77