Lake Jordan setting up nicely for Elite Series shootout
By Alan Clemons
Special to Wired2Fish
WETUMPKA, Ala. – Versatility may be the key this weekend when the Berkley Powerbait Trophy Chase on Lake Jordan kicks off the inaugural Toyota Trucks Championship Week.
The top 12 from the Bassmaster Elite Series angler of the year points standings spent two days checking everything from gin-clear shallow water to offshore structure. Lake Jordan isn’t big, at roughly 6,800 acres between Mitchell and Bouldin dams, but has a healthy population of largemouth and Coosa River spotted bass.
Forecasts call for a good chance of rain this weekend as storms build in the Southeast. Temperatures are expected to be in the mid-80s with a heat index in the 90s along with some wind and humidity. In other words, typical September weather as summer wanes.
“This time of year when it rains here like we’ve had lately, the fish move up shallow until things settle back down,” said Elite Series pro Greg Vinson, who lives near the lake and is familiar with it. “I think you’ll see some guys doing some specific things and others doing a little bit of everything. It should be a good tournament.”
Weights in one-day team events have been between 15-18 pounds, and if Alabama Power generates water this weekend through Bouldin Dam the bite should improve. Several of the Chase anglers spent time on the lower end of Jordan near Bouldin Dam during the two practice days pinpointing areas holding shad. Others checked specific spots Thursday and then refined their areas and techniques in Friday’s final practice day.
With the relative small size of the lake, the regular hydroelectric dam generation keeps Jordan fairly oxygenated. Despite having some deep areas the bass are more attuned to being 15 feet deep or shallower. Combine that with cloud cover, decreasing water temperatures, shad starting to move into creeks and the skills of the Elite anglers, the tournament could produce some very solid catches.
Randy Howell of Alabama said he’s glad to be one of the dozen anglers in the postseason with a shot at the Toyota Tundra Angler of the Year title. The anglers are within 31 points of each other and, with less pressure, Howell believes that will be a plus.
“I’m excited about that … less tournament pressure always will be better,” he said. “I know that I, and everyone else if they admit it, will fish better if they don’t have two or three boats going after the same fish.”
Following this tournament, the anglers will take a day off, then practice two days for the final event on the Alabama River.
Check Bassmaster.com, ESPNOutdoors.com and BassZone.com throughout the day for updates along with Wired2Fish.com for news and results following the weigh-ins.
