Tournament Series Feature Story
June 13, 2019 – Decatur, Ala. – Lake Eufaula has a reputation for being one of the true big bass fisheries in the country. The Big Bass Capital of the World, as it is known, has lived up to its reputation in the Alabama Bass Trail competition, with winning weights routinely eclipsing the 20-pound mark.
This week’s event should be no different.
Foster Bradley, and his then partner Britt Lemley won the 2016 ABT Championship in October of 2016, and Bradley and his partner Nick Harris have proven to be steady performers on Eufaula since.
With that history in mind, the pair said they think the fishing could be good this weekend; with a caveat. “Eufaula is fishing pretty strong right now, but it could be impacted by the water it’s received,” they said. “The lake is currently two feet high, which could spread the field out. But, if the Corps of Engineers decide to pull the plug; things could get very interesting – very quickly.”
They said that they expect the tournament to be won offshore, but that with the high water, there were good shallow water opportunities. “The high water makes shallow water a potential in this event, but it probably won’t produce a winning stringer,” they said. “Offshore will probably be the best chance to win as it stands, but if they draw the water level down, it will be the only option.”
Bradley and Harris said that they expect winning weights to be high, but that a large portion of the field could struggle. “It will probably take between 26 to 28 pounds to win the tournament, and there will be several bags over 20 pounds, but the weights will taper off fairly quickly,” they said. “It’s possible that the final check could be 14 to 16 pounds.”
They said that big worms, crankbaits, jigs and flutter spoons will play offshore, and that the shallow bite would include Flippin’ and frogs. “We’re expecting to fish offshore, but preparing to fish deep, but preparing for a shallow backup plan,” they said. “We’ll just have to see what happens.”
The 2019 Alabama Bass Trail Lake Eufala event happens June 15 out of Eufaula, Ala. The mandatory pre-tournament registration and angler information meeting happens on Friday June 14 at Eufaula Community Center 530 Lake Drive Eufaula, AL 36027 with registration happening from 5:00 P.M. – 6:30 P.M. and the pre-tournament meeting beginning at 6:30 P.M. Takeoff and weigh-in occur at Lakepoint State Park
104 Lakepoint Drive, Eufaula, AL 36027.
The sponsors of the 2019 Alabama Bass Trail include; Phoenix Bass Boats, Bill Penney Toyota, Garmin, Academy Sports & Outdoors, America’s First Federal Credit Union, Sweet Home Alabama, Alabama Tourism Department, Alabama Mountain Lakes Tourist Association, T-H Marine Supplies, Wedowee Marine, Buffalo Rock, Mountain Dew, Jack’s, Fish Neely Henry Lake.com, Alabama Power Company, Lew’s Fishing, AFTCO, YETI, Power Pole, Big Bite Bait Company and E3 Apparel.
