Going into 2024 Bass Pro Shops REDCREST Powered by OPTIMA Lithium on Lay Lake, there might be better storylines than we’ve seen at any REDCREST thus far. From a fishery standpoint, it’s setting up to be super interesting. Plus, the weather should be decent (unlike last year’s throwdown at Lake Norman) and the field is loaded with talent.
Here are a few things I’ll be watching closely as the chase for the trophy and $300,000 unfolds.
Can anyone make it happen in the current?
Last year’s Elite Series event on Lay showcased a few pros catching fish below the Logan Martin Dam, and it’s a style of fishing that I personally find fascinating. From a big tailrace on the Tennessee River to a spillway on the Mississippi River, there’s something about dialing in current that really intrigues me – probably because it isn’t much of a thing in my native Northeast.
According to Jon Canada, there’s likely to be too much current for an angler to effectively fish the tailrace, but you never know if someone in the field will be able to figure something new out. Or, maybe Alabama Power will see fit to give us the right flow conditions for some dam bassin’. As far as prospective patterns go, and barring totally new inventions, this is the one I’d most like to see.
The expanded field packs a punch
Now that winners from almost all of MLF’s various circuits can qualify for REDCREST, we’ve got a field that really represents not just the Bass Pro Tour but also folks that fish at all levels.
As the first college qualifier for REDCREST, Dalton Head is super interesting from a local perspective as well. If he’s ready to hang with the big dogs, it’ll make for an amazing weekend. But, the other qualifiers from outside the BPT have even more potential – even though they’ll be fishing under a different format, they bring a lot of talent to the table. The winner of the Toyota Series Championship, Chad Mrazek is cool and collected and great with forward-facing sonar. From the BFL All-American, Emil Wagner is the best angler ever from Denmark and a transcendent spotted bass fisherman. And even though he’s now fishing the BPT, it’s also worth mentioning Ron Nelson – he’s filled with natural talent and a two-time Angler of the Year, not someone you want to count out.
A local tour de force would be a blast
The Toyota Series is probably my favorite level of fishing; there’s just something about local knowledge that has always fascinated me. Last year, watching Bryan Thrift cruise to a win on Norman running like three different patterns was a real joy. This year, with zeroed weights, there’s probably less of a chance for a local to put together a tournament that looks as dominant on paper, but there is some real potential in the field.
When Will Davis won last year’s Elite Series event at Lay, a large part of his success was local knowledge. Given how much Lay can change day to day, that could be huge again. Of the group, Dustin Connell has a pretty notable advantage in that respect, and his accolades are up there with Thrift. It wouldn’t surprise anyone, but there’s a chance we see a truly masterful tournament from Connell.
If it’s not Connell, there are others in the field that could put something really cool together. An underrated option is Josh Butler, who is privy to some current keys on Lay.
Things are changin’
Word on the street is that things are happening fast down in Alabama. Flowers are blooming, birds are making nests — all the usual spring stuff. Connell is famously on record that the fish are not comin’, but is there a chance this week could be an exception to the rule?
As of now, water temps on Lay are in the mid- to upper-50s, which isn’t incredibly warm. Still, it’s warm enough that there are almost certainly some fish on beds, and lots more mulling their options over. Notably, the next several days look to be quite warm.
Alabama Power has updated the tentative operating schedule out to Thursday now, and the plan is to continue running five generators at the Lay Lake Dam. That being the case, it looks like Day 1 of REDCREST will take place in a high current environment. But, will that be the case on Day 3? Day 4?
Generally speaking, BPT events feature a lot of change from beginning to end, but I think it’d be fascinating if we saw a big change in this one. Maybe on Day 1, our eventual winner ‘Scopes and fishes a jerkbait on brush. Then, on the final day, maybe they’re prowling the backwaters with straight braid and a swim jig. Personally, I’ve got my fingers crossed for folks to have 20 rods on deck and for the MLFNOW! stream to make it look like everyone is fishing a different lake.
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