LAY LAKE / 2007 BASSMASTERS CLASSIC
By Reed Montgomery / Reeds Guide Service
Website: www.fishingalabama.com
Impounded 1914
Lake level: Full / Winter Pool
A preview of, " Winter on Lay Lake and The 2007 Bassmasters Classic "
By Reed Montgomery
Winter on Lay Lake and the 2007 Bassmasters Classic. Somehow that just does not sound right. Maybe because in the years past the mere mention of the world famous, " Bassmasters Classic " always brought to mind tough, summertime fishing conditions for competition among the world's best bass anglers. Well, for those of you have not heard, the new dates for the Bassmasters Classic have now been changed to earlier in the year. Much earlier in 2007...than Bassmasters Classics held prior to 2006.
Past Bassmasters Classics (prior to 2006) were always held during the grueling conditions of the summer season. Lay Lake has crowned two previous world famous summertime Bassmasters Classic Champions with the Bassmasters Classic being held on Lay Lake only twice in years past. George Cochran of Arkansas won the now known to be very tough, Bassmasters Classic held on Lay Lake in the summer of 1996. This was the first time these Bassmasters Classic competitors had competed for this world title on Alabama's Lay Lake.
Prior to that 1996 Lay Lake Bassmasters Classic, a good practice period for most, showed many of the competitors already tasting victory as anticipation of fishing this 48 mile long, weedy impoundment showed promise. Afterwards, the majority of that Classic competitor field left there with a bad taste in their mouth. For many, the taste of failure. Cochran won it with three day total of 31 pounds and 14 ounces. Barely 10 pounds a day.
It took six more years (to the dismay of many of those previous 1996 Lay Lake Bassmasters Classic contenders) before the Bassmasters Classic returned to Alabama's Lay Lake. This time (for most Classic contenders) it proved to be the fishery it is acclaimed to be. Jay Yelas ended up winning that 2002 Bassmasters Classic with a winning three day sack of both spotted bass and largemouth bass, 15 bass weighing 45 pounds and 14 ounces. That's an average of 15 pounds a day. All of those Classic competitors (despite how they placed in that 2002 Bassmasters Classic) praised Lay Lake for being such an excellent fishery of a choice for a Bassmasters Classic location.
With this 2007 Lay Lake Bassmasters Classic scheduled for competition to be held for three days during February 23-25 2007 it will provide a whole new picture for the world's best, top 50 bass anglers to decipher. Make no mistake about it. This is going to be a wintertime Bassmasters Classic held here in Alabama. Not fishing for prespawn bass, by no means not targeting spawning bass, just world famous professional bass anglers fishing for bass -- bass that have been in a winter state of mind for the last three months.
Conditions. Boy will that word play a huge role in this 2007 Bassmasters Classic. Feast or famine as they say. If conditions are right (like winter warming trends), most of those fifty 2007 Lay Lake Classic contenders will have no trouble bringing in a 5 bass limit of bass, each day of competition. Then it could just be a matter of who brings in the biggest sack of bass the last day when the field is narrowed down to 25 competitors. Weights could be tremendously high with it taking 20 pounds a day possible to crown a new 2007 Bassmasters Classic champion. However, there's that saying, " on the other hand."
If conditions turn out to be brutal (like late winter often is here in Alabama), many of these Classic contenders could struggle to even bring in a 5 bass limit each day. So conditions can, and probably will, play a huge role in this Bassmasters Classic. I'm sure like never before.
* THE AUTHOR - Reed Montgomery, owner of Reeds Guide Service (Website: www.fishingalabama.com) out of Birmingham, Alabama is Lay Lake's most well know professional bass guide service. Reed Montgomery has also won more bass tournaments on Alabama's Lay Lake than most professional Alabama anglers can claim. He has over 30 years of professional, freshwater guiding experience, taking anglers from all over the world to all of Alabama's Lakes, year round. Reed has also won many major bass tournaments and taken big bass honors dozens of times on Lay Lake, competing among hundreds of the south's best bass anglers and fishing bass tournaments on Lay Lake for over 25 years. Read more of Reed's Wintertime Fishing tips for Lay Lake coming soon.
Look for more info by, (owner of Lay Lake's / Reeds Guide Service) Reed Montgomery on,
" Fishing the 2007 Bassmasters Classic this winter "...coming soon.
This report provided by:
Reed Montgomery / Reeds Guide Service
Producer / Host "Fishing Alabama" With Reed Montgomery Radio Show
"6 Years on the Radio / Jan 2005"
Birmingham, Alabama
Always Call Reeds Guide Service...First! (205) 787-5133
"Over 40 Years Fishing Alabama for Bass and Stripers"
E-mail: ALABASSGYD@aol.com
Website: www.FISHINGALABAMA.com