Wild-Weather-Lead-Up to St. Croix Bassmaster Openat Kentucky Lake/Lake Barkley

5 Questions with Opens Angler, Chad Grigsby

PARK FALLS, Wis. (March 6, 2025) –The St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Kentucky Lake/Lake Barkley offered by SEVIIN kicks off this morning with three days of scheduled competitors, concluding on Saturday, March 8. Day by day takeoffs occur at 6:15 a.m. CT from Paris Touchdown State Park, and weigh-ins are scheduled for two:15 p.m. CT every day. Bassmaster officers say a full subject of 231 anglers will compete the primary two days of the occasion, with simply the highest ten fishing on Championship Saturday.

A Tennessee River impoundment with over 160,000 floor acres, Kentucky Lake is linked with 58,000-acre Lake Barkley by a canal. The lakes have a storied bass-fishing historical past – one which could be very a lot nonetheless being written as we speak. The agricultural Kentucky and Tennessee communities alongside their shores have labored tirelessly with native, state, and federal companions to take away tens of millions of tons of invasive Asian carp over the previous decade, restoring the world-class bass fishery that fuels important financial and neighborhood growth. Excessive-level aggressive bass fishing has returned, and a assessment of the outcomes of these derbies over the previous two years proves that Barkley and Kentucky Lakes are again.

All these waters are truthful recreation for Opens opponents over the subsequent three days. That’s a great factor, says veteran St. Croix Rod and SEVIIN Reels match professional, Chad Grigsby, of Maple Grove, Minnesota. We caught up with Chad after a wild last day of follow on Wednesday night.

Q – Inform me concerning the loopy situations you and the remainder of the Opens subject have been coping with this week.

A – Apply began on Sunday and it was solely 25 levels. Monday was just a little hotter as much as excessive 40s or so, and yesterday it was within the excessive 60s however blowing like loopy. At present was colder and we had sustained 30 mph winds. I put in at three totally different ramps as we speak simply seeing if I might get anyplace on the market. They’ve had numerous rain the previous few weeks and the lake was up about ten toes however they’ve already drawn all that water out and it’s again at winter pool. All that present, runoff, and wind has issues actually stirred up on the market. The rivers are nonetheless blowing out mud and there’s numerous water that isn’t even actually fishable… and that water continues to be actually chilly. The excellent news is that there’s transferring water, there’s a pair hundred thousand acres to select from, and the climate seems prefer it would possibly enhance.

Q – You probably did handle to get fairly a little bit of follow in. What did you study?

A – Nearly as good a job as they’ve executed tackling this carp concern, this place nonetheless has numerous them, which makes scoping with dwell sonar a problem – a minimum of for me. Not all the carp are big and there are some actually large bass right here, so it’s onerous to inform the distinction generally. I type of gave up and simply began operating by means of pockets of fish and began catching them in a number of spots. I’m taking a look at turns and pockets in basic transition areas, however a few of them the place I’m discovering probably the most bass are actually small. As chilly because it appears on the market, it’s March, so it undoubtedly received’t be lengthy till the spawn. It’s undoubtedly depth-related proper now, and I really feel like I’m getting dialed in. I’ve caught largemouth over six kilos and smallmouth as much as about 4. I’m getting eight or 9 keepers a day… numerous threes with larger ones thrown in, so I be ok with what I’m on beneath the circumstances.

Q – What are your objectives for the match?

Effectively, the primary aim is to catch 5 daily. I don’t suppose it’ll be a difficulty, however you simply take one chunk at a time as a result of each one is treasured when situations are tough. Staying on prime of them is the second problem. We’ll see what the climate does. If it will get higher prefer it seems like it could, these fish are going to do what they at all times do… they’re going to maneuver and modify. The anglers who can capitalize on each chunk and keep on prime of what the fish are doing will do properly at Kentucky Lake. As large as these lakes are, as a result of the water is so soiled, there are going to be numerous anglers on prime of each other. However that’s okay. I by no means have an issue fishing behind somebody… as a result of they aren’t doing what I’m doing, and so they could not have been consuming once they went by means of. So long as I’m casting to fish I do know I can get bites. General, I simply wish to have a robust end within the prime 20 or 30. I must make the highest 50 within the division so I qualify for the Bassmaster EQ Collection on the finish of this season. We’ll have new objectives if and when that occurs.

Q – How are you planning to catch them?

A – I’m protecting issues fairly easy… I’m doing a lot of the harm fishing jigs and crankbaits. I’m fishing the brand new Black Bass 74HF from St. Croix for the jigs and a Legend Glass 72MM for the crankbaits. Arduous to beat a SEVIIN GF Collection casting reel for each of those displays… a 8.1:1 with the jig and a 6.6:1 for the crankbaits. These reels solid like a dream and are fully bulletproof. I simply acquired the brand new Black Bass rods. I like the tip on the 74HF. I’m transferring the jig with the reel and simply leaning into them by cranking quicker to drive the sunshine wire hook in when that tip strikes. That SCIII clean is the deal. I like the brand new handles and the reel seat nuts on the brand new Black Bass rods, too, however to be trustworthy, I’ve had gloves on all week, so I’m wanting ahead to seeing how good they really really feel with my palms. Black Bass additionally has some 100% glass reaction-bait fashions, so I’m wanting ahead to fishing these as properly, I simply don’t have any of them but.

Q – What’s it going to take to win at this lake beneath these situations?

A – You recognize, it’s a disgrace the situations are as robust as they’re, as a result of in the event that they had been higher, I feel you’d see some guys bringing in some large weights. Personally, I haven’t been right here because it’s come again after the carp, however I do know some current tournaments have seen some heavy weights. I do know there are good fish right here as a result of I’ve caught some. I actually don’t know what others could land on however hope to have 15-17 kilos a day. I feel that’s doable and I’ve been catching principally largemouth, which I are likely to consider could also be heavier on common than the smallmouth right here.

Observe Chad Grigsby’s progress and the remainder of the sector’s progress from the St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Kentucky Lake/Lake Barkley at bassmaster.com. Bassmaster LIVE might be streaming on bassmaster.com and Roku Sports activities Channel Saturday, March 8, from 7:30 to 10:30 a.m. ET and from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. About St. Croix RodHeadquartered in Park Falls, Wisconsin, St. Croix has been proudly crafting the “Greatest Rods on Earth” for over 75 years. Combining state-of-the-art manufacturing processes with expert craftsmanship, St. Croix is the one main producer to nonetheless construct rods fully from design by means of manufacturing. The corporate stays family-owned and operates duplicate manufacturing amenities in Park Falls and Fresnillo, Mexico. With fashionable trademarked collection comparable to Legend®, Legend Xtreme®, Avid®, Premier®, Imperial®, Triumph® and Mojo, St. Croix is revered by all forms of anglers from world wide. The St. Croix Household of Manufacturers consists of St. Croix Rod, SEVIIN Reels, St. Croix Fly, and Rod Geeks. About SEVIIN ReelsWherever and nonetheless you fish, the reel in your hand ought to assist create higher experiences. Born from St. Croix Rod’s seven many years of design and manufacturing experience, industry-leading customer support, and unbroken non-public possession by the Schluter household relationship again to 1977, SEVIIN reels are meticulously engineered and purpose-built to assist anglers conquer each species on each piece of water on the planet. SEVIIN focuses on reels and reels solely, designing and advertising and marketing merchandise that enhance the angling expertise, whatever the rods anglers select. Seven seas, seven continents, seven days per week, SEVIIN reels are fueled by a collective love of fishing surpassed solely by a ardour to ship probably the most dependable reels on the water. The St. Croix Household of Manufacturers consists of St. Croix Rod, SEVIIN Reels, St. Croix Fly, and Rod Geeks.