Adams dominates on Day 1 at Wheeler Lake

DECATUR, Ala. — More was better. At least that’s how it worked out for Matt Adams, whose 23-pound, 14-ounce limit leads Day 1 of the Nitro Boats Bassmaster Elite Qualifier at Wheeler Lake presented by Bass Pro Shops.

Starting his day at the Guntersville Dam tailrace, which feeds Wheeler, the Guntersville, Ala., pro intended to capitalize on the current seams that create feeding opportunities. As the dam releases water, baitfish are pushed past various current breaks where bass pick off the easy meals.

Upon arriving, Adams found greater water flow than he had encountered during practice. That changed the scenario, but Adams adjusted and once he dialed in his focus, it was game-on for a brief, but intense rally.

“It lasted about 45 minutes and it was done,” Adams said, with an optimistic outlook. “It’s going to get interesting the next couple of days.”

The tailrace pattern is widely known throughout the Tennessee River system, so Adams had plenty of company. He held his cards low, but attributed his success to understanding the dynamics and leveraging that knowledge with precise presentations.

“There’s a lot of pressure up there, with bank pressure and local (boat) anglers, but there are some specific things (that impact the bite),” Adams said. “I went back later in the day and I couldn’t get them to eat later in the day. It could be a first daylight thing, so I’m gonna have to expand a little tomorrow.”

Despite losing a 5 1/2-pound smallmouth, Adams said this was one of the best fall days he’s had on Wheeler. He believes his opportunity was spurred by an increase in current strength as the Tennessee Valley Authority moved more water through the system.

“They had five gates open, whereas in practice they only had two,” Adams said. “The water came up, so I couldn’t really fish the backup areas that I wanted to.

“I actually prefer it when there’s not as much current. As soon as I got up there and saw that there was five gates open, I deviated from what I had initially planned to do.”

Adams, who guides on Lake Guntersville and Wheeler Lake, jokingly lamented weighing in one largemouth bass along with a quartet of stout smallmouth.

“When you come here, you gotta love on the smallmouth if you’re gonna be in the current,” Adams said. 

Adams caught that largemouth on a Heddon Spook. His smallmouth preferred subsurface baits. Adams opted for confidentiality on those, but he said he believes he has a unique tool.

“I was throwing two subsurface baits, but there’s one very specific bait that nobody’s throwing right now,” he said. 

Four of Adams’ final five fish came from the tailrace, with one coming from a different location. This location also benefited from the increased current.

“I culled up by a couple of ounces downriver,” he said. “I tried to lay off some stuff, but it didn’t seem like even the stuff I laid off had as much as what I saw in practice. So, I’m kinda all in on what’s going on (at the tailrace).”

Laker Howell, who also makes his home in Guntersville, Ala., is in second place with 21-6. Howell, who won the St. Croix Bassmaster Open at Leech Lake presented by SEVIIN, said a few extra moments of patience ended up changing his day’s outcome.

“I got in my area and at 9 a.m. I hadn’t had a bite,” Howell recalled. “I was about to leave and a 4 1/2 just smoked my ChatterBait. He hit it so hard, I thought it was a catfish but he came up with the bait (deep in his mouth), so I thought, ‘Maybe I shouldn’t leave.’

“I picked up my Livingston Lures Walking Boss, started throwing it around and it was history from there.”

Howell described his target area as place where current dynamics positioned fish for strategic feeding. He didn’t offer specifics, but he noted that he was not far from the takeoff site at Ingalls Harbor.

Acknowledging what he believes was divine intervention, Howell said: “I have to give all the glory to God. There’s no doubt in my mind that a bag that big, as tough as it is right now, happens any other way besides him.”

Nic Rand of Paw Paw, Mich., is in third place with 20-11. After enduring a lean day, Rand’s afternoon delivered the rally he needed.

“I only had 13 pounds at 1 o’clock and I was really just trying to beg for a big bite and I finally got it,” Rand said. “I just plucked away at them and in the last 5 minutes, it just went down. It was crazy. I have just found a little pod of them.”

Rand said he was in “super shallow” water where a big flat feeds a little drain that runs out to the river channel. He caught his fish on a Rapala DT-10 crankbait, a Strike King Sexy Dog topwater and a ChatterBait.

Adams is in the lead for Phoenix Boats Big Bass honors with his 5-15.

Grae Buck of Green Lane, Pa., leads the Nitro Boats Bassmaster Elite Qualifiers standings with 183 points. Aaron Jagdfeld of Rochester Hills, Mich., is in second with 176, followed by Matt Messer of Warfield, Ky., with 162, Jace Lindsay of Beckville, Texas with 157 and Bailey Gay of Union, Ky., in fifth with 154.

Friday’s takeoff is scheduled for 7 a.m. CT from Ingalls Harbor. The weigh-in will be held at Ingalls Harbor at 3 p.m.

Coverage of the Nitro Boats Bassmaster Elite Qualifier at Wheeler Lake presented by Bass Pro Shops can be found on Bassmaster.com each day. Live coverage of Championship Saturday will be streamed on Bassmaster.com as well as the Roku Sports Channel from 7-10 a.m. ET and 11 a.m.-2 p.m.

This event is being hosted by Decatur Morgan County Tourism.