Florence, AL – Championship Week is upon us, as the Collegiate Bass Fishing Championship presented by Bass Pro Shops is set to take place on May 23rd – 24th, in Florence, AL. Both Pickwick and Wilson Lakes are official tournament waters for the longest consecutive running collegiate National Championship bass fishing tournament. The fertile waters of these two world-class fisheries along the Tennessee River will present a phenomenal playing field for 400 of the nation’s top collegiate anglers over the course of two full days of tournament competition.
Pickwick Lake is widely considered one of the best offshore ledge fishing destinations in the world. This Tennessee River fishery boasts an abundance of deep structure, ledges, and offshore humps where the lake’s healthy population of largemouth, spotted bass, and smallmouth will position during the summer.
Pickwick Lake is comprised of approximately 47,500 acres of water surface spanning 50 miles from the Wilson Dam in Florence, AL to the Pickwick Dam on the opposite end of the lake. Lining the 490 miles of shoreline along Pickwick Lake is abundant fish catching habitat including flooded wood cover, various vegetation, as well as riprap and bluff rock banks.
It is very common during this time of the year on Pickwick Lake to find large schools of bass positioned out on the abundant offshore structure. Following the springtime spawn, over the past several months, a majority of the Pickwick Lake bass population migrates out deep to find cooler waters and feed up on baitfish and shad for the next several months.
An abundance of rain has impacted the southeast, and in turn has impacted the amount of water flowing through the Tennessee River. The excess rain has led to an increase in flow and current moving down Pickwick Lake. Current is what makes these fish tick. If the steady current flow continues throughout the week and on into competition, look for these anglers to really catch great quality and numbers of fish.
