In 2004 I decided to take my fishing to another level by fishing as a co-angler on the defuncted FLW Tour, now called Major League Fishing (MLF). I fished this level for two seasons while expanding my bass fishing knowledge. To fish with the best anglers in the world was quite the privilege and made me realize just how lucky I was to get in the boat with pro anglers like Clark Wendlandt, Dion Hibdon, and Kelly Jordon. But I also got to wet a hook in some of the best bass lakes in America.
One of my first favorites would be Lake Okeechobee in South Florida. This is a place like no other I have fished in my entire career. It is a great fishery, but also intimidating with its massive expanse of wide-open cattails patches and hydrilla grass beds.
To navigate this lake without GPS would be a nightmare and almost impossible to return to an area where you caught fish the day before, as the entire lake looks the same. But when it comes to big bass, this lake is in a class all to itself where massive largemouth bass in the ten-pound range are fairly common. It's not unusual for a tournament angler to bring in a 30-pound 5 fish limit.
Next, Kentucky Lake! During the early 2000's this lake was on fire and a magnet for major bass tournaments due to its great fishing. Two things played a key role in what made this lake so good.... current and ledges. Kentucky Lake is known as a great current lake as bass set up on these deep-water ledges waiting to ambush just about any lure an angler might want to throw. It's also one of many great lakes along the Tennessee River chain. While the lake was on the decline a few years ago, it has now rebounded, and the fishing is once again really good.
Another great lake I fished during my FLW days was Beaver Lake Arkansas. This lake is a structure fisherman's dream and was where the "shaky head" craze first started. The shaky head is a small ball head jig (usually 1/8 oz. or 3/16 oz.) with a light wire hook.
This technique is usually fished on a spinning rod with light line anywhere from 8 to 10-pound test. Known as a bottom dragging bait, this technique is great for catching finicky bass. Beaver Lake is where this technique started and has become a main stay method for catching bass all across the country.
Closer to home, and a place that just might be the best bass lake in America as named a couple of years by Bassmaster Magazine, is Lake Sam Rayburn! Located just across the Louisiana/Texas state line in East Texas, Sam Rayburn is the crown jewel of the bass fishing world. Anglers commonly weigh-in 30-pound stringers almost year around.
Whether you like to fish deep or shallow, Rayburn offers you the opportunity to fish anyway you desire. It is a great deep structure fishing lake, along with plenty of shallow cover for bass to hide. Probably the number one technique used here is the Carolina rig. This is a drag the bottom technique with a ¾ or 1 ounce tungsten weight with a 3-foot leader using a baby brush hog in watermelon/red.
Rayburn is also the second biggest lake in Texas and gets more tournament fishing pressure than any other body of water. It's truly amazing how each week this lake gets pounded but continues to put out 20- and 30-pound stringers.
Other great lakes that I've had the pleasure to fish include Lake Hartwell and Santee Cooper South Carolina, Lake Eufaula in Oklahoma and South Alabama, Lake Chickamauga and Old Hickory in Tennessee, Toledo Bend, Lake Fork and a lake I grew up on Lake Monticello located just outside of Mt. Pleasant, Texas. But one of my newest favorites is East Texas' very own Lake of the Pines. This lake has been a sleeping giant but in recent years has really become a very popular bass tournament lake.
While some will disagree, another place that has a special place in my heart is the mighty Red River! This body of water has become one of my personal favorites. I've had quite a bit of success on the Red River and it seems to suit my style of fishing.
I guess you could say I have been truly blessed to get the opportunity to fish some of the best fisheries in America. Along the way, I've made an endless list of friends of both professional anglers and weekend warriors. It has been through this list of anglers that I have been able to sustain a great outdoors radio/podcast program for 17 years called Hook'N Up & Track'N Down.
But I've also had a little help with two great co-hosts, Gary McCoy and Mike Echols. Together we have been able to put together an outdoors program that's both highly entertaining and educational.
To wrap this up, we are lucky to live in a country with so many great places to wet a hook in the many lakes and rivers loaded with great fish catching opportunities. Not only can anglers bring in great stringers but can make some great memories just as I have done!
Till next time, good luck, good fishing and make sure to introduce a kid to the great outdoors.
Steve Graf
Angler's Perspective
