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Bite Still Tough At Bull Shoals

Category: Tournament

 May 11th, 2005 by OutdoorsFIRST 

Modified May 11th, 2005 at 12:00 AM

	Cheri Schulta hopes to multi-task her way to a Bull Shoals limit on Wednesday (PWT Photo)

Sure, hopes were high that the walleyes would start whacking the PWT pros bait this week at Bull Shoals. After the debacle that was the FLW Walleye Tour’s opener at this legendary bass fishery, pros were hopeful that the big baskets and big fish would return. Looks like those hopes were a bit premature.Although recent local tournaments have produced solid results, many of the pros have had a hit-and-miss relationship with Bull Shoals walleyes. Many are clueless and are aimlessly trolling hoping to uncover a huge pod of `eyes. However, a few have figured out a little something-something and may be able to bring some 20-pound baskets to the weigh-in stage.Schulta SureOff Shore Tackle pro Cheri Schulta is positive she can bring a few fish to the weigh-in stage each day.”I have figured out a little pattern that I feel will produce for me throughout the tournament, as long as the weather stays stable,” Schulta said. “I have about five spots to target and one spot in particular has produced for me every time. As long as my luck doesn’t run out, I should do okay.”Schulta has a one-two punch to fool the mid-south walleyes.”My plan is to fish shallow early and pull bottom bouncers with crawlers and spinners in the afternoon,” she said. “This is a pretty basic plan, but I’m fishing an area where I’ve not seen too many anglers. If this holds up in the tournament, I will bring in some decent weights.”She feels that a variety of approaches will catch fish from pulling spinners and crawlers on bottom bouncers to trolling and casting crankbaits.

	Todd Riley is hoping for a repeat of his FLW performance at Bull Shoals, but with better weights

Riley Not So SureEvinrude pro “The” Todd Riley is not as confident as Schulta when it comes to his chances to produce solid weights.”The bite is still really tough,” he said. “I mean you’d think the fishing would have improved by now, but it is still really tough. I did catch a 10-pounder and I did have one 20-pound basket, but other than that, it has been tough.”Riley feels the fish are in transition and big weights may be hard to come by.”Realistically, it is tough to figure out what will work over three days,” he said. “Patterns emerge and then just disappear. The presentations that will work are going to be all over the map. “Casting crankbaits, trolling cranks, pulling bottom bouncers and spinners, they all can work,” he said. “I’ll probably end up trolling, since I don’t feel I have anything totally figured out.”Big weights are still a reality in Riley’s opinion.”You’ll still see some 20-pound baskets,” he said. “Unfortunately, I also think you’ll see a fair share of zeros. I just hope to God I’m not one of them.”Weigh-in starts at 3:00 p.m. and the Bull Shoals Lake Boat Dock and www.WalleyeFIRST.com.