Slow go for Walters, but wait for it

Last season, I always enjoyed interviewing Patrick Walters for articles and videos. He speaks in the clarity and detail of a seasoned pro. It’s all backed up with the creds that he takes to the water. He is very much dialed into a bite here. Of course, the fate of today rests on the movement of these transitional bass. Here is what he learned yesterday, that he plans to put into motion on Thursday.

Walters keenly observed the bass were sluggish — they were slow to bite — and he watched other anglers fish too fast. 

“A key takeaway for me yesterday was that you cannot fish too slow for these fish,” he said. “Other guys were on the fish, but not catching them.” 

Walters adjusted by slowing his presentation even more. It worked. 

He also learned the best activity was early and late. He didn’t arrive until 10:30 at his prime area, but it gave him time to set up on a sweet spot of a transition area. He waited. The bass showed up. And within 90 minutes there was more than 20 pounds in the livewell.

“I believe the fish are feeding at night,” he explained. “They begin to pull out in the morning, and it gets right again after 5:30 in the afternoon.” 

Walters planned to arrive much earlier this morning at his best area. Should he have done that, look out. We shall see if it paid off later today. So far it has not. But the 90-minute flurry of activity happened later in the day.