2013 BASSMASTER CLASSIC Interview PART 2: Cliff Pace's Classic Winning Strategies

Cliff Pace working on a limit.
(Photo: James Overstreet, BASS)

By Luigi De Rose

Part two of the interview with Cliff Pace, recently crowned 2013 BASSMASTER CLASSIC Champion, we chatted more on tackle, fishing conditions and strategy.  Cliff had laser beam focus throughout the entire three day tournament. He adjusted exceptionally well considering the weather fluctuated from freezing air temps with snow to balmy.  Cliff led the entire tournament and landed two of the heaviest creels of the Classic. By the commencement of the final day, Pace held a six pound lead. Most considered the tournament his to lose.  
(click here for PART ONE of the interview)

IBASSIN

Take the readers through Day 1 and 2.

Cliff Pace

Both days the strategy was almost the same but the bass bit differently on each day. The mornings were cold so I started deep. The deeper areas were best in the morning. My shallower areas got progressively better in the afternoon. That’s when the jerk bait bite was better. I feel those areas improved because the shad moved up in the water column later in the day. That made a difference how I targeted the bass.

The Chronarch proved itself all week.

First thing, I used was a 1/2oz V& M football jig. The jig was dressed with a V& M Twin Tail trailer. I would dye the pumpkin trailer orange to make it more appealing.  It was best for the deeper spots. The bass were holding off the main lake, mostly secondary points in the 10 to 25 foot range. They just were not in one specific depth. I had to determine where they were throughout each day. Usually, I would stick to the jig until 10am.

For the jig, I used a Shimano 7’ 2” Crucial rod in heavy power teamed with a Shimano 200 E Chronarch reel spooled with 15lb test Hi-Seas Fluorocarbon line.

IBASSIN

What type of structure did you focus on?

Cliff Pace

Let me explain what I mean. On the secondary points, there were flatter sections with one deep sloping spot.  The deeper areas, steeper sections, were right on the end of the point. It would fall into much deeper water than the surrounding area. The sections off either side of the point had a gradual taper. These sections were shallower than right off the point. The bass would reposition around each of these areas throughout the tournament day.

2013 Walmart FLW Lewis Smith Lake Champion: Brent Ehrler Wins with Deep Bite

Tennessee’s Tidwell Wins Co-Angler Title, $20,000

10.Mar.2013

FLW PRESS RELEASE

JASPER, Ala. – Keystone Light pro Brent Ehrler brought the largest stringer to the scales Sunday – for the third time in four days of competition – to win the Walmart FLW Tour on Lewis Smith Lake presented by Evinrude. Ehrler weighed in a five-bass limit worth 14 pounds, 11 ounces to win the $125,000 prize after leading wire-to-wire in the four-day tournament that showcased a full field of the best bass-fishing professionals in the world.

Brent controlled tournament from start to finish fishing
deep with a Yamamoto Senko.
(Photo: Brent Ehrler)

The Redlands, Calif., native weighed in 20 bass totaling 60 pounds, 9 ounces throughout the four days of competition. Second-place pro Jacob Powroznik of Prince George, Va., weighed in 20 bass totaling 53 pounds, 5 ounces, giving Ehrler the win with a decisive 7-pound, 4-ounce margin.

“This was one of the toughest tournaments that I have ever fished,” said Ehrler, who became only the third angler in FLW history to surpass $2 million in career earnings with his win on Sunday. “I was so stressed out; I was waking up at 2 or 3 a.m. every morning thinking about where I was going to fish that day. Fortunately, I was able to catch a couple of big ones off of a couple of areas where I knew they lived. They were very tough to catch, though.

2013 Walmart FLW Lewis Smith Lake Day 3: Ehrler Retains Lead for Third Day.

Keystone Light pro increase lead to 6-4 going into final day

09.Mar.2013 by Kyle Wood

FLW PRESS RELEASE

JASPER, Ala. – Today brought the weather that many anglers – especially largemouth guys – had hoped for with warmer temperatures to start the day and wind. Those factors still couldn’t seem to help the bite on Lewis Smith Lake which is beginning to show signs of fishing pressure getting the best of it. One man, however, still remains perched atop the leaderboard for the third straight day in a row.

Ehrler fishing deep for spots and the win.
(Photo: FLW)

Keystone Light pro Brent Ehrler has caught the largest bags from each day of competition during days one and two – 17 pounds, 8 ounces and 16-7, respectively. On day three his weight slipped some, but Ehrler still managed 11-15 to bring his overall weight to 45-14 and carries a 6-4 lead to the final day.

“I have caught heavier weights than I thought I could this week,” said Ehrler. “It hasn’t been easy at all this week – each day is truly a grind.”

Throughout the event Ehrler has been relying on a few key places that he found during practice. One of them has produced quality bites for him despite having never received a bite in practice from it. After yesterday though, Ehrler felt that he couldn’t rely as heavily on that area and knew he would have to make it happen from the other few places he had left. Most of the water he is focusing on is in around 30 to 40 feet, with his fish coming off the bottom or close to it - where he has been utilizing his electronics to see the fish that he often times will later catch.

2013 Walmart FLW Lewis Smith Lake Day 1: Ehrler Grabs Lead

FLW PRESS RELEASE

JASPER, Ala. – A full field of the world’s best bass-fishing professionals began competition in the Walmart FLW Tour on Lewis Smith Lake presented by Evinrude on Thursday. After the final fish was weighed at the Lewis Smith Lake Dam Access, Keystone Light pro Brent Ehrler of Redlands, Calif., sat atop the leaderboard and now has his sights set on the top cash award of up to $125,000.

Ehrler using both finesse and power to capture the day's best bag.
(Photo: FLW)

“My weight doesn’t really show the whole story of exactly what went on out there,” said Ehrler, the second-place finisher at the FLW Tour season opener at Lake Okeechobee. “It was pretty interesting how my day went. I mixed it up and did a bunch of different things. I was fortunate enough to get a couple of big bites.”
Ehrler brought a five-fish limit of spotted bass to the scales that weighed 17 pounds, 8 ounces. He holds a slim 8-ounce lead over Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes pro Dave Lefebre of Erie, Pa., who weighed in 17 pounds even.
“I pulled up to a spot today that I didn’t get a bite on in practice, but it just looked right,” Ehrler said. “There were some good laydowns, and the bank just looked right. I saw some fish on my Humminbird, but I didn’t catch any. I fished quite a few areas and covered a lot of water. I was fishing near the area again later in the afternoon and decided to take another shot at it. That time, it worked.
“It just takes time, though,” Ehrler continued. “I had a long day today and didn’t have to weigh in until 5 p.m. Tomorrow, I weigh in at 3 p.m. That could change the outcome of how I will catch them. Having a long day let me fish relaxed, while having a short day tends to push you and make you fish a little faster.”

2013 BASSMASTER CLASSIC Interview: Cliff Pace the Man & Angler

By Luigi De Rose

A week after Cliff Pace was crowned the BASSMASTER CLASSIC champion, IBASSIN.com had an opportunity to chat with him. In an attempt to learn more about the mild mannered pro from Mississippi, this portion of the interview focuses on Cliff Pace the person and angler and the effects of winning the Classic.

Cliff Pace Wins.
(Photos: BASS)

At 32 years of age, Pace has three BASS wins to his credit. Both of his prior victories occurred at Central BASS Opens. The Classic win on Grand Lake was his first Tour victory on the Elite circuit.  He has 4 second place finishes, two during the 2012 season, and has earned just over $1.2 million with BASS. Many people close to Cliff feel that the Classic was a breakout tournament and expect many great achievements from him in the near future.

IBASSIN

First of all, congratulations on the Classic win.  Many past winners have stated that, “the Classic will change your life.” It’s been a week, how much has changed?

Cliff Pace

Thanks! Winning has not really changed much of anything. It’s added to my life. My schedule is very busy.  Winning has given opportunities. Opportunities for my friends, family and sponsors to enjoy the Classic win. It has given me a great chance to appreciate all of them (sponsors, friends and family) and let them celebrate the win and given them a chance to shine.

IBASSIN

How has the response been of you winning?

Cliff Pace

I have had hundreds of emails, calls and people congratulating me. So many people have mentioned how proud they were of me for being me. I am not the kind of guy to go crazy and throw my shoes into the crowd during the Classic. I am not that kind of person.

IBASSIN

At the Classic, during the press conference you said that deep, rocky lakes were foreign to you when you first started out. Being from Mississippi, where 5 feet is deep, is this win, outside the fact that it is the Classic, more special?

2013 Walmart FLW Smith Lake Tournament

St. Croix's New Legend Xtreme Rods

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Coolest Tackle Box Ever!

Once in a while you see something totally cool. At the recent Spring Fishing and Boat show in Toronto, I chatted with the gang at Megabass. Theo, the Canadian dealer for Megabass showed off the Asylum. The Asylum is one wickedly, majestic lure box with slide out spinnerbait slide tray. Only Yuki Ito could concock such a tackle storage system.

Enough storage for all your topwaters and cranks. 

Each have their own slot and the whole thing is vented. 

A top lid for tools, line or more Megabass baits. 

Slide out spinnerbait rack. Not sure what this thing cost? 

Win A Talon on Facebook

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