Ott’s Hot Weather River Repertoire
Bass Pro Tour champion Ott DeFoe does just about everything well on the water, but the 2019 Bassmaster Classic champ’s calling card is river fishing. Throughout his career he has excelled in knowing when to abandon the “lake portion” of an impoundment to head to the most difficult-to-access upper reaches. On several occasions he’s used a tunnel hull boat to get up there, but when wise to do so he’ll also go upstream in his fiberglass Nitro.
Whether you have a tunnel hull, a jet boat, or a smaller aluminum boat, this can be a great way to stay competitive on pressured reservoirs.
“Most of those times they were places where I had history,” he said. But generally it’s something I consider when there’s a chance of it being a tough tournament. It never makes sense on a place like Guntersville, but it comes down to the toughness of the fishery – it can even make sense on Kentucky Lake in September or October.”
He's tried it on multiple reservoirs and river systems throughout the south. “I used it on the Arkansas River my first year on the Elites, which was the last year you could use two boats. I also used it in a Forrest Wood Cup on Lanier, back when it wasn’t the lake it is now. I was in 5th after the first day, but then it flooded. It’s also something you can use on a lot of the Coosa Chain and on some lakes in Georgia like West Point.”
When he does elect to pull the trigger, it’s critical to keep the boat light for maneuverability, gas mileage and speed. That means packing carefully. Here are a handful of lures he’s likely to have along in ample supply under just about any circumstances:
With the Chatter Bomb, he tends to rely on a shad color, but in dirty water he’ll switch to green pumpkin or black and blue.
For crankbaits, he’ll use shad colors “If I can get away with it,” but in stained water he’ll find something with a taste of chartreuse.
In 2017, he won a Bassmaster Open on Douglas Lake from his tunnel hull.
The next month, B.A.S.S. effectively ended his ability to use that boat in their tournaments.
