Major League Fishing pro Randy Howell had an uncharacteristically tough season last year and failed to make the 2022 REDCREST championship held on Grand Lake. Howell has fished several events over the years on Grand Lake, including Bassmaster Elite Series events and two Classics. He's done well there, including a fifth place showing the year Edwin Evers won it all.
If Howell had qualified, he says he'd follow the same plan that worked for him before because he thinks it offers the best chance to win. He also shares some of his picks to do well in this event.
How He'd Fish It
Grand Lake typically fishes differently depending on where you are on the lake, with cleaner water near the dam and stained water in the river sections. Howell likes to run into the river because it fits his style the best.
"I always go up the lake and fish shallower rock, bluffs, and natural stuff like wood and stumps," he said. "I like how it sets up and while you don't get as many bites, I've seen that the size is way bigger up that way. Most of the big tournaments are won up there."
One of Howell's primary weapons every time he goes to Grand Lake is the tried-and-true Yamamoto Senko, fished both weightless and Texas-rigged with a tungsten bullet weight.
"I've done well there several times up the river with a Texas-rigged Senko around the stumps and stick ups, a light tungsten weight and Senko is not threatening and works everywhere this time of year," he said. "I've also pitched it around weightless when the fish were shallow and spawning, which may happen if it warms up quickly before the event."
A jig with a Yamamoto Flappin' Hog as a trailer is another tool Howell would use if he were fishing this year's event.
"I like the regular size Flappin' Hog on my 3/8-ounce jigs to skip around docks and shallow wood," he said. "For a ½-ounce jig, I like the bigger size, and I would fish it a little deeper on Grand, around deeper rocks, bluffs, and drop-offs and that bulkier trailer gives it a bigger profile and helps it fall slower, big bass like that this time of year. I also like to pull off the flappers of the Flappin' Hog to make it look more like a crawfish."
If things got tough, Howell would downsize with a Ned Rig as a backup plan.
"My backup plan would be a three-inch Senko on a Ned hed and spinning rod if things got tough," he said. "That's a great way to fish around the docks and brush."
Fishing Grand Under MLF Rules and Who to Watch
Most big tournament history on Grand Lake is under the traditional five-fish format; Howell thinks it will be interesting to see how it plays under MLF's format where every scoreable fish counts.
"Our format could definitely play into this event, but I think it won't be an event where there are tons of fish caught just due to the time of the year," he said. "Unless they get a big warm up, I think most of the fish will be quality and they won't catch a lot of fish. It might be where someone has five or six bass for 20-pounds and someone beats them with nine bass for 22-pounds if they do find a way to catch multiples in their areas."
Howell believes the local anglers will have an edge simply because of their experience on the lake.
"Edwin has won here before and knows what to do and when to do it," he said. "He'll be ready for any condition since he's seen it before. James Elam is another won to watch, he's kind of an under-the-radar guy, but he's very good and knows Grand Lake as well as anyone."
Howell also believes that good shallow water anglers could find success and if there is an offshore bite, he sees Jacob Wheeler as a favorite.
"You can never count out Jacob, especially if it turns into a forward-facing sonar tournament with a jerkbait," he said. "He's figured out that bite better than anyone and if there are fish deeper, he could crack the code and dominate the event like he's done in other tournaments."
Randy Howell sure wishes he would have qualified for REDCREST since it's on a lake he knows well and has proven he can do well there. If he were fishing it, he'd head up the rivers and target what he believes are the biggest bass in the entire lake.
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