Fantasy Fishing: Experience key at Smith Mountain

Now, two years later, the Advance Auto Parts Blue Ridge Brawl returns to Moneta, Va., but the earlier time frame has some of the anglers thinking shallow. Runner-up Scroggins was successful with topwaters and shaky heads and expects to do well with those baits again with more of an emphasis on swimbaits.

The biggest problem with Smith Mountain in 2007 was consistency as even Ashley limped in with only four fish on the final day. Fortunately, his massive bag on Day Two of over 20 pounds carried him and his lead managed to stay intact when the dust settled. Pre-spawn and spawn conditions may put more big fish into play this year, but don't be surprised to see a top contender sack them big on one day only to falter the next.

The biggest wildcard at Smith Mountain will be the boat traffic. Anglers that make it through to the weekend will have to deal with increased pressure, especially if it stays warm and sunny. Recreational boating factored big in the June 2007 event. Look for it to rear its ugly head again — repeated cold fronts have kept the hounds at bay, but a week of warmer weather will have them flocking to the water for recreation. The only positive for Elite anglers is that it is springtime and not summer.

To combat the inconsistencies, look for anglers that have performed well on Smith Mountain in the past like Mike Iaconelli and Dave Wolak, who have both posted top finishes on more than one occasion. Ashley may look like a good choice to do well again, but just keep in mind that he relied on a huge bag to carry him to victory, a situation that would be difficult to duplicate.

If a swimbait comes into play, watch out for a guy like Steve Kennedy. He has been quiet this year and a one-two punch of a swimbait and his little Kinami Flash might be deadly this time of year on Smith Mountain.

Newly minted friend of the swimbait Kevin Short also comes to mind. He has been having a very solid year, boating the right fish at the right times.

With all that in mind, here are some choices in a variety of categories for the fourth stop of the 2009 Elite Series:

Big Money Picks:

Mike Iaconelli — Iaconelli shines around the spawn and has excelled in bed fishing and finesse fishing conditions. Ike has added more than his usual share of excitement to the Elite Series this year, and with the exception of his dismal finish at Dardanelle, has been on a torrid pace since last summer. Smith Mountain has been a historically good lake for Ike with three top-20 finishes in his three trips there so don't leave him off your team.

Skeet Reese — Skeet finished fourth here last year and has been one of the most consistently high-performing anglers on the Elite Series. The Classic champion often faces higher demands, and over the course of the season that can hinder performance, but Skeet has had three finishes in the top 25. Solid.

Alton Jones — Call me crazy, but even though his worst finish on the Elite Series (not counting his DQ at Santee Cooper) was on Smith Mountain in 2007 (94th), Jones has been fishing so strong this year, that it is becoming hard to leave him off the fantasy contenders list. After three events, he finds himself atop the Toyota Tundra Bassmaster Angler of the Year standings, but with the shortened season, he will need to stay strong at every event. If he can find some bass on the beds, Smith Mountain will be another strong showing for Jones in 2009.

Bargain Pick:

John Crews — When a guy throws his rod in the water for a 4-pounder, you know he is pretty die-hard. That fish helped him to a top-12 finish on Smith Mountain Lake in 2007. Unfortunately for fantasy owners hoping for the Crews local advantage, he has been struggling of late headed into his backyard brawl. Crews hasn't made the top-50 cut yet this year and sits mired in 96th in the TTBAOY standings. Will he turn his season around or will it be more of the same? You just have to decide how badly you want him on your team. 16.2 points is looking mighty good, especially if you already have heavyweights like KVD and Skeet on your team.

Risky Pick:

Jeff Kriet — As evidenced by his recent Day On The Lake show, the Squirrel knows how to throw the light stuff. He is very at home with a shaky head and that might make him very consistent if conditions get tough. His price tag at a shade over 17 is very appealing as well. A 32nd place finish here in 2007 is respectable, but expect that shaky head to shine a little brighter in '09.

Rookie Pick:

Matt Herren — I'm not feeling particularly confident that any rookie is going to have a great showing. It won't be as bad as Amistad, where none of them made the top-50 cut, but predicting which one will do well at Smith Mountain won't be easy. In fact, I would encourage you not to pick a rookie if you have been smart with your shopping and can afford more experience. Here's the best reason to keep Matt Herren: the next tournament is on Guntersville, you'll want to have him on your team there!

KVD Watch:

At first glance, Smith Mountain doesn't seem to line up to fit KVD's strengths as much as some other anglers. Finesse fishing and clear water might not be in his wheelhouse, but if he can get on a good wad of pre-spawn fish on a crankbait, look out. Besides, Guntersville is next and do you really want to drop KVD and then have to pay three or four extra points just to add him again in two weeks? NO!

Think you know more than me? Fine, I would love to hear your thoughts. Humble me anytime on the Fantasy Fishing Message Board.