#ott defoe

[optimabatteries]

Edwin vs. Ott. Someone’s getting wet at the end of the day. Who will it be?

[optimabatteries]

Ott DeFoe challenged OPTIMA-sponsored champion angler, Edwin Evers. Who wins?

[bassfirst]

Ott DeFoe is almost always in the hunt for locking up a Bassmaster Classic qualification since he made his debut on the Bassmaster Elite Series several years ago. This Tennessee toad hunter is as versatile as they come when chasing bass. Smallies, spots, largemouth, it doesn't matter. He catches them everywhere.

Ott DeFoe is always in the mix for a Bassmaster Classic qualification since he made his debut on the Bassmaster Elite Series several years ago. This Tennessee native is as versatile as they come when chasing bass. Smallmouth, Spots, Largemouth, it doesn't matter. He catches them everywhere. Defoe recently sat down with us about cranking for bass along the grass.

[bellfishingspot]

The Elites Prepare for Toledo Bend

On May 1st the Bassmaster Elite Series will take off from Many, LA in the quest of winning the Evan Williams Bourbon Bassmaster Elite at Toledo Bend. The Elite Series has visited Toledo Bend twice before in mid-April in 2011 and early June in 2012. With as long as winter has hung around there may be some fish just coming off the bed, but look for the winner of this event to be targeting post spawn bass. For this reason your fantasy team should be heavy on anglers who can grind out a solid limit when bass are in their post spawn funk. Remember the fantasy ownership percentages of the anglers discussed in this article are likely to change before the event kicks off next week. Bucket A: Mark Davis

Mark Davis has to be off to the best start to an Elite Series season ever. Davis has not won an event yet, but he has only missed five points through the first three events. Davis is also one of the best post spawn anglers on the Elite Series. Mark Davis took open a check the last two times the Elite Series visited Toledo Bend including a top twelve finish in 2012. Davis is the fourth most owned angler in the Bucket A at 15.6%. Watch for Davis to carry his hot streak of consecutive top twelve finishes to five after this event (Davis had a top twelve finish to end 2013 on Lake St. Clair).

Todd Faircloth is always a strong competitor anytime the Elite Series goes to a lake in Texas (Toledo Bend is on the Louisiana / Texas boarder). Two of Faircloth’s four wins have come on events in Texas. Faircloth is sitting in 5th in Angler of the Year (AOY) points so he could use another strong event to move up the AOY leaderboard. Todd Faircloth was also one of the most consistent anglers in the last two events on Toledo Bend finishing 17th in 2011 and 15th in 2012. Watch for Faircloth to break through with his first top twelve on Toledo Bend at time. Todd Faircloth was the first angler I thought of going into this event. The reason he is not on my fantasy team is fantasy ownership percentages. Faircloth is the most owned angler in the bucket at 21.3%. If you do not mind taking the bucket favorites, Faircloth is a wise pick.

Ott Defoe may seem like a dark horse pick for Bucket A at a 2.9% fantasy ownership, but he could be one of the safest picks in the end. Defoe took home a check in the last two Toledo Bend events and just missed a top twelve in 2012. Defoe has excelled at almost every Elite Series stop since he joined the Elites. For a “dark horse” pick, Defoe could easily be the highest finisher of the entire bucket.

Bucket B: Matt Herren

Matt Herren in Bucket B will be my true dark horse pick of the event. Herren is only owned by 0.6% of fantasy players. If Herren can beat the others in the bucket there are a lot of points to be gained over other fantasy players. Herren is sitting in 22nd in AOY standings and needing a solid event to stay in the top 35 to qualify for the Bassmaster Classic. Herren finished 8th in 2012 and 38th in 2011 at Toledo Bend. Look for Herren to take another solid finish at Toledo Bend this year.

Timmy Horton’s last top twelve finish came in 2012 on Toledo Bend. Horton finished 6th in that event and 47th in 2011 at Toledo Bend. Horton is sitting in 25th in AOY standings and needs a solid finish like Herren. At only 2.9% fantasy ownership there is a lot that can be gained by taking Horton if he has a strong event as well.

John Crews is always a name I overlook when deciding on my fantasy team and he always seems to have a solid finish at the end of each event. I am not overlooking Crews this time. Many people seem to be overlooking Crews with only a 1.0% fantasy ownership. Crews took home a check the last two times the Elite Series visited Toledo Bend. John Crews may not be the highest finisher for the fantasy bucket, but watch for him to end up being one of best for the bucket. That can help you beat the majority of fantasy players even if he just beats the favorites for the bucket.

Bucket C: Fred Roumbanis

Fred Roumbanis needs a strong event to get back in the hunt for a Bassmaster Classic spot through the AOY standings. Currently Roumbanis is 61st in AOY standings after a disastrous start at Lake Seminole. An event on Toledo Bend is just what Fred Roumbanis needs to turn his season around. Roumbanis was 5th in 2011 and 21st in 2012 at Toledo Bend. A 3.1% fantasy ownership is low enough that he beats the majority of fantasy players for you with a strong top twelve finish.

I am not sure the last time I talked about Marty Robinson for fantasy fishing, but his history the last two times on Toledo Bend makes him a strong choice for this event. Robinson was 18th in 2011 and improved to finish 3rd in 2012. Robinson is owned by 4.0% of fantasy players. If you go with Robinson for your fantasy team, you may be dancing right along with Robinson like he is sure to be doing.

Terry Scroggins is the least owned angler in Bucket C that I will mention at 2.5%, but is almost as reliable for a solid finish as the others. Scroggins was 29th in 2011 and improved to finish 20th in 2012. Scroggins is sitting in 46th in the AOY standings so he needs a good event to move up for a Classic spot. Scroggins may not have the best history on Toledo Bend, but he has two solid finishes. Scroggins is also a good pick for being all the way down in Bucket C.

Bucket D: Ish Monroe

Two anglers make up over half the fantasy ownership in Bucket D and Ish Monroe is one of them. Monroe is the second most owned angler in Bucket D at 27.0%. Monroe is a bit of a high risk / high reward pick. Monroe took home a top twelve finish on Toledo Bend in 2011 and was 50th in 2012. Monroe is sitting in 80th in AOY points. It is a little early to think that Monroe needs to win to qualify for the Bassmaster Classic, but the events are counting down. Hopefully Monroe has an event more like in 2011 than 2012 to be one of the top anglers for this bucket.

Matt Reed took home a check in the 2011 Toledo Bend event. Reed missed a check in the 2012 event, but he is still a solid pick with a 4.8% fantasy ownership. Most of Matt Reed’s top 20 events in the past have come on lakes similar to Toledo Bend in the late spring – early summer. If you want to avoid the top two anglers in this bucket Matt Reed should be in consideration for your fantasy team.

Keith Poche did the opposite of Matt Reed at Toledo Bend in the last two events. Poche just missed a check in 2011 finishing 52nd and returned to Toledo Bend to finish 23rd in 2012. The fish should position themselves a little closer to how they were when the Elites visited Toledo Bend in 2012 than when they did in 2011. A 5.4% fantasy ownership does not hurt either when considering Poche for your fantasy team.

Bucket E: Chris Zaldain

Chris Zaldain was not fishing the Elite Series when the Elites visited Toledo Bend in 2011. Zaldain did fish in the 2012 Toledo Bend event and finished 12th. Zaldain has a 3.7% fantasy ownership which seems low for an angler that took a top twelve finish in his one visit to Toledo Bend on the Elite Series. Zaldain is having a rough season and could use Toledo Bend to make a charge up the AOY leaderboard to have a shot at the Bassmaster Classic.

Greg Vinson took home a top twelve finish at Toledo Bend in 2011 and was one decent keeper from making a check at the 2012 event. Vinson is having a bad season, but a 7.0% fantasy ownership still seems low considering Vinson is in Bucket E. I have a feeling Vinson will try to gamble and go for a win at this event to qualify for the Bassmaster Classic. This could result in a great finish and a ton of fantasy points for anglers who take Vinson, or a total crash and burn of your fantasy team.

Scott Ashmore missed a check in the 2011 event at Toledo Bend, but came back with vengeance just missing the top twelve cut in the 2012 event. Ashmore is only owned by 1.6% of fantasy players so he can make up a lot of points for your fantasy team if he is one of the best finishes of the bucket.

Remember to get your fantasy fishing team locked in before the event starts May 1. Whoever can put the fantasy team together that makes the most points for the event wins $2,500 in Bass Pro Shops gift cards. Hopefully this can help you select that special winning fantasy team.

[featherwickfishing]

[featherwickfishing]

We opened the morning on an eddy that produced some frenzies of schooling bass on shad - I threw a Bomber Long A in a custom color and swiped a nice smallmouth while Ott threw a Rapala X-Rap in Arkansas Shad and caught a 5 pounder that got off right at the boat. 

The bait-busting frenzy eventually died down a bit - so Ott and I went into search mode for a productive pattern.