Bailey McKinney (Junior/President)
Main pick: Tim Cline and Tyler Cline
I think my main pick will come as no secret. I can see the Clines ride the momentum and take this one home as well, we’ve seen Summersville in two very different stages so far this year and they won them both. I think it only makes sense for them to ride that momentum that comes from winning the TOY title this year. I believe they will seal the deal for 2022 by winning the two most sought-after titles on the trail, TOY, and The Cup.
Alternate pick: Kevin Adkins and Steve Jackson
My alternate is sort of a sleeper, he’s consistent and is always somewhere around the top. I believe Kevin Adkins and Steve Jackson have the potential to bring this one home, he’s a great guy to be around and always brings the energy needed. It will take some work with electronics this week to find the bait and he has the experience with those graphs and how to use them to his benefit.
Winning weight: 18.00 (2 days)
This week like I said I believe will be won with the use of forward-facing sonar and other electronic applications to coerce those finicky Summersville fall smallmouth to bite. I see the winning weight being around the 18-pound mark this week with the Top 5 being separated by ounces.
Levi Smith – (Junior/Vice President)
Main pick: Tim Cline and Tyler Cline
The Clines, at this point it’d almost be hard to bet against them when they’re on Summersville. Riding high with back-to-back wins on Summersville already in the Trail, you have to think they are going carry the momentum and make something happen this weekend.
Alternate pick: Dylan Fitzgerald and Brian Fitzgerald
It’s no secret that they have a history on Summersville with Dylan winning a tournament in the BASS Nation of WV Buddy Trail with Chase this year. They have also put up some solid finishes throughout the season and the weather looks far. I fully expect Brian will finally be able to wear his shorts comfortably unlike the 40° blastoff at Burnsville!
Winning weight: 14.75 (2 days)
I predict a two-day total of 14.75 will be the winning spot on Sunday afternoon. Averaging just over seven pounds a day for two days straight at Summersville is no easy feat. Although with the competition we have competing this weekend, it wouldn’t shock me one bit.
Lawson Blake (Sophomore/Team Member)
Main pick: Dylan Fitzgerald and Brian Fitzgerald
While it is hard to predict what the weekend holds for the anglers, My first pick would be Dylan and Brian Fitzgerald. The Fitzgeralds have quite the reputation for being sticks on Summersville. The first time I ever fished against Dylan on Summersville he proceeded to bring in about 16 pounds. The Fitzgeralds are experienced on this lake and I believe they are due in for a big win.
Alternate pick: Shawn Nibert and Drew Boyd
I have to take the team of Shawn Nibert and Drew Boyd. Shawn Nibert lives close to half an hour away from Summersville and fishes it enough to know what the fish are up to. I had the privilege of fishing with Mr. Nibert earlier in the year in Summersville and was very impressed with his knowledge of the lake and his ability to use some techniques that fish don’t get to see very often.
Winning weight: 19.00 (2 days)
I believe it will take a two-day total of 19 pounds or better to win. It is no secret that this time of year Summersville produces both numbers with some size mixed in. The lake has begun the period where it only drains 1.4 feet a day so the lake will be fluctuating at a consistent speed. There also has not been a tournament with more than 50 boats on the lake since our last stop here in September, leaving the fish with plenty of time to recover from September.
Chase Sansom (Senior/Former Team President)
Main pick: Brian Fitzgerald and Dylan Fitzgerald
Personally, I wanted to look back through the years and take a look at who has been consistent year after year. If you dig back through 2019, you’ll find that the father-son duo of Brian Fitzgerald and Dylan Fitzgerald have always been in the hunt to do well in the annual Cup. They posted two back-to-back third-place finishes in 2019 and 2020. Last year they stumbled a bit, but still managed a sixth-place finish in a stacked field.
And yes, I am partial to taking Dylan because I was fortunate to spend a good chunk of time with him in the boat and we rallied to win a Summersville tournament back in May. He understands the lake probably better than anyone I know in the field and it helps he just recently moved to the Summersville area back in September. I will call from time to time and he will go on and on about what the lake is doing … and to be honest, I don’t understand half of it, but it blows my mind what all he does know about it.
Alternate pick: Luke Long and Nathan Harper
If it is not the Fitzgerald’s year, then I am going to take some guys I believe will do well with the conditions and that would be the duo of Luke Long and Nathan Harper. With clear water conditions in play, those two are always going to be a threat fishing for suspended fish especially when you factor in some video game fishing to be had. I’d be silly not to take them for my alternate pick.
Winning weight: 16.25 (2 days)
With no signs of rain coming before Saturday and the lake is already crystal clear according to reports, I am going to have to say it is going to be a low-weight tournament yet again. Winning weight I still imagine will go 16 pounds just because of the quality of fishermen in the field and the lake being drawn down. I think that the 16-pound range will be what we see will win after two days and I imagine around 6.50 to get into the Top 10 cut after Day 1.
Tyler Drown (Senior/Team Member)
Main pick: Dylan Fitzgerald and Brian Fitzgerald
No explanation is needed for this one. Straight hammers on that lake.
Alternate pick: None
You don’t need an alternative when you know you’re right on the first pick.
Winning weight: 13.62 (2 days)
Somebody will catch a big one the first day and have a little over 7 pounds, then the second day will fall short of the ‘Summersville Seven’.
