Three-time BPT Angler of the Year and Tennessee resident Jacob Wheeler says anglers should have a lot of pattern options for this week's event.
April 30, 2025
By MLF Communications Staff CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – The Major League Fishing Bass Pro Tour continues its 2025 season this week with an event at Lake Chickamauga and Nickajack Lake. Competition days are Thursday through Sunday, with the tournament beginning on Chickamauga for the two-day Qualifying Round transitioning to Nickajack for the Knockout and Championship Rounds.
The Bass Pro Tour last visited Lake Chickamauga in 2021, when Kevin VanDam added another major victory to his impressive record, with Jacob Wheeler finishing close behind in second. Prior to that, in 2019, Dayton, Tenn. resident Andy Morgan ran away with a win, boating 80 pounds of bass in the Championship Round to distance himself from the final-day field by nearly 20 pounds and take home the top prize of $100,000.
While Wheeler hasn’t taken home a Bass Pro Tour win on Lake Chickamauga or Nickajack Lake, the Tennessee resident and long-time Chickamauga standout said he is excited about the unique challenges and opportunities that await on both Chickamauga and Nickajack Lakes, and the potential for producing trophy-sized bass.
"What’s really cool about going to Chickamauga this time of year is there’s always a chance for a double-digit fish," Wheeler said. "We’ve seen some 11- and 12-pounders caught in practice already this year on social media. It’s a transitional time, so there’ll be fish in all phases – spawning, post-spawn, maybe even some pre-spawners."
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With fish spread across various patterns, Wheeler believes anglers will have the freedom to fish the entire lake without being confined to specific zones.
"In a five-fish format, you usually have to fish certain zones to target the bigger fish, but with our format and a smaller field, guys can spread out and fish the whole lake. You could advance from anywhere," he added.
Shallow-water tactics are expected to play a major role, although Wheeler is quick to point out the unpredictability of dominant patterns this time of year.
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"I don’t necessarily know what the dominant pattern’s going to be. I really feel like this tournament is going to have a lot of different looks. Everyone won’t be doing the same thing," Wheeler said. "It’s just that time of year – you’ve got to fish by the seat of your pants and figure it out as you go."
When the field shifts to Nickajack Lake for the final rounds, Wheeler believes the game will change considerably. Describing Nickajack as a "mini-Lake Guntersville," he emphasized its mix of smallmouth, spotted bass and largemouth, along with significant grass cover.
"Chickamauga gets a lot of press, but Nickajack could be a hidden gem," Wheeler said. "It’s got a different look and fishes very differently. I don’t think you’ll be able to take a pattern from Chickamauga and just expect it to work on Nickajack."
With three days of practice split between two lakes, Wheeler said strategy will play a major role.
"Some guys will spend all their time on Chickamauga, while others will try to get a leg up on Nickajack. There’s a lot of strategy, and that’s what makes these split events fun – it challenges us as anglers to adapt quickly."
As for predictions, Wheeler expects it to take 50 pounds of bass to make the Knockout Round cut from Chickamauga, while advancing from the Knockout to the Championship Round on Nickajack Lake could require upwards of 100 pounds.
On Saturday and Sunday, anglers will launch at 7:15 a.m. ET from the Tennessee Riverpark, located at 4301 Amnicola Highway in Chattanooga. The takeout on those days will be held at the same location, beginning at 3:45 p.m.
The event will feature anglers competing with a 2-pound minimum weight requirement for a bass to be deemed scorable. The MLF Fisheries Management Division determines minimum weights for each body of water that the Bass Pro Tour visits, based on the productivity, bass population and anticipated average size of fish in each fishery.
The full field of anglers will compete in the two-day Qualifying Round on Thursday and Friday on Lake Chickamauga. From there, the pro with the heaviest two-day total will advance directly to Sunday’s Championship Round on Nickajack Lake. Anglers who finish 2nd through 20th will advance to Saturday’s Knockout Round on Nickajack. In the Knockout Round, weights are zeroed, and the remaining anglers compete to finish in the Top 9 to advance to Sunday’s Championship Round, when weights are again zeroed, and the highest one-day total wins the top prize of $150,000.
The MLFNOW! broadcast team of Chad McKee and J.T. Kenney will down the extended action live on all four days of competition from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. ET. MLFNOW! is livestreamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com, the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) app and Rumble.
