“We had some rain the last tournament and I did real good, but I went over there Saturday and the water is getting a lot clearer,” said Wagner who finished 3^rd in that July 13 tournament with nearly a 3-pound average for five fish.

“But we are starting to see them chasing shad a little bit up shallow. It’s hard to catch a good one doing that. Flipping will probably be the best tactic, flipping the deeper docks and flipping wood.”

Wagner said he will probably spend most of his time working the same areas with a crankbait, a Bandit 100 or Bandit 200, and casting on points and rocks and stumps that you can’t see.

“The key will be finding the right creek that has baitfish moving towards the back – and finding the quality fish in the back of the creek,” he said. “Old Hickory is not my favorite lake, but it is really a good lake. It suits my style of fishing; I love fishing shallow.”

Wagner is no stranger to the top level of the Music City Points standings. He won the title in 2013 and finished second in 2011 and 2003. He also is currently ranked 10^th in the Choo Choo Division points race.

He has won more than $308,000 in FLW events with 41 top 10 finishes, including 9 wins, in 115 tournaments. He won the Walmart Bass Fishing League All-American in 2009 and placed second in 2005.

Wagner said he figures the winning weight for the two-day tournament will be around 24-26 pounds, but 9 pounds probably will be enough to make the top 10 percent who will qualify to fish the second day. The 2015 points title will be settled this weekend, too, he noted.

“I think if I catch one or two fish I will win the points again. I’ve got a 29-point lead. But that is not what I am fishing for. I am going to fish to win.”

 

Walmart BFL – Music City Division Super

August 29 – 30, 2015

Old Hickory Lake

Bulls Creek Access (Flipper’s)

www.flwfishing.com