Cabela’s/GEICO For Your Boat Pro Mike McClelland ‘Due’ for Bassmaster Success

DETROIT (Aug. 26) — Cabela’s/GEICO For Your Boat angler Mike McClelland hasn’t had the kind of success he’s used to during the 2015 Bassmaster Elite Series season, but he hopes for a turnaround at the Plano Bassmaster Elite Series tournament this week at Lake St. Clair.

 

“I do kinda feel like I’m due,” McClelland said. “It’s been a rough stretch the last five events. It’s been a while since I’ve had a slowdown like this. I’ve been pretty consistent the last few years, and things have been going really well. It’s definitely a humbling sport when you wake up and realize you haven’t been catching them as good as you normally do.

 

“You have your highs and lows in this sport, just like in any other sport. You’ve just got to keep on digging down and working hard and eventually it will all turn around.”

 

McClelland, a seven-time winner on the Elite Series tour, sits 74th in the Toyota Angler of the Year standings. The top 36 are locked in the GEICO Bassmaster Classic, though McClelland can still make it into fishing’s top tournament. A victory on Lake St. Clair would be a big step, though finding quality fish has been a problem this week.

 

“As a whole, the bite’s a lot better than it was two years ago when we were up here,” McClelland said. “But it’s a little difficult for some of us to find quality. I’ve been on a lot of fish this week, but as far as quality bites, I haven’t had them yet.

 

“I’m hoping as the tournament starts and I start fishing a little more thoroughly through the areas I’ve been catching fish in that some of the bigger ones come along.”

 

Cooler weather greeted the pro anglers this week, with higher winds creating large waves on Lake St. Clair, but that hasn’t been an issue for McClelland.

 

“It’s been pleasantly cool,” McClelland said. “The wind’s blown quite hard all week, so that hasn’t been very pleasant when you’re on lakes like this. It tends to make some big ol’ waves out there, but that’s one nice thing about having the equipment we have. With this 21-foot Stratos boat with the 250 motor on it, you can still maneuver and get around that stuff.”

Cabela’s/GEICO For Your Boat angler Mike McClelland hopes for a turnaround at the Plano Bassmaster Elite Series tournament this week at Lake St. Clair.