CHARLOTTE, N.C. — You can’t overstate the value of local knowledge and Cody Hoyle proved this point en route to leading Day 2 of the Turtlebox Bassmaster Open at Lake Norman presented by Battery Tender by a narrow margin.
Five years after winning the Bassmaster Open on this Catawba River impoundment, the Mooresboro, N.C., angler tallied a two-day total of 34 pounds, 4 ounces. After finding himself part of a three-way Day 1 tie for 11th place with 14-14, Hoyle added 19-6 — the event’s heaviest bag — and heads into Championship Saturday with a 6-ounce lead over Progressive Bassmaster Elite Series pro Kyoya Fujita.
“I have three generations of knowledge on this lake,” said Hoyle, who’s on pace to easily surpass his three-day 2021 total of 40-4.
That insight came into play, both in terms of overall game plan and the willingness to give unlikely scenarios a chance to shine.
“The key is running as many docks as you can,” Hoyle said. “I lost count of how many I ran. It was over 50.
“My biggest one today was 4 1/2. It was better this morning when the wind blew. It’s so clear, the surface disturbance just gives them cover up shallow.”
The strategic part was evident in how Hoyle did not let current lake conditions dissuade him. With Lake Norman’s water level sitting several feet below normal spring pool, many docks stand in meager depths, but according to Hoyle, the fish are still holding to their traditional preferences.
“The low water doesn’t matter; they’re still up there,” he said. “Those fish will get under a dock with 4 inches of water under it. Nobody’s messing with them because they think it’s too shallow. There’s no such thing.”
Hoyle said he observed an algae bloom in parts of the lake. Experience has shown him that this tends to drive fish away from such waters, so he looked for areas with better clarity and hard bottom.
“I focused on docks with round poles,” Hoyle said. “I don’t know what it is, but they just like it better than a square pole. I think because of the full moon, they’re pulling up and some of them are trying to bed.
“Isolated docks and larger docks with shade are good. Also, if it has some brush or (sunken) Christmas trees on it, that’s good.”
Hoyle kept his bait details under wraps, but he noted that he kept multiple options handy.
“It was a junk fishing mix,” he said. “I might throw a shaky head for a little bit or I might pick up a glidebait for a little bit.”
After Thursday’s calm, warm complexion, Day 2 brought cooler air temperatures and breezier conditions. While that change diminished the morning shad spawn that he fished on Day 1, Hoyle said the second-round weather helped his cause.
“The difference today was the wind blew,” he said. “If it’ll blow tomorrow, I can probably replicate. I beat up my areas for two days, so I don’t know if they’ll produce, but I’m gonna try it.”
Fujita, who hails from Yamanishi, Japan is in second place with 33-14. Fujita placed fifth on Day 1 with 16-5 and gained three spots with a second-round bag that went 17-9.
Fujita said he ran up the Catawba River where he looked for the cleanest water he could find. He caught all of his fish on swimbaits; specifically, the Jackall Dead Stroller and the Jackall Vividus.
“I fished one area that was about less than one mile long,” Fujita said. “I had five different spots within this area and I moved back and forth between these spots. I was using a medium retrieve.
“I caught fish all day and caught about 15 fish.”
Day 1 leader Darold Gleason of Leesville, La., dipped to third with a two-day total of 31-3. After setting the pace with an opening limit of 18-12, Gleason added 12-7.
The first angler to weigh on Day 1, Gleason took off at the opposite end of the field today.
“Being a later boat number this morning cost me my early bite, so I didn’t get a lot of action early,” Gleason said. “It just took a while to find a rhythm. I caught a few in an area and I thought it would settle me down, but it really didn’t.
“It was just slow. I depleted most of my good ones yesterday.”
Gleason caught a mid-morning break when he found a sizable bed fish. Pitching a Texas-rigged Strike King Rage Bug tempted that fish, while skipping a Neko-rigged Strike King Ocho stickworm produced the rest of his weight.
“After catching that bed fish, I ran new water,” Gleason said. “Every time I would fish water I had already fished, I would not catch a bass. I was very proud to grind out what I did.
“It was hard, but there are enough big fish here that anything can happen.”
Ryan Broughman of Corapeake, N.C., holds the Phoenix Boats Big Bass lead with a 5-12.
Saturday’s takeoff is scheduled for 7 a.m. ET at Blythe Landing. The weigh-in will be held at the same location at 3 p.m.
Follow along with all of the action from the Turtlebox Bassmaster Open at Lake Norman presented by Battery Tender on Bassmaster.com.
Visit Lake Norman is hosting this event.