Story by Robert Wroblewski | Photos by Tanner & Travis Lyons
Stop 3 of the National Professional Fishing League on Lake Douglas is officially in the books—and to be honest, I just didn’t get it done.
Going into this event, I felt more prepared than I ever have. Before the off-limits period, I spent a lot of time on the lake graphing, scouting, and marking over 200 waypoints. I was covering everything: bushes, trees, brush piles, rocky points, boulders, manmade structures, and pea gravel. I wanted to go into this one with a game plan that would give me a real shot at winning … or at least making a deep run. I worked hard, maybe even too hard. Now I’m left wondering.
Did I over-prepare or just prepare the wrong way?
Douglas is a typical TVA lake. During the winter, they drop the water level drastically—sometimes by 30 to 40 feet—for flood control. Some lakes fish well during the drawdown, and others don’t start firing until they hit full pool. I knew from the start that when Douglas was full, bushes, willow trees, and submerged timber would play a major role in holding fish. That’s where I focused most of my attention.
On Day 1 of official practice, I started scanning and locating most of my offshore piles and rocky structure. I fished offshore hard for over five hours and managed just one solid 3-pounder. That was my first red flag. If you’re spending most of a practice day just to catch a single quality fish, you’re not on the juice. So, I pivoted and started fishing shallow—hitting bushes, trees, and laydowns. Immediately, I saw better results. Not giants, but steady keepers.
It wasn’t just about catching fish; I wanted to understand their behavior. So I started using the Clutch Darter to draw out bigger fish without committing to a hookset. I was tracking movement and attitude—seeing which fish were travelers and which were residential. I even went back hours later to those spots to confirm who was staying put. I was building a pattern, a plan that gave me 10- to 13-pound bags. With a few swings at the “right” ones, I was bumping that to 14 to 16 pounds in practice. At the time, I felt dialed.
But tournament day is the great equalizer.
Over the course of three days, my numbers were consistent—but the size never showed up. I caught fish, sure, but not the ones I needed. If you had told me I’d finish 90th before the event started, I would’ve laughed. But now I’m shaking my head in disbelief at how far I fell off the mark. That finish dropped me from 17th to 40th in the Angler of the Year race—23 spots! That stings.
Looking back, I missed two key opportunities. On Day 3 of the event, the top of the field launched first, and I noticed nearly every boat headed east toward the river. I hadn’t even touched that water all practice. My reasons? I don’t like floating debris, and I’ve always shied away from dirtier water. But that bias cost me—badly. After watching the post-event LIVE footage, it was clear many top guys were flipping logs in the backs of coves, targeting exactly the kind of cover I ignored.
I fished like everyone else: swim jigs, flipping jigs, Texas rigs, ChatterBaits, and topwater. I fished where I was confident—in cleaner water, mostly west of the ramp in creeks like Muddy Creek and Flat Creek. But that comfort zone didn’t produce, and the water near the dam was colder, clearer, and less active.
Now, with three events left and only one of them on a lake I’ve seen before, I have zero room for error. Logan Martin is our final stop—and I struggled there last year. If I want to make the Top 40 Championship, which is my main goal this season, I need to deliver. Winning an NPFL event is also high on my list, but right now, consistency is everything.
I know who I am as a fisherman. I know how hard I work, and I know I’m capable of big things. But right now, talk doesn’t mean much. I’ve got to produce. I’ve got to finish. Looking ahead to Lake Eufaula in Oklahoma, I’m ready to fight for this season and remind everyone—and especially myself—what I’m capable of.
Time to get back on track.
Robert Wroblewski – Angler Profile
