Hartman eyeing second title in Bassmaster Elite lead at Lake Guntersville
New York pro Jamie Hartman has taken the lead on Day 3 of the FXR Bassmaster Elite at Lake Guntersville with a total of 67 pounds. Photo by Seigo Saito/B.A.S.S.
SCOTTSBORO, Ala. — Jamie Hartman‘s no meteorologist, but the New York pro currently leading the FXR Bassmaster Elite at Lake Guntersville with 67 pounds is predicting a manmade tempest.
Hartman, who won the 2019 Bassmaster Elite event at Guntersville, placed 14th on Day 1 with 20-12 before rising to second with a Day 2 limit of 23-4. On Semifinal Saturday, Hartman’s 23-pound limit pushed him into the lead by a margin of 1-14 over Wes Logan.
When Bassmaster Emcee Dave Mercer reminded Hartman of the fierce storm that blew across Guntersville right after his trophy presentation, Hartman’s response reflected his pedal-to-the-metal game plan.
“There’s a storm forecast and I’m bringing it,” Hartman boldly stated.
Spending his time south of the tournament site at Goose Pond, Hartman has been targeting fish along grassedges and in grass pockets. He hasn’t established specific targets; rather, he’s working through his area and looking for pods of active fish.
“I’m just following them and just trying to run into batches of them,” Hartman said. “When I Spot-Lock, it’s like boom, boom, boom. They just keep coming.”
Hartman said he’s watching for the bait schools the bass are following, but he’s also just fishing through the area.
“If I see the bait, I go to it and I catch ’em,” he said. “If I don’t see it, then I just start picking away and (the bass) are just running in bunches.”
Hartman said his days have been starting slowly with only a few bites. Once the light switch flips, the action justifies the fast-and-furious cliche.
“It just takes a little bit for them to get going,” Hartman said. “These fish are shallow — 3-8 feet — so they’re feeling (the cold mornings). Once they get warmed up, they get going.”
Hartman has been trying to conserve his spot by getting what he feels he needs to be competitive. Even with that measured approach, his area’s population has kept him busy.
“I’m running through some numbers,” Hartman said, as he displayed a thumb abraded from lipping numerous bass. “I backed off yesterday and tried to move around; the day before I backed off and tried to expand.
“Today, I leaned on it a little more because I didn’t get that big bite, so I ran through some fish. I caught 30-40 fish a day.”
Hartman has been catching his fish on a technique much different from what most of the field has been doing. He’s keeping the details under wraps, but he’s optimistic that he can generate quality as well as quantity.
“These guys are getting big bites but that’s something I’m missing,” Hartman said. “I did catch a 6 on Day 2, but (other competitors) are getting 7-pounders, big 6’s. I think they’re just holding off. I’m getting mine tomorrow.”
Logan, who makes his home in Springville, Ala., is the only other pro in Championship Sunday’s Top 10 finale to break 20 pounds each day. With a total weight of 65-2, his limit catches were 20-8, 20-9 and 24-1.
Focusing his efforts on grassedges, Logan has caught most of his fish on a 1/2-ounce green pumpkin Z-Man ChatterBait JackHammer with a green pumpkin Zoom Shimmer Shad trailer.
“The day started out really bad and I got a bite around 9 o’clock and it was a 6-pounder,” Logan said. “I had a blessed afternoon. I went about an hour flurry where I started getting some bites.
“In my general area, it seems like there’s some decent quality. I don’t know if there are any great big ones, but I’ll take 24 again for sure. One of those G’ville 8-pounders will be nice, but I think is a man can get six to eight bites out there, he has a chance, because you always have the opportunity of catching that 24- to 26-pound bag.”
One of the event’s local favorites, Logan notched his second Elite win last year at the Lowrance Bassmaster Elite at Lake Tenkiller (he also won the 2021 Whataburger Bassmaster Elite at Neely Henry Lake). With a solid record on Guntersville, he’s eager to close the deal on this Tennessee River reservoir.
“This place owes me a blue trophy,” Logan said. “This is my third Elite here and I (previously) finished second and fourth. We’re gonna have a shot at this one.”
Stetson Blaylock of Benton, Ark., is in third with 64-5. He has caught daily weights of 18-12, 22-14 and 22-11.
Blaylock has located a drain in the back of a major creek where fish are moving into prespawn positioning. The creek has a lot of threadfin shad, so he’s matching the natural forage with a 5-inch YUM Money Minnow rigged on a 3/8-ounce Scottsboro Tackle swimbait head.
“Practice was tough, so being able to find a few areas and key in on what the fish were doing was a lot of fun,” Blaylock said. “Tomorrow’s a new day, this weather keeps changing and I’m not sure what’s gonna happen.
“I know there are still a lot of fish in this area. I really need to catch more than one of those (big fish) tomorrow. I feel really good about some bites. I just need to catch like 24-25 pounds.”
Sunday’s takeoff is scheduled for 7 a.m. CT at Goose Pond. The weigh-in will be held at the same location at 3 p.m.
Championship Sunday coverage of the FXR Bassmaster Elite at Lake Guntersville can be found on FS1 from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. with afternoon action to follow on Bassmaster.com.
This event is being hosted by Mountain Lakes Chamber of Commerce.
2026 Bassmaster Elite Series Title Sponsor: Progressive
2026 Bassmaster Elite Series Platinum Sponsor: Progressive, Toyota
2026 Bassmaster Elite Series Premier Sponsors: Bass Pro Shops, Humminbird, Mercury, Mountain Dew, Minn Kota, Nitro Boats, Ranger Boats, Rapala, Skeeter Boats, Yamaha
2026 Bassmaster Elite Series Supporting Sponsors: AFTCO, Daiwa, Lew’s, Lowrance, Phoenix Boats, VMC, Yokohama
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