The final day of practice for the Tackle Warehouse Pro Circuit Presented by MillerTech at Douglas Lake has been a damp affair, with Ryan Lachniet, tied by points for second in the 7 Brew Angler of the Year standings, taking us along for the ride. Lachniet, a young Virginia pro, is off to a great start to the season with three Top 25 finishes and a Top 10 in the opener at the Harris Chain. However, he's out of his comfort zone in some ways, but more than capable of a good finish despite his doubts.
On the final day of practice, Lachniet is determined to find a shallow bite that suits his strengths. He's not idling for schools offshore, but rather looking for a bite that will help him shine. As soon as he launches his boat, he realizes he needs rain gear, and the misty, light rain will be a feature throughout the morning.
Lachniet starts his fishing journey on a steep rock bank, tentatively looking for a shad spawn. Unfortunately, the shad are scarce, and he moves on. He then drops the trolling motor on another bluffier bank, fishing his way into a pocket and then a dock, hunting for irregularity. He pops a fish off the back corner and puts it on the scale, impressed with the 2.47-pound catch.
Lachniet continues down the bank, poking and probing around docks, shallow wood, and vegetation. He spots a fish seemingly inches from the boat and drops his bait, getting a positive reaction. He then gets on the phone, and it's fair to assume he's chatting with Drew Gill, Connor Jacob, or both. Lachniet and his fishing buddies are having a good time, joking about the "huge shad spawn" and video games, while also deep in the nitty-gritty of fishing.
Lachniet zips up to a bridge, noting bass on his LiveScope and catching a few on a jerkbait. However, Gill is against this, preferring the fish to be caught on tournament day. Despite this, there seem to be plenty of bass in Douglas. Lachniet then moves on to shallow waters, trolling a ChatterBait and a popper in flooding grass, but spots carp and shad, not bass.
Lachniet starts hitting pockets, docks, and irregularities, seeing some fish but deliberately not hooking them. He then shakes off a big one, maybe 3 or 4 pounds, and wrangles with a little fish that wanted his bait so badly it came back up to take it off the surface. He admits that his shallow picking and poking might not be a winning program, but things seem to be going alright.
Lachniet, a tournament junkie, has fished three events with MLF this year, plus Bassmaster Opens and local competitions. He has an impressive collection of fishing gear, including dead worms, minnows, jigheads, and nail weights. Despite his disorganized cockpit, Lachniet is a pro at finding what he needs quickly.
As the weather clears, Lachniet buckles down for the last hours, determined to make the Top 10. He's confident in his shallow stuff, knowing he'll catch a bunch of fish, but unsure if they'll be good ones. He admits that the story of everyone's week is that they don't know if they'll catch good ones, but he's sure some people have schools they think they'll catch good ones out of.
In conclusion, Lachniet's journey at Douglas Lake showcases his determination, adaptability, and fishing prowess. Despite the challenges and uncertainties, he remains focused on his strengths and is confident in his ability to make a strong finish. The article highlights the excitement and unpredictability of bass fishing, leaving readers eager to follow along and see if Lachniet can secure a top spot.
