Current flowing into or out of creeks turns tight-lipped bass into aggressive feeders, but Coffeeville's current is sporadic, as it is created by traffic using the lock. If you are fishing a tournament, this makes decisions difficult when you have fish located.

"Before a weekend tournament," Owen recalled, "I fished a creek mouth and immediately caught a couple of 3-pound bass. During the tournament, I was the first one there and after fishing it hard for 90 minutes finally caught a 12-inch fish. I went up the river and returned at 11 o'clock. My buddy was there, and he had just caught a bass weighing 7 pounds, 15 ounces. It was the biggest fish I've seen this year."

Owen fishes creek mouths with Series 200 and 300 Bandit crankbaits in either chartreuse or crawfish colors.

Like Shehan, during midday, ledges are Owen's primary pattern in May. And even though he targets largemouths instead of spotted bass, his technique is the same. He fishes as deep as Shehan, but he also includes water as shallow as 7 feet.

If Owen is unsuccessful fishing ledges, he moves to blowdowns and starts working cover next to the bank where it enters the water.

"Start shallow and work deep," he instructed. "Thoroughly work all depths from 3 to 15 feet. Not searching from top to bottom is the biggest mistake fishermen make. Keep an open mind until you know where they are holding on the cover."

To pick up aggressive fish, Owen's first lure is a spinnerbait, followed by a crankbait.

"That suits my personality;" he revealed, "I like to fish as fast as possible. The last lure I use is the plastic lizard."

For probing the lower depths of blowdowns, Owen rigs his lizard Texas style with a 3/8-ounce sinker and fishes it on 50-pound-test braid.

For current fishing information, visit A&D Sporting Goods off SR 17 in Gilbertown, or call (251) 843-5885. Owen recommends launching at Lenoir Landing east of Womack Hill or at the Service Park off U.S. 84. Lenoir is just above the refuge, and the Service Park is near the dam.