Post by txbasser on Jun 16, 2005 15:04:40 GMT -6
I posted this on one of my other sites, and thought y'all might be interested.
Roger
Don't know if most of y'all are aware I am fishing one of the new circuits here in Big D that now fishes on Sunday. Since both of my kids are in sports pretty much every Saturday, it put a damper on my Saturday activities.
Prefishing: Since this is my home lake, I felt I did not need to do allot of prefishing, as the only thing I felt I need was to find a place where I could get a morning bite. Past experience has taught me that whatever fish you have by 10AM are the ones you are bring to weigh-in.
Strategy: My goal this year has been "KISS". Stick with what you know works, and don't try to get creative out on water during a tournament. Time is limited so come to the show with a gameplan and backup and follow it. Don't start second guessing yourself out on the water.
Prior Take-Off Tournament Day: Luckily I was able to get some sleep before the tournament. Don't know why, must have been the fight I had with wife in the AM. Got to launch ramp and as usual, there are a few Bassers that are quite inconsiderate. The Marina we launched has a nice ramp and courtesy dock for lauching & beaching, but as usual you have many that think the courtesy dock is a place to keep your boat tied up to while you are in the parking lot drinking coffee and telling big fish stories to the crowded. The rest of us have to idle around looking for a place to beach your boat that is a good distance from the ramp, which lead to long delays at the ramp. Same scenario with boat livewell check.... you suppose to drive by with your livewells open so the official can see they are empty. Well, would you know it... we got some more bassers that think that is a good place to tie up you boat and leave it, so you can't drive by but coast up then have to do a reverse and pull away.
Tournament: I was boat #20 out of I think 65 boats. Conditions were great that morning. Wind out of the SE around 10MPH which was going to make my RipRap area come alive. Finally got to take off and was running to 1st spot. Usually when I don't see allot of boat around me when I am going to my spot, I get a little nervous because I think oh' boy.... don't look good if nobody has found the fish I am fishing for.
Got to first spot and started fishing with a small crankbait. Wind was pushing the baitfish up next to the rocks and also making the water a little dirty. Ideal conditions. 15 minutes later, hooked into my first fish... a solid 4 lbr. This fish must have been red headed because it did not want to stay in the water. It jumped, jumped, and jumped some more. I got the fish close to the boat and could see it was only hooked by the back hook, so I hoped it would hold. Fish saw the next, got spook and jumped right next to the boat and threw my crank sky high. Man, did that hurt. I was pizzed, but realized there was nothing I could do, so I had to refocus and get back in the game. Kept fishing and 15 mins later hooked into a 3 lbr and got him in the livewell. Things were taking shape, but I knew I had better get a couple of more fish before the bite shut off. Made a pass at my area again and picked up another 1.5 lbr and put him in the boat. I had made 3 passes in my spot and hooked into 3 fish and put 2 in the livewell. Made another pass and picked up 2 dinks and a nice catfish. Made another pass and fished the spot using a worm and could not get anything. The sun now was pretty much up and the fishing and shut off. It was now close to 11AM so I decided to try some well known community holes to see if I could try a big bite. Caught several dinks, but nothing that would come close to putting in the livewell. Fished the rest of the day in a couple of areas, but same results. Came back to my first area and worked it with a Trap hoping for something but it was over.
Summary: I had all of my fish by 8AM and did not put another in the livewell. I think I was on the right pattern for an early bite, but need to come up with something to put fish the boat when the sun gets high in the sky. End Result was 2 fish for 4.41 lbs. Official results are not posted but last heard 12.xx lbs won the event. Goal this year due to limited fishing time and was to make the Championship for this circuit and go all out for the ultimate win.
Roger
Don't know if most of y'all are aware I am fishing one of the new circuits here in Big D that now fishes on Sunday. Since both of my kids are in sports pretty much every Saturday, it put a damper on my Saturday activities.
Prefishing: Since this is my home lake, I felt I did not need to do allot of prefishing, as the only thing I felt I need was to find a place where I could get a morning bite. Past experience has taught me that whatever fish you have by 10AM are the ones you are bring to weigh-in.
Strategy: My goal this year has been "KISS". Stick with what you know works, and don't try to get creative out on water during a tournament. Time is limited so come to the show with a gameplan and backup and follow it. Don't start second guessing yourself out on the water.
Prior Take-Off Tournament Day: Luckily I was able to get some sleep before the tournament. Don't know why, must have been the fight I had with wife in the AM. Got to launch ramp and as usual, there are a few Bassers that are quite inconsiderate. The Marina we launched has a nice ramp and courtesy dock for lauching & beaching, but as usual you have many that think the courtesy dock is a place to keep your boat tied up to while you are in the parking lot drinking coffee and telling big fish stories to the crowded. The rest of us have to idle around looking for a place to beach your boat that is a good distance from the ramp, which lead to long delays at the ramp. Same scenario with boat livewell check.... you suppose to drive by with your livewells open so the official can see they are empty. Well, would you know it... we got some more bassers that think that is a good place to tie up you boat and leave it, so you can't drive by but coast up then have to do a reverse and pull away.
Tournament: I was boat #20 out of I think 65 boats. Conditions were great that morning. Wind out of the SE around 10MPH which was going to make my RipRap area come alive. Finally got to take off and was running to 1st spot. Usually when I don't see allot of boat around me when I am going to my spot, I get a little nervous because I think oh' boy.... don't look good if nobody has found the fish I am fishing for.
Got to first spot and started fishing with a small crankbait. Wind was pushing the baitfish up next to the rocks and also making the water a little dirty. Ideal conditions. 15 minutes later, hooked into my first fish... a solid 4 lbr. This fish must have been red headed because it did not want to stay in the water. It jumped, jumped, and jumped some more. I got the fish close to the boat and could see it was only hooked by the back hook, so I hoped it would hold. Fish saw the next, got spook and jumped right next to the boat and threw my crank sky high. Man, did that hurt. I was pizzed, but realized there was nothing I could do, so I had to refocus and get back in the game. Kept fishing and 15 mins later hooked into a 3 lbr and got him in the livewell. Things were taking shape, but I knew I had better get a couple of more fish before the bite shut off. Made a pass at my area again and picked up another 1.5 lbr and put him in the boat. I had made 3 passes in my spot and hooked into 3 fish and put 2 in the livewell. Made another pass and picked up 2 dinks and a nice catfish. Made another pass and fished the spot using a worm and could not get anything. The sun now was pretty much up and the fishing and shut off. It was now close to 11AM so I decided to try some well known community holes to see if I could try a big bite. Caught several dinks, but nothing that would come close to putting in the livewell. Fished the rest of the day in a couple of areas, but same results. Came back to my first area and worked it with a Trap hoping for something but it was over.
Summary: I had all of my fish by 8AM and did not put another in the livewell. I think I was on the right pattern for an early bite, but need to come up with something to put fish the boat when the sun gets high in the sky. End Result was 2 fish for 4.41 lbs. Official results are not posted but last heard 12.xx lbs won the event. Goal this year due to limited fishing time and was to make the Championship for this circuit and go all out for the ultimate win.