The Basin

I finished in 50th place, just inside the money cut at the last central BASS open at the Atchafalaya Basin. This is my best finish ever at this level. People tell me I should be happy, proud etc etc but in reality I am still very disappointed in my overall performance in this derby. I found an area in the spillway which had virtually no pressure which was very unique and way way different than the popular areas which were being fished such as lake Verrett and other cypress or grass lakes. The spillway was flooded approx 3-4 ft allowing the fish to get over the bank and spread out in the trees making them impossible to get at. I searched and searched the north spillway to find an area which had cleaner water and banks which would not allow the fish to get out. Well I found it, little pigeon bayou. The fish were there and they ate every day I just did not figure the subtle pattern out day to day to get a limit each day. There was a suspended crank bait pattern working day one and it shut down on day two but a very shallow flipping bite turned on day two which I did not recognize til maybe 11am and it was a 45 min run to the area leaving me only a couple of hours to get a limit which I only filled two of the five slots. What I am disappointed in is my failure to execute once I found an area holding fish. I do like my performance in practice as far as putting the time in finding fish which were not pressured and all but I hate the fact that I still could not keep up with the daily pattern thing to go ahead and fill my limit out. A limit a day would have let me do much much better in the standings, a simple limit. It did not happen. So, there is still lots and lots of work to be done and it all starts in early January with my season opener at Falcon, if I get in. I know it kinda sounds sick but I cannot wait.

Santee on to the Basin

I went to Santee Cooper with very little practice time available but also with some previous experience on the reservoir, albeit not in the fall. I kinda relied on my strategy of picking apart an area somewhat close to the ramp, so I could spend the maximum amount of time with a hook in the water. Reports on Taw Caw, Wyboo and Potato creeks were promising prior to my arrival and I made the decision to spend most of my practice period in those creeks fishing boathouses with deeper water out in front of them. I did practice up in the stump hole swamp area for two half days knowing that the resident fish population is pretty stable but I had mixed results and stayed with the boat dock pattern on day one. I had a half dozen bites day one and luckily one was close to 4 pounds with another bump fish that is all I put in the jug on day one. Day two rolled around and I decided to take a chance and run to the swamp knowing the pressure on the docks would have to increase as weights were way down after day one. Pitching nail weighted senkos to cypress knees boated lots of bump fish but never a kicker so I put 5 swimmers in the jug for just around 6 lbs. As it turns out the winner of the event was fishing the swamp the entire time just doing something different than I was. Pitching blades and square bills in between select cypress was his pattern fishing for 5 key bites a day and it worked out for him to the tune of 17lbs on day 3. I learned to broaden my bait selection per area after learning the winning pattern and technique. Kinda makes me a little sick knowing I was practicing in the right area and also that 8lbs a day would have put me on the bubble come cut day but I could not get that done. I also learned a great deal regarding fishing cypress and I hope to utilize that in the upcoming event at the Basin.

Toledo Bend wrap up and Santee upcoming

OK, so yesterday we what I consider to be ideal conditions for active bass on a big bass lake. Big time pre-frontal conditions, overcast skies, brisk S-SW wind, and clean water around hydrilla you dream about, green crisp and crunchy. I had a limit spot and went to it first thing, maybe an hour, hour and a half, caught 8-10 sub keeper fish and left it. The rest of the day I sat on my original group of fish, clean deep grass lines in 14-20 ft, lots of wood and one other boat in there. Ideal, I was psyched up. My non boater and me both hooked one keeper apiece.....zzzzzz.....

Weights that day were way under expectations. Approx 8lbs was in like 30th place..

Today, the front had passed, a stiff north wind was howling, 2-3 footers, high blue and 20 degrees cooler. In my mind, a drop shot would never leave my hand and I would sit on my deeper school fish associating to the bait mainly and loosely to break lines near ridges and underwater points. I netted no keepers in a half days effort and only 3 fish over all running 4 separate spots 3 times over. I went to the back of Palo Gaucho and started junking my butt off trying to save some face but to no avail, no keepers were found. Over all today I had 6 bites, terrible.

I really felt lost out there today. I really need to get keen to fish in transition and in a hurry. These last two derbys I have been burned by moving fish, or at least I believe that is the issue. Next comes Santee, and only minimal practice time, to me this whole event will be in practice/search mode.

Final Stren of the year

So tomorrow I get to take on the fish on this big momma.

Reports prior to me arriving at the border were good, fish holding to deep grass lines and 16-18 lbs was not a huge effort. Through the week though, the weather conditions have been all over the map and recently stabilized into just a lot of rain, and I do mean a lot, lake rose a reported 12-14 inches over night. So fishing has been rather tough. Just trying to find a group of fish to present to has been really difficult. Yesterday and today I have managed to locate a couple of 'loose' groupings which I plan to go to. Thankfully they are spots I can hit no matter the wind direction but there is a catch, they are 15 miles apart easy. I do need some breeze but not while I am driving the boat lanes.

One group of fish are relating to a grass flat along a deeply wooded bank, kinda spread through out. Depending on the daily kinda pattern going on all I know is there are fish there, around at least. Most in the 3-4 lb class and I hope to get into a mess of those time and weather permitting.

The other group of fish are just south of the Pendelton bridge and they are roamers relating again loosely to a point coming up to 12 foot of water right in the middle of a boat lane. Wave as you go by... Schooling action is there and you can sight fish some targets with your graph on a shot as well. Fish in the 1.5 to 3 lb class are abundant and I hope to score 5 of those first thing and then head south in search of a kicker or 3.

Every rod is gonna be on the deck and it is trash fishing mania, but I really do have confidence if I can get to my fish and actually work em regardless of the weather going on around me.

The Bend In Fall Mike Haggerty

Well the Bend in transition at least. Finally, finally I am headed to east Texas once again for an event on Toledo Bend. The last time I fished here I had a terrible time just putting 5 fish in the boat. Guess what,...the lake was in transition then too. Joy. I DO realize that a lot of this anxiety going on for me right now is a mental thing and maybe some handle it better than others but...for me....it is hard to get previous bad experiences out of my melon and get a fresh outlook on a lake, add the fact that I am not the best angler when it comes to fish moving around quickly, I am not talking about moving around seasonally but more like daily or hourly even. I do relish the opportunity to refine my tactics in just such a situation and I have been practicing these scenarios here on Old Hickory. The weather has been swinging pretty much every day going from high skies and wind to all day rain and calm conditions just about every 18 to 24 hours. Results mixed lol, Old Hickory is Old Hickory period, hell I think the entire lake is in transition all the time. So the initial strategy going in is to pare out as much water as I can and really try and pick apart a specific region of the lake and follow those fish around day after day treating every day kinda like my first day at the lake, no expectations or memories as to where the fish were yesterday, just try and find a region with a big population and look at it with an open mind every morning. I know it sounds simple but I expect it to be more difficult than stated as I am really in the habit of building on a previous days work. Let's see how it goes.

Bass Central Opens 2010

Mike Pharr: I am so excited about the BASS Central Opens next year. They cant get here fast enough. I have had some success at Amistad and know how to pattern and locate the fish there, have won on Red River, and had a 9Th at Texoma that should have been a solid 2ND the same time of year in 2008. Now I know past success is no guarantee that I will do good but it gives me a leg up on confidence going into the year. I have only fished 4 tournaments at the Pro level but I have learned that consistency is the key and over this last year have really worked on settling down and trying to not make the mistake of "putting my eggs in one basket" if you will. I am certain that if I go out, keep my head down, put all distractions aside I could really do this but if I am not careful and let the ole negative Nancy get the best of me after a bad start or bad practice this will be the first step to defeating myself. You see, consistency is the key but to be consistent you have got to be ultimately prepared for the mental game. I have got listen to my own preaching here and "GET IT DONE"! If I can somehow put it all together though I am worried about the decisions I may have to make the next year. Elites? Am I really ready for that? Maybe we will see...............

2010 Opens: Destinations and maps

2010 Opens: Destinations and maps

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Kentucky Lake

Last week I had the opportunity to fish Kentucky lake with a good friend of mine Dustin Evans.  We started out fishing somewhat out of the current in the mouth of the Big Sandy river targeting humps and ledges in and around 15 to 18 ft with only small fish to show for it.  Water was about 78 degrees and wind was calm but the current was ripping out on the main river.  The small fish plague followed us through many of our main lake spots and even into the creek channel humps and backs.  The grass has not come up where we fished though we did find some approx a foot tall in the mouth of bass bay but it was not holding fish for us.  About mid afternoon  we were so sick of trying to find 'the spot' we took a different approach and tried to weed out the rats on a spot and wait for the big ones to bite.  We dropped anchor mid current over a long skinny point with a large shell bed on it and went to work with big lips cranks and rigs even stroked an Omega jig in bluegill flavor 1oz.  After maybe 45 mins of rattage boom, Dustin hooked a nice bass and over the next 30 mins or so we took 18 lbs off the spot.  We did not venture as far south as the Elite series guys did and maybe we should have but we had fun where we were and learned something about that lake.   This lake is a total spot lake this time of year and patience is very very important.  Can't wait to get back there, what an awesome fishery.

Kill switch and life jacket

I have not harped on this at all on this blog but now is as good a time as any.  Day one on Amistad, cruising along as fast as foot and a half to two footers will allow, I broke one motor mount bolt and pulled the threads a half inch or so on another causing the motor to come loose on one side from the jackplate throwing the boat into a hard right turn.  This turn threw me from my seat slamming me into the passenger side fiberglass, pulling the kill switch after bouncing me off the center step.  If I would have had a passenger console I probably would have been hurt pretty bad but  I am still sore many days later from the incident.  If the situation would have happened just a little different I surely would have been ejected and yes that is bad.   If I would have been ejected, even with a hotfoot,  I still would have had to deal with a boat at idle doing slow right turns in big swells and the chances of getting back in the boat are pretty slim at best.   Drowning in that situation is a REAL possibility so I will just say, even in practice, even when the event director does not require it, wear your safety gear.  You can never predict what may or may not happen out there on the water and your vest and lanyard are your last line of defense if something bad happens.  Luck was on my side that day but if you read this blog you know that luck is not often in my corner.  Don't leave it to luck to save your ass.  

Big Blue

So here is what is going on for me on the big blue.  The weather has been stable for the last few days and is predicted to remain that way.  Air temps are rising into the low 90s in the afternoon and minimal cloud cover.  Winds have been gusty out of the SE just about every day approaching 10 to 15 sustained with maybe 20 mph gusts.  Water temps are holding pretty steady where I have been fishing in the mid 70s and of course it is about as clear as you could ever expect.  What I have been trying to do is find the deepest grass I can which is way up river in 30 to 35 ft of water and also in proximity of creek channel intersections, pretty textbook huh.  Boat control is a bit tough with gusty winds but marker buoys help for points of reference.  It is kind of go grind it out on main lake spots hoping a fraction of your casts make it into the strike zone.  The fish are there and they are eating bluegill imitation Omega 1oz promega jigs with a swimbait trailer, senko style and plum ol monster worms.  It is pretty hard to detect the strikes sometimes that deep in the wind but swimming the jig and kinda stroking it when it loads up with grass is somewhat easier, reaction strike I suppose.  The big girls are still kinda absent, best fish this trip would be a pair of 6s and an 8 and that is pretty weak for Amistad but I really have nothing to compare it to as this is my first visit.  On we go, event starts tomorrow and well, I am headed to the water.  

Practice

I have been at Amistad for a couple of days now and am yet to get on a decent dependable pattern.  Conditions are mainly sunny during the day with low clouds haze early and an occasional pop up thunderstorm late in the day.  Winds are always from the SE and howling, 20+ sustained and gusts much higher.  The landscape is so flat around here for the most part it is hard to get out of the wind and really I prefer to fish in the wind but this is ridiculous.  Water temps are in the high 70s to low 80s and gin clear.  If it were not for the wave action I would guess you could see 15 to 20 ft easy.  Early in the day I have been able to pitch senkos and jigs to cover in 6-8 ft of water and catch small fish here and there up to maybe 4lb.  As the day progresses I have been drifting with the wind where it is manageable and dragging a senko with decent numbers but still not the size I am looking for, maybe up to 5lb.  I am really searching for an area with trees in about 12 to 15 ft of water so I can wing my swimbait looking for a kicker fish or two.  I need to make this happen as a 3- 5 lb average will NOT cut it on game day.  I have fished some huge hydrilla flats in Evans and San Pedro up to 30+ ft.  Lots and lots of grass out deep starting a 12 going to 30+.  Today I am going to Tule and Zorro looking for huisache trees and drains cutting in and out of spawning flats.  I think I am going to have to fish much deeper than I am used to to find the big bite.  On we go... 

onward

Wheeler presented an opportunity to me to finally have a decent finish and I failed to capitalize on it.  I had a consistent pattern going all through practice, even though there was a post spawn 'funk' going on there were fish in the bushes and pads.  Black/red tubes and creatures flipped to what water remained under the bushes as well as some top water and swimmers through the pads produced fish for me and my colleagues all week.  I realized that the amount of boat traffic through my areas required me to expand my playing field for day two to some more expansive areas and less pressured areas.  This was not really a game day decision, I knew I needed to do this right after the weigh in day one and well I could not make it happen.  I ran to Limestone creek and fished the first main cut on the right and well my coangler smoked me in there, we then ran to the first point of Flint creek but those fish were NOT present at all then back to my Foxy area to fill my limit of short fish and we finished the day behind Decatur flats fishing tubes through the pads but could not cull up any.  I feel like my strategy was sound even though the water conditions changed a bit, I just could not get it done.  My roomie Dustin Evans from Memphis did though finishing 7th overall and I am really happy for him.  I will state this again, Wheeler is an under rated jewel in north Alabama offering a very diverse fishery just over an hour from Nashville.  If you get the chance to check it out I highly recommend it.  

So I am off to Amistad tomorrow.  Another storied lake I have never been to only read about.  With a little help from Troy and Mike (they bent over backwards, in the rain, at night, in a friggin parking lot) with some custom bream tilapia skirt jobs I hope to find some spawning or schooling gills to go and imitate to fool the big girls.  I have high expectations for this last event of the spring season even though I have never been on this water.  I feel something coming together here and lets hope I am right.

The search is on

I have really come to like Wheeler lake.  It offers a lot of different scenarios in a fairly compact size, if the wind does not blow hard.  Though I personally have not found the big bite I know there are nice fish here both green and brown.  My shallow bite has stayed very consistent through the week and this am we had some rain and that can only help to put a bit more color shallow and maybe and inch or two of depth back in the bushes.  Many areas of the lake are holding fish shallow but the size seems to max out at approx 2 lbs maybe a couple oz over if you stay with it and feel like culling Oz's.  I truly believe that these fish  are residents and simply have no need to move after the spawn.  Mild water temps and an abundance of cover and bait keep them there until the pads unfurl and they are getting bigger by the day.  Only question is,  where are the bigger bass???  For the last three days I have dedicated at least half the day to searching her out and well I have not been successful.  Someone has found them or will find a couple of them two days in a row and maybe that will be me or maybe not, all i can do is go searching again after I put 5 rats in the box.  A couple three to four lb bass will go a long way come end of day Thursday, I estimate the difference between 10 to 11 lbs and 13 to 14 lbs will be like 20 or more places on the leader board so.....the search goes on.......

Wheeler Practice

So fishing on Wheeler for the last few days has been great up to now.  Today I really struggled.  Fished down lake from the Elk river to the dam including first and second creeks, spring creek and a bunch of little main lake cuts along the main channel.  I caught one keeper all day, actually that was the only fish I caught all day.  William caught three keepers all day and a few very short fish but he wasn't really trying to catch the big girls.  Prior to today limits have been no issue but adding up to 11 or 12 lbs isn't going to cut it on game day so I really need to find a few kicker fish and well CATCH them.  Tomorrow's plan is to re check my shallow dealio and make sure the fish are still active but for this to work the water cannot drop out of the bottom of the bushes.  Always a worry on this lake.  A bit of rain would help my confidence level with that bite.  If the lake drops I will be kinda screwed but I'm sort of used to that lol.  Tomorrow is another day and I hope my confidence stays high.  

Wheeler

So Mercury finally did the right thing and sent me a powerhead and I just finished breaking it in.  I hope it stays together.  Put a fury prop on it and well that prop is pretty good to say the least.  Great hole shot, gained a few on the top end and handling is better across the whole powerband.  I will mess with the jackplate a bit and try and get some better numbers out of it but I would not doubt seeing 78 to 80 mph.  

Wheeler practice starts for me on Wed.  I have lived in TN for almost 3 yrs now and I still have not fished it.  I have heard that the majority of the spawn is done, that it is yet to come,  that there is no grass in the entire lake and also that that will make no difference.  What it comes down to is I just have to go and look for myself.  I cannot wait.

unexpected time off

The previously mentioned Mercury issues have kept me out of the PAA event on Neely Henry.  I am a bit peeved about that but I guess it is better than going down there just to have more issues and throwing 1500 away.  Two more cracks were found in the passenger side cylinder head and I think that is what finally changed the mind of Mercury's customer support, they are sending me a new undressed power head.  This news is good of course but I still have reservations about this.  I simply do not think that any mechanical assembly is causing the constant coil failures, a dressed power head may have been the best decision but what do I know, I am just a stupid fisherman, I have not gone to Mercury school.  

William Underwood took me out this last Sunday on Old Hickory in preparation for his upcoming fishers of men event this upcoming Saturday.  I was just happy to wet a line.  A lot of recent rain have turned the channel into pure mud but in the very very backs of creeks we did find some stained water.  Early in the day we saw low to mid 50s water temps and high skies and few bites but still some on crankbaits only, dirt shallow, later in the day we saw clouds and high winds but the bite improved.  We probably caught 18 pounds or so finding mid to high 50s for water and mid 70s for air with a cold front due to come in in the evening.  Fish ate both reaction bait and presentation baits, they were not picky and the closer we came to the fronts arrival the better the bite got.  Pretty much a textbook spring type deal.  Not sure what will happen to those fish come Saturday but they won't be far from where they were.  No signs of spawn yet, still little in the belly but growing goose eggs.  I predict 18 to 20 lbs for a single day event.  

Boat should be done by mid week then it's off to Alabama to see what the deal is on Wheeler.  I CANNOT WAIT TO HAVE A BOAT AGAIN>>>

Mercury Again

Here is a list of the issues my Mercury 250 ProXS has had since it was new.  It is an 07 build with approx. 190 hours on it.

7/14/07 Mounting Cover Failure

8/22/07 Adp Plate Fail

The two above occurred prior to  me owning the piece and I am going off the list provided to me via Mercury customer support.  John told me he had blown a couple of coils which were serviced at the event site by tournament support.

10/25/07 ECM/PCM failure

11/07/07 Coil failure

11/12/07 Coil open short failure

3/4/08 Trim motor failure

4/9/08 Coil failure

10/29/08 Coil failure

1/15/09 Coil failure

1/23/09 Coil open short failure

1/23/09 G/C Pin.GR failure

1/28/09 Coil failure

1/28/09 Lower Unit failure

1/28/09 Spark plug fouled, all

2/14/09 Trim cylinder seal failure

3/3/09 Coil failure

3/15/09 Coil failure

3/18/09 Air injector failure

3/27/09 Rt side cylinder head failure

Today after installing the Rt side cyl head, they ran it on the hose and noticed water leaks in the left side cylinder head.  So I will have to wait a couple of days for the head to get shipped and approved for warranty from Fon du Lac.   The mgr at the marina also told me that they had to swap a new plug in #4 to get it to run right for now but he was not confident in how long it would continue to run correctly.  

What is a guy to do with this mess.  At an average entry fee of between 875 and 1000$  I have to think that in some way or another this is not letting me compete on a level field with the rest of the guys out there.  

 

Home at last

Drove to Riverside before I even went to the homestead.  When I left the lot was empty but now it is three quarters full so I hope I won't be without my boat for more than a week.  I have a list of all the service items Riverside has performed and it is only missing the stuff that Jay and Danny have performed at events Mercury supports.  The list is long for an engine only 2 years old with close to 200 hours.  I know a lot of folks who run this same power plant who do not have near the issues I have had.  So I am going to put a list of event dates and entry fees next to my list of service items in front of a Mercury rep and see what can be done about getting me either a new motor or at least a dressed power head.  I am not confident anything will be done though I know it can be.  This engine is starting to cost me money I have to think.  

I did get to spend a couple of days with my wife in Austin TX which was great to say the least.  The SXSW music fest was in town and we had a couple of drinks on the patio and some great food with close friends and that helped me to take my mind off of my current 'issues'.  If it were not for my wife I really do not know how I would get through this crap with a decent state of mind.  I love her so much it's not even funny.  She is always there to support me and listen even though I know I tend to ramble about fishing sometimes, well alright, all the time, but still she is always there and she is like my only support staff and I am so grateful for that.  If it were not for her always being there I cannot say with any degree of confidence that I would still be out there doing what I do.  Not sure exactly what it is I am doing right now, feels a lot like treading water but I am still out there thanks to her.

Next is a PAA event on Neely Henry and an open on Wheeler.  I have fished neither but again, I cannot wait for the challenges which lie ahead.

Mercury Issues

My partner dumped me in on day one and I fired up the Mercury and immediately I knew there was an issue.  It was a bit sluggish getting out of the hole and missed and surged up to like 45 mph.  I took it off plane and pulled the cowl before I even got to my first area.  Checked the coils, looked for burned plug wires, blown fuses, all the easy stuff you can do on the water but could not figure it out.  I made the thing run up to an area I knew was big and I could use the troller most of the day and put a hook in the water.  I caught some fish but only two keeps.  I think that engine issue gets in you head somewhat.  I cannot say that if I could have checked my other spots I would have won the thing or even drawn a check but I would at least like to be on a level playing field with the rest of the guys.  I have had soooo many issues with this engine it really pisses me off.  I have been affected in either practice or during the event in at least 5 events where the entry was 1000$ or around that number.  Not cool.  Gonna let someone hear about this when I get back to the ville.  Day two put me in the same scenario, ran to an area that was big and I knew fish would be heading to not away from and well over night the bucks showed up just not the girls yet.  Caught the hell out of studs making beds and defending them.  H&H blades and tiny t rigged brush hogs caught like 30+ fish all day but only one girl about 4 which must have been in a hurry to get up there and get to work.  I would assume that today, the day after the event there are some girls moving up there too.  Somewhere on this lake yesterday there were females up on beds and I did no have the ability to run around and look for them.  Maybe I would have found them, maybe not but I would have like to have the chance.  My game plan was abit off, by like 12 to 18 hours but hey it is an improvement if only in my head.  Maybe a four stroke in in my future, maybe an etec, maybe I just got a lemon, gotta figure this thing out.  

Confusion

So, today I went out to run my 'spots' and well, I caught 2 fish and none kept. It is beyond me what has happened. Maybe not beyond me but now my mind is full and I mean full of ideas of what could have happened to the pattern I have been on or sort of on.  Here is the dealio in my head right now.  No fish in the back, maybe a couple of cruisers but not in numbers.  No visible beds but the lake is up about a foot, foot and a half so evidence of old beds may be hidden from view.  I have been catching fish in typical 'congregation' points but these could also be construed as post spawn places also.  We did have high sun and no wind today but if the fish were going to move up to spawn I think I would have seen evidence of this in the shallows and believe me I looked alot today.  So, maybe the majority of fish have pulled out to the first piece of anything they find.  This could be the reason I have been seeing fish on the outside weed lines and a couple of drops but nothing consistent.  Now my thinking is kinda worst case, postspawn funk and high skies and no wind.  I AM CONFUSED.  That is an understatement.  My gameplan is to try my spots for one 'run' and then work deeper reaction baits over the grass and through the wood and cover alot of water.  I have last minute game plan changes but I really thing something is up with the 'pattern' I thought I had been fishing.  I hate to bring luck into it but I need some and tomorrow will be a practice day kinda.  Fish the entire water column with three or four different speeds of presentations and locate something to scratch out a limit.  I just hope I am wrong and my 'spots' pan out, who knows.  

Sam

When I arrived at the lake the air temps were in the 40s and the water in the high 40s low 50s, that was two days ago, today I will see mid 80s air temps and mid to high 60s for water.  So the first thing I did when I got here was try and pare out my 'test' area again and then went to work trying to find those little transitional areas which should hold fish in migration to the shallows.  Since I did not know the status of the seasonal pattern I also looked shallow for cruisers, studs guarding fry or vacant or occupied beds and saw NONE of the above, thats a bit confusing.  I had heard on good authority that there were indeed fish on beds as early as 3 to 4 weeks ago...., but I have to believe my eyes in my area and I do not think many fish have spawned in my area so I may be looking at the initial push of fish with this warming trend.  The moon phase is not exactly in tune so this may test that theory but none the less I should be looking at fish, on the move, with one thing in mind, gettin their groove on.  Lets go and see......

Rayburn

So to start I will reiterate my feelings on Falcon, simple, if you get half a chance to go, you have to go.  That fishery never ceases to amaze me and well, I may be an addict.  Seems well worth the 21 hr trip from Nashville just to spend a few days out there.  

I got to Jasper day before yesterday and got out on the water early yesterday am.  low 40s all day and some wind.  Great.  I have never been out on this lake before but it seems to be pretty straight forward.  God why did I just say that, will probably come back to bite me.  I caught fish yesterday on points leading into or out of the main lake on major points on both inside and outside hydrilla lines on slowly presented shad imitation reaction baits and a variety of them.  All the rain in the area has effected the backs of creeks some. Color is darker and temps are cooler but i did manage to find some cleaner warmer water again on the main lake.  Lots and lots of boats out there, not sure what to make of that but it is a big lake with plenty of bass or so I am told.  So today I am going to try and decide my 'test' area and go and pick it apart.  I will probably try and pick two areas which would be protected from either of the prevailing wind profiles here as a contingent.  Well, back to work.

The Bend III

So the bend turned out to be quite a learning experience for me.  I know it did not show in the standings but none the less I learned a lot about how quickly fish can make a move to the shallows given just a couple of days, actually several hours of favorable conditions.  The week started with a mid to deep bite with fish scattered all over the place and a cold front lingering around keeping them off balance.  Well all it took is about 18 hours of consistent warming trend and boom, they all and I mean all grouped up into the funneling spots adjacent to the spawning flats.  Over all the weights were down for the event and I think that speaks of how big this lake is and how conditions can vary greatly on 180000+ acres, simply some folks did not figure them out as well as expected and I being one of those lol.  In my specific test area the fish did what they were supposed to do on day two, across the lake or way up or down river, it was a slightly different situation.  

So to lick my wounds I have spent the last few days on Falcon.  What a way to re coop.  I am down here with a close friend of mine from CA, Scott Whelton and we are having fun to say the least.  What have we learned down here, keep an open mind, fish the entire water column, and be prepared to decorate a few huisache trees, hey thats Falcon.  Oh and don't bother to eat at El Paraiso, their 'world famous chicken fried steak' is NOT that world famous, it may just keep you off the water for a day if you get my drift.  

The Bend II

So a big donut for me today.  I have to admit I have abit of a confidence issue right now, the last 3 tournament days I have caught a total 4 fish.  Thats pretty sad.  I have to say I did stick to my plan of staying in one area and soaking  it.  It simply did not pan out for me.  I have no one to blame but myself for not being dynamic enough in my 'study' area to come up with 5 keepers.  Alot of people struggled today but that does not really make me feel any better as I have been here a couple of extra days for practice and really should have figured sooomething out, cmon.  I always try and take something positive from every event no matter the outcome but this one, I really am not sure what I took away from it.  Toledo Bend is an awesome fishery, it offers everything you could want and I found out as I am writing this entry that there is even mat up north,... that I did not expect.  Deep hydrilla, rock,ledges, abundant structure and cover, lots of wood, channel swings, weed topped humps, all of it, the bend has it.  I look forward to my day tomorrow simply because I am fortunate enough to be able to spend the day on such a fishery, and who knows, maybe the fish gods will look down on me and smile.  

The Bend

So Toledo Bend is quite a place.  Big, windy and full of wood and supposedly full of big bass but I have not found them.  The week before the official practice the water was up into the mid 60s and since we have had lows in the low 30s dropping the water temps into the mid fifties.  We had heard that a wave of fish had moved shallow but apparently moved off with the cool weather.   I have found some suspended fish scattered in transitional areas but scattered and inconsistent is an understatement.  The main lake deep fish will not be affected as much by this cold spell and wind but 25+ mph winds makes it hard to fish for them.  

Day one was cancelled due to high wind advisory and I give us a 50 50 chance of fishing tomorrow.  I have made myself stick to my plan of staying in a fixed area and figuring it out and I feel pretty good about staying with that but the fish have not exactly been cooperating with the gameplan by scattering out.  We will see what happens.

March

So I am packing for two more events this March, Toledo Bend and Sam Rayburn.  I have never fished either, kinda seems like a pattern but I need the experience.  I think it is very important to get some tournament experience on lakes which I have little or no experience.   My strategy going in to these two big lakes is to try and identify the seasonal pattern currently underway and then pick apart a specific region of the lakes and STAY THERE.  I really have to try and refine my pregame strategies.  I find myself trying to see the majority of a lake if I have never been on it before and maybe that is a mistake.  Defining the seasonal pattern had some value to me in the past but I believe I need to put more emphasis on that over all else and try and keep it simple stupid.   If I can get it through my fat head to fish my strengths and not try and re invent the wheel I believe I can do better.   So with those two ideas in my mind (not sure how long they will stay there) I go into these two events.  I am getting sick of giving my entry fee away.  I need to get my ass in the game with the rest of the folks and figure this thing out.  Fishing competitively is such a mind game, I am not saying you do not need a certain skill set but I truly believe that to win or do well, your mind needs to be tuned properly and lately mine is not.  All I can do is try and change my mental attitude leading up to and during the event and keep focused.  Easier to say than to do once your trolling motor is down and the first cast is off the spool on the opening day of any event.    

long drive home

So I am set to get on 75 north headed towards Nashville.  It will give me ample time to think about the last month and my shortcomings.  I had some major mechanical issues here in Fla, lower unit, fouled plugs from the excessive idling through all the canals and my deep cycles decided to take a dump on me but through all that I should have landed more than 2 fish in competition and 9  in practice.  Gotta work on my contingency strategies more for sure.  Has anyone ever heard of AGM technology for batteries, if so do tell.  My wife and I shared a couple of days in Tampa, we went to the game and that was very nice.  Any time I get to spend time with my lovely wife is a huge bonus to my mental health and it is very nice to have a sounding board though I am fairly sure she is sick of hearing about bass fishing.  March is another month and I have two big events coming up Toledo Bend and Sam Rayburn, both lakes I have not fished before but I am sooooo looking forward to them and the chance to improve my skill set which seems kinda nonexistent right now.  

Monday am

So I got up extra early to try and get to the Mercury support trailer first, waited and waited around just to find out that they will not be here til Tuesday afternoon.  Kinda sucks.  Called more than a few dealerships in Orlando and Ocala and no one has a lower unit in stock.  Millers boating center in Ocala did mention that the trailer is on their lot but no one is with it, kinda sucks some more.   So I am gonna lose 3 days of practice but it could be worse, the boat could have sunk.  I also found out that Basscat will no longer be supporting the BASS opens.  Did I mention the sucky thing already.  That is sad, John McDonald is a super nice guy who has been with BC for over 20 years and I heard that he was laid off.  I suppose the economy has effected everyone.  So three events in a row I have had issues with my Mercury.  Maybe I see some writing on the wall, not sure.  I realize Yamis and Rudes have issues too, hmmm, what about a Honda....

Florida

So fishing has been spotty to say the least, Ive caught 9 fish since I have been here and that is pretty dismal but a lot of other folks are crying the same tune.  I did hear of a report of a guy landing a huge fish way up the OK river but it was on a big shiner.  Weather should keep improving and that may help things somewhat otherwise I am riding on a prayer come Thursday.  Oh yeah, I grenaded a lower unit this am, joy......doesn't sound like I missed much though.

Florida Cold

So I am told that Florida is having the coldest weather this week that they have had in a decade.  Not sure if that is true but it is cold, like 28 in the am and warming to high 40s last two days.  It has given the fish lockjaw for sure.  I have caught 2 fish in as many days way up the river.  Not too promising but the weather is supposed to change and I hope it effects the fish quickly.  I need all the help I can get right now.

Falcon

These pics are some of the nice fish I caught in practice.  To say the least Falcon is one hell of a fishery and if anyone ever gets the opportunity to come to south TX and fish it, DO SO.  The lake level is very high and these fish have taken to the extra cover which is very abundant.  A lot of people struggled in the event and I was one of them.  On the other hand a local guy weighed a 39lb sack and a 44lb sack back to back.  That is awesome.  I am guilty of not being prepared enough in all aspects of the game.  From figuring out where Fla strain bass go in a deep flooded lake when a big cold front blows in to not carrying the extra parts needed to keep my outboard going when an expected situation occurs, ie ignition coil.  I can only blame myself and I do.  I did learn a hell of a lot about this Rio Grande reservoir and I cannot wait to come back.   On to the Harris Chain.  Woot Woot, more Fla strain in January in a shallow lake.  I hope a big cold front does not blow through there, damn, just looked at the weather.  

Falcon Practice, well sort of.....

So the 'storied' Falcon Reservoir has been kicking me where it counts for the first three days.  Went out the first day and the second stop yielded 4 bass from a 100 yard stretch of bushes.  I thought well this may be easy.  I did not get another hit the rest of the day but did do alot of looking around.  Next day I looked shallow, seeing 65-68 degree water led me to believe there may be a move to the shallows.  Shallow water access is not the easiest thing to find here.  Falcon is 25 or so feet high, the highest it has been in many years or so I am told so everything has grown up.  Tree tops you see may and usually are in 14 to 20 ft of water and that makes it hard to even get to shallow water but a little 4X4ing will get you there.  Once I found some hard bottom I saw fry, now Im not sure what make or model they were but decent numbers of fry maybe a month or so old, bass??  Not sure.  I did see some cruising fish and caught two in a foot or two of water on a Senko, 7", it is considered finesse here lol.

Today I went to Falcon state park and launched, proceeded across the lake and on my first move I burned a coil.  JOY.  I limped back to the ramp and am awaiting some sort of fix.  Zapata does not exactly offer many full service shops so wish me luck in finding a replacement within 100 miles

Oh I have to add the fish I have caught are in the 4-6 pound class, maybe a 7 and those are not going to get it done in this Stren event, a consistent limit of 25+ with a kicker or two added in will be needed to make the top ten and I have scratched one limit in TWO days.  The 'storied' Falcon Reservoir is treating me like the noob that I am on this lake.  

2009

I know it has been a long time since I have posted and there is no excuse for that.  Texoma really kicked my ass with double zeros on both days of competition.  It really left a sour taste in my craw so I have not fished in quite a while picking up a rod for the first time just a couple of days ago.  

2009 if a busier schedule for me if it all works out, I am trying to fish the southern and central BASS opens again and I am adding the Texas stren series to the schedule.  If I get in all the opens I will be doubling up on unfamiliar water, Toledo Bend and Sam Rayburn which can only help me.

  I am on the waiting list for all the BASS events but my waiting list numbers are not too bad so I expect to get in all events, I hope.  I really feel motivated to prove to myself that I can be a dynamic angler and DO THIS.  

Falcon practice starts next week and I CANNOT wait.  I have read so much about this lake it almost seems unreal to me.  I can't watch the elite series event I have on tivo any more or I may break the machine.  Needless to say I have beefed up my arsenal with heavy braid, 1/0 trebels , 7/0 worm hooks and a couple of broomsticks and 300 series Curados in expectation of catching  a few pigs.  If the water is clear enough I look forward to tossing the big 3oz swimmers some just to see what follows them to the boat, who knows maybe one will suck down an 8" tilapia imitation.  

As soon as the Falcon stren is over I am off to the Harris chain if I get off the waiting list and get in.  Talk about a change of gears.  Florida strain bass in late January.  If a cold front decides to blow through it should be an interesting event.  I learned alot last year at the St Johns and I hope to put some of that knowledge to good use.  Trick worm trick worm trick worm and maybe a swim jig tossed in here and there.  Slow slow slow and try not to forget these fish like bluebird skies in winter.  Florida bass seem like they are from a different planet some times.  

Well I gotta get back to many more hours of tackle prep so wish me luck and I will be updating this from the road.