| Author | Message | ||
| Picou
Wall Hanger Username: Picou Post Number: 2516 Registered: 8-2004  Rating: N/A |
Charles and I headed out to Fork this weekend with high hopes of improving our points standings and aspirational dreams of getting a check in the 4th event of the Media Bass Slot Lakes series. We started off with a little pre-fishing on Friday afternoon in separate boats in order to cover more water. The plan was to check on several deep water places and try to get onto a patterns that would keep us away from the plethora of boats fishing the Legends tournament. With Legends weigh in at Lake Fork Marina on the west side of the lake we opted to hit the north east part of the lake and figure something out. We met on the water shortly after noon and discussed the game plan for the remainder of the day. We split up and headed on the quest. At my first stop way up north I was greeted with stained water and sparse hydrilla. No fish were to be found so I moved to the first submerged bridge in 15 and although the graph showed some fish I could not get them to bit until a school of fish pushed the shad to the surface at the hairy edge of my casting distance. They were chasing 5 6 inch shad and I was able to get my crankbait right to the edge of the school where I picked up a nice little chunk to insure that I at least managed one fish for the day.  I worked that area along the road with several different baits and could not put another fish in the boat. Charles and I met up at the next submerged bridge and discussed our lack of success and decided to try something different. I headed up a little further north into some pads and managed to pick up 2 quick fish on a split-shot fluke and got out of there. I moved to another bridge and again could not get bit so I headed to an old favorite shallow spot up Running Creek and landed 3 more fish including 2 keepers. The two keepers came on the split-shot fluke while this nice slot fish fell prey to the JDC Baits Bass Bone.  Charles and I talked on the phone and he was on a definite pattern with crankbaits so we met up and got off the lake to get ready for T-Day. While at the ramp we talked to a pair of gentlemen who were fishing the Legends event and they were down from El Paso. We explained to them what we were catching fish on and I handed them some Bass Bones and Skip-N-Pops to hopefully assist them in their adventure during the tournament. I sure hope they are able to catch them a nice keeper and win some money. With a plan in place we decided we would hit my hole first for the top water bite and then move on to his pattern. When we got to the first spot it looked perfect but for some reason the fish did not cooperate and we could not get a top water bite to happen so Charles put on a fluke and immediately landed our first fish for the day but it was a solid slot fish. It just was not working so Charles picked up his crankbait and started putting keepers in the boat. They were little fish but they were keepers none the less and we were rapidly approaching 5 fish including this little fatty that weighed exactly 1 pound and might have been 9 inches long.  In the process of catching our first 5 keepers, Charles also landed 2 crappie and a perch. I continued to struggle to catch a fish and missed a few on the fluke. We left that shoreline and headed to the one where Charles had produced several keepers from during practice and that certainly paid off. Not only did we cull out our two smallest fish, Charles was able to put in a 15.5 and 14+ fish in the livewell. Things were shaping up and coming together. While working this shoreline we saw a bedded fish so I started to work it and Charles fished the crankbait around the area pulling in another great slot fish. Unfortunately, the bedded fish was 17 but still fun to work and land. My biggest fish for the day was a 15 or so pound grinnel and adding to the exotics list was Charles landing a gar.  The sun came out and the crankbait bite shut off. We discussed it some and decided to make one more move and try a shoreline that I used to fish quite often but had not fished in years. We had covered a little bit of the water and Charles suggested I should fish a wacky rig so I pulled out a Bass Bone and started whackin the unders and in no time we had culled everything out of the live well that was under a pound. Our smallest fish was 1 pound 6 ounces and we had 1 hour left in the tournament. We probably caught 4 more fish in that hour but none were any bigger than our smallest fish. Sitting on 9 pounds of fish we knew there was a good chance we would get a check so we made haste back to get checked in and weigh the fish. When the scales settled we had weighed in 9.4 pounds and were sitting in 2nd place. As the remainder of the field came in we saw 2 sacks that were bigger 9.88 & 9.98 (I think these were the weights). First place had an over so they locked up big bass and big stringer with a total weight in the mid 11s. I think it goes without saying that we were very excited about our finish and now we just had to wait for the final results and to get our check for 4th. It was a great day on the water. We had to fish extremely hard for this bag and it was truly a team effort. The more events we fish together the better we seem to work together. Practice paid off because it showed us the deep bite was not on and the shallow bite was still good. Most of our fish came from 4 6 foot of water in the grass with bottom contour little hump, small channel, sharp edge, etc The fish were relating to vertical changes in the bottom. Typically when we caught 1 fish we could work the area and pick up a few more. I have no idea how many fish we caught but we had a good time doing it. I know I learned something this tournament about the lake and bass fishing in general. Charles has been really good about pointing out subtleties in contour and putting together pieces of the puzzle when we catch fish. He is definitely helping me be a better angler. Heres a few more of the little fatty before we chunked it back in the lake.   (Message edited by picou on May 20, 2007)  Thank you Lord for my family and the waters I get to fish | ||
| Dru
Crappie Username: Dru Post Number: 443 Registered: 2-2005  Rating: N/A |
Awesome recap Mike. I've never fished a slot tournament, there is too much thinking involved. Thanks for sharing. You should have kept that beer belly bass. I can see the endorsements now, "Bass by Budwieser." BassZone.com  
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| Tomc
Minnow Username: Tomc Post Number: 47 Registered: 12-2006  Rating: N/A |
Solid!! Way to go guys. Great story. Congrats!!!! Thanking Him, all day long --- tomc | ||
| Bigun
Lunker Username: Bigun Post Number: 1406 Registered: 8-2004  Rating: N/A |
I wonder what that fish ate? Way to teach Mike how to catch fish Charles. They should be giving you a handicap when fishing with PQ!  Quit being a mad, little bald man! Check out the Saltwater reports if you want to see some fish catching! http://www.myspace.com/biguncharter | ||
| Charles
Moderator Username: Charles Post Number: 853 Registered: 7-2004 Rating: N/A |
Excellent recap Mike! As always, I had a great time fishing with you! | ||
| Picou
Wall Hanger Username: Picou Post Number: 2517 Registered: 8-2004 Rating: N/A |
Hey Charles... How'd you like that Hendrix Crankbait rod??? All of my Bass Bone fish were caught on my Hendrix 70M Senko rod. Charles worked out that new 70ML Crankbait rod this weekend. Ya'll can still take advantage of the Spring Sale on the Hendrix 70ML Crankbait rods starting at $135.00 for a solid handle. Thank you Lord for my family and the waters I get to fish | ||
| Ozziefish
Crappie Username: Ozziefish Post Number: 556 Registered: 8-2004  Rating: N/A |
PQ & Charles... Man you guys ROCKED out there!! Very nice finish, Now thats what I'm talking about. Charles nice 25lbs world record mini bass!! OzzieFish "In GOD I trust" | ||
| Vince
Minnow Username: Vince Post Number: 33 Registered: 2-2007  Rating: N/A |
Awsome recap mike. I've seen Dru catch a couple of girls at the club with guts like that. | ||
| Charles
Moderator Username: Charles Post Number: 857 Registered: 7-2004 Rating: N/A |
Mike, Friday & Saturday was the first chance I had to fish with the hendrix rod. I'm very pleased with the performance. I'm mostly empressed with the sensitivity and how the rod loaded up when I hooked up with a fish. I give the rod two thumbs up. | ||
| Picou
Wall Hanger Username: Picou Post Number: 2526 Registered: 8-2004 Rating: N/A |
Vince... LMAO!!!!!!  Charles, glad you like them and I look forward to many more successful tournaments together buddy! Thank you Lord for my family and the waters I get to fish | ||
| Texfisher
Bass Username: Texfisher Post Number: 667 Registered: 8-2004  Rating: N/A |
Great job guys. I new you two were on the right track to a pay day. Nice pics. If you're richer than me I think we're related. If you're poorer than me I know we're related. My bass club webpage http://texbass.8m.com/
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| Simek
Bluegill Username: Simek Post Number: 159 Registered: 1-2005  Rating: N/A |
Way to go Mike! | ||
| Dean
Crappie Username: Dean Post Number: 509 Registered: 4-2004  Rating: N/A |
Good Job! Sounds like a lot of very hard - unplesant work.. What a dissapointment though - 2nd to 4th but wanted a first and were soooo close... Congradulations on a great day on the water! Your report makes me want to start tournament fishing. Sounds like fun!! All In A Days Fun!!!
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