I'm Back!
Dateline 4/20/00
I left last Thursday right after work to go the the Y2K Georgia Bass Chapter Federation Tournament at Clark's Hill. We had three practice days and the tournament was Monday and Tuesday.
It was an interesting trip, as always. Rained all day Friday and was cold and windy. Cold and windy Saturday, then fog Sunday morning. Cleared up just in time to go in for meetings.
My usual luck held - I was the third from last boat out - and there were three flights of 88 boats each! My partner was not on fish so we just looked for a place to fish when we finally blasted off at 8:00. Found and empty hump and caught a keeper each from it.
We fished four of my favorite places without a bite and then went back downstream to try a pattern my partner heard was good. I managed two keepers and he got one more that afternoon in the wind. My three weighed 4.8 pounds.
Got so rough going back to the campground one of the areator pumps in my boat broke - the second time that has happened to me in my 1997 Stratos 295. I am a little unhappy about that poor construction, although it has been a pretty good boat otherwise. Plugged the leak with a trimed stick!
Tuesday Morning I was third boat out. Went to a place we had fished the day before without luck and immediately caught a three pounder that inhaled a Shadrap so deep the front hooks were in her gills. My partner caught a matching fish there.
We went a second hump that I fished on Monday without a strike, and I quickly caught a two pound bass on the Shadrap. Then, I threw a Baby Brush Hog to a rockpile on the hump and had four bites in four cast. I missed the first one, the fish made a fool of me and almost snatched the rod out of my hand. Then I caught a 3 pounder, next cast a 2 pounder and then a 5.1 pounder. At 8:45 I had my five fish limit - and it weighed 15.45 pounds!
My two day catch weighed 20.9 with bonuses for live fish, and I placed 18th out of 540 fishermen! What a difference a day, and a little good luck, makes! Not quite good enough, tho. I missed making the state team by about two pounds, and was only a little over 8 pounds out of first place! If I could have caught more on day one! And if frogs had wings, they would not bump their rear ends every time they hop
I did note get any pictures of my fish, but did get this picture of the nice plack I got. Also got $250, so it was a worthwhile trip, above the fun of fishing!
This was my 20th Top Six since 1979 - only missed one. I have made the team twice and finished in the top 25 five other times. Not too bad, but I want to do better! As you can see from my article last year at this time, I had a similar experience then!
Do you club fish? Go to the state tournament. Tell me about it. Do you have any comments to offer? You can also post information about it for others on my message board - you must register to post but can read the board as a guest. Also, if you have thoughts you want to share about this topic, let me know about it at fishing.guide@about.com. for a "Fishtale" or discuss it in the chat room on every night at 8:00 ET. Tell others what you like.
ONE YEAR AGO THIS WEEK -04/19/99
- Georgia Bass Federation Top Six
From despair to delight to disappointment in this tournament.
TWO YEARS AGO THIS WEEK - 04/13/98
- One More Boat Tale
Seven months after getting my 1988 Stratos, I caught my biggest bass ever
from it.
THREE YEARS AGO THIS WEEK! 04/14/97
- Bream Are Bedding
When bream are on the bed, nothing else seems to matter to the fisherman.
Here are some ways to catch several different species of bream and information
about them.
Check out Coming Next Week - Next week's column topic, contest prize and new additions to the resources lists.
