The Recreation - Outdoors - Fishing - Bass newsgroup had an open tournament last weekend. Fish anywhere you wanted one day and record your catch.  I chose to fish my pond - no way I would go to a big lake Memorial Day Weekend.  I also used some live bait, not sure if that was legal, but sure did have fun!

Here is my story of that day and my catch.

Got to my land at about 11:30 AM. Had planned on getting an early start, but slept to 9:30 AM. Guess that is an early start for an old retired guy!  Stopped at the upper pond and got the minnow bucket with three big shiners in it, then went to the lower pond. Loaded two rods, a tackle bucket, minnow bucket, ice chest, troll motor, battery and other supplies into the 14 foot jon boat.

Eased out and started fishing right at noon. Hooked up a 7 inch shiner on a cork and 5/0 hook and drug it behind the boat. Was casting a big Mag 2 worm that was still on from my last tournament, rigged on a 1/8 oz sinker and 5/0 hook. Missed two bites so took lead off and stuck the hook in a six inch Senko.

12:15 PM - Cast the Senko to a stump and felt a thump as it sank. Landed a 15 oz bass - hoped it was not going to be one of my five! It was my first bass on the rod and reel I won in Tennessee - like the way even a little fish felt on it.

1:00 PM - At another stump, this one on a little hump right on the creek channel, my line started moving off to the right as it sank. I set the hook and landed a little bigger bass - this one weighed 1-15 Did not realize this would be my biggest bass on a Senko. The fish turns belly up when I put it back into the water, so I try to revive it. No luck, so I put it into a foam minnow bucket with half my ice that is keeping my Diet Rite cold.