MBC Seniors Tournament - Alamo Lake

I was fishing this tournament solo, my partner was out of town. He gave me full support and I had a pattern figured out so I was going to stick to my game plan of spinnerbaits, 1.5 crankbait, and drop shot all shallow. Well I learned the hard way of the neccessity of having a trailer hook!!! This is a slot lake so only allowed on slot fish (13-16 inches) per angler in the boat and there was a 12 inch minimum in force as well. It was a cold morning but a little warmer than prefish but the forecast called for breeze all day and scattered clouds, weather out here never listens to what they say! The entire day there was hardly any wind until the very end and cloudy almost entire day and definately never got to 70! I started off the morning on a point and working into a shallow cut with grass in the back. I lost a fish a few casts into the morning on a spinnerbait Kept working to the back and caught one on a dropshot in couple feet of water. I continued back out the opposite side of the cut to another point and lost another one on the spinner bait. This would turn into my lesson of the day that I didn't follow even when I thought about it while on the lake. As the day continued I kept switching back and forth between the two and also throwing the 1.5 in shallow grass. I kept catching and losing fish on the spinner bait while landing nothing but slot fish. It was frustrating but I also knew if I was getting bites I was on the right pattern I just need to execute better. With about 30 minutes to go I hooked up with a very very nice over on the 1.5. As it got to the boat I noticed it was barely hooked on the nack hook. About that time it rolled and headshook and I watched as the treble came free and it took off. It was frustrating especially when it was needed after a day of slots and the weights would be close. I decided to make a move after few casts near the ramp in a deep cut. With a few minuted left I hooked into another nice over on a spinnerbait (different color) and same result, lost it just before the boat. It was the end to a frustrating but lesson filled day. I learned the neccessity of a having a trailer hook and a spinnerbait today, I won't throw one again without it and also the importance of staying clear headed if through adversity on the water because never know what will happen next. The two fish I lost, at the end, could have gave me enough weight to be in the top three or even the lead. I look forward to learning more every day on the water I just hope it's not the hard way as often!

New Sponsor - The Bass College

I just wanted to thank The Bass College for giving me the opportunity to promote them and sign me up on their Pro Staff. They have a great website with massive amounts of information from tips, to fishing reports, to deals when ordering baits online. It truly is a great company that is a must see. They have tons of topics in the forum and the Pro Staff is available if have any specific questions as well. I have a link to my Pro Staff profile listed and the direct link is http://www.thebasscollege.com/.

Alamo Lake 12/11/11 Prefish

I hadn't been to Alamo Lake in nearly a year and decided a prefish for next weeks tournament was a dire neccessity. I went with a friend of mine who also needed to prefish the lake. All I can say is it was a COLD morning for sure! Started out first thing in the 30's at take off and since was practice it was a short slow run across the lake. The fishing definately wasnt on fire but we caught fish from when we first got there until the end of the day. Everything was caught shallow, which surprised me! Clear sunny day, no wind, 52-58 degree water, and the lake level very low, and all fish caught in under 5ft! I know what I will be doing come Saturday. My friend put a hurting on me from the back of the boat throwing a dropshot with variety of baits but I did catch the biggest fish of the day so I'll take it. All the fish came on dropshot or blades, couldn't get a bite on anything else. Lets hope the bite stays like it is even though this weather and rain we are getting right now will probably alter it. Also it was the inaugural run for the HydroWave. Im not sure it how much it helped but I don't think it hurt since caught the fish shallow and kept the volume low and varied it throughout the day. I did notice it drove the ducks insane, since they were diving upder and near the boat all day repeatedly. It was a great sign, and I look forward to dialing this unit in.

New HydoWave

I recently purchased the HydroWave system. I have to say the unit is very easy on install and very simple to use. The hardest part of the install was choosing where I wanted to place the unit. It comes with all the wiring and all the hardware. It will take a little time to figure out all the exacts on the sounds and volumes to use at different times but look forward to using it and seeing the effects it has.

MBC Seniors Tournament - October 22nd 2011

Today I learned the neccessity of keeping an open mind and never giving up. I prefished last week and the bite I found was steady enough that I knew my game plan. I had a limit in under 30 mins and weight near 9lbs on crankbaits on steep ledges. The pattern worked great in three different spots so I was set, or so I thought. I fished with my partner, Fred Szatkowski, in the MBC Seniors Series and we started in the spots I found in prefish. We caught a few fish there, including a catfish, but nothing of size. The fish went from a limit for 9lbs to 2 fish that barely measured and a few short fish. We decided to make a move and try another spot from prefish. The first cast there produced another fish so now 3 in the livewell. A few casts later heartbreak as we breakoff a decent fish. After another hour plus and we only have another short fish to show for our efforts. We make a move only to come up empty. Decided to head back to starting spot, catch few more shorts and miss a short strike and now frustration is setting in. Its amazing how one day to the next can be so different. We made the long run to the Tonto side of Roosevelt and decided to change up and try the flip bite. Second cast and my partner hooks up with a nice keeper, 4 fish now and a few hours to go to finish out the limit. Hours go by and nothing. To know you need that last fish and no matter what you do you cant seem to figure it out is the hardest part. Fishing truly is a mental sport. We decided to head back to spot one since its close to weigh-in and its produced fish. We have a little over an hour left and the frustration is truly setting in. We fished there for awhile and we made another mode down river. We now only have about 15 minutes left and need one fish to make the tough day a little better. I usually give my partner some grief about throwing a dropshot all the time but it works for him and we needed a fish so I decided to follow right behind him pitching some small bushes for the last few minutes. He gets a strike but sets and misses, he told me to throw back there and I do and nothing but decided to throw back in the tree again since it worked earlier. It was the last cast and sure enough got the bite, fought the fish in and it happened to be our big fish of the day. We literally tossed it in the livewell, buttoned everything down and took off for the weigh-in, we had about 6 minutes to go and a 5 minute ride! We made it in time and the pressure and frustration seemed to disappear. Its amazing how little it takes for things to change. I learned never give up no matter what and not to rule anything out. Its not always as easy as it seems out there but I love it no matter what. I want to give a thanks to my partner Fred as well as Paul with MBC and all my sponsors