MBC Seniors - Nov. 23rd - Alamo Lake - Day of Remembrance

This was supposed to be a fun tournament at a lake we only get to visit once a year. It turned out a tournament that we never got to go to. My grandpa passed away during the week and we had the services to attend. He was the one that got me started in fishing and a huge influence on me. I made to call to Paul, the tournament director for MBC and told him we were going to be unable to make it and the situation behind the reasoning. What happened next was something I will always remember. Paul said that they would have a moment of silence for my grandpa and he was launching him as Boat 1 in his remembrance. I can not thank Paul enough for the gesture and I'm sure my grandpa didn't miss it. Fred and I may not have fished the tournament that day but I guarantee it'll be one we never forget.

ABA Central AZ - Nov. 9th - Apache Lake

This was my first time back at Apache Lake since a championship back in May, and my first ABA in awhile. I forgot how hard Apache Lake could be. My partner and I were expecting a great day on the water, which it always is, but the fish didn't cooperate. We launched first thing in the morning and headed down lake, the boat ran incredible, but it was a cold first run! We planned on throwing small soft plastics, jerkbaits, swimbaits, jigs and crankbaits throughout the day depending on the area.
Once we started fishing we had 2 small unders, one smallmouth and one largemouth on squarebills. Had a big fish annihilate a swimbait but only hooked up for a few seconds, amazing how they avoid all those hooks. We went over the area a few more times without another bite. We decided to make another run to an area we usually get bit. There was another boat there so we had to fish it a different way which just didn't work as well. After some more time we made a move further down lake, which produced another small fish and a lost keeper. About half way through the day my partner finally put our first fish in the well, it was small but it was a start. A few more spots later and no fish to show, we worked out way back towards the ramp and the hump that is in front of it. That paid off with our second keeper. With limited time I decided to throw the swimbait again in hopes of a big fish while my partner through a Carolina-rig. He lost a keeper within a few yards of the ramp and I had another big fish toilet bowl the swimbait pull some drag and came unbuttoned. That's how our day ended.
I learned a valuable lesson, that I had forgot, prefish helps eliminate water and baits. We never got a chance to prefish and the bite wasn't what we were expecting. It was still a day on the water and that always helps in the end. I am looking forward to redemption in March on this lake as well as the championship in May again.