We were able to get out the previous weekend to get some pre-fish in, as we hadn't been to the lake in the fall with the water up in years. We found a great pattern and solid fish and planned on working that throughout the day. Unfortunately, the weather changed to severely windy and our point bite was too tough to work, but we managed to figure a few secondary options as the day went on.
We started near the dam, hoping for a big bite, we were rewarded with two small keepers on crankbaits, but it was a start. We worked down lake to our primary area to find the wind pushed the fish off of it. We did find the fish scattered around the edges of the points, just not schooled up. We ran that pattern throwing crankbaits and ned rigged baits the rest of the day and culled up throughout the day.
We finished the day up with a 5 fish limit for 8.02lbs and finished 22nd out of 41 boats. We kept our heads down and fished all day even though out main pattern was gone, and kept working at figuring it out as the weather changed all day.
Saturday, November 25, 2017
JML Outdoors Weekend Warriors Bass Series - Oct. 21st - Bartlett Lake
This was the second stop of the season for JML WWBS, but my step-father and I missed the first one due to a conflict in schedules. We decided to play off of my previous tournament as well as our pre-fish, which yielded 50+ fish but lacked size. We were boat 3 in launch order out of 64 boats.
We went all the way up river to where we pre-fished and through crankbaits all morning. We worked hard and filled out our limit, weeding through multiple short fish. As the crankbait bite slowed we found a rick pile in the area and proceeded to catch multiple fish on dropshot rigs and culled a few times as well. At the end of the day we made one last stop with 15 minutes to go and caught two more keepers that did up our total.
We caught over 70 fish, and our 5 fish limit weighed 8.77lbs and put us in 25th place. We fished hard for every fish and caught them consistently, we figured out another pattern throughout the day but didn't have the extra time to capitalize on it.
We went all the way up river to where we pre-fished and through crankbaits all morning. We worked hard and filled out our limit, weeding through multiple short fish. As the crankbait bite slowed we found a rick pile in the area and proceeded to catch multiple fish on dropshot rigs and culled a few times as well. At the end of the day we made one last stop with 15 minutes to go and caught two more keepers that did up our total.
We caught over 70 fish, and our 5 fish limit weighed 8.77lbs and put us in 25th place. We fished hard for every fish and caught them consistently, we figured out another pattern throughout the day but didn't have the extra time to capitalize on it.
Bass Junkyz Teams - Oct. 7th - Bartlett Lake
This was the first tournament of the season for the Bass Junkyz Team Tournament, and wow was it insane. There were 97 boats that showed up, most I have seen in years. The weather was gorgeous with a major wind in the main lake and and hardly any up river.
Our tournament started on a summer area and a crankbait produced immediately but only one keeper off the area. We made a move and unfortunately lost both of the better fish on chatterbaits. We moved our way up river and proceeded to catch 30-40 fish on carolina-rigged baby brush hogs. We fished numerous spots and finally came back to where we started with about 10 minutes left in the day and culled twice, unfortunately we needed way more size to do well.
We finished with a small 5 fish limit that weighed 7.41lbs, which put us in 61st for the tournament. Not sure what we would have done different, as we caught more fish that most of the other teams, we just never had the bigger bites.
Our tournament started on a summer area and a crankbait produced immediately but only one keeper off the area. We made a move and unfortunately lost both of the better fish on chatterbaits. We moved our way up river and proceeded to catch 30-40 fish on carolina-rigged baby brush hogs. We fished numerous spots and finally came back to where we started with about 10 minutes left in the day and culled twice, unfortunately we needed way more size to do well.
We finished with a small 5 fish limit that weighed 7.41lbs, which put us in 61st for the tournament. Not sure what we would have done different, as we caught more fish that most of the other teams, we just never had the bigger bites.
Saturday, September 9, 2017
JML Outdoors Century Marine Saguaro Friday Nights - July 28th - Bartlett Lake
With the suspension on the lakes still, a friend called me up wanting to got to Bartlett Lake to fish the tournament. He knew my game plan of throwing crankbaits most the night and staying on whichever one of my areas that didn't have someone on them. I noticed the water had cleared up and it was going to be a windy night as it was blowing 20-30mph to start the tournament.
We made a short run to my area and missed two fish early which wasn't a good sign. The fish were biting but getting a good look at the bait and weren't eating it. The wind made it tough to fish but the first keeper was a great one. He was trying to slow down and throw a plastic but it was producing smaller fish that wouldn't keep. Once the wind was to strong for the guy on my primary area we went there to fish it, I noticed a current break from the wind and decided to try it and it produced another solid keeper. We moved all around the two areas and had 3 fish with a few minutes to go. My partner caught a solid keeper with 10 minutes left and we fished hard until the last second, he missed a bit and we ended up with 4 keepers. We weighed 8.52lbs and finished 12th and were ounces out of a check. Only regret is not having him throw the plastics behind me to make sure we got that 5th keeper. Was still a fun tournament but happy to be moving back to day tournaments.
We made a short run to my area and missed two fish early which wasn't a good sign. The fish were biting but getting a good look at the bait and weren't eating it. The wind made it tough to fish but the first keeper was a great one. He was trying to slow down and throw a plastic but it was producing smaller fish that wouldn't keep. Once the wind was to strong for the guy on my primary area we went there to fish it, I noticed a current break from the wind and decided to try it and it produced another solid keeper. We moved all around the two areas and had 3 fish with a few minutes to go. My partner caught a solid keeper with 10 minutes left and we fished hard until the last second, he missed a bit and we ended up with 4 keepers. We weighed 8.52lbs and finished 12th and were ounces out of a check. Only regret is not having him throw the plastics behind me to make sure we got that 5th keeper. Was still a fun tournament but happy to be moving back to day tournaments.
JML Outdoors Century Marine Saguaro Friday Nights - July 7th - Bartlett Lake
With the Golden Algae bloom all tournaments were suspended at the Salt River Chain lakes but they were allowed to move them to Bartlett Lake. My stepdad and I had boat issue the last time out, but we decided do this one for my birthday celebration. It was his first tournament in the new Phoenix. We planned on hitting the same area as I had fished previously and with the stained water I knew the fish should eat the bait instead of slap at it.
We were only of the first few boats out but someone had seen me on the area I had done so well on for the last month and was boat 1 out and beat us there. I tried to make a second rock pile work but with the rising water from recent storms they weren't pushed out to it yet. Once I gained my composure we made a move to another rock pile point that I did well on previously. It turned out to be the right move. It didn't take long for us to put a limit in the boat and proceeded to cull relatively quick until a massive monsoon storm hit. We couldn't fish for nearly an hour until the winds got below 30mph. Once they did the bigger fish started to eat and we proceeded to cull again on the same area. We never moved all night and weighed a 5 fish limit for 10.64lbs with a 3.07 big fish. It was good enough for a 5th place finish, which was great for my stepdad's first tournament back in the last few years.
We were only of the first few boats out but someone had seen me on the area I had done so well on for the last month and was boat 1 out and beat us there. I tried to make a second rock pile work but with the rising water from recent storms they weren't pushed out to it yet. Once I gained my composure we made a move to another rock pile point that I did well on previously. It turned out to be the right move. It didn't take long for us to put a limit in the boat and proceeded to cull relatively quick until a massive monsoon storm hit. We couldn't fish for nearly an hour until the winds got below 30mph. Once they did the bigger fish started to eat and we proceeded to cull again on the same area. We never moved all night and weighed a 5 fish limit for 10.64lbs with a 3.07 big fish. It was good enough for a 5th place finish, which was great for my stepdad's first tournament back in the last few years.
AZ Head to Head Bracket Tournament - Championship - June 25th - Lake Pleasant
I was looking forward to this final for few weeks. I was a little nervous and both the other two guys had fished this lake and very regularly and I hadn't fished it in almost 7 months. I had a game plan of running islands and points and was going to throw topwater then mostly a dropshot the rest of the day. Made the first run and didn't take long to have a fish explode on the topwater but it never hooked up. Not long later made a move to an island and hooked first keeper only to have it come off at the boat. I thought it was over at that point, but I took a minute and regrouped and calmed down and put my head down and fished hard. I moved all around the lake hitting areas that I have down well in the past and kept rotating around them. I could only manage 3 keepers. When we came to weigh I felt a little defeated but I was shocked to hear that both guys had blanked. I was shocked but pumped at the same time, it was a definite confidence booster and proved my hard work was paying off.
It was hard earned, but I want to take the time and thank the sponsors that helped back this and make it what it is. Thank you Dave Davis and DD26 Fishing Rods, Josh Bertrand and Berkley Baits and NINES Optics, Ryan Chambers Chambers, Perks Custom Baits, RCI Cooling and Heating, BL Hagerty, and also Jeff Mabry for organizing everything. Thank you guys for everything, looking forward to trying to defend next year.
It was hard earned, but I want to take the time and thank the sponsors that helped back this and make it what it is. Thank you Dave Davis and DD26 Fishing Rods, Josh Bertrand and Berkley Baits and NINES Optics, Ryan Chambers Chambers, Perks Custom Baits, RCI Cooling and Heating, BL Hagerty, and also Jeff Mabry for organizing everything. Thank you guys for everything, looking forward to trying to defend next year.
Roostertales Bass Clup Open Tournament - June 10th - Bartlett Lake
After the success I had the previous week on Sunday, decided to do this Open. My partner cancelled last minute but I went up anyways hoping my bite was still there. I was one of the last boats to launch and pulled up to my area and sure enough a friend of mine is sitting on my spot, but gave me some room so could share it. It wasn't long and already had 4 keepers in the boat but was having a hard time keeping them hooked up. I noticed that the water had cleared up and the fish were slapping at the bait. I filled out my limit but I knew I needed to change it up from the crankbait, and also move out the the next rock pile but unfortunately my friend was all over it. I worked the area over all night and unfortunately lost the fish that would have put into the top on a carolina-rig. I caught 40-50 fish easy and finished the night in 17th place with a 5 fish limit for 9.54lbs and a big of 2.29. My buddy took 3rd and second big fish. Lesson learned don't tell friends where caught them!
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