|
January 14 &15, 2006
Fayette County Reservior
LaGrange, Texas
For the Quality Bass Club this is a partner draw tournament along with being a paprer tourney (Catch &
release Lake).
I choose to go as a non-boater and drew Robt Divine as my partner.
We decided to fish shallow - weedline, till the bite dropped off then hit the trees.
On Staurday (Low 30 - High 60's - partly sunny) we both managed a keeper apiece fishing a shallow area
next to the ramp till the sun got up high enough to move the bass into the shade (Cranks and rattles).
We then moved to a wooded area (Worms and Brushhogs) and fished tight to the trees. Robt limited out and
I wound up with 4 (5.4 big bass).
Sunday, we did the same routine but the clouds had moved in and the wind was howling. I caught another 5.4
bass in the shallows and Robt had a keeper too. Once again it was back to the trees but we found the bass more
in the open ares of the woods. Even though we only ended up with another bass apiece, we had more than ample oppurtunity to
have a 5 bass limit as we lost several keeper bass before we could get them in the boat.
I wound up in 2nd place with 19.32lbs and Big Bass 5.04lbs
February 18 & 19, 2006
Lake Amistad,
Del Rio, Texas
This was one cold and windy tournament.
Saturday - 38 degrees and wind 15 to 25
All I did on Saturday is head directly into the wind, then tuck in the nearest calm point and start casting
crankbaits. I did catch 5 bass but only 2 were keepers (3.07lbs).
Saturday evening I decide not to go out Sunday as I was still cold (Legs) and I was exhausted from fighting
the waves and wind. It was best that I take what score I had and be safe then to venture out on Sunday.
Both my bass came on Bandit cranks (1 was a smallmouth). I wound up in 15th place (3.07lbs) and for
the year I am in 5th. I am already looking forward to fishing Falcon next month when the temps are a lot warmer.
March 18 - 19, 2006
Falcon Lake
Zapata, Texas
Even though my weight doesn't reflect the REAL WEEKEND.
I left the ramp around 6:30 am to head to my first stop. When I arrived I noticed that some Seagulls about a 150 yards
away were going down to the water and then I saw some bass busting on the top. So I fired up the motor, headed that way. As
soon as I got close enough, I dropped the trolling motor - eased in, tied off to a mesquite tree and the fight was on!
I landed at least 50- 2lb bass between 6:45am and 8:30. I was culling at 5mins after 7:00. The problem was all the
fish were the same size.
On Sunday I did the same routine but with a little better weight this day. Instead of me telling you the rest of the
story I'll let Larry Bridgeman (Owner of Falcon
Lake Tackle) tell you the rest (Click on this address) http://tackleandrods.com/tourney/tourney2.htmIf the story is not on the front of the page just pan down to the date: March 18, 2006.
I caught my bass on everything but tubes, spinnerbaits or buzzbaits.
For the weekend I ended up with 26.87lbs and 1st place. I definitely boated at a minimum - 100 bass weighing a average
of just over 2lbs per fish. Between casting, hooking bass, keeping them out of the mesquite trees, netting them and scooting
my body back and forth from the front of the boat to the livewell - I was one tired (A good Tired) disabled bass fisherman.
I would do it all over again if the oppurtunity was there and maybe next time - I'll have someone else along with
me so they can join in on the fun.
I am now in 2nd place overall with QBC after 3 monthly tournaments.
| Falcon Lake/Mar18-19,2006 |
|
| Photo by Larry Bridgeman/Falcon Lake Tackle |
|
|
April 15-16, 2006
Choke Canyon Lake
Three Rivers, Texas
I had a good time at Choke this weekend. I had a new member from the Quality Bass club join me for
the trip. His name is Bryan Scarberry. He is 16 years old and this was his second tournament with the club.
On Saturday we headed to Mason's Point (West of) tossing Senko's, TX rigged brush hogs and worms
along with the usual for me (Crankbaits). Although we caught several bass on hogs and worms, it seemed the better and more
aggressive bass wanted the cranks.
Bryan ended up with 2 bass for 5lbs and I wound up with a limit for 12lbs 8 ounces.
On Sunday we once again hit Mason's Points except we extended the length of bank and the deeper
water we would cover. Both Bryan and I had a couple of bass in the livewell but fishing was at a slower pace than Saturday
(No wind - plenty of sunshine + a full moon out all night).
Around 11:00am things started to happen for the both of us as I hooked into a 5lber and got it in
the boat and Bryan put 3 bass in the boat - all with in the next hour. Bryan had one that was close to 4 lbs hisself. (I think
Bryan knows why I like throwing crankbaits now)
So as the day wound down (Weigh-in on Sunday is 1:00pm), Bryan ended up with a limit and I had 4.
Bryans total weight for the weekend was 17lbs and 6ounces - Good enough for 7th place (Good Job
Bryan!) and I ended up with 23lbs and 8 ounces - good enough for 4th place.
I am still holding on to 2nd place in the standings with a total of 73.06lbs for 4 tournaments.
May 13-14, 2006
Amistad Lake
Del Rio, Texas
Well, It turned out to be a So-So weekend.
As always the bass were there, but catching them was a different story.
I had Brian along as my non-boater partner agian and that turned out to be also So-So also.
On Friday , We arrived on the lake around 8:30am to check out some areas and do a little prefihing as Brian's
Mom wanted some photo's of Brain with a bass or two.
We tried heading to a area where a road bed run the length of a shoreline with areas that were cut threw
the rocks. But as it turned out the wind was blowing 20 to 25mph and whitecaps were about 21/2 to 3 feet tall. So the second
place on the opposite shoreline I wanted to scope out was shielded from the wind and did hold some bass, so I decided
we would head to a area so we could actually catch some bass for photo's without hooking the fish we planned on using for
the tourney.
Come Saturday, The wind decide to lay down and the skies cleared and with a full moon being out all
the night before there wasn't a morning bite to be found. So we just kept working the same area till the bass did turn on.
At 1:00pm - I had 2 keepers in the boat and Brian had none. By 2:00pm, I had 3 and Brian had 1. Between 2:00 and 2:30pm I
caught 2 more keepers and Brian still had his 1 and only for the day.
I weighed in with 9.16 and Brian had 1.42. All but 1 of my bass came on a Tx-Rigged brushhog fished next
to either standing trees or the rock ledges around the banks and the other came on a crankbait. Brian's came on a big
Senko fished out in the deep open water. We did catch a lot of short fish (131/2") but nothing of real size to them.
On Sunday, It was the same routine except Brian did catch a 2-1/2lber on top-water early but after that
it just died.
I ended up with 2.76 with 2 bass and Brian had a 2.63 with his early morning keeper.
For the tourney I wound up in 6th place (11.92) and Brian in 14th (4.05)
I am still in 2nd place overall with 7 more tourneys to go.
Just for informational reasons: Any Angler who plans to fish as a Non-Boater really needs to read a few
articles on the "Non-Boaters Guide to Fishing Tournaments". There are several different articles out there on the edicate
of a Non-Boater with all of them saying about the same thing. I would recommend the article written by Nick Toman (Bass Resource).
You can find the article under this web address ( http://www.bassresource.com/fishing/guide_to_tournament_fishing.html )
The article might not cover everything such as safety issues when dealing with 2 people in one boat but
it will give you a pretty good idea of the do's and don'ts when it comes to being prepared and respecting the boaters wishes
(Since it is his boat).
All in all, I would say the this trip around (At least for me) that Amistad was a hard lake to fish. We
had a Full moon, A cold front just passed and high pressure was opun us with another front showing up Sunday afternoon. The
wind had died to almost nothing both days with bluebird skies. At least in my opinion if the tournament would of started around
noon and went to 8:00pm - I know I would of done a lot better. The bite was almost non-existant till around noon and it keep
getting better as the afternoon wore on.
Talk at ya later
David Stewart
June 17-18, 2006
Canyon Lake
Cranes Mill Park, Texas
Well, I hadn't been on Canyon Lake since the Mid - 1980's and it hasn't changed a bit. There were
jetski's and ignorant weekend boaters all over the place. One time I (My Boat) was actually washed up on the bank due to a
boater pulling 2 skiers going right thru a NO WAKE zone. By the time I made it back to the drivers seat my boat was already
washed a shore from the 2/12 to 3 foot waves he left as he went by. I was on the lake for 3 days total and I never once saw
a Warden or Parks and Wildlife Ranger on the water.
Now, back to the fishing report - Saturday started out with a bang and a light show and winds and
rain. After the first set of storms rolled thru, I thought it would be safe to put in the water and head on out. I got close
the the area where I was going to head when I saw another set of storms fixin to roll in so I went to the back of a cove that
had high rock cliff walls in it and I parked the boat against the bank. That is when the lightning & rain started again.
It was coming down buckets at a time. So I started fan casting the area with much to my surprise, I landed a 14 inch bass,
then another on a spinnerbait. I then pulled out a buzzbait and I caught a 3rd bass, this about 151/2 (2&3/4lbs) inches
right off of the bank. That was about it for Saturday as I all I caught after the storms moved thru were short fish.
On Sunday the same type of weather was around but it pushed thru right after 6:00am so I was able
to launch and head to my original spot where I was going to start Saturday. I fished a point where the river swang in rather
close but I only came up with 1 keeper bass. As it got within a hour of weigh-in time I headed directly across from the launch
ramp (Where I had sucess in practice) and fished a small cove off of the main lake. There were boats and jetski's all
over the place. I was actually cussing them all (Under my breathe) when I hooked a 5&1/2 lb largemouth. I got it in the
boat and put it in the livewell. There was something wrong with this fish as it had a head of a 8 or 9 lber but it was skinny
and I couldn't keep it upright in the well. So the remaining 30 minutes or so I keep personal care of the bass so it would
remain alive thru the wiegh-in. After the bass was wieghed it was returned to the lake and it actually did swim away much
to my surprise.
I got 2nd place for the tourney and I am now (For a short time anyways) in 1st place with the Quality
Bass Club.
Till next month!
July 15-16, 2006
O.H. Ivie
55 miles east of San Angelo, Texas
Tough weekend of fishing for about everyone who particapated. It was very tough and a little painful
too!
I didn't get a chance to prefish and that always kills a potentially good weekend. On Saturday I
headed to the dam and fished the rocks, timber and grass to only come up with a 16 &1/2 inch smallmouth that I had to
put back (18 inch min,) I saw small white bass tearing up baitfish all day but I could never get a black bass out of the area.
On Sunday morning I went and fished a big hydrilla bed just north of Elm Creek Marina - I had
a couple of blow-ups on Top-Water baits and I lost one good one that went head first into the grass and got so far in
I couldn't get it out. After the sun rose I headed back to the dam area and I saw Black bass busting baitfish. I picked up
a stickbait and made a cast and caught a 2 lber and then as I took it off the trebles on of the barbs went into my thumb -
right on the side of the thumbnail. Needless to say I couldn't get it to push threw or back out so I had to cut the barb off.
Good thing I keep a pair of side cutters on the boat.
Since it was so close to wiegh-in time I just wrapped up my thumb and continued to fish. On Monday
I went to the VA Hospital and had the hook removed.
That will never happen again - I have already bought gloves to wear while I remove trebles.
I will be off to Amistad again in August - I hope I have better turnout than I or the rest of the
Quality Bass club did at
O.H. Ivie.
August 12-13, 2006
Lake Amistad
Del Rio, Texas
Water Level: 1103 / 14 foot low
Water Temp - 83 to 86
Air temp - 80 - 102
Fished between Rock Quarry & Words Point and acroos that area to Cape Avery.
Baits used: Stick Baits, Buzz bait & Watermelon Brush hogs
Went out prefishing Friday -Aug 11 & I found plenty of schooling bass Friday with tons of baitfish
trying to work their way out of the wind blown coves. After landing plenty of short fish I headed further in the the coves.
I started out with Baby Brushhogs and then switched over to the regular size and that made the difference. I caught 3 keeper
bass out of 5 cast - so I moved on and decided that would be my starting point on Saturday.
Saturday came and I started throwing a buzz bait across points and landed my first bass (2/12lbs).
After about 1 hour I switched over to the brushhog and landed my second keeper (2lbs). Around 10am I got tired of fighting
the wind and moved across the lake to the Cape Avery area. There I caught another keeper (31/2lbs) again on a brushhog. By
that time I had to head to weigh-in as the club was having a split wiegh-in on this day, first one being at 11:30am.
I ended up with 8.20lbs and 5th place for the first slit.
Saturday afternoon I opted to stay in the hotel room and as it turns out that would be the end of
my fishing for the weekend. I ended up wit a abrasion on my buttocks and decided it would be much better for for health to
head on home and heal up for the next tourney in September. Hopefully the weather will be a little cooler by then.
I ended up in 12th place for the weekend and concidering I only fish 5 hours out of the 2 days
- I did all right.
I am now in 4th place in the yearly standings and with a couple of more decent scores I will make
the top 6 to fish the Texas Bass Federation Championship next March (2007).
Choke Canyon
Three Rivers, Tx
Sept 16-17, 2006
What a weekend! I headed to Choke Canyon on Saturday morning - The tilt & trim on my boat motor
burnt up but I went anyways.
On Saturday I headed to Mason's Point and stayed there all day. I caught a 7.92lb bass a 5lber,
3lber and 2 - 2lbers. I ended up with 20.13 for the day.
For Sunday it was the same story Except I only put 3 keepers in the boat - The biggest being 8.70lbs.
I should of done better but when I arrived someone was already sitting on my spot. I saw him catch
a 7 & a 5 lb bass and another guy trolled by and also caught a 5lber. If I could of started there it would of been
another 20lb day. Off to Coleto Creek next month.
I ended up with 32.79lbs for the 2 days and big bass.
I am now in 2nd place overall with the Quality Bass Club of San Antonio.
| Choke Canyon Lake / Sept 17, 2006 |
|
| 8.70 Bass |
Coleto Creek
October 14-15, 2006
Between Goliad & Victoria, Texas
Well except for the rain and the terrible hotel accomindations and the fact that I only fished 1
of the 2 days, I did manage a 7th place finish.
On Saturday I caught 2 (Barely) keepers around 2pm. It took me that long just to figure out where
the bass were hiding out. I ended up finding them in the grass on deep water drop offs. I didn't have to fish deep but that
was the depth that I had to pull them out of.
Saturday afternoon, I went to the hotel where I had reservations and found out my room was on the
2nd floor even after I told them I was in a wheelchair. They then gave me another room - but there was no power hook-ups so
I could charge my trolling motor batteries. So I decided to just go home instead of getting upset at ignorant people.
Choke Canyon
November 18&19, 2006
Three Rivers, Texas
All I can say is "What a fishing site Choke has became".
I only fished 2 different areas but both produced bass for both Sat & Sunday. I didn't have
all that much weight but I did have a limit on Sat and 4 on Sunday.
I used both crankbaits and brushhogs to gather my fish in. I should of had a limit on Sunday too
but Duck Season is open and I didn't want to get too close to people with shotguns in their hands.
I ended up with 17lbs and good enough for 4th place.
I will not be fishing in December as I already have 2nd place wrapped up with the club and I need
the money to spend for Christmas. See everyone next year.
Who knows what my plans will be for next year as I just found out that I will not be able to use
my boat to fish the Texas State Championships. It was very nice of my fellow club members to tell me that after I had already
qualified using my own boat all year. They basically said that my boat doesn't carry enough gas to allow a Non Boater fishing
partner the flexability to go where he would like to fish on Lake Amistad. I know this isn't true, but if that is "What they
think the rules read" - I will forget about it and find some other tournament format that allows me to fish out of my boat
all year long.
I"ll keep to myself "What I really Think".
|
