Great Lakes Bass Fishing Forum

My bass club had its 5th event of the season this sunday on Union Lake. I was very excited going into this tournament because if I won I would have the angler of the year title locked up. The day started out very cloudy and we started while it was still dark so the pattern I was going to run all day wasen't going to work out so I hit the first point on the north shore just east of the ramp and just kept going around it for the 1st 2 hours of the tournament. I have caught fish there before and I knew they were there. I had several blowups on a buzzbait, but I could not get any takers. I then switched to a Pop R hoping one could zero in on it and get a hold. After 5 blowups on this bait with no hookups i was really getting upset and watching angler of the year go Bye-Bye. My back seater for the event did manage 1 nice largmouth from this spot on a finnesse worm, but that was the only hook up we had. We moved just to the south to the first sunkin island were I had a big blow up on my buzz bait and I followed it up with a senko and got keeper number 1 for me in the box. It was a nice largemouth that weighed 2.5 lbs and it had a smallie following him that was well over 4 but wouldnt eat anything. I fished the island some more with more blowups and could not get them to hit the follow up senko at all. It is now 9:45 and I have 1 in the box. I move to the very east end of the lake were I run into my favorite fishing buddie in the world and my best friend who is fishing against me in this event and ask how he is doing and he has 3 keepers all on the pop-r. I watch him catch 2 more on a fluke and now he has a limit and I still have one and I am getting very discouraged. I throw the pop-r for a few minuets and have 3 blow ups with out a hit so I put it in the rod locker and tell it goodbye for the day. I pick up the fluke and start fishing the flat and can see fish run up to it and knock it 2 ft sideways with there mouth closed and then do circles around it with out ever opening there mouth on it. I tried different sizes, adding scents, changing colors, but they just wouldnt eat it. After i had this happen about 13 times I put it in the rod locker because I just couldnt take it any more. My back seater is making fun of me because I am crying like a rat eating an onion about all of the fish taht wont take my baits. Than it hit me what i was doing wrong. I hadnt had a pinch of Kodiak since friday at noon, so I found my back up tin in the boat. Opened it up and enjoyed the sweet wintergreen smell and put in the biggest dip I could possibly fit between my cheek and gum. Grabbed my drop shot rod with a McCarter gobie on it looked at my watch. It said 10:30am and told my partner I will have my limit by 11:00am. Cast out the gobie and caught my 2nd keeper on the first cast. I ended up with my limit by 11:05. Only because I had to retie once and ended up catching about 10 keepers the rest of the day. We get to the scales and I was happy to see Dartag come over and collect his guide fee for the day and than I realized why the weather was so crappy. We were within a Mile of each other. I ended up winning the event with a total weight of 9.52 and locked in my position as Mr. Bass for the 2nd year in a row. I owe this win to Brian McCarter and his Gobie baits and also to him for leaving that can of kodiak in the Boat the last time he was out with me. Also A big thanks to Dartag for helping me out with the secret spot on the Lake.

you did all the work Young Jedi.    still wondering what them fish are thinking eating a Goby since there better not be any within 40 miles of that lake.  hope the Maceday fish like them gobys.

great job

ss