My first southern impoundment fish!

[bshaner]

So I finally got to fish my first southern lake.  I spent 6 days down in Tennessee at Douglas Lake at an Air National Guard tournament.  30,000 acre impoundment.  43 miles of shoreline.  All rocks and gravel with no vegetation.

Here's a picture of my first southern impoundment fish.

Incidentally this fish was caught on a B&R Outlaw rod and wow did that rod handle superbly.

Can you believe a 10 inch power worm in 10 foot of water no vegetation, all rocks and gravel off a sloping bank?  Water temp 59 degrees.  28 foot below summer pool.  Fish were in a neutral to negative mood most of the week.  Air temps in the mid 50's during the day and below freezing at night.

What was awesome was the pattern my partner and I found to be our go to pattern was a 5 inch red senko with black/red flake that I poured!!

So after 6 days down there I call Joshimoto up and all I could say is "I get it now".  Life is just so much more clear now.  I didnt want to leave.  Now I know what it takes to fish down there and man I wish I could tournament fish down there every week.

Man I love bass fishing,

B

[SethV]

Man, you make me miss the south!!!!

Michigan is pretty hard to deal with with considering the winters and the retarded "closed" season.

Big tournaments, big lakes and year round action.  Ahhh, life in the south.

Nice fish!!!  How did you do in the tournament?

[Genie]

Nice job man.

[bshaner]

My partner and I were on fish, weighed in a good limit on day one and stoked for day 2, we only needed 14 lbs to win it.  I blew the powerhead 5 minutes after blast off on day 2.     We were going to just fish off the trolling motor because we knew we were on good enough fish to win it.  The only problem was 20 mph winds.  With the trolling motor on 100% we were going backwards.  We were adrift in the main lake so we couldnt make it to our cove which was only about 500 yrds away.  Them's the breaks.  It's under warranty so I'll get a new powerhead out of it and be good to go.   

B

[SethV]

Oh man, that really stinks!!!   

[joshimoto son]

Shaner's being really nice.
What he didn't tell you is that the three previous weeknds prior to his Southern exposure was spent in my pole barn getting that boat ready. Once he arrived at his spot using the trolling motor, he had one in the livewell when the stupid shaft fell off of the TM and was dangling by the wires!

All the best laid plans...

My buddy calls it the new boat jinx.

In the mean time... I've worn out a hole in the carpet.

Yes, I know Brian, I had no control over it, but that's not what I would want to have happen to anyone, especially when you sell a boat to a friend.

Maybe the boat was feeling rejected?

joshimoto son

[bshaner]

Bah!  I told you to get over it!!

Life happens.  Nothing you can do about it.  I get a brand new powerhead out of it!!  It's early, I'll get it back just as the season opens!!  I'd rather it happened now than at the first BFL!! 

Ok so I lied.  We did make it to our area when the TM shaft wore out.  What do you expect from 4 years of hard tournament wear and tear on it?  Either way, stuff happens.  The boat is pristine and soon I'll have a like new motor!

Re-carpet your floor and carry on brotha!!  You'll get plenty of chances to baby her in the pole barn some more!!

B

[djkimmel]

I know exactly how it feels (all of it...)

And yes - I love bass fishing too!

[1javelin]

Got my first chance to fish South also.  Went to Ouachita for over a week.  First hour had a 2.5 spot in the boat, and day was looking good.  Caught 2 more the rest of the day.  Threw everything I had in the boat almost at them.  Caught a few fish each day, but nothing monsterous, nothing to brag about.  Was told by locals to use green, and that the fish had just finished spawning so the fishing was getting tough.  With no knowledge of the lake I still feel I could have done better.  Have an observation I made while there, but will open it up in another post titled jerkbaits.