Tourament Monkey (Episode 3: Last minute heroics)

[McCarter]

I don't claim to be a great bed fisherman.  Matter of fact, I have never really fished spawning fish until last season.  I grew tired of always missing the money in the spring tournaments to guys who were pulling giant bass off shallow nests, while I power fished for the pre spawners.  I was usually good for a top 12 finish, but top 12 finishes don't pay the bills in a 40 angler tournament.  I decided that 2006 would be the year to learn it.  Much of my schooling came from a trip Josh Clarke and I took to South Carolina to fish a B.A.S.S. Southern Tour tournament on Lake Santee Copper (Lakes Marion and Moultrie) as co anglers.  The bed fishing was in full swing down there and there were huge bass everywhere, bigger than either of us had ever seen.  I saw more 10 lb fish in 3 days than I will probably ever see again the rest of my life.  Josh already had a good grip on fishing for spawners, but I was pretty much clueless.  I had a false sense that it didn't matter how or what you fished on a bed, they would attack anything that came near it.  I quickly learned that this was not he case.  In many instances, we had to really work to get them to bite.  And if we didn't set the hook at exactly the right time, we would miss them.  For 3 days, we trained.  Josh shared everything he knew with me and I was learning some on my own.  I started to gain an understanding of the situation, and even developed a few tricks of my own.  By the time the tournament rolled around, I thought I was pretty well prepared.  My day 1 pro was from the area, so I thought we would be on some good fish.  As it tuned out, he knew very little of the lake, and even less about bed fishing.  I am proud to say that 2 of his 4 fish for the day came on a technique I figured out while pre fishing.  He worked both of these fish for very long periods and they just wouldn't bite.  I suggested to him to try this little trick that I was using for the last couple days, and after some convincing, he tried it and caught his third fish very quickly.  About an hour later, after working another fish for quite some time, I told him to try that trick again.  He did and put his fourth and final fish of the day in the boat.  It made me feel good to see something that I figured out on my own work for a professional angler.  But I was disappointed that he had nothing to offer me in terms of knowledge or tips for bed fishing.  The second day would be much different.  I drew one of the best, if not the best shallow water bass fisherman in the world.  And this guy was fresh off a 7th place BassMaster Elite series finish.  Terry 'Big Show' Scroggins.  I couldnt have been happier.  I had commented to Josh on the trip down that I didn't care if I caught anything while were down there, I just wanted to draw Scroggins so I could learn his bed fishing techniques.  It was pretty unbelievable when it actually happened.  He was very helpful that day, answering all my questions and explaining things thoroughly.  He showed me more in 8 hours than I could have learned in 8 years or more on my own.  I watched his every move that day, as he put together a very impressive limit.  I didn't catch a fish either day.  It is almost impossible to fish behind these guys in this type of tourmanet.  But I didn't care.  I had the knowledge I needed to start bed fishing with confidence back home.  I had the basics and thensome.  The rest I would learn on my own.

Back to the Kent Lake Tournament.  After losing my third big fish, I figured I should concentrate on just trying to scratch out a small limit.  I knew I was not going to be able to cash a check so now I am just trying to have a decent showing and maybe rack up some good points.  I cranked the trolling motor up a little and worked down the shoreline flipping a stickbait.  About 20 yds from where I lost the big girl, I hooked into and landed my second keeper of the day.  This fish went 1 lb 14 oz.  With about 3 and half hours left, I started feeling like I could pull off a limit.  Another one of my goals the past 2 seasons is to weigh a limit in every ABA tournament.  While it doesn't happen everytime, I have definitely seen improvement from years past.  Continuing down the shoreline, I noticed the water was getting shallower.  The sandy bottom I was fishing in the back of the cove was now muck bottom with carp swarming all around us.  I kicked the trolling motor up a little more and headed for a small sandy flat.  That's where I ran into Skip Johnson.  He asked how we were doing and I told him.  He said his morning fish were gone so he was basically just 'fishing'.  Then he sets the hook on a nice 2 lb 13 oz largie.  Skip now has 4 fish with 2 good ones in there.  I wish him luck and we head out of the cove and back into the main lake.

I could see 12-15 boats all huddle in one small area ahead of us, but noticed that no one was fishing the large sand and rock flat that was close by.  I stopped and talked to Grant for a minute and asked if that area had been getting beat up.  He told me there were boats on it all morning, but it had been quiet for a little bit.  I wished him luck and headed over to this spot.  I knew this are well and have even given it a nickname.  The triple-double due to some shoreline features that help me line up on this structure.  The first thing I noticed when we got there was how dirty the water was.  It was difficult to see down in 2 feet of water.  I knew the area was littered with beds all the way out to 4 feet and maybe deeper, but I couldn't see them to save my life.  I tried throwing to a few shallow beds, but I imagine those fish had already been caught.  So I decided to just blind cast and work my bait slowly.  After about 40 minutes with no bites, I started to lose my will.  I really just wanted to leave.  Pack the boat up and go sit in a bar to drown my sorrows.  But I couldn't give up that easily.  I stuck with it for another 10 minutes and finally got a bite.  The fish dropped it as quick as it picked it up, but gave away its location in the process.  I reeled in quickly and fired back out.  I worked the bait slowly for a stretch of about 3 feet and got another bite.  I set the hook and fought a nice 3 lb 3 oz smallie all the way to the boat.  With time winding down, I didn't even care to watch my partner measure the fish.  As fast as I could, I re-rigged my bait and threw back out there.  About 10 minutes later, still blind casting, I hooked into another smallie.  This one weight in at 1lb 13 oz.  Holy crap.  With about an hour left, I have 4 fish in the boat.  I could definitely catch a limit with a little bit of luck.  I was fishing this area different than everyone else had.  I was told that no one really spent more than 10 minutes over there all day.  Most guys were just targeting the shallow beds and moving on.  I was fishing beds I could see and that no one else was fishing.   I decided to stick it out here for the remainder of the tournament.  I continued blind casting and working my bait slowly.  I had a few pick-ups that I missed, and no return hits when I fired back to the same area.  Before I knew it, it was 2:20 p.m.  Weigh in was 2:45 pm.  I only had 25 minutes left, and it was a good 10 minute idle back to the launch.  Then I had an idea.  I will go back to my morning spot.  Maybe the fish are willing to bite now.  If I can catch 2 good ones quick, I might have a shot at a top 10 finish.  That would be good points, at least.  Just as I was pulling the trolling motor up, my co angler hooks into his second keeper.  1 lb 12 oz largie that took a shallow crankbait.  I felt kind of bad leaving this spot after he just caught a keeper, but I figured both of us would have a better shot at a quality fish elsewhere.

The idle to the other side of the lake took forever.  I kept checking my watch and it seemed like the minutes were going by like seconds.  When we finally rounded the corner I noticed that my once quiet stretch of shoreline was now riddled with shoreline fisherman.  And worse yet, there were 4 of the standing right on my little hot spot.  With only about 10 minutes left, I thought it was all over.  I had nothing else going on over here.  Then I remembered a spot we had fished last year and caught some good smallies on beds.  Its prefect, right on the way to the launch.  I told my co angler that it was time for some last minute heroics and pointed the boat towards the area.  When we arrived, I saw Jeff Cox slip around the opposite corner.  Good thing I got there when I did, because it was this spot or nothing.  4 fish wasn't going to cut today.  I am getting my limit if it kills me.  As I dropped the trolling motor, I immediately noticed 5 big beds.  I couldn't see any fish on them, but threw to each of them anyway.  The first 2 produced no strikes, but when I threw to the 3rd bed, I saw a good size fish swim off and then circle back around.  Shortly after, I got a quick peck but didn't feel the fish on the other end.  I knew it would bite, and I only had about 5 minutes left.  I threw back to the bed repeatedly with no results.  It was crunch time now.  I mean the launch is a good 4 minute idle from where I am at and I am down to 5 minutes.  Maybe if I show her something different, she will bite.  I quickly grabbed for a white Zoom Speed craw, rigged it up and put it quietly in the bed.  Not 2 seconds later, I set the hook on my biggest of the day.  3lbs 4 oz.  I didn't even wait for my co angler to get it out of the net before stowing the trolling motor and firing up the big motor.  I made my limit, now I had to get back in time. 

We made it back at exactly 2:45 p.m.  As disappointed as I was with myself that day, I was actually kind of proud at the same time.  There was a time when a day like this would ruin me.  I mean, if I lost one big fish, I was shook up for the rest of the day.  I have never been able to pull it together after something like that.  But I was able to calm down long enough to scratch out a limit this time.  I parked the boat along the shoreline and jumped out.  I heard a lot of people talking about how tough it was with the wind and the dirty water.  But I heard others talking about having a good day.  I sat down to add up my weight.  I had 5 fish, 3 smallmouth and 2 largemouth, for 11 lbs 13 oz.  By far, my worst day on Kent Lake so far this year.  Still, at least I got a limit.  Once all the weight sheets were handed in, we all started comparing horror stories.  It seems a lot of people had bad days out there.  Some just couldn't get them to bite.  Others broke off the big ones.  And others, like myself just couldn't keep them on the hook.  When they started announcing the money winners, I didn't think I cracked the top 10.  It took high 14s to make a check in 6th place.  That's 3 lbs more than I had.  Oh well.  I guess its my own fault.  I started thinking what I would have had if I hadn't missed those fish.  On the high end, lets say they were all legitimate 5 lbers.  That would have put me around 21 lbs and change.  That would have been nice.  But I don't imagine they were all 5 lb fish.  So low end, lets say they were all 3.5 lbers.  That would have put me around 17 lbs.   That would have been good enough for 2nd place.  I still don't know exactly what my problem is when it comes to executing in a tournament situation.  These problems plagued me for the better half of last season and are already back for 2007.  I am going to have to work these out and work them out quick.  But on the flip side, I seem to have gained a little more mental toughness.  And to my surprise, I squeaked into 10 place which, after the horrible start I had that morning, makes me happy.

Congratulations to Eric Bond on his 20 lb winning sack.  This guy is the real deal.  And to Jeff Cox with an impressive 16.75 lbs.  Jeff broke off a real pig 3 times that would have given him even more weight and big bass for the tournament.

Grant Shively took big bass honors instead with a giant 4lb 13 oz ( that's paper weight, I hear the fish exceeded 5.5 lbs on a hand held )

And hats off to Anthony and Jaye on another stellar job.  The paper tournaments are probably the hardest tournament format to run, but they have it down to a T. 

Thanks to everyone for coming out.  Hope to see you all at the Lake St Clair paper tournament.

McCarter himself

[Cy]

Thanks for the great reading McCarter...all 3 installments. 

[Revtro]

Great job keeping your head and getting that limit.  I feel your pain tho.  Last year at an FOM, I got 15.5 in practice the day before and could only manage 2 keepers for 5lbs on tournament day.  Grr.  The really sad thing was that it only took a little over 10lbs to win the tournament.  I'd have won and had big bass at 5.14 if it had been the day before.  Not sure if my problem is mental or just plain bad luck, but I can really relate to the whole "tournament day" thing.  Good job Brian.

[joshimoto son]

Thanks Brian for the story.

It's nice to see a guy without the inflated ego go through his day.

It's nice to know that there's some anglers out there that know it's not anyone
elses fault but there own if they have an off day.

Thanks for not being "That guy"

For that and the good turn around you had that day, I'm very proud of you!

You know I'll never eat another bologna sandwich with out thinking of being down in South Carolina.

joshimoto son

[dartag]

that is quite a story.  i read it to Lola,  when she heard Kev's name she really perked up. ( he is here favorite ).   she says keep at it and better luck next time.  remember if it was easy everyone woule be doing it.

at least you will have a " KEEPER " at home soon.

we will be waiting for details.  maybe even measure the new little one on the golden ruler.

ss

[Revtro]

at least you will have a " KEEPER " at home soon. we will be waiting for details.  maybe even measure the new little one on the golden ruler.

Now that's the funniest dang thing I've heard all day!  Thanks for that.  I can just see it now.  "Doc, you cut the cord and I'll get the Golden Rule... She's a keeper!"

[1javelin]

 

at least you will have a " KEEPER " at home soon.

we will be waiting for details.  maybe even measure the new little one on the golden ruler.

ss

[dartag]

photos will verify the catch also.

you will learn a whole new spectrum of colors for pouring your worms when you start changing Dipies.  AHH the good old days.

ss

[bosshawg]

good job on the story telling. an enjoyment to read.