First Event - Kent Lake

[Langer]

Had a pretty good turnout for the first event of the year on Kent Lake Sunday. I think there was around 10 boats. Winning Length for 5 fish was around 94 inches.

I only caught 1 fish big enough to measure, a fat little 15 incher, other then that I got 4 shorts. All my fish came on a DT-4 Crankbait cranking wood along the shore, thanks to McCarter and Bender for giving us that tip as we passed each other going around one of the islands. My dad got two one off a crank bait and one one a spinnerbait. Slow day for us, but sounded like some had a really good day.

[McCarter]

Pretty tough day out there.  I was thinking about joining that tournament but afterwards was glad i didnt.  Chris aka Bender16v and i caught some fish, but most were very small.  10"-12" was the average, with a couple small keepers and very few over 2 lbs.  A close to 3 lb largie turned out to be our best fish of the day.  Except for a nice healthy Walleye that took Benders shakey worm in 12 ft of water.

It was tough from the moment we got out there.  I knew something was up when we had hit the first 3 areas/spots without a bite.  all 3 are almost always guaranteed to produce, especially this time of year, but we couldnt manage even a nibble.  Sensing something was up, i switched gears and parked the boat basically up on shore, casting a Bandit 200 series crankbait parallel in the 3-4 ft range.  Low and behold, i started catching them.  Stuck with that for alittle bit, hoping to convince some bigger fish to join our party, but as it turned out most of the fish were small. 

Switched gears again in hopes of patterning the bigger fish, but it never happened.  So we took the same pattern to a different part of the lake and started catching fish again.  Mostly dinkoids again with a few small keepers in between.

Had a hunch on some deeper stumps so i pitched a jig to them and had a few good whacks.  I went up to investigate and sure enough, there were smallies making some beds on the side of the stumps.  I dont think they were far enough along to care too much about my jig invading there territory, but they were aggrivated enough to give a few nips.  Couldnt hook them, and decided to not put much more effort into it.

Had fun out there, but it was frustrating not being able to figure the big bite out. 

Wish we could have offered more insight Langer, but thats all we had going.  Something tells me some minor adjustments might have helped us put a few more quality fish in the boat, but i couldnt think of any good ones at the time.

Something funny about 2 different guys showing up to a paper tournament with no partner and the director letting them fish.  Something even funnier about them taking first and second place.  And funnier still, having 5 fish that size on a day where everyone i talked to, and i talked to quite a few people, was struggling to put big fish in the boat.

Oh well.  Just glad Chris and I didnt have any money invested.

NEXT SUNDAY*ABA PAPER TOURNAMENT*KENT LAKE*WEST LAUNCH

McCarter himself

[cvan]

How was launching out at Kent with what appeared to be a low water level?

I checked out the West launch early Saturday morning and it looked like I might have had to put the truck well into the water to float the boat. I wasn't sure I wanted to try and do it by myself(inexperienced), and then noticed there were no other trailers around and common sense kicked in before I possibly got in trouble.
The East did not look any better but there were a couple of trailers in the lot.

Chad

[stackenem]

I launched on the east side Sat morn and had to put the truck along ways in the water to launch. Grant ( Maize&Blue) and I fished most of the the day Sat and put some nice fish in the boat then back in the water. He had a 4.4 lm and I got a smallie close to 3 and quite a few other decent fish. All in all a pretty good day on the lake.

[Langer]

Wish we could have offered more insight Langer, but thats all we had going.  Something tells me some minor adjustments might have helped us put a few more quality fish in the boat, but i couldnt think of any good ones at the time.

No worries, after you gave me that tip i picked up my crankbait rod and went to work, I picked my only keeper up off the stuff you guys just got done working. 

Something funny about 2 different guys showing up to a paper tournament with no partner and the director letting them fish.  Something even funnier about them taking first and second place.  And funnier still, having 5 fish that size on a day where everyone i talked to, and i talked to quite a few people, was struggling to put big fish in the boat.

I couldnt agree more! Smells fishy to me!! 

How was launching out at Kent with what appeared to be a low water level?

Chad

We were supposed to originally launch out of the west, but moved over to the east launch after seeing how low the water was. The east wasnt bad at all, I dont think.

[1javelin]

Man, somebody needed to tell those guys they couldn't count the pike in the length, and they were only allowed 5, not 15.  Oh well, next time I may come solo and see if I can't win this thing

[fishon1219]

Something funny about 2 different guys showing up to a paper tournament with no partner and the director letting them fish.  Something even funnier about them taking first and second place.  And funnier still, having 5 fish that size on a day where everyone i talked to, and i talked to quite a few people, was struggling to put big fish in the boat.

I know this sounds funny that these guys fished by themselves and true this should not have happened, but it did. These 2 guys have been in our club for almost 15 years each and have always done real well on the lake.

There is no question that this was an error in judgement by the TD, but there is no question in these two guys character and I am sure that they actually did catch the fish recorded on their score card. This is only the 2nd paper event hosted by our club and we are still learning and after this event I guarentee it wont happen again.

Just to be clear once again and I stake my reputation on this comment " there is no question in my mind that these 2 individuals DID catch the fish they reported and their is no doubt at all that any foul play took place"

[caseman]

I myself fished that tournament and struggled in the begining, but after a few adjustments and some good info I did manage to catch a few quality fish. I would definetly, defend the first place gentlemen, as I was not all that far from him when he was boating fish. Oh well everybody has there own opinion and the only thing that matters is the truth and if anyone wants to fish the next one I invite you to come out.

[McCarter]

I am not saying that they didnt catch the fish the claimed, but when you have a paper tournament, YOU HAVE TO HAVE A WITNESS IN THE BOAT!!!!!!!!  It makes it even that much more suspicious when the 2 individuals who fished alone take 1st and 2nd place especially by such a large margin.  There is no doubt in my mind that catching 5 fish that are all near 20" is possible on Kent Lake, especially this time of the season.  There have been many tournaments where it took close to 20 lbs, sometimes a little over, and at least one time where it took 24 lbs to win with 5 out there.  I know the fish are out there.  And i know there are a lot of good anglers who know how to catch them.  But you have to look at it from a new members view point.  I have been putting a lot of consideration into fish this club, but after what i heard on Sunday, i dont think this club is for me.  At least the paper tournament aspect of it.  I know Kev really likes the club and i certainly didnt mean to make the club look bad and I apologize for chiming in.  I also certainly didnt mean to attack either one of the winners character.  But the whole situation is going to raise concerns.  Paper tournaments are wishy washy as it is anyway.  You cant just allow people to fish them alone.  My opinion. 

McCarter himself

[fishon1219]

Point well taken McCarter and that is why we will never allow that to happen again. As stated this is only the 2nd paper event the club has hosted and we are still learning.

I hope that this dosent sway anybody away from the club and please dont let one error in judgement make up your mind. We are all human and we all make mistakes, but we have learned a big lesson from this one.

[1javelin]

Not ragging on anyone, and not meaning any offense.  Just making a joke out of it.  Seriously though, not a good idea to send guys solo in a paper tourney.  I always heard the rules being your partner has to measure your fish and you measure his, which can still be suspect, but better than going solo and that 16 looking like 18.  No offense intended guys, just giving my opinion.

[TCook]

Did the two guys that won get paired together, if not seems like the director should have.

[dartag]

Jeez tough room here.  and to think it was only a fun club tourny.

[1javelin]

No matter what you say, fun and tournament rarely fit together unless it's for no money or you're the winner.  Just human nature to always want to win.  I think they should've been paired together also, but I already implied my ideas.  Nuff said.

[Langer]

As Kevin has already said, it happened, it shouldnt have, but oh well, live and learn. Im sure we will discuss it at our next meeting, so no need to keep discussing it here.

I apologize for my fishy comment, was just making a pun on words trying to be funny, didnt mean for it to sound like I was questioning there character.

No matter who won out there I had fun and will continue to show up pay my money and have fun, if I happen to get lucky and win thats just a bonus to me.

[fishon1219]

I talked about this with the TD last night and he is just as upset about what has transpired here as everybody else involved. As stated above we learned from this mistake and it will never happen again.

I think that we have kicked this horse enough.