Ups and Downs of Tournament Fishing

[Sprint21fter]

Had been on a solid fluke bite the last couple of trips fishing from KC-Campbell point. I found solid largemouths that have been pulled off the bank in 8-10ft inside spawning pockets and creek arms 1/2 way on secondary points. I had been watching alot of fisherman fishing way to fast with a fluke or other baits running to backs. I am power fisherman 90% of the time but when I am not getting a bite on moving baits then I will unfortunately pull out a spinning rod that I do have in the boat. Rigged the fluke on 10lb braid with a barrel swivel and 2ft 8lb flurocarbon leader and would throw to 5 ft and pretty much dead stick it until it got out of sight and give it a couple of little twitches and do the same thing over and over with it falling into that 8-10ft zone. The slower I fished it without moving it before it would get to the bottom I would get better quality bites instead of small keepers or short fish. Anyways, fished in a benefit on Saturday for Wounded Warriors and everything just went to plan and caught enough to win with just under 13lbs. Didn't have a kicker at all and thought that would be the difference in a good finish or not. A very big meanmouth won the big fish that weighed 4.26lbs was said he caught it on a crankbait. Confidence was good going into the AIA yesterday. Knowing that my pattern wasn't getting good until after 11, my partner had been on a little morning bite around some docks. So we had a game plan and in 45 minutes we had 1 keeper and several shorts and I had a nice bite on the fluke but he pulled off. No big deal, so we went up lake after fishing around KC for a couple of hours and running my pattern. Ended up missing 8 solid bites, instead of just sitting there with it in there mouth and eating it they would hit it on the fall and absolutely run off with it and unfortuntely when I would set the hook I would have them on for just a little bit before they would pull off. After every bite we would mix in a lizard or shakeyhead and work that area very methodical and wouldn't get another bite. Ended up boating 2 keeper spots. Fishing can be the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. Hopefully, all of these fronts will get out of the way and temps will rise and get this funky spawn over with and they go to eating again. Will have to continue and adjust and stay positive. Good luck out there.

[Quillback]

Good observations. I hate that spawn thing where they will pick up a bait and move it away, but never really have it in their mouths.

[Champ188]

Been there, Sprint. Shake it off and go show 'em who's boss next time.

[Fishrman]

Sprint, know what you mean. Funny thing I went Sat. afternoon in Kings, very poor bite up there, caught 6-8 shorts on wacky senko, weighted. Went yesterday out of Big M, caught 8 keepers all on floating worm from Eagle Rock to Shell Knob, caught fish in every pocket I stopped in, just not a lot of fish in one particular one. 3lb. was as big as i caught. Did not see as many beds in this area as I did last weekend around Baxter. See ya next month.

[Sprint21fter]

Same deal was going on around KC about the beds. We didn't see any new fresh beds at all anywhere. Hopefully, the water temps will get past the mid 60's and stay there between now and the next club tournament, see ya then.

[Sprint21fter]

Champ, I feel sorry for the next fish that bites my line. We shall give em heck next time.

[OldMillRoad]

Sprint I feel for ya, my son and I fished AIA yesterday too. And while we are telling fish stories I figured I would get my frustration out as well. We fished from Baxter to Campbell Point to start, and we did really well dragging green stuff in deeper water really slow but they were all 15-16 inches with an occasional short. We then got in the wind and I started throwing a jerker, I caught 11 fish in a row, just nuts. My son is manning the culling beam and I just keep handing him fish as we try to upgrade by ounces. Every single fish was the same size, and I love catching those dudes, but please let there be one kicker in here. Nope. Onward we press, we worked back down the lake to a few other spots with 45 minutes left till weigh in. My son switches up to a tube, just dead sticking it in 20-25 FOW, and bam! Biggun! Breaks him off half way to the boat. Dang! We work the area thoroughly and jump to another spot with 15 minutes to go. I catch a good brownie real quick, then throw back in with a Varmint and hook a good one. She digs deep on me, everything is fine, then she runs to the top and jumps.........Holy Smokes it's Hammmerhead Fred!! 8-9 pounder. Just freaking enormous, I work her through the tail walk and have her about six feet from the boat and watch my bait pull free and she wobbles her way back down, out of sight. Just another big one that got away story. Ok, I am done crying now. It was a great weekend of fishing.

[Sprint21fter]

Even though it is very heartbreaking, I think they need to show alot of fish that get off on the Ion or Go pro videos and see how much one fish makes a difference for one person. Also, when this happens most of the time the fisherman doesn't do anything wrong. As the saying goes: "Wasn't mean to be" I don't really by that but I guess "when things go right they go right" wait that sucks to. Oh well I am done again. This is why I enjoy chasing these green suckers! "love em one minute, hate them the next." Ok, I am really done.

[fishingaddiction]

Sprint I feel for ya, my son and I fished AIA yesterday too. And while we are telling fish stories I figured I would get my frustration out as well. We fished from Baxter to Campbell Point to start, and we did really well dragging green stuff in deeper water really slow but they were all 15-16 inches with an occasional short. We then got in the wind and I started throwing a jerker, I caught 11 fish in a row, just nuts. My son is manning the culling beam and I just keep handing him fish as we try to upgrade by ounces. Every single fish was the same size, and I love catching those dudes, but please let there be one kicker in here. Nope. Onward we press, we worked back down the lake to a few other spots with 45 minutes left till weigh in. My son switches up to a tube, just dead sticking it in 20-25 FOW, and bam! Biggun! Breaks him off half way to the boat. Dang! We work the area thoroughly and jump to another spot with 15 minutes to go. I catch a good brownie real quick, then throw back in with a Varmint and hook a good one. She digs deep on me, everything is fine, then she runs to the top and jumps.........Holy Smokes it's Hammmerhead Fred!! 8-9 pounder. Just freaking enormous, I work her through the tail walk and have her about six feet from the boat and watch my bait pull free and she wobbles her way back down, out of sight. Just another big one that got away story. Ok, I am done crying now. It was a great weekend of fishing.

Jeff, Sorry about the one that got away, that would have sealed the deal, but all in all a good day of catching. That run of consecutive fish on the sticker must have been exciting.

Also great reports Sprint and Fishrman! Got to love the fluke bite, but not when they don't eat it good.

[Jerry Rapp]

Sprint I feel for ya, my son and I fished AIA yesterday too. And while we are telling fish stories I figured I would get my frustration out as well. We fished from Baxter to Campbell Point to start, and we did really well dragging green stuff in deeper water really slow but they were all 15-16 inches with an occasional short. We then got in the wind and I started throwing a jerker, I caught 11 fish in a row, just nuts. My son is manning the culling beam and I just keep handing him fish as we try to upgrade by ounces. Every single fish was the same size, and I love catching those dudes, but please let there be one kicker in here. Nope. Onward we press, we worked back down the lake to a few other spots with 45 minutes left till weigh in. My son switches up to a tube, just dead sticking it in 20-25 FOW, and bam! Biggun! Breaks him off half way to the boat. Dang! We work the area thoroughly and jump to another spot with 15 minutes to go. I catch a good brownie real quick, then throw back in with a Varmint and hook a good one. She digs deep on me, everything is fine, then she runs to the top and jumps.........Holy Smokes it's Hammmerhead Fred!! 8-9 pounder. Just freaking enormous, I work her through the tail walk and have her about six feet from the boat and watch my bait pull free and she wobbles her way back down, out of sight. Just another big one that got away story. Ok, I am done crying now. It was a great weekend of fishing.

nice write up! I almost felt like that I was in the boat with you. Your son and you had a great day with lots of memories made.