Decent summer fish

[Ketchup]

We fished our club tourney out of Cape Saturday.  The catching part was fairly easy for all that entered, but the keeper bites were a different story.  I had several dinks by 8, and caught the first keeper at 9 with a 7" ribbon tailed worm paralelling the bank in 15 FOW.  At noon i pulled up to a dock in 40 FOW, cast my PB&J wacky worm on a head that aarchdale makes, and at the same time i cast, dock owner walked onto the dock.  This was my first cast in there so i let it set. chatting with the owners.  While this was going on, i was slightly jigging the wacky on the bottom.  Went to pick up my slack and noticed my line was out of the dock, in open water.   Quick hookset, few jumps mid-air, and one more right into the net.   This fish measured right at 22" on the dot.  Felt great after not fishing for the past 2 months to catch a nice summer fish, where i normally struggle like no one else. 

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[Smithvillesteve]

Real nice fish anytime of the year my friend!! I have never used the wacky worm. Guy swore by it once up at Smithville ramp. i still havent tried it. 

[Quillback]

That is a nice one for sure!

[Nitro 750]

Nice fish!!!!

[magicwormman]

Very nice fish! Did you learn anything from that experience? How many times have you caught a nice fish while fixing a backlash or set your rod down for a period of time.

[Ketchup]

Thanks guys.  

Magicworm,  twice this spring that exact thing happened, one of them being a true 7 pounder just outside of the Aunts Creek area that due to my stupidity, got off while attempting to flip it in the boat. I cast my RK out,  started digging rock on a point, phone rings, answer it, 30 seconds later start reeling and BAM, the fight was on. Not sure i've ever had a bass fight as hard as that one did.  I do try to slow down, but get so jacked with trying to catch fish, that it gets hard to just relax and let those cranks dig, then naturally float up, or to let that wacky rig actually hit bottom in 20' without jerking it.    

[dtrs5kprs]

Slowing down is so often the key. Fishing on the clock during derbies has messed up a lot of folks.

[Mitch f]

Ketchup, that is awesome!

[Old plug]

Majicworm that was a good example of fishing slow. I would deliberately repeat that If were you. i have done that this time of year often letting it sink to 10 ft or more. It is just that the bass are spending deeper under the dock.