ProCrafter

I will be going and representing Seattle... won a Bass Fishing Hall of Fame auction. My first Classic!!

Signed up and waiting for my ruler to RULE THIS GAME!!!!

Smaller lakes in Western Washington harbor some of the biggest bass... I've seen 8-9 pound fish caught...(Not by me!!!) in lakes below 500 acres and most are electric only fisheries that get Trout Plants from WDFW.... trout swimbaits and large skirted jigs with craw trailers seem to be the ticket and the time is NOW as those monsters are roaming the shallows getting ready to spawn. Eastern Washington of course Potholes is high on the list as the structure there is unmatched and the possibility of both a 8-9 lb Large Mouth is possible as well at a 5-6 lb Small Mouth in the same areas.... Lake Washington back to the West.... just had an ABA tournament where the winning team posted 27 lb 5 fish limits of Large Mouth and Big Fish of 8.88!!!

I would take three baits to every lake with shore access..... 1). Senko.. texas rigged and wacky rigged both weightless..... wacky when there are no logs or wood around.... throw it out on the weed edges and breaklines and deadstick it... watch your line closely. 2). Texas Rigged, pegged weight Zoom Lizard.. (Green Pumpkin 4-1/2" also Watermelen black flake) 1/8th oz to 1/4 oz...... same presentation as senko but slow drag back to shore shaking frequently. 3). Top Water bait... Heddon Torpedo and baby torpedo in green frog. cast and vary the retrieve.... popping occasionally. these three rigs should get you fish on any western Wa. lakes.

WOW!! I always wondered if the quick connect/dis-connect rigs would do that.... And the tire thing is making me re-examine my tires right now!!!

We ended up 48th with 21+ pounds... never found big ones and lost our mojo looking for giants instead of fishing numbers... lots of bucks around so we should have just looked for the packs of them.

My club had a Fish-In on Lake StClair in Thurston County and used a variation of the Major League Fishing format using texting as the medium to advise anglers of what the competitions progress..... here is a text of how it went.... Here is the text from the MLF Fish-In at Lake St Clair..... three boats with 4 anglers participated... Started at 0641 0641 Karl LM. .33 lbs. 0705 Larry LM 12 Oz. 0725 Jose LM 10 Oz.... 0744 Larry LM 8 Oz. 0759 Larry LM 15 Oz. 0809 Larry LM 8 Oz. 0820 Dan LM 7 lbs 5 Oz. 0837 Larry LM 14 Oz. 0848 Larry LM 6 Oz. 0851 Larry LM 9 Oz. 0930 Larry LM 9 Oz. 0935 Larry LM 6 Oz. 0936 Jose LM 6 Oz. 0945 Dan LM 15 Oz. 1010 Larry LM 1lb 14 Oz. 1039 Jose LM 13 Oz. 1040 Larry LM 15 Oz. 1100 Larry LM 1lb 2 Oz. 1107 Larry LM 13 Oz. 1111 Larry LM 1lb 6 Oz. 1125 Dan LM 6lb 3 Oz. 1158 Dan LM 2lb 5 Oz. 1214 Dan LM 1lb 12 Oz. 1222 Larry LM 9 Oz. 1239 Larry LM 2lb 12 Oz. 1255 Larry LM 1lb 4 Oz. 1301 Dan LM 9 Oz. 1331 Larry LM 1lb 1 Oz 1348 Larry LM 5lb 0 OZ 1419 Larry LM 11 Oz. 1424 Dan LM 3lb 5 Oz. 1500 end of fishing........ Larry 20 Fish for 22lbs 14 Oz. Dan 7 Fish for 22lbs 6 Oz. Jose 3 Fish for 1 lb 13 Oz. Karl 1 Fish for .33 lbs. This was not a tournament just a fishing trip where everyone caught, weighed, photographed and safely released all the fish to the lake and after words shared the How's, Where's and Why's over some great Chili Dogs!!! Next month will be a new lake and a new challenge!!!

Fished Lake Sawyer on the trolling motor till the big motor is fixed and got 5 keepers and two dinks....6 Smallies and a Lil Largie.... got a couple on video including a bed fish that you can see on the video next to a dock that pound a texas rigged lizard!! http://youtu.be/MAOANn6qYFw

Damage was probable from the initial prop strike 1-1/2 years ago... they fixed the lower unit but left the original prop shaft in place after an inspection... slipshod work I'd say... the new lower unit will be delivered tomorrow and it is on warranty!!!! Hopefully start the break in on Saturday.

Here is a pic of the lower unit after my sudden departure of the shaft and prop........ Warranty will cover it but it still stinks!!!

Time for the celebrated Potholes Open on Potholes Reservoir near Moses Lake Wa. and I will be fishing from the back of the boat and loving it!!! Going to be interesting as we have had several fronts move through and the lake is windy today cancelling pre-fishing. Should have the full field of 110 boats and will post a report of the results and what patterns played out. Usually takes 25+ per day to win but might be 22+ this year....(My prediction!)

Here is the some of the winners fish. Tony Lofranco is the name he also might look familiar as he fished the TBF championship a year ago.

On another note it took 32+ pounds to win the tournament on Lake Washington and most of those fish in the winners 10 fish were Smallmouth!!! I had a great morning as at 8 AM had a nice 4-1/2 -5 pound Largemouth but lost two more and at 10 AM had a Prop Shaft fracture that caused me to get towed in and off the water......... hoping for some warranty luck to get back going.... not a good start.

When I say Sharing a permit... first I must explain we here in Washington State are heavily over managed by the state fish and wildlife department where we are required to acquire permits and each tournament. and each boat is identified on the water with a banner stretched around the engine cowling. Our permits are requested the summer prior to the season and are flexible to change within 30 days of the start of the event... each lake is allowed only two tournament weekends a month. Normally it has been $24.00 for each tournament permit requested with a max of 7 per club but this last year they upped the ante to an additional $70.00 per packet request so... $70.00 first try of 7 dates... any changes or conflicting dates... re-apply for an additional $70.00 and so on so clubs have been pairing up to help alleviate some of the costs. Oh... since 2008... our state has gone from 32 clubs to maybe 18..... economy and the over management of OUR resources has taken it's toll.