Finally got a win!

[Ski213]

I have bass fished since I was about 12. Other than fishing several good sized tournaments in my early twenties as a co-angler it's always been strictly recreational. Last year I joined a small club that fishes team tournaments. The transition was a little tough to the tournament mentality. We caught fish but couldn't get the job done.  

This weekend was our classic. We fished Friday and Saturday. Friday was upper 80s and bluebird. No wind. I just knew I could get a top water bite. I've never fished this lake in the fall. Only fished it four times the past two springs but I picked my areas and was confident I would be on fish. Wrong. Water was 75 in the morning. No top water action. Couldn't buy a fish for the first hour. Our plan A was to fish a major creek starting at the primary points and working back in until we found the fish. We moved a mile or so back in and hooked up with some small fish. Marked some baitfish but didn't see much larger fish activity. We went further in and the already slow action went to 0.  After 10 hrs we had 3 keepers for 4.5 pounds.  

In the two tournaments prior, if you didn't come in with 15# on day one you had no chance of being in the money at the end of day two.  

I was really frustrated. We fished hard and we fished methodically. I was thinking about how it was gonna feel to weigh 3 small fish. It is what it was though and we worked hard for those three so to weigh in we went. Everybody else had the same issues it turned out. We were in second at the end of the day. A pound out of first.  

I didn't sleep much Friday night. I thought of how easy it would be to just blank on Saturday. Wind kicked up out of the north and temps fell. We made what has been my toughest decision and eliminated 80% of the lake that we hadn't already eliminated. We agreed to stick to 2 or 3 presentations and try to grind it out to stay in the money. 

Day two was like day one just a lot colder on the boat. Three fish caught in the same spots with hours between bites. I figured somebody would figure them out but we stuck to our plan regardless. Hoped that would be our highest percentage move.

It worked. We won by about .75#. 8.85# for a two day total. Those fish were worth a lot a pound. I thanked them all when I put them back in the lake. 

It was the first tournament where I abandoned a lot of what I "know" about fishing and opened up my mind to many of the thousands of things I've read here about strategy and eliminating water and tried to apply what we are good at presentation wise to that. It got the job done. 

I fish with a great group folks and I'd have been happy for any of them to win but it sure felt good to hear our names called this time. 

Sorry to be so long winded but I'm pretty fired up and I'd like to thank the people here who probably don't tell us all their tricks but sure share a lot of experience that makes us much better anglers if we pay attention. 

[A-Jay]

Nice Write ~

Congrats on the Win.

A-Jay

[Ski213]

3 minutes ago, A-Jay said:

Nice Write ~

Congrats on the Win.

A-Jay

Thanks!

[Mike L]

Very Good!!

I hope its just one of many. 

 

 

Mike 

[Ski213]

6 minutes ago, Mike L said:

Very Good!!

I hope its just one of many. 

 

 

Mike 

Thanks Mike. I hope so too. 

[Catt]

[Bluebasser86]

Well done! That is some serious grinding right there. 

[WIGuide]

Congrats! That's an awesome tournament story!

[roadwarrior]