Fishing Cowgirl Posted December 6, 2017 Posted December 6, 2017 Signed up, paid and confirmed to fish the Kissimmee Chain Southern Open. Husband is fishing it too as a co-angler. Both of us wanted to challenge ourselves and do this level of tournament atleast once. We've both fished tournament trails together and the PVA Bass tour is a favorite. The chain of lakes is home waters and we are looking forward to a great experience and maybe making new friends. Any suggestions or tips would be welcome. My birthday gift from my husband was a roomy back pack style tackle system and will limit myself to about 5 rods. 6 Quote
Super User N Florida Mike Posted December 6, 2017 Super User Posted December 6, 2017 Sounds like fun. Just enjoy the experience. I fished tournaments for a couple years and tried so hard I didnt enjoy it like I would have. Hope you catch a lot. Keep us posted. 1 Quote
Super User Oregon Native Posted December 6, 2017 Super User Posted December 6, 2017 First...that's awesome...enjoy. I would try to keep an eye out on where the boater is casting and cast inbetween. Also realize that getting a good boater can be the luck of the draw and having a good mental attitude is HUGE. You have the advantage of fishing your home waters so enjoy the day and fish to your strengths. Good Luck 1 Quote
Super User NHBull Posted December 6, 2017 Super User Posted December 6, 2017 Awesome and congratulations. I love checking items off the list 1 Quote
Fishing Cowgirl Posted December 6, 2017 Author Posted December 6, 2017 Thank you!, I'll keep everyone posted. Thanks for any suggestions. I'm used to fishing from back of the boat and really looking forward to this. Quote
Global Moderator Mike L Posted December 6, 2017 Global Moderator Posted December 6, 2017 Good for you! I wish you both the best of luck. As you know the draw is everything in a tournament like that. Just don't let your boater who forgets or doesn't care that you're there, effect you. Keep your confidence level up, fish your strengths and don't forget to Improvise, Overcome and Adapt to whatever comes. Mike 1 Quote
Super User Dwight Hottle Posted December 7, 2017 Super User Posted December 7, 2017 21 hours ago, Mike L said: Good for you! I wish you both the best of luck. As you know the draw is everything in a tournament like that. Just don't let your boater who forgets or doesn't care that you're there, effect you. Keep your confidence level up, fish your strengths and don't forget to Improvise, Overcome and Adapt to whatever comes. Mike X2 Mike said it better than I could. 1 Quote
Super User Sam Posted December 10, 2017 Super User Posted December 10, 2017 See my post in Bassmasters Opens below this thread. Take what you want from it and go out there and kick some butt!!!!! Good luck and be sure to post the details as to who you pulled out with; were you treated nicely; how did you do; and how did your hubby do? Be safe. Merry Christmas 1 Quote
Fishing Cowgirl Posted February 3, 2018 Author Posted February 3, 2018 What a great time. I weighed in bass both days. Didn’t do as well as I hoped but everyone goes in there to win. My husband managed to finish in the top 40 and drew a check. Very proud of him. Practise days were with Trait Zaldain. I showed her what to look for in vegetation, depth, and we were using bigger baits. She was able to apply that to her confidence baits and apply that to her own pattern. Boat problems was something out of her control but she has a game plan for Florida in the future. Met Chris and Nebo too. Nice couple. She gave me one of her pink rods and it has a decent backbone to it. I actually used it to catch my first bass. It made a nice fluke rod since I had broke the eyes of my regular rod. Very nice rod. I was paired with Steve Priest from Ohio day one. He had found some open water fish that unfortunately didn’t want to play that day. Open water is my weak area and he showed me some techniques that can help. I really do need to work on my open water fishing since I am mostly comfortable in the shallow water. His bed fish he found had been found by others. We moved in shallow about the last hour and a half and I put two in the boat for 4 pounds. One was an “ I’ll worry about getting it in the boat if I get bit “ cast. It was 3 lbs. He didn’t have any bass and it wasn’t from lack of trying I will say that. Neither of us stopped to even eat a snack. I gave him the type of baits I was using. While he was showing me graphs and what to look for, I’d seen he’d been near an area on a practice day that we’d been shaking them off. I told him to hit the hard lines of cat tails and work slow. He weighed in a limit the 2nd day and thanked me for the Florida tips. He even texted me later to thank me for showing him more about Florida fishing than anyone else. Wow, that is such a great compliment! Day 2, I was with Brandon Johnson in the Lucas Oil wrapped boat. We hit a big grassy first and in three casts I had a bass in the boat. Then off to Lake Kissimmee. We hit another area I was familiar with and hooked another in the pads then it got hug up. Just as I was reaching for it, it shook loose. The Trokar hooks will sure hook a fish but it will make a big hole too. I lost another that spit the jig out, so I had the bites, just didn’t execute well enough. We both weighed in just one fish. I finished 134 out of 209 co-anglers. I feel pretty good and both boaters were really great to fish with. I learned a lot. My husband fished with Scott Suggs day 2. He showed Scott an area and baits and both had limits. Scott showed Kevin how to use a shaker head and that’s what he will try out. y 7 Quote
Global Moderator Mike L Posted February 3, 2018 Global Moderator Posted February 3, 2018 Sounds like you had a great time, caught fish, learned and taught a few things along the way. Other than not cashing I'd say it was a beneficial trip for all. At least for me it would be. Mike 1 Quote
RichF Posted February 4, 2018 Posted February 4, 2018 Awesome recap! Glad you guys had a good time out there! 1 Quote
Super User N Florida Mike Posted February 4, 2018 Super User Posted February 4, 2018 Enjoyed hearing about your experiences! By the way , cool fishing shirt. ! 1 Quote
Super User Dwight Hottle Posted February 4, 2018 Super User Posted February 4, 2018 Great write up. Sounds like a you had a fun experience learning & sharing. 1 Quote
Fishing Cowgirl Posted February 4, 2018 Author Posted February 4, 2018 It was a great time. My goal this year is to work on my open water technique. Thank you to everyone who gave me advice on being a co-Angler. I gave both Pro’s $50 to help with gas and oil. We did hit nearly every lake in the chain and they both gave me plenty of areas to cast to. It was a good way to challenge myself and the areas to work in. Sone anglers were late to check in on day two due to a lock gate malfunction. The gates opening to Toho ( higher water level) opened too wide and such a huge amount of water rushed in before the lock keeper could correct it. I was talking to a Co-Angler that was there and he said boats got slammed around, under each other, against the walls and one was even spun around and had to leave the lock in reverse. No one was hurt that I know of, thank the lord. Sometimes I wish they could remove that lock and let the chain go to natural water levels. 1 Quote
Super User roadwarrior Posted February 4, 2018 Super User Posted February 4, 2018 Great post, congratulations! 1 Quote
Big Mike in Fl Posted February 22, 2018 Posted February 22, 2018 Hey fishing cowgirl, after seen by your pictures I realized I fish in the weekend warriors club with you guys. Quote
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