Brian Ingersoll
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- Feb 20, 2004
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I'm finally getting around to telling about my first Stren Tournament. It was at Norfork Lake in Northern Arkansas - extremely clear, cold, ozark lake.
I showed up expecting the worst, my internet reports weren't good and my traveling partner had been there for two days and had two bites, no fish. The water was CLEAR, my idea of clear water is 3-4 foot visibility, there was 10-12!:blink: Water temps were 43-45, I haven't fished below 50 before. Oh well, time to do some learning.
I fished Saturday from 7 until 5:30 and caught 2 fish on a dropshot, both keepers. My buddy caught 3 on plastics. That evening we found we were fishing similar patterns with specific bank types in 20-30 foot water.
Sunday found us running around within sight of each other, with no bites for about four hours. Then we found the magic banks, four spots and four fish later in was time to look elsewhere. The next four hours were spent eliminating a lot of water.
All my fish so far had come on a dropshot with an awesome looking hand pour minnow bait I had found online. My buddies fish had come on a small finesse worm. Together we had two baits and one pattern working. As a side note, I had gotten some help from a member of this board on areas and jerkbaits, but had not been able to buy a bite on one under the bright sun yet, so I was going to stick with what was working.
Monday morning brought strong storms and rain changing to snow with 6-10 inches forecast. Not wanting to get the boat wet, snow covered, and have all the lockers frozen shut, we went bowling. Tuesday morning brought 10" of the white stuff (2nd most I've seen in my life) and the canceling of the first day of the tournament. When the snow quit in the afternoon, we hit the lake again. Two people, four hours, no fish.
Wednesday we slept in until the temps got high enough to launch the boats and hit the water. At the ramp we noticed that since Sunday the water had risen at least five feet.
Another four hours of fishng with no bites for me.:angry: I felt I had three areas that would produce fish for me, thinking two fish a day should get a good check, and three may make the cut. My worry was that it had been sunny and warm during practice and now was cloudy and cold.
My partner the first day was a local that had two rods with him, the second was a spare.:huh: We took off in flight 8 out of 9 and get to my first spot behind Carl Svebeck. After an hour on the bank and three different jerkbaits for my partner, he hooks a short fish. Another fruitless half-hour and we head to my next spot. He catches two fish pretty quickly on the same jerkbait, so I go to digging through the boxes and put one on. Like the old saying, I may be stupid, but I'm no fool. We proceed to catch fish pretty good, 2 shorts for me and 1 more short for him with 1 keeper spot for him. Then the wind dies and takes the bite with it. Back to the dropshot for me. I end up getting a short smallie and a keeper spot in the last hour to put me on the board! Day one - one fish 1-07 and 76th out of 137. 40% of the pro's zeroed and 70% of the co's zeroed - tough day.
Day two was even worse - at least for me. It started with me cleaning 6-7 inches of snow off the boat cover. The conditions were about the same, and I threw the jerkbait until my arm was ready to fall off. I had one bite all day and it was a keeper. My co had one bite and his was short. My fish went 2-05 and put me in 61st place for the tournament.
Looking back, I realize the fast water rise, coupled with clouds and rain suspended the fish the first day, and the second day moved them closer to the flooded buckbrush along shore. I was a victim of not 'fishing the moment', but I will remember the lesson . I would like to have another shot, but I am also very pleased with my finish against the competition at that level, especially on a style of lake I had no experience with. I feel tha
I showed up expecting the worst, my internet reports weren't good and my traveling partner had been there for two days and had two bites, no fish. The water was CLEAR, my idea of clear water is 3-4 foot visibility, there was 10-12!:blink: Water temps were 43-45, I haven't fished below 50 before. Oh well, time to do some learning.
I fished Saturday from 7 until 5:30 and caught 2 fish on a dropshot, both keepers. My buddy caught 3 on plastics. That evening we found we were fishing similar patterns with specific bank types in 20-30 foot water.
Sunday found us running around within sight of each other, with no bites for about four hours. Then we found the magic banks, four spots and four fish later in was time to look elsewhere. The next four hours were spent eliminating a lot of water.
All my fish so far had come on a dropshot with an awesome looking hand pour minnow bait I had found online. My buddies fish had come on a small finesse worm. Together we had two baits and one pattern working. As a side note, I had gotten some help from a member of this board on areas and jerkbaits, but had not been able to buy a bite on one under the bright sun yet, so I was going to stick with what was working.
Monday morning brought strong storms and rain changing to snow with 6-10 inches forecast. Not wanting to get the boat wet, snow covered, and have all the lockers frozen shut, we went bowling. Tuesday morning brought 10" of the white stuff (2nd most I've seen in my life) and the canceling of the first day of the tournament. When the snow quit in the afternoon, we hit the lake again. Two people, four hours, no fish.
Wednesday we slept in until the temps got high enough to launch the boats and hit the water. At the ramp we noticed that since Sunday the water had risen at least five feet.
Another four hours of fishng with no bites for me.:angry: I felt I had three areas that would produce fish for me, thinking two fish a day should get a good check, and three may make the cut. My worry was that it had been sunny and warm during practice and now was cloudy and cold.
My partner the first day was a local that had two rods with him, the second was a spare.:huh: We took off in flight 8 out of 9 and get to my first spot behind Carl Svebeck. After an hour on the bank and three different jerkbaits for my partner, he hooks a short fish. Another fruitless half-hour and we head to my next spot. He catches two fish pretty quickly on the same jerkbait, so I go to digging through the boxes and put one on. Like the old saying, I may be stupid, but I'm no fool. We proceed to catch fish pretty good, 2 shorts for me and 1 more short for him with 1 keeper spot for him. Then the wind dies and takes the bite with it. Back to the dropshot for me. I end up getting a short smallie and a keeper spot in the last hour to put me on the board! Day one - one fish 1-07 and 76th out of 137. 40% of the pro's zeroed and 70% of the co's zeroed - tough day.
Day two was even worse - at least for me. It started with me cleaning 6-7 inches of snow off the boat cover. The conditions were about the same, and I threw the jerkbait until my arm was ready to fall off. I had one bite all day and it was a keeper. My co had one bite and his was short. My fish went 2-05 and put me in 61st place for the tournament.
Looking back, I realize the fast water rise, coupled with clouds and rain suspended the fish the first day, and the second day moved them closer to the flooded buckbrush along shore. I was a victim of not 'fishing the moment', but I will remember the lesson . I would like to have another shot, but I am also very pleased with my finish against the competition at that level, especially on a style of lake I had no experience with. I feel tha
