Well.....ever have one of those days where you can do no wrong on the water in a tourney? I've had those. They feel pretty good. In fact my last BFL on Champlain, though only 12th place, I never lost a fish all day and caught every fish I saw. Can't complain. Fast forward to today and the 1,000 Island tourney. Keep in mind that 2 years ago while at this event, I made a 45 mile run to the lake and it took over 3 hours in 12' plus swells. I could have likely won it, but ran out of time and couldn't get back. Had to dump my fish, forfeit and hitch a ride to get my truck and trailer.
This year I was determined to figure out that stupid river. With some critical help from Jim Moore I put together a "bullet proof" pattern....'cept fo one lil chink in my armor.......ME!
Everything played out the way it should, sun, no wind, no other competitor on my spots, etc. I started catching fish around 8:30 and had to be back at 2:00. With 4 fish in the livewell, I set the hook on number 5 around 10:30 or 11:00. All are largemouth on a jig bite. For those of you who don't know me, I've been kind of pigeon holed as a smallie guy but am as comfortable with my flippin stick. And I don't miss many with a jig at all. What happened today can only be described as surreal and a glimpse into the utterly befudling and dumbfounding!!!!
After hooking fist 5, I realize I have a real toad on and start screaming for the net. As the fish approaches I get a good look at a 20+ inch bucket mouth all of 6+ lbs. Would be the largest fish I'd ever weighed in a tourney and good enough for lunker. Just as he gets to the boat.......poooooof, spits the jig at me, gives me the middle fin and swims off. I was sick to my stomach. But I've been doing this a while so I tried to shake it off, figuring I would come back for him. He never hit again.
100 yards down the bank I set the hook on a solid 3.5 lber and instantly break my 30lb fireline......not common. Now at this point I still only have 4 fish, a 4 lber and 3 dinks that aren't even 2 lbs a piece. I move down the bank further and see a big 4 lber cruize into a boat house. I gave him 20 of the best minutes of my life and he never so much as sniffed my jig. Eventually, I did get my 5th fish, but another rat.
Fast foward to 1:15, last hour.........I flip up under a pontoon and instantly my line snaps tight. I rear back on another fish pushing 5 lbs......get him to the boat......c'mon.....you can do it......c'mon, get him in......POOOOOOF.....here's your jig back buddy! AAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH
The other couple of toads I found in practice never bit for me.
I finished out with 5 for 10 lbs 6 oz. Had I landed everything I had a shot at, I would have come in with an honest 18-19 lbs and big fish. I just didn't execute. Don't you just hate it when a plan doesn't come together?:angry:
This year I was determined to figure out that stupid river. With some critical help from Jim Moore I put together a "bullet proof" pattern....'cept fo one lil chink in my armor.......ME!
Everything played out the way it should, sun, no wind, no other competitor on my spots, etc. I started catching fish around 8:30 and had to be back at 2:00. With 4 fish in the livewell, I set the hook on number 5 around 10:30 or 11:00. All are largemouth on a jig bite. For those of you who don't know me, I've been kind of pigeon holed as a smallie guy but am as comfortable with my flippin stick. And I don't miss many with a jig at all. What happened today can only be described as surreal and a glimpse into the utterly befudling and dumbfounding!!!!
After hooking fist 5, I realize I have a real toad on and start screaming for the net. As the fish approaches I get a good look at a 20+ inch bucket mouth all of 6+ lbs. Would be the largest fish I'd ever weighed in a tourney and good enough for lunker. Just as he gets to the boat.......poooooof, spits the jig at me, gives me the middle fin and swims off. I was sick to my stomach. But I've been doing this a while so I tried to shake it off, figuring I would come back for him. He never hit again.
100 yards down the bank I set the hook on a solid 3.5 lber and instantly break my 30lb fireline......not common. Now at this point I still only have 4 fish, a 4 lber and 3 dinks that aren't even 2 lbs a piece. I move down the bank further and see a big 4 lber cruize into a boat house. I gave him 20 of the best minutes of my life and he never so much as sniffed my jig. Eventually, I did get my 5th fish, but another rat.
Fast foward to 1:15, last hour.........I flip up under a pontoon and instantly my line snaps tight. I rear back on another fish pushing 5 lbs......get him to the boat......c'mon.....you can do it......c'mon, get him in......POOOOOOF.....here's your jig back buddy! AAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH
The other couple of toads I found in practice never bit for me.
I finished out with 5 for 10 lbs 6 oz. Had I landed everything I had a shot at, I would have come in with an honest 18-19 lbs and big fish. I just didn't execute. Don't you just hate it when a plan doesn't come together?:angry:
