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Scott Hammer TOXIC

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Location
Warrenton, VA
Well, my partner and I fished the NBC Pro-Series Regional Championship this weekend in 35 sustained and up to 40 mph gusts. First time I have ever seen the leaves come off the trees and go straight up!! They never touched the ground!! Looked like flocks of birds taking flight!! Long story short, we finished 8th collected our check and qualified for the National Championship on Lake Norman, NC in to weeks. Here are a couple of pics.....



4 of our 5 from the 1st day.



102806hammer.jpg




And this is the kicker fish I caught on day 2 to cull a dink and keep us in contension, we missed 2 fish, 1 at the boat that was 3lbs and 1 that broke me off because I had to scale my senko outfit back to 6lb test to fish weightless in the wind.



102906hammer.jpg




Now the question......If you were in my shoes would you take the time and expense to go to Norman and fish for 25 grand??? Considering I have never fished there and I am going to have to go up against the likes of Jason Quinn (he actually guides on Norman also) and some other good local sticks that fish that trail?!?!? Now I don't doubt my ability to catch fish and my ability to compete with anybody BUT.......prize $$ drops like a rock after 3rd. I'm playing the odds here. What say you?



TOXIC
 
That's a tough one my friend.. If I had your rig, your towing vehicle, your expense account from Mom, and was your age or a little younger I would not hesitate to go..

The only problem I foresee is that it's only two weeks away.. Not much time to study the place when you've got to travel there. Is it a one day event or longer? If it's longer I say Go. If it's one day I say stay here and take Uncle Billy fishing on the hot side. Better yet, I say do whatever your heart tells you to do.. Don't worry about where you finish just have a great time fishing some place new and meeting new people.. Make it an adventure!!!!! or go fishin' with Uncle Billy.:p Just remember, if you decide to go you'll have a better cheering squad than any of them.:p



Uncle Billy
 
Norman can be a really difficult place to fish for the experienced. For someone that has not been on it, it can be ugly. It is a fairly big lake. Lot's of docks. Big lake for those chasing stripers. Forage is both shad and blueback herring.



This is for the most part a 'spotted bass' lake, but the LM are making progress. Quinn will certainly do well there. He finished 2nd last year there on the BASS trail, and probably should have won. He will be on them, that's for sure.



I'll see what I can find out from another board and post up.



Tex

 
Hey Tox,



Take a few extra days, spend two full days pre-fishing the lake. You can compete with any of these guys guide or not. It all happens in the mind. the only thing though is don't do it for the money. Do it for first place. Go kick the crap out of that lake and have fun.



Pierre
 
Go and have fun..



Worst case, you spend some cash to go and finish out of the money. You have a fun fishing trip on a new lake with some good company.



Best case is 25 big ones...



What are your partners thoughts? Is he pumped to do it, or could care less?
 
Tox,



I have won and lost tournaments in similar situations... Who's to say you don't find fish prefishing....



I have learned one thing in 15 years of fishing tournaments... On any given day, anybody with the fishing skills can win on any lake.... Locals usually do only ok.... it is the adaptive fisherman that can pull it off time and time again on "strange" water...



While I finished poorly Sasturday, I fished a pool of the Mississippi that I had never fished before that morning. By 11:00 am I was on fish and was looking for a place to pull good fish... If I had had two days on that pool I would have done lots better.... Lots better and one lucky kicker fish is a first place check.



The only thing you have to watch is the "guide syndrom"... legal fish are never enough.... so in a tourney you look for good fish.... get a limit and then upgrade with good fish...



Go for it....
 
Toxic, I have fished a few tournaments there in the summertime and done real well. I know the patterns may be different but the docks are the ticket. The only problem you have is finding the right ones. There are a ton of docks on that lake. Catching fish isn't usually a problem there but catching keepers does not come easy. I say go for it, you never know you might get on them and bring home 25K. Worst case scenario you spend a little $$$ and make memories you will never forget.
 
toxic,

somebody has to win, it could be you. besides the weather should be good and you will be fishing. should like a win win to me.

mike



p.s. congrats- did you fish up or down lake?
 
It's a chance to fish a new lake and put your fish finding and decision making skills to the test. Best case - 25 grand

Worst case - new experiences to learn from

Either way - new tricks and should'a dones to add to the repertoire
 
YES! that lake is a great lake you don't have to be a guide on Norman to catch fish. I has some awsome spotted bass, large mouth and smalllies. the spots will be snapping with the fall weather so go get you some...
 
Do it for the fun of it and if you place it's a bonus.



Gene
 
Tox, you gotta' go. Can see the headlines now. "Tox wins National on Lake Norman, shares his $25 grand with his NTOWS supporters".:)
 
If you can go and have fun without worrying bout the money you spent, then go. If not stay home it is not worth it.
 
I agree with BMCD - If you can take the time off work, can afford the Gas/Lodging/Food and entry fee and NOT impact your family then do it. If not, then stay home.



Trep
 
Thanks for the words of encouragement guys, I think I am going to make the trip, depends on whether or not my partner can get his poop in a group. Maybe I'll have mini call Jason and tell him to cut me some slack!! I'm just the type the local anglers don't want to see come to this type of event;).

I know just enough to be dangerous and carry my mojo in a gunnysack!!:p



TOXIC
 
Just use a magnet and you can follow Jason around....................:p



BF
 
Looks like it is a no-go at this point, my partners wife is still ill and they are having a hard time getting it diagnosed. Almost had a sponsor help me with expenses and I would have fished it alone but that didn't come together either. I'd sub in a partner but the rules say they have to be from my division and have had to fished 4 tournaments in the division....sheessh......Oh, well looks like next year.....I'm bummed.



TOXIC
 
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