WOW! The lake is insane. I had never been there before and I had heard alot of great things about Mosquito but I guess you really dont grasp the awesomeness until you experience it for yourself. I want to start this post off by saying that my goal for this weekend was to have fun so practice and pre-fishing was a little different then what I would have done for other tournaments. I took my brother with me and I had hoped that he could catch as many fish as me or more so burning fish ultimately became unimportant to me. I started off thinking that I didnt want to stick a bunch of fish but what fun is that so I decided to forget all that and just start wrecking them and thats what we did. We caught 20 keepers before 8 am on friday during practice before we finally decided to cool it on the area we were fishing and try some different stuff. We continued to catch fish all day long doing multitudes of techniques in tons of areas. We found some great structure to fish deep, found lots of weedbeds to abuse shallow and everything seemed to work. Our best 5 fish on friday weighed in at between 11 and 12lbs and we had a great plan despite a wicked change in weather that was coming. Our plan was built around the change in weather and ultimately it worked but there was adjustments we had to make that we did not plan.
On friday, the sky was cloudy, it rained, there was a front moving through and we knew it would change some things. Saturday was supposed to be blue skies and hot, which it was but not untill after the fog was gone. A fog delay along with an "idle only" period until 9 oclock essentially eliminated 2 hours of our gameplan and only left us about 30 minutes to employ the first stage of our plan which was working buzzbaits to get a limit early. We still managed to get a decent limit in those 30 minutes but if we would have had the 2.5 hours we expected to have, I think we would have been in alot better shape. Stage II of the plan was to flip a finesse jig and shakeyhead around some rock, that also worked as my bro wacked the biggest fish in a sack on a finesse jig (2.6lbs). After that fish, we full expected to catch a few more of those but it never transpired. We culled up numerous times but it was by ounces and not by pounds. At the end of the day, we weighed in 7.74lbs and finished 29th out of 90+ teams. One three pound fish would have pushed us up into the top ten but thats how tournament fishing goes.
All in all it was SO much fun. We had our chances and things just didnt work out. Cant wait to get up there again. It was a great event and I was proud to be apart of it.
Special thanks to Jaime Norman for running the tournament, this guy is tireless and runs a great tournament. If you are interested in making all your money back tournament fishing, check out his circuit at http://www.ombtt.com/, they pay back 100%, its the best team tournament trail in Ohio.
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Monday, July 25, 2011
Things are getting tough...
Seems Im in a real slump. Indian lake was much much tougher then I had expected and had hoped. Practice went really well and the tournament went really bad. For those that are counting, thats 3 tournaments in a row without a check. I have the warrior baits tournament next week at mosquito and after that Im I have a long break (september) I reckon I need to get back to just fishing for the hell of it.
So at Indian, we had a good area and we had opportunities but a few lost fish really ruined the day. Flipping lilly pads can be extremely frustrating. In my opinion its the toughest type of cover to fish as far as dragging bass out of it. Even with an 8' flipping rod, a high speed reel and 65lb braided line, you still lose a high percentage of fish and this weekend was proof of that.
Whats next? Need to get my groove back, however that happens. Im frustrated and tired of losing.
So at Indian, we had a good area and we had opportunities but a few lost fish really ruined the day. Flipping lilly pads can be extremely frustrating. In my opinion its the toughest type of cover to fish as far as dragging bass out of it. Even with an 8' flipping rod, a high speed reel and 65lb braided line, you still lose a high percentage of fish and this weekend was proof of that.
Whats next? Need to get my groove back, however that happens. Im frustrated and tired of losing.
Sunday, July 17, 2011
Indian Lake...
Indian lake might be my favorite lake that Ive never won a dam thing on. Ive won money on every lake that Ive ever fished a tournament at except for Indian Lake and yet I still enjoy going there. Yesterday, my partner and I went there to practice for next weeks Salmoides TTC tournament. Practice was awesome so Im pumped for this years round with Indian Lake. Our best 5 prob went about 11lbs yesterday and that would certainly be good enough for a top 5 with an outside chance at a win so Im hoping we can repeat next sunday. I would love to snatch a big check from that swampland, its a fun place to fish so Im looking forward to a great tournament.
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Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Whats new?
Not much, got smoked at Griggs in an NBAA tournament, my entire body aches due to an unfortunate "spill" while installing a new ceiling fan in my living room (it pays to use a proper ladder rather then a coffee table) and there is discontent amongst my bulldogs due to a new sectional couch in the living room. I love the new couch, my dogs love the new couch, where the problem lies is the couch is too nice to have these two yahoos slobbering all over it. Its too far gone to start being a dictator now, they pretty much just laugh at me when I tell them to get down. I reckon my new couch will be an old couch in about a year although the last couch lasted about 6 years but I wouldnt have it any other way, I love my dogs, they deserve a nice place to chill with their dad.
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Going to try to get out for another night of Alum Creek Madness next week with a buddy of mine. I'll let yall know how it goes and we are coming up on the Warrior Baits only tournament (check out this FREE tournament on http://www.warriorbaits.com/) on Mosquito Lake. Fishing with my lil brother, he seems to think he is bad luck to me but I say nonsense, I expect to do well even though Ive been on that lake zero times. I will get a full day of practice, is that enough? We will see.
Friday, July 8, 2011
The Leaderboard...
Watching the leaderboard for the first Northern Open at the James River in Virginia was like going to the dentist. It hurt seeing those guys doing their thing and not being apart of it. Not becuase I think I could have done well but because there is nothing like fishing in those national tournaments. In fact, the reason I didnt sign up for the Northerns was because of this particular tournament. My experience on tidal rivers is non-existent so expecting nothing but success would have been a little bit far fetched although one of my strengths is being able to adapt to something new and fishing shallow is definetely a strength as well, so who knows maybe I would have done well. One thing I didnt expect to see was the number of Elite series anglers. There was only 130 pro anglers and probably close to 30 of them were either current or former Elite series guys. Thats a tough road. I think the difference is the fact that some guys didnt qualify for the Classic through the Elites and the Northerns is there last shot to make it. Looks like 40 to 50lbs is going to win it and good ole Iaconelli has a shot as he sits in 3rd. A local guy is winning with 30lbs after 2 days, always nice to see a local do well. Good luck to everyone in the top 12!
S.T.P.
S.T.P.
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Night Fishing....
So whats it take to go night fishing? Well, a few essentials, depending on how you plan to catch them, a few not so essential things to make it more convenient and either a partner or some balls.
Ive been night fishing in some form or fashion since I was 10 years old. My dad and step mom would drop me and my brothers off at the lake, set an alarm clock for 1am and come get us, only to have to get up for work the next morning. Thats some awesome parenting if you ask me, I know I wouldnt take the time out of my sleeping to accomodate some punk kids like my brothers and I so heres a big THANKS to my parents.
A partner or some balls- Its dark, scary, dangerous and lonely. Ive pulled plenty of all nighters by myself but its not the safest thing in the world to do. The lake is all to yourself but thats not always a good thing. If you mistep and take a spill overboard, nobody is even going to know it until the next day. At least if you have a partner, they will at a minimum be able to get help and hopefully pull you out of the water. Then theres the "scumbag" element that frequents public parks. If you have a concealed carry permit, make sure youve got your heat. Things as simple as loading and unloading in the middle of the night become a whole new obstacle when you thow in a few drunks in the parking lot. Just be safe, dont start any nonsense with strangers and mind your business.
Light- This seems like a given but its not used in a way that most would think. You simply need lights for safety purposes. Its the law, beyond that, any light you use is only used to re-tie, unhook some fish and look for tackle. You should try to limit your use of a light because it makes it harder to see when you turn the lights off. Your eyes will adjust and you will be able to see much better then you would expect so leave your flashlights off unless its completely necessary, it will make casting accuracy and boat navigation easier.
GPS- If you have one, use it and trust it. If you use the ole "triangulation" method to get on your spots, thats pretty much impossible at night. If you have your spots marked well then you no longer need to keep your boat in line with the bush on one bank and the point ahead of you.
There are a few things to take learn from fishing in the dark:
If you like topwater fishing but you think you can be better at it, night fishing will definetely sharpen your skills. Fishing at night removes the visual aspect of topwater fishing so sound and feel are everything. If you talk to anyone who knows anything about fishing topwater, the first rule is to wait till you feel the weight of the fish before you set the hook. Removing the visual aspect makes this tip a little easier and it conditions you to wait until you feel the fish rather then setting the hook upon seeing a fish blow up.
Night fishing also forces you to learn to fish offshore. Not necessarily because you are fishing offshore but because you are fishing without being able to see the shore. Part of being able to fish offshore is being able to have confidence in fishing something that you cannot visually see. You would be surprised at the number of fisherman that have a hard time with fishing something they cannot see. Whether its a laydown or a grass bed, if they cannot see it, they have zero confidence in it holding a fish. Night fishing helps with removing that security blanket and gives you an opportunity to expand your game. You are trusting your electronics rather then what you can see. You have to be able to visualize what you are fishing when you fishing at night, if you can do that, then you can visualize what you are fishing in open water as well during the day.
Sensitivity. Since you cant "line watch" at night you have to be able to feel what you are doing. Fishing at night will sharpen your sense of feel which can only help you at other times of the day. In the day, you can use all of your senses so honing just one of those senses is tough to do. At night, you are utilizing your sense of touch much more then any other sensory organ. This will give you a bigger advantage at feeling the bites during other times of the day.
Casting accuracy. This is a big one. It seems like it would be tough, and it can be but a few nights of doing it and you will see a difference. If you can place a bait on a target in the middle of the night then it becomes much easier during the middle of the day.
A few more tips... Lure color isnt as critical as you would think as long as your thinking "dark". Black, purple and red all give a great silhouette and thats the critical factor. The other critical factor is noise. The noisier, the better, whether its a buzzbait or a jitterbug. If its black and loud, it will prob catch some bass. Depth wise, bass tend to move towards the surface to feed. If your fishing deep water, think topwater action. If you dont want to fish topwater, then fish shallow with a black worm or jig. Riprap always seems to hold feeding bass at night, from the deepest slopes to the foot of water, if it was riprap, then Ive caught fish on it.
Finally, this time of year can be tough to catch fish consistently. The only way to keep getting better is to keep catching fish. Bass fishing at night can give you the opportunity to catch alot of fish and catching lots of fish is a great way to improve your skills.
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S.T.P.
Ive been night fishing in some form or fashion since I was 10 years old. My dad and step mom would drop me and my brothers off at the lake, set an alarm clock for 1am and come get us, only to have to get up for work the next morning. Thats some awesome parenting if you ask me, I know I wouldnt take the time out of my sleeping to accomodate some punk kids like my brothers and I so heres a big THANKS to my parents.
A partner or some balls- Its dark, scary, dangerous and lonely. Ive pulled plenty of all nighters by myself but its not the safest thing in the world to do. The lake is all to yourself but thats not always a good thing. If you mistep and take a spill overboard, nobody is even going to know it until the next day. At least if you have a partner, they will at a minimum be able to get help and hopefully pull you out of the water. Then theres the "scumbag" element that frequents public parks. If you have a concealed carry permit, make sure youve got your heat. Things as simple as loading and unloading in the middle of the night become a whole new obstacle when you thow in a few drunks in the parking lot. Just be safe, dont start any nonsense with strangers and mind your business.
Light- This seems like a given but its not used in a way that most would think. You simply need lights for safety purposes. Its the law, beyond that, any light you use is only used to re-tie, unhook some fish and look for tackle. You should try to limit your use of a light because it makes it harder to see when you turn the lights off. Your eyes will adjust and you will be able to see much better then you would expect so leave your flashlights off unless its completely necessary, it will make casting accuracy and boat navigation easier.
GPS- If you have one, use it and trust it. If you use the ole "triangulation" method to get on your spots, thats pretty much impossible at night. If you have your spots marked well then you no longer need to keep your boat in line with the bush on one bank and the point ahead of you.
There are a few things to take learn from fishing in the dark:
If you like topwater fishing but you think you can be better at it, night fishing will definetely sharpen your skills. Fishing at night removes the visual aspect of topwater fishing so sound and feel are everything. If you talk to anyone who knows anything about fishing topwater, the first rule is to wait till you feel the weight of the fish before you set the hook. Removing the visual aspect makes this tip a little easier and it conditions you to wait until you feel the fish rather then setting the hook upon seeing a fish blow up.
Night fishing also forces you to learn to fish offshore. Not necessarily because you are fishing offshore but because you are fishing without being able to see the shore. Part of being able to fish offshore is being able to have confidence in fishing something that you cannot visually see. You would be surprised at the number of fisherman that have a hard time with fishing something they cannot see. Whether its a laydown or a grass bed, if they cannot see it, they have zero confidence in it holding a fish. Night fishing helps with removing that security blanket and gives you an opportunity to expand your game. You are trusting your electronics rather then what you can see. You have to be able to visualize what you are fishing when you fishing at night, if you can do that, then you can visualize what you are fishing in open water as well during the day.
Sensitivity. Since you cant "line watch" at night you have to be able to feel what you are doing. Fishing at night will sharpen your sense of feel which can only help you at other times of the day. In the day, you can use all of your senses so honing just one of those senses is tough to do. At night, you are utilizing your sense of touch much more then any other sensory organ. This will give you a bigger advantage at feeling the bites during other times of the day.
Casting accuracy. This is a big one. It seems like it would be tough, and it can be but a few nights of doing it and you will see a difference. If you can place a bait on a target in the middle of the night then it becomes much easier during the middle of the day.
A few more tips... Lure color isnt as critical as you would think as long as your thinking "dark". Black, purple and red all give a great silhouette and thats the critical factor. The other critical factor is noise. The noisier, the better, whether its a buzzbait or a jitterbug. If its black and loud, it will prob catch some bass. Depth wise, bass tend to move towards the surface to feed. If your fishing deep water, think topwater action. If you dont want to fish topwater, then fish shallow with a black worm or jig. Riprap always seems to hold feeding bass at night, from the deepest slopes to the foot of water, if it was riprap, then Ive caught fish on it.
Finally, this time of year can be tough to catch fish consistently. The only way to keep getting better is to keep catching fish. Bass fishing at night can give you the opportunity to catch alot of fish and catching lots of fish is a great way to improve your skills.
Both of these smallies were caught at night on Alum
Sunday, July 3, 2011
Holiday Fishing...
What a great weekend to get out and do some fishing. It was stupid hot but it didnt matter to me because this time of year I hit the lakes when others dont and thats the key to making your time on the water pay off. Friday night and Saturday morning was a perfect night to wack some topwater smallies and sunday morning was more of the same.
Met my buddy Tom Lacks at Alum Creek Reservoir on Friday evening. After catching a few nice smallies on some points, we decided to hit up cheshire road for some buzzbait action. Jesus! It was nutty! By the time I left the water at 7am the next morning we had caught close to 50 bass and I am not even exagerating when I say that we didnt go more then 10 minutes all night long without getting bit. It was insane. We didnt ever get into any monsters but we did get a couple of 3 lbers.
Sunday morning, the wife and I hit Deercreek over by Mount Sterling. I promised my wife that we would only stay long enough for me to fill out a limit. That sort of backfired because I filled out a limit in about an hour and a half. Four of which were on the buzzbait and one on a shakeyhead. I hadnt planned on staying all day anyway because I had no intention of dealing with the boat traffic so I was glad it didnt take long to get my limit. Spent another few hours scouting areas to fish deep and then we were gone. Long before the hoards of jet boats and Erie specials showed up.
Tip of the day, if you want to keep your groove on during the hot summer months, dont forget about fishing at night. Its relaxing, its quiet and its filled with some crazy action. Black buzzbaits, black spinnerbaits, walking baits like zara spooks or lucky craft gunfish are awesome, big worms fished slow are also a sweet deal. Hell, you can even go old school and heave a black jitterbug. Just remember, topwater when your near riprap and shakeyhead worms when your on a shallow rocky point. Youll wipe them out. I think later next week I will tell you the best ways that I know to make night fishing work, not everybody is into it but its easier then it sounds.
S.T.P.
Met my buddy Tom Lacks at Alum Creek Reservoir on Friday evening. After catching a few nice smallies on some points, we decided to hit up cheshire road for some buzzbait action. Jesus! It was nutty! By the time I left the water at 7am the next morning we had caught close to 50 bass and I am not even exagerating when I say that we didnt go more then 10 minutes all night long without getting bit. It was insane. We didnt ever get into any monsters but we did get a couple of 3 lbers.
Sunday morning, the wife and I hit Deercreek over by Mount Sterling. I promised my wife that we would only stay long enough for me to fill out a limit. That sort of backfired because I filled out a limit in about an hour and a half. Four of which were on the buzzbait and one on a shakeyhead. I hadnt planned on staying all day anyway because I had no intention of dealing with the boat traffic so I was glad it didnt take long to get my limit. Spent another few hours scouting areas to fish deep and then we were gone. Long before the hoards of jet boats and Erie specials showed up.
Tip of the day, if you want to keep your groove on during the hot summer months, dont forget about fishing at night. Its relaxing, its quiet and its filled with some crazy action. Black buzzbaits, black spinnerbaits, walking baits like zara spooks or lucky craft gunfish are awesome, big worms fished slow are also a sweet deal. Hell, you can even go old school and heave a black jitterbug. Just remember, topwater when your near riprap and shakeyhead worms when your on a shallow rocky point. Youll wipe them out. I think later next week I will tell you the best ways that I know to make night fishing work, not everybody is into it but its easier then it sounds.
S.T.P.
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