BASS Elite Series #8

Lake St. Clair, Aug. 27-30, 2015

A short 5-day break between events and receipt from a bank deposit has me fired up to get it done again. I moved up in the AOY standing, but I am still pretty far out of the mix. I am going into this event very similar to the last. My focus it to do what needs to be done to cash another check so we are prepared to get through the offseason and have some funding to push us into the 2016 tournament season. Besides the fact I need some revenge on these smallmouth after the St. Lawrence event earlier this year!

Practice:

Windy, Windy, Windy! The entire 3 days of practice were very tough to work with in the weather department. It was by far the coldest I have ever felt in the month of Aug. Not only was the wind blowing constantly but it was cloudy most of the time and we were stuck with temps in the 60's.  With the wind chills probably stayed in the 50's, crazy for Aug.

In the first several hours of the first practice day I located some fish on a few humps and grassy areas fairly close to the launch area. I was concentrating on one of my favorite lure presentations ... the jerkbait, specifically the iMA flit 120. Once I would locate areas with bass on that reaction lure I would then work it with the drop-shot and swimbait to see how many fish were around. The 2nd and 3rd days of practice I really just tried to locate a few others areas close to the 1st days bass.  Running around during tournament hours can really take a lot of time on waters this big. I felt the group of fish I found was large enough to sustain the event and there was the quality fish to produce a good finish. I felt it was going to be important to capitalize on the morning bite and then focus as the afternoon approached to get a few more quality bites in the boat. I was confident and ready to settle down in my best area and cash another check!

Event Day 1: 5 Bass/17lbs 5oz – 39th place of 107

I stated about 7 minutes from the take-off and was going to have a long fishing day. I wasn't planning on running very much at all throughout the day. I started off pretty slow ... catching 2 or 3 fish every time I located a small school ... but it was a substantial amount of time between finding schools. The jerkbait bite seemed to be non-existent. I had to drop-shot nearly every bass this first day. It always seems like the smallmouth squat during cloudy conditions. What I mean by squat is they become inactive and don't really move much to feed. I found that I had to cast often to catch fish and really put the bait right on their head. Casting constantly with a slow presentation but making quick retrieves if not getting a bite immediately. I got through the day catching a few quality fish late and ultimately putting together a decent limit.

Event Day 2:  5 Bass/16lbs 6oz – 36th place of 107

I felt if I could catch 16+lbs on day 2 I would accomplish cashing another check and the last possible pay day for me in 2015 as far as tournament fishing goes. I was ready to get it done! The day started off with some sun for the first time since the very early part of the initial practice day. I was able to get a drop-shot bite first thing but it was fairly small fish. After a little over an hour I was beginning to get a little discouraged and went to a close by shallow area to work a jerkbait. I immediately caught a good 3+ lber and then saw several more in the shallows.  I ended up catching my 3rd fish drop-shotting fan casting the area.  I made a slight
move to a waypoint were I caught a solid fish in practice and after working for about 15 minutes there I caught another solid fish on the jerkbait! A bit over 4lbs! I was gaining momentum and feeling good. Over the next 3 hours I caught a few 2lbers but no decent fish ... I felt I was sitting on about 14-15lbs ... just not very comfortable to get that payday. I worked shallow and mid-depth but still no success. With about an hour to go I decided to move out slightly deeper than I had been fishing ... the sun was high and I could tell the fish had been repositioned ... I just had to figure out where. Moving 500-600 yards out toward the middle of the lake would give me about 2-3 more feet of depth. Nearly my first or second cast I landed a 4lber on a drop-shot culling up to that 16+lb mark ... a huge sigh of relief. I knew then I would make that top 50 cut.

Event Day 3: 5 Bass/14lbs even – 45th place of 107

Going out on Day 3 my goal was renewed as my initial one had been accomplished. I wanted to finish strong and weigh my heaviest limit of the tournament. I started off slow again in the morning hours.  Once the sun got up I went shallow and boated 2 solid fish on the jerkbait.  I had about 8lbs in the first 2 hours with those two bites ... then the struggle began. The sun started to pop out in the mid-morning hours and the jerkbait began to shine again! This event had a tournament rule where all fish had to be hooked inside the mouth, so I had a game plan with my jerkbait and that was to up size my line to 12lb test and really horse the fish to the boat before they could throw any of the hooks from their mouth and avoid landing them foul hooked ... I set the hook on a solid fish over 3lbs and tried flipping it in and it came unbuttoned ... then my luck turned worse when I had a fish over 4lbs shake free about 10 feet from the boat. Gosh, luck was not going my way. I caught a couple small drop-shot fish in between casting the jerkbait and I had about 14lbs with those two bigger fish from early in the day. I decided to bail on the area I worked the previous two days and try some new areas. I ran a current spot and was unable to capitalize. I then made a move toward the ramp and was covering a flat with a jerkbait ... then boom! I had a giant fish on ... then I saw it ... over 5lbs no doubt! It was clearly hooked inside the mouth and I was working it slowly back to the boat. Then tiring it out very well by walking it around the boat.  At the very moment I knew it was worn out I reached down to grab it and it jumped and threw the hook ... dang gon'it! Just one of those deals. I was pretty disappointed ... I had a solid chance to have 19+lbs and ended with 14lbs even. Woulda ... Shoulda ... Coulda ... just doesn't get it done.

Event Total – 15 Bass/47lbs 11oz – 45th place of 107

Whelp, that does it ... the 2015 tourneys are in the books. Lots learned this year and it's funny with bass fishing as soon as you think you have something figured out there is a change or condition that requires some adjustment. I think that is why I enjoy it so much. The fact that I was able to close out the season with two decent finishes and importantly good money finishes makes my desire to continue on very strong.

A big shout out to all my 2015 partners; Dixie Electric, Mesilla Valley Transportation, Yamaha Outboards, iMA Lures, Optimum Baits, Ten Bears Bait, BoatUS, Freeman Toyota, Bass Edge and Power-Pole!

I really enjoy carrying to BoatUS flag along the way in my adventures.  Everywhere I am whether on the road or on the water I know I am protected with their outstanding services. Be sure and make someone's Holiday season a special one. Get the boater your closest with a BoatUS membership. It's the gift that keeps on giving, and literally can be a life saver out there! Their insurance is second to none as well!

Next blog ... January 2016 ... The story continues ... Great to have you along. Have a wonderful Holiday Season!