my first tournament....

[carolina-rig-01]

well the day started off with a brisk 77 mph boat ride at the crack of light, dodging logs that were floating in the lake from the recent storms we had. and let me tell you guys if you haven't been that fast in a boat, don't kid yourself into thinking you can imagine it! it litterally feels like your face is being peeled off, it's very cool. i am the co-angler to a guy that fishes a lot of big money tourneys he is good! this was a club tournament so i feel like i drew a good partner. we fished windy banks all day and he wore me out with a jerkbait. he was using a lucky craft, i always refused to buy lucky craft because they were "over priced"...well i am rethinking that. i had a xcaliber jerkbait in the same exact color and couldn't get bit. i mean basically if you put these baits side by side you couldn't see a difference for the most part but in the water there was a night and day difference. he caught fish all day. it wasn't because he front ended me with the trolling motor either because he was real good about leaving me good fishable water. and he told me not to be affraid of throwing ahead of the boat, he is the kind of guy you would fish with for fun, just a great guy. anyways i could see my jerkbait bite wasn't going to happen, he said he would give me a jerkbait but he didn't have anymore so i went to a jig. we caught several fish on windy banks and most fish were over at least 75 f.o.w. i got broke off on a jig while we were flipping docks and that cost us big. we finished 2nd with 4 fish. we missed winning by less than two ounces. that fish that broke me off really came back to bite me in the a$$. none the less we placed and i had a blast.

[JB]

A lot of times you win or loose just by mere ounces in a tourney, they are that competetive, nice report and good luck in the future!

[brushhog]

Sond like an awesome time and an awesome partner! Congrats!

[Bassinkid]

that sounds cool i cant wait to get in a tourney myself

[FlyRod]

C-Rig,

Congrats! And I hope to H---he had the kill switch attached.
It wasn't the Lucky Craft v. your lure, so don't rush out and blow bux just yet. Sometimes the fish gods just play tricks.
The slightest variance in retrieve, depth, speed, cast placement, even if using identical gear, can cause one partner to outfish the other and next time you may be the "team" MVP.
Reb and I can attest from firsthand experience that the above is absolutely true. We've had days when he's done well just deadsticking a Tiki Stik and I couldn't buy a fish on one. There there are days when the bass is on the other hook. A few days ago it was my turn to slay 'em on a Tiki...so what?
Weird, but that's the way it works.
I have another partner or two and when I'm with one of them in particular it's often almost fish per fish. We often finish the day within one fish of the other or in a dead heat, and I'm talking days when we total over 50 bass. Why? Who knows? About once a year I'll whack him, always from the back seat, then he returns the favor on another trip.
The important thing is that we are fishing!
So far as losing that kicker fish you mentioned, well, most of the time that is "pilot error", either due to a mistake in fighting the critter OR poor attention to detail as regards line condition, drag setting, or whatever. Still, it may have been destined to happen no matter what you did.
Just be happy that you were on the water...you did just fine.

FR

[lizardsrule]

Great job on the tourney, and get a helmet rotfl.

Lizards

[zooker]

don't ya just love the brisk wot runs across the lake??

i can't belive i am saying this but.....

fly swatter is right..

zooker