Stren update

[3dkicker]

Day #1 is over and some big bags were brought into the scales on the pro side today. There are a couple big name on there too. Currently I'm in 46th place (co-angler) with one more day to fish before the cut. Should take me 14lbs tomorrow to come close to making the cut for Saturday.

Recap of today
First two fish came on a Baby 1
Next two came on a shad colored BKD from Capt Mike -thanks for the baits!!
Fifth keeper was on topwater - Snag Proof Popper
All out of the same grass bed and a limit by 9 AM
Made a run to another grass bed
6th fish was short but caught on a horney toad
7th fish - first to cull - was on a chigger craw
8th fish - second cull - was on a sweet beaver
Made a couple more runs without any luck and headed back to original grass bed
9th and 10th were short fish on Senko
11th fish - third cull - was on Senko

Final weight 10 lbs 9 oz and 46th place. I need to have a good or decent day tomorrow.

Leading weight on co-angler side is 19+

[JB]

wtg smitty! we are all pulling for ya, good luck

[Captmikestarrett]

That was good recall 3D. I always have gaps in my day somewhere between "good morning honey" and "Goodnight sweetie". The camera jogs it back into working but on tough days seems I remmber every minute.

That BKD is called (opening night) and if you really want kick it up a notch die (Dip It) the last inch of the tail red. Trust me on this..

You remember Zoom lizards in pumpkin speck with the fire tail? That is idea I had when I tried it.

Yea ... now get some sleep and put a 17 lb stringer in the well ...

OK..

Capt Mike

[bcklash]

Good job and good luck tomorrow.

[1/4 stick]

Good luck 3d!

[MississippiBoy]

Good luck, Smitty. We're all pulling for ya.

[Jim80]

good luck tomorrow man

Jim

[BassinID]

Good luck 3d, let us know how you approach it tomorrow and how it works out.

[Bryan]

Wow 19+ for the leading co angler? That's impressive! I wonder what his pro had.

Sounds like you're getting some good action too, good luck out there!

[3dkicker]

Finally got a chance to sit down and finish up with the tournament. Didn't do as well the second day as I did the first but still weighed a limit of fish. Took almost 21lbs for two days to get a check on the co-angler side. That's an impressive number considering it took me less than 10lbs in 2005 to place 20th.

Here's a recap of the second day.
Made a run south to a main river grass bed. I picked up keepers #1 and 2 on a Horney Toad and Sweet Beaver. Things slowed down very quickly and my partner didn't even get a bite. The day before both he and his partner had limits before they left. We headed up river to another spot but the warning buzzer went off suggesting that something was wrong with the motor. Turns out we were out of oil and we only had 1/2 quart in the boat. I made an emergency call to a marine mech. friend and he got us back to the ramp without blowing up the engine. We hiked across the parking lots, grabbed a couple gallons, made the return trip and filled up the tank. Off we went only losing an hour or so from our fishing time. We run to the graveyard and my partner catches two real quick on a buzzbait. I catch a couple shorts on a Baby 1. With a little cloud cover and very clear water I make the switch to a very bright floating worm. Keeper #3 is in the boat. I also upgrade to the 1 Minus from the smaller cousin. As I'm working this bait my partner hooks a nice keeper on the buzzbait. The 1 Minus gets snagged on some grass and I start shaking the bait to free it and I realize that the back hook has a nice bass by the outside of the lower lip but the fish shakes free. I pick up the speed of the retrieve and sure enough number 4 and 5 are caught and put in the livewell. I switch back to the floating worm and I cull my first and last fish of the day. We work our way out of the graveyard and hit a grass bed close by. I miss one and so does my partner and it's time to make a run. We head up river and start on another grass bed. Like the day before the bite has died and we're killing time. I'm switching back and forth between a Toad, Beaver, and Senko trying to get a bite. I'm flipping the Senko when my parnter sets the hook on a small P&J and his braid sings.....Is it a big fish? I put my rod down and grab the net. Nope! Just a dink hung in some grass so I put the net down and turn back to fish. I turn around and I see my Falcon spinning rod dragged out of the boat by a fish that had picked up the Senko!!! I can't get to it to save it but my partner turns the boat for me to go after it. I dump my cell phone, strip the shirt, as I keep the grass clump, that I last saw my rod disappear under, in view. I jump in holding on to the boat thinking we were in 4' of water. Turns out we were in 8'+ and I'm not as tall as I thought I was. No luck finding the rod....it's gone!!! I climb back in the boat and pulll out the heavy flipping stick and drag the area thinking I could snag it. No luck either.
So I head back to weigh in thinking that I still might have an outside shot at possibly getting a check if it's been a tough day for some of the guys. I weigh in and figure I'm in 28th place or so. I've still got a chance. I help my partner load the boat and I come back to catch the last 20 bags being weighed. When I hear that a co-anglers got 1/2 pound more than me and he's in 58th place the wait is over and it's time to head home.

Not a bad tournament since I did weigh two limits considering the circumstances. I did pick up a couple things, one sweet Senko technique, and I've found a couple areas to play in this summer so I should do well in some upcoming tournaments.

[bcklash]

I really like the way you looked at your final results. It was more than the fish you caught, it was what you learned. Good job 3d

[carolina-rig-01]

not a bad tourney at all smitty. way to hang in there and grind it out.