My first tourney of the year.

[BaSsFiShEr20]

Just got back from my first ever BFL tourney, and first of the year. The lake is the single best cranking lake in the state, and I pride myself in my crankbait skills. And, I drew with a boater who loves cranks as much as I.
Well, every single person I saw fishing the tourney was chunking and winding,as this lake has no cover to target.

Conditions:
Air Temp: 45 at launch, reached 52 by weigh in.
Water Temps: 46-52
Wind: 30MPH NE

I feel like I have been run over by a boat today.
On top of some VERY bumpy boating conditions, I threw a 15-20' Crank ALL Day.OUCH!. We fished the ledges, bluffs, and channel bends. The lake is still at winter pool, and the bass had not begun thier prespawn pattern.

Results:

ZERO bass, of any size. Not to mention the boater broke the tip, up to the third guide, off my favorite Cranking rod. >
Trolling motor died from fighting the wind all morning. :-/

And believe it or not, the winning bag was caught in 4-6' of water in water colder than we were fishing. :-[

I will not blame the weather, the wind or anything else, we just simply picked where they should have been, and they were not.
Could not get the lake to surrender any fish. He did catch one.12" and not legal.

Thats why they call it fishing and not catching.
Oh well, Â*The consolation is there were only a very few that caught any fish. We were not alone.
I will do better next time.

Charles

[Infisherman1]

What kind of crank were you using? In those conditions I would've targeted dropoffs and ledges and jigged 'em slow. If they're still in their winter pattern I think that they would be relating to vertical structure more than anything else. If I were a bg crankbait guy, I'd throw thin narrow-wobbling crank in a shad or crawfish pattern...main food source for bass at the time of year.

[BaSsFiShEr20]

[quote author=HulaPopr link=board=MessBoards;num=1110137966;start=0#1 date=03/06/05 at 15:52:27]What kind of crank were you using? Â*In those conditions I would've targeted dropoffs and ledges and jigged 'em slow. Â*If they're still in their winter pattern I think that they would be relating to vertical structure more than anything else. Â*If I were a bg crankbait guy, I'd throw thin narrow-wobbling crank in a shad or crawfish pattern...main food source for bass at the time of year.[/quote]

Could not jig. The winds were too strong and kept the line bowed to much to determine strikes.I used a Mann's 30+, as this was the only one I had to target this range, and it was the same size as the Shad in the lake. Besides, no fish were caught of any size offshore, jigging or otherwise. The bass are not in any pattern. Simply scattered all over the lake. We could not even find suspended fish. I joked around with a guy at wiegh in. He had one measley fish that was 1.2lbs, and I said" Stop. Let me see in your bag because I don't believe its a bass. Or even a fish. " He knew I was joking, so He let me see it. " so thats what one looks like?" I quopped. We both got a laugh out of that one.

Just a bad day. Looking back and strategizing, I do not know what to have done differently, as even the winner said he "Lucked into his". They should not have been there.

Charles

[Infisherman1]

Well sometimes, theres nothign you can do. Even the pros get skunked now and then.

[javelinguy]

Thanks for posting Charles. Especially the specific info. (water temp, air temp, etc.) Sorry to hear you didn't pull and fish. To add injury to insult I'm sorry your rod got knocked out of commission.

Where's the next event for ya?

[Bassin_Dude]

well atleast u got out. the day was bueatifull down here today and i was stuck at home u will get em next time.

[BaSsFiShEr20]

[quote author=IMhooked link=board=MessBoards;num=1110137966;start=0#4 date=03/06/05 at 18:41:48]Â*To add injury to insult I'm sorry your rod got knocked out of commission.

Where's the next event for ya?[/quote]

Yeah. Did NOT make my day.

Two team tourneys on Old Hickory Lake Tn in the next few weeks, then on April 9th, BFL on Center Hill Lake, Tn.

Charles

[bearpaw]

I have lost alot of events of the same type nature that you described. I just try to learn from these unfortunate experiences. I try and not do the same thing the next time, but when it's hard to figure where one went wrong (if any place) then one can "assume" that the fish were just not biting, period.
Thats of course the easy way out.

[mike0062466]

Looking back and strategizing, I do not know what to have done differently, as even the winner said he "Lucked into his". They should not have been there.

Charles, do you believe the guy when he says he lucked into them, or was he just being modest? Is it possible that he tried the places where they should have been, and did some "thinking outside the box" to take him into the shallows"?

[BassNva]

zook asked me where i would have fished...i said shallow.. last year unfortunately i found out too late into a tourney to do much good.
don't ask me why those fish are shallow,but they are.
it will be like that here in another 2 weeks.ours are still deep.husky jerks work real good in that weird time just before pre-spawn.

[Rich]

Charles, that is a tough day in anybody's book, and getting your rod broken just makes it worse. Hopefully the next tourney will have better conditions and you load the boat.

[macgyver]

Well Congratulations You got into your first BFL tourney, and didn't fall over board, or sustain any Serious injuries It does suck when you don't catch anything, but it happens to everyone. I will say this, that I fished 3 times this year and the water temps have failed to reach 45 degrees yet. I've had some success to catch at least 1 14" bass all three times, including the only fish for today which was 14" for 9 hours of fishing. I've caught a total of six bass, only one was smaller than 14" and 4 of the six came in shallow water. Of the other 2, 1 came off a point at about 15' with a Yum Crawbug(today), and 1 came in about 10'-15' of water along a rock cliff(not truly a cliff, but it best describes it), on a c-rig with a 4" green pumpkin Pulse Worm. Anyways the other fish all came in between 2'-4' of water. I've missed three other fish, 2 today > and they were also shallow. My best theory is that once the ice left they moved up to scout the shallows for a meal. I've said it before(no I'm not a PRO by a long shot). But there is ALWAYS a few fish shallow. Almost evey fish that was being shown on my depthfinder was in 10-20 of water around humps and points or suspending in the middle. If you hit them on the nose they might bite, but otherwise it's been very difficult to catch anything deep. I congratulate you for the effort, and hope things go better next time for you. OH yeah, I have been working the snot out some cranks(Used Chip's today), and haven't had 1 fish touch any of them. ??? I can't wait till the water warms up, and they are more predictable.

Lizards

Charles, just like I told you about my club tourney. We ended up fishing where they weren't or where they should have been. Keep it up, I know you got it in you to do well just from talking to you.

[bassmaster1983]

Do any of you guys think the bass were following baitfish in the shallow water. Or could the shallow water be warmer?

Bob

[Rich]

Bob, yes and yes. Even in cold water fish will follow the baitfish, and shalllow water will warm up faster than deeper water unless the wind is blowing into that shallow water-then it gets mixed up and will not be as warm.

[BaSsFiShEr20]

Thanks guys. I have been second guessing myself all day. Was kinda bummed.
I am greatful to have stepped up to this level. But it was a frustrating day. The guy driving the boat, and me for that matter, just figured they were deep. But I guess not. Would have never expected many fish to be that shallow, in that cold a water. The shallows were colder than the deeper water.

That just proves what I said all along.The only thing predictable about bass fishing, is it's unpredictable.

I'll regroup and do better next time. Thats the only drawback to being a back seater.gotta go where the guy driving wants to go. No excuses, I just plain couldnt get em to bite.

Charles

[IL.bassin36]

You'll get'em next time Charles Sorry to hear about the busted rod Don't beat yourself up on this one- just look forward to the next one ;D

[fredhatch]

The biggest thing you said- Ill regroup and hopefully get some next time. If everyone had that attitude it would be nice. 8)

[javelinguy]

I'm assuming the Charles in 33 place (points) is you. Not a bad point accumulation considering you couldn't get them to go and you were a co-angler. When so many guys do not catch fish do they determine point assignments based on entry date?

[BaSsFiShEr20]

[quote author=IMhooked link=board=MessBoards;num=1110137966;start=0#18 date=03/07/05 at 19:11:12]I'm assuming the Charles in 33 place (points) is you. Â*Not a bad point accumulation considering you couldn't get them to go and you were a co-angler. Â*When so many guys do not catch fish do they determine point assignments based on entry date?[/quote]


I wish it was. Thts a boater. I didnt even place. Gotta catch a fish to get points. No points, no place.
My last name is Graves for future referance.

Charles

[javelinguy]

See...that's why I'm still 3 yrs away from fishing BFL. LOL
I'm working Iaconelli's 4-5 yr plan. This will be yr. one!

[United_Bass_._Com]

There is a BFL on Lake Cumberland (Kentucky) this Saturday. Are you fishing it or just sticking to the TN lakes Charles?

[BaSsFiShEr20]

[quote author=trigr link=board=MessBoards;num=1110137966;start=0#21 date=03/09/05 at 16:45:25]There is a BFL on Lake Cumberland (Kentucky) this Saturday. Â*Are you fishing it or just sticking to the TN lakes Charles?[/quote]

just sticking with Tn for now. Easier on the wallet.no travel expenses.

Charles