We did not have a bad night but we could have done a lot better. With the exceptions of a couple CBAs I have had an issue this year of hooking good bass and loosing them. 
Last night was no different. Blasted off and got to our first spot. No one even in sight. emoTongue Got out a deep crank and started to wear out my arm. Did not take long before one loaded up and in came our 1st keeper, just a small skinny 16 incher. Maybe 10 minutes later one about takes my arm off. It crushed my crank. Rod doubles and you could tell...."James, this is a big one!". James goes for the net and it goes bull dogging the other way. I get it turned and have it coming our way and it just comes off! emoBawl Try to not let it get me and I keep cranking. Not two minutes later another about jerks my arm off and it does not even hook up. emoCrazy Few more casts and our second keeper crushes it but you could tell right off this was another small one, another skinny keeper. Tried a worm and jig there but they did not want it and as dark started to set in the crank bait bite died.
Move to grass edges thinking we would catch some there as the sun set but only managed a couple shorts. Get a call from my step son, "Derek". He is all out of breath and excited. Goes on to tell me he had just caught the biggest fish on top water he had ever caught. emoThumbsup I was happy for him and knew for him to have done that it must be big. Shortly after he text me it was 8/4. Derek's big bass showed 8.11 on the CFF scales so his came in 2nd biggest of the tournament. James and I struggled. Here comes Derek and Tyler over near us and we see Derek catch two more with one being five. emoConfused It was just his night. Right after that I get a good tape and our third keeper comes into the boat, about 2/8. James and I make a move to another place and see a boat already sitting on it. Decide then to make the run to Wolftever, hope to get to upgrade. Don't know about anyone else that may have tried in there but it was the dead sea in there for us. Not a bite, a smell, nothing.
Go back out to the lake and see the boat that had been where we had wanted to go was gone. Hit that area and get one loaded up on my worm. It was a heavy swim and I set the hook. LINE BREAKS!!! on the hook set. emoMad Retie, cast back out and right off another loads up. Set the hook and my freaking line breaks again. emoHoppingmad I got mad and checked my line, I could find no reason it was breaking. Catch two more there but of course they were not keepers and did not help. Move to another grass flat, we stuck to the shakey worm since that had been my best bait lately. Finally just off a rock point by the grass edge another loads up and this time the line holds. Good fight and one about 3/8 comes into the boat. emoThumbsup Finally, a good keeper. But that was it for us. One more keeper after that one that did not help and a couple more shorts.
Ended the night with those best three that went 8.34 lbs. Out of 24 boats that put us in 10th. Not great but a decent showing. Night was very nice to be fishing, the rain had cooled things off and there was a slight breeze. Good company, got to stretch a line and had to do a double check on myself to appreciate that we are blessed to be able to do what we do. emoAngel Jmax
Last night was no different. Blasted off and got to our first spot. No one even in sight. emoTongue Got out a deep crank and started to wear out my arm. Did not take long before one loaded up and in came our 1st keeper, just a small skinny 16 incher. Maybe 10 minutes later one about takes my arm off. It crushed my crank. Rod doubles and you could tell...."James, this is a big one!". James goes for the net and it goes bull dogging the other way. I get it turned and have it coming our way and it just comes off! emoBawl Try to not let it get me and I keep cranking. Not two minutes later another about jerks my arm off and it does not even hook up. emoCrazy Few more casts and our second keeper crushes it but you could tell right off this was another small one, another skinny keeper. Tried a worm and jig there but they did not want it and as dark started to set in the crank bait bite died.Move to grass edges thinking we would catch some there as the sun set but only managed a couple shorts. Get a call from my step son, "Derek". He is all out of breath and excited. Goes on to tell me he had just caught the biggest fish on top water he had ever caught. emoThumbsup I was happy for him and knew for him to have done that it must be big. Shortly after he text me it was 8/4. Derek's big bass showed 8.11 on the CFF scales so his came in 2nd biggest of the tournament. James and I struggled. Here comes Derek and Tyler over near us and we see Derek catch two more with one being five. emoConfused It was just his night. Right after that I get a good tape and our third keeper comes into the boat, about 2/8. James and I make a move to another place and see a boat already sitting on it. Decide then to make the run to Wolftever, hope to get to upgrade. Don't know about anyone else that may have tried in there but it was the dead sea in there for us. Not a bite, a smell, nothing.
Go back out to the lake and see the boat that had been where we had wanted to go was gone. Hit that area and get one loaded up on my worm. It was a heavy swim and I set the hook. LINE BREAKS!!! on the hook set. emoMad Retie, cast back out and right off another loads up. Set the hook and my freaking line breaks again. emoHoppingmad I got mad and checked my line, I could find no reason it was breaking. Catch two more there but of course they were not keepers and did not help. Move to another grass flat, we stuck to the shakey worm since that had been my best bait lately. Finally just off a rock point by the grass edge another loads up and this time the line holds. Good fight and one about 3/8 comes into the boat. emoThumbsup Finally, a good keeper. But that was it for us. One more keeper after that one that did not help and a couple more shorts.
Ended the night with those best three that went 8.34 lbs. Out of 24 boats that put us in 10th. Not great but a decent showing. Night was very nice to be fishing, the rain had cooled things off and there was a slight breeze. Good company, got to stretch a line and had to do a double check on myself to appreciate that we are blessed to be able to do what we do. emoAngel Jmax
