Ronnie Garrison
Well-known member
Sunday - March 16 - Day 65
Got to Oconee and put boat in the water. Pulled up on the bank and took up entry fees. Both clubs I am in were having concurrent tournaments.
At 7 I pushed off as tournament directors let both clubs go. Put trolling motor in water to get away from the bank and nothing happened. Pulled it out and could hear it running but prop not turning.
Took the prop off in the dark - could not find the shear pin. Dug around in the boat and found an Allen wrench that was the right size, cut it off with my pliers and it worked.
Took off 15 minutes late. Disgusting way to start the day.
A local guide had suggested I got up Richland Creek to a spot he had been catching fish. I had planned on going the opposite direction but decided to take his advice. Wanted to fish a couple of my old spots in that area then hit his.
Got to what is usually a good rocky prespawn bank. Started with spinnerbait - water very clear and 58. Too clear for spinnerbait. Tried a crankbait then another, switching to a #8 Shadrap. Soon got a hit right at the boat, lifted a 2 pounder out of the water and it fell off back into the lake.
A litlle later I missed a bass on a jig head worm them my partner missed one. Moved further down the bank and he got one on a jig head. I missed another one. Really messed up day so far.
Started to run up to the guide's spot but hit a small creek I like on the way. Water a little stained in it. Worked about 50 feet then, coming out of a brush pile in front of a dock, jig head got heavy. Set the hook and quickly landed a 15 inch bass - one keeper at 9:00 AM
As we worked down the bank partner got a 13 inch throwback and then a boat with a man and woman in it came in and started fishing right across from us. There are good ditches and brush on both sides. I got another 15 inch keeper then saw them catch three and put two of them in the livewell.
A minutes later I got a thump and set the hook, and broke my line. Have been having problems breaking off on the hookset with 12 pound PLine Flourocarbon. Retied and loosened up the drag.
We kept working up and down bank, catching a fish or two on every pass. Most were short but I put another bare keeper in the live well. Three at 11 AM. A little later I got my fourth.
Other guys said they were in a ABA couples tournament. They left and we fished over and around their side. Got a solid keeper just past where they had been fishing, a 14.25 inch keeper - five in the livewell at noon.
One of our club members came in and started fishing where the couple had been. He said he had 3 keepers and he caught two throwbacks out of brush.
We worked the area and I got another keeper at 1 PM and culled the one that barely made it. Glad I didn't have to use it.
At 1:30 we decided to leave and hit a similar area. I had six keepers and 8 throwbacks and my partner had 6 throwbacks at that point.
Boat was sitting on the place I wante to fish so we ran up near the weigh-in and started working a pocket where a guy told me he got three in a club tournament the day before right before quitting time. I did not get bit but my partner finally got a keeper.
At weigh-in I had five at 8.07. That was good for second in one club, first had four at 8.57. I had the only limit in that club but there were two over 5 pounds each, but they had only one or two fish.
Other club one guy had five at 15.7 for first, second was 5 at 11.8, third was 4 at 8.1 and I was fourth with five at 8.07. Only 3 limits in that club. Big fish in it was 4.9 by first place guy.
Each club had 15 people but three of us fished both. Four guys from club the day before also fished but none did any good, including the guy that won the day before with 11 pounds and fourth place the day before with 8.5
Got home and ordered a new prop and pin from BPS!
Got to Oconee and put boat in the water. Pulled up on the bank and took up entry fees. Both clubs I am in were having concurrent tournaments.
At 7 I pushed off as tournament directors let both clubs go. Put trolling motor in water to get away from the bank and nothing happened. Pulled it out and could hear it running but prop not turning.
Took the prop off in the dark - could not find the shear pin. Dug around in the boat and found an Allen wrench that was the right size, cut it off with my pliers and it worked.
Took off 15 minutes late. Disgusting way to start the day.
A local guide had suggested I got up Richland Creek to a spot he had been catching fish. I had planned on going the opposite direction but decided to take his advice. Wanted to fish a couple of my old spots in that area then hit his.
Got to what is usually a good rocky prespawn bank. Started with spinnerbait - water very clear and 58. Too clear for spinnerbait. Tried a crankbait then another, switching to a #8 Shadrap. Soon got a hit right at the boat, lifted a 2 pounder out of the water and it fell off back into the lake.
A litlle later I missed a bass on a jig head worm them my partner missed one. Moved further down the bank and he got one on a jig head. I missed another one. Really messed up day so far.
Started to run up to the guide's spot but hit a small creek I like on the way. Water a little stained in it. Worked about 50 feet then, coming out of a brush pile in front of a dock, jig head got heavy. Set the hook and quickly landed a 15 inch bass - one keeper at 9:00 AM
As we worked down the bank partner got a 13 inch throwback and then a boat with a man and woman in it came in and started fishing right across from us. There are good ditches and brush on both sides. I got another 15 inch keeper then saw them catch three and put two of them in the livewell.
A minutes later I got a thump and set the hook, and broke my line. Have been having problems breaking off on the hookset with 12 pound PLine Flourocarbon. Retied and loosened up the drag.
We kept working up and down bank, catching a fish or two on every pass. Most were short but I put another bare keeper in the live well. Three at 11 AM. A little later I got my fourth.
Other guys said they were in a ABA couples tournament. They left and we fished over and around their side. Got a solid keeper just past where they had been fishing, a 14.25 inch keeper - five in the livewell at noon.
One of our club members came in and started fishing where the couple had been. He said he had 3 keepers and he caught two throwbacks out of brush.
We worked the area and I got another keeper at 1 PM and culled the one that barely made it. Glad I didn't have to use it.
At 1:30 we decided to leave and hit a similar area. I had six keepers and 8 throwbacks and my partner had 6 throwbacks at that point.
Boat was sitting on the place I wante to fish so we ran up near the weigh-in and started working a pocket where a guy told me he got three in a club tournament the day before right before quitting time. I did not get bit but my partner finally got a keeper.
At weigh-in I had five at 8.07. That was good for second in one club, first had four at 8.57. I had the only limit in that club but there were two over 5 pounds each, but they had only one or two fish.
Other club one guy had five at 15.7 for first, second was 5 at 11.8, third was 4 at 8.1 and I was fourth with five at 8.07. Only 3 limits in that club. Big fish in it was 4.9 by first place guy.
Each club had 15 people but three of us fished both. Four guys from club the day before also fished but none did any good, including the guy that won the day before with 11 pounds and fourth place the day before with 8.5
Got home and ordered a new prop and pin from BPS!
I love P-Line though, hope it works out for ya & hope mine holds up.If mine starts getting weak i'll let ya know.
