team-d
Well-known member
Here's my report. Haven't posted here lately since the last time I was out fishing was the Nickajack CFF #3, so this was a much needed fishing fix and I'm going to ramble for a while...
I wasn't planning on fishing this one as I thought I had to work an outage on Saturday, but we finished Friday evening. Got into the boat about 8 and started sorting through the mess, finally got things somewhat tournament ready sometime after 10. On the road from Kville at 3am ready to roll. Wish I had checked to see if there were any other solos, I see inthebox30 fished solo as well (I think that was you at the ramp I asked about the "ceremonies" when I was in panic mode trying to figure out where everyone was?).
I've only been on the Chick a few times, so once again was fishing blind, story of my life lately. I started about half way back in a pocket and picked up the spook. I took my first cast and decided I better check the drag since I haven't been out in a while, as I'm doing that I hear a big "baloosh" and look up to see my spook gone, set the hook and get one about 3-1/2 in the boat, long and skinny, was probably pushing 4-1/2 lbs before the spawn. Another cast, bam, one about 2lbs in the boat. Two more casts and nothing, then 5th cast and another 2lbr in the boat. Ok, 5 casts and I have a limit, this might be fun. Moving on down the bank catch a few more shorts, then a toad comes up completely out of the water and misses my spook by more than a foot, one of those blind fish I guess. Was hoping the clouds and rain would stay around all day and I wouldn't have to put the spook down, but no such luck.
Nothing else happened there so just started running and gunning whatever looked good - the spook didn't produce anything else so started pitching around any wood I could find. Caught a fish here and there and eventually ended up culling the 2 pounders with 2-1/2 pounders. Decided to go deep to get that kicker I needed, fished several points with no takers, then idled around and found a bunch of fish on a break off the main channel. Tried a swimbait for a while with no takers, then decided to try out that big $7 Sexy Spoon that I just had to have the last time I was in BPS. Had a couple smack it on the fall but no hookups, figured maybe white bass. Moved out a little deeper to around 20 feet and bam, fish on, and it's a big one. Started the "please be a bass" prayer, and sure enough here comes the line straight up to the top, definitely a big ol girl getting ready to jump. Prayers not answered, it's a blue cat probably 15 pounds or so, the spoon has disappeared and blood is pouring out of its gills. Managed to get the thing in and save my spoon, not sure if it was worth all the slime and blood all over the boat deck. Kept working the break and another hookup ends up being a huge crappie, not sure what it was thinking biting that 4-1/2" spoon.
With a little over an hour left decided to head back to where the big one blew up on the spook in the morning. Worked the area over real slow with a C-rig and catch a couple shorts and small keepers, then get bit and swing and miss. I burn it back in to make another cast and there she is right behind my bait, a 2 foot long bass, slowly sinking out of site. I'm sitting in 7 feet of water and let the bait sink straight to the bottom out of desparation, this never works but what the heck. I lift up and "thunk", there the bite is and I lay into her hard. I can't do much with her with that little bit of line out and she drags me to the back of the boat - as I start to reach out and clear the big motor the hook pops out and the choice words start to fly - tournament win is over for me.
Now to the weigh-in, what a zoo as I see a couple of others have mentioned. I'm solo and want to get the fish weighed and boat on the trailer so hurry in and get in line right away only to sit there and wait for over 5 minuteswhile no fish are being weighed, not sure what the heck they were doing. Weigh my fish for 8 something pounds, then head over to the ramp and get all loaded up and into the parking lot to wait for all the CFFers to come over for the "ceremonies". After putting everything away and getting things cleaned up I notice the lack of boats coming in. Finally realize that the ceremonies must be over at the campground, so work my way over there with the boat in tow. After taking a wrong turn and wasting more time, finally get there only to find the CFF crew gone. I did notice a pile of about 15 or so dead bass, which for a 3 bass limit and water temps around 70 is inexcusable - their weigh in process needs to be greatly refined. This is the first CFF tournament this year where I didn't have plans that evening and was looking forward to "hanging out" and meeting more of you, but it wasn't to be. Ran back to the ramp and saw Bbass and Jason taking the boat and and got the quick scoop on things.
Enough rambling - congrats to Pointer78 and Dropshot on the win, nice fish guys. Thanks to the "tournament committee" once again as well, you all are doing a great job putting these on. I'll definitely be out of town for the next one, but hope to make #6 and meet more of you if my schedule allows.
I wasn't planning on fishing this one as I thought I had to work an outage on Saturday, but we finished Friday evening. Got into the boat about 8 and started sorting through the mess, finally got things somewhat tournament ready sometime after 10. On the road from Kville at 3am ready to roll. Wish I had checked to see if there were any other solos, I see inthebox30 fished solo as well (I think that was you at the ramp I asked about the "ceremonies" when I was in panic mode trying to figure out where everyone was?).
I've only been on the Chick a few times, so once again was fishing blind, story of my life lately. I started about half way back in a pocket and picked up the spook. I took my first cast and decided I better check the drag since I haven't been out in a while, as I'm doing that I hear a big "baloosh" and look up to see my spook gone, set the hook and get one about 3-1/2 in the boat, long and skinny, was probably pushing 4-1/2 lbs before the spawn. Another cast, bam, one about 2lbs in the boat. Two more casts and nothing, then 5th cast and another 2lbr in the boat. Ok, 5 casts and I have a limit, this might be fun. Moving on down the bank catch a few more shorts, then a toad comes up completely out of the water and misses my spook by more than a foot, one of those blind fish I guess. Was hoping the clouds and rain would stay around all day and I wouldn't have to put the spook down, but no such luck.
Nothing else happened there so just started running and gunning whatever looked good - the spook didn't produce anything else so started pitching around any wood I could find. Caught a fish here and there and eventually ended up culling the 2 pounders with 2-1/2 pounders. Decided to go deep to get that kicker I needed, fished several points with no takers, then idled around and found a bunch of fish on a break off the main channel. Tried a swimbait for a while with no takers, then decided to try out that big $7 Sexy Spoon that I just had to have the last time I was in BPS. Had a couple smack it on the fall but no hookups, figured maybe white bass. Moved out a little deeper to around 20 feet and bam, fish on, and it's a big one. Started the "please be a bass" prayer, and sure enough here comes the line straight up to the top, definitely a big ol girl getting ready to jump. Prayers not answered, it's a blue cat probably 15 pounds or so, the spoon has disappeared and blood is pouring out of its gills. Managed to get the thing in and save my spoon, not sure if it was worth all the slime and blood all over the boat deck. Kept working the break and another hookup ends up being a huge crappie, not sure what it was thinking biting that 4-1/2" spoon.
With a little over an hour left decided to head back to where the big one blew up on the spook in the morning. Worked the area over real slow with a C-rig and catch a couple shorts and small keepers, then get bit and swing and miss. I burn it back in to make another cast and there she is right behind my bait, a 2 foot long bass, slowly sinking out of site. I'm sitting in 7 feet of water and let the bait sink straight to the bottom out of desparation, this never works but what the heck. I lift up and "thunk", there the bite is and I lay into her hard. I can't do much with her with that little bit of line out and she drags me to the back of the boat - as I start to reach out and clear the big motor the hook pops out and the choice words start to fly - tournament win is over for me.
Now to the weigh-in, what a zoo as I see a couple of others have mentioned. I'm solo and want to get the fish weighed and boat on the trailer so hurry in and get in line right away only to sit there and wait for over 5 minuteswhile no fish are being weighed, not sure what the heck they were doing. Weigh my fish for 8 something pounds, then head over to the ramp and get all loaded up and into the parking lot to wait for all the CFFers to come over for the "ceremonies". After putting everything away and getting things cleaned up I notice the lack of boats coming in. Finally realize that the ceremonies must be over at the campground, so work my way over there with the boat in tow. After taking a wrong turn and wasting more time, finally get there only to find the CFF crew gone. I did notice a pile of about 15 or so dead bass, which for a 3 bass limit and water temps around 70 is inexcusable - their weigh in process needs to be greatly refined. This is the first CFF tournament this year where I didn't have plans that evening and was looking forward to "hanging out" and meeting more of you, but it wasn't to be. Ran back to the ramp and saw Bbass and Jason taking the boat and and got the quick scoop on things.
Enough rambling - congrats to Pointer78 and Dropshot on the win, nice fish guys. Thanks to the "tournament committee" once again as well, you all are doing a great job putting these on. I'll definitely be out of town for the next one, but hope to make #6 and meet more of you if my schedule allows.
