Fishing - West Point Bass Tournament

Sunday November 30 - Day 320 - 15 days missed

West Point Lake - November 30 - Spalding County Sportsman Club
tournament
7 AM - 3 PM, cool and showers early, colder and more wind as day
progressed
Water temp 55 degrees and clear

When we took off I ran a mile or so to the Highway 109 bridge and
started with a spinner bait. Worked around the riprap then switched to
a vibrating plug. As I worked down the riprap on my depth finder saw
fish near the bottom in 14 feet of water. Dropped the plug to the
bottom, pulled it up and down a few times and hooked a 14 inch spot.
One in the live well at 7:25. Tried to find those fish again but could
not.

Fished on around the riprap then into the cove by it. Saw a good bit
of shad activity on the surface on a point and got two hits on the
plug but missed both. Working around the cove came to some blowdowns
and threw a jig and pig to them. After working the tree I would swim
the jig back, about three feet down. On one cast saw a two pounder
come up and grab it. Set the hook and hauled water. Guess I jerked too
fast since I could see the fish. Those missed hits set the tone.

Coming out of the cove I worked to the end of a long shallow point and
threw a jig head to the end. Bumping rocks I suddenly felt weight then
a thump as the fish spit out the bait. Set the hook on nothing. Threw
back, felt weight and set the hook on a 14 inch spot - two in the live
well at 8:30.

Got hot so I took off my coat. Had on insulated underwear and it was
too much with the jacket.

Fished down a long bank with the plug then switched to the jighead on
a small point. Let the jig settle, raised the rod tip and felt weight
and a thump - as it spit it out again. Nothing when I set the hook.
Same thing happened on the next small point. It seemed the fish were
very touchy - by the time I felt any weight at all they were spitting
the bait out.

Showers started so put on my rain jacket. It had been kinda misty but
now was heavy enough to get me wet. Had put on rain pants before
launching the boat since it was already wet from the drive over.

Fished to one of my favorite points. Threw the jig head to the rocks
and same thing happened - weight and a thump before I could react.
Next cast I let the bait settle and had a hair trigger. As I raised
the rod tip the line went straight and I set the hook, landed a 13
inch spot. Three in the live well at 9:15. Tried that on the next two
casts - set the hook when the line went straight - and hung rocks both
times.

Worked the point all around. With the boat out in 20 feet of water
casting in I saw fish on the bottom and grabbed a spoon. Dropped it
down, jigged it twice and hooked my best fish of the day, a 2.25 pound
spot. Four at 9:20. Threw out a marker and picked up the jig head I
had left out in the water while I jigged - and felt a fish spit the
worm out. Did it again!

I jigged the area for 30 minutes without another hit so started down
the bank again, letting it rest. Missed another hit on the jighead
then got a 15 inch largemouth on the jig head. Limit at 10:05, should
have had ten in the boat at least.

Fished the secondary points to the next main point. Wind was getting
up now and blowing in on the point. Picked up the vibrating plug and
quickly caught two 13 inch spots. Invited them home for dinner
although they would not cull anything I had.

Went back to the point where I had left my marker and worked it with
jighead and spoon. No hits.

Wind was getting cold and strong now. Went back into a small creek and
worked it with a jig and pig. Threw by a stump and when I tightened up
my line I realized it was going to my right, then started back to
left. Set the hook and landed a 13.5 inch largemouth - not a keeper.

Much colder now at about 1:00 PM. Put my coat back on and fished
windblown points for two hours. Never got another hit. By 2:30 there
was some blue sky and the sun came out some but it was much colder.

At weigh-in my five weighed 7.48 for third. First was five at 8.23 and
second was five at 8.04. Fourth had five at 7.46. Only one fisherman
didn’t have a limit and he had four. All spots but 3 - kinda scary how
few largemouth we catch at West Point now.

Ronnie Garrison

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