Saturday - April 19 - Day 93 - six days missed

First day of two day Spalding County Sportsman Club tournament - Lake
Walter F. Eufaula

Lightning, thunder and pounding rain on top of van woke me up at 4:30
- hour before clock was set. Got up and started getting dressed. Eight
of us were camped near each other and everyone was up by 5 - rain
stopped about then.

I was ready to put in at 6:15 but one of the guys camped next to me
had not heard from his partner - was supposed to arrive last night. We
got his stuff in my boat but as we put my boat in the water at 6:45 my
phone rang - it was him. He showed up and we got stuff transferred
and I took up money.

We all met up at bridge at Lake Point and I got money from other
guys not camping. While I was still taking money up tournament
director let rest of club go - not happy about that. I was last one
to leave. As I idled under bridge I saw no one was fishing where I
saw shad yesterday so decided to hit it.

Second cast with a spinner bait a 13.75 inch bass slammed it -
throwback. A few casts later a 15 incher hit - one in the live well
at 7:25 - would not zero at least. Few minutes later a 16 inch bass
hit spinner bait. Two in the boat at 7:30 - better than I expected.

Noticed shad following my spinner bait most casts - good sign.

A couple of casts later I tried to make a long cast with the spinner
bait and my line popped - bait I was using went sailing out over deep
water. Must have had a bad place. Got out another double chartreuse
bladed spinner bait and tied it on another rod.

Worked the riprap until 9:00 without a bite. Tried everything.
Nothing.

Wind was pretty strong. Went to point were I got the four pounder and
birds were in the grass, eating shad. They were still shallow. Got me
fired up. Worked it fighting the wind for an hour - not a bite.

Fished around where missed one on a buzz bait - nothing.

Tried everything I could think of, including looking for some deep
brush where I placed seventh in the Top Six in 04 - it was gone. No
bites until 2 PM. Was working the borrow pits in Chenneyhatchee Creek
with a jig head worm and got a thump - landed a 13 inch spot. Keeper
but small. Three in boat at 2 PM.

Fished that area and riprap nearby until 3:30 but nothing. Ran back to
near Lake Point. Was going to hit pond where ABA guys were yesterday -
they were quitting at 4, but decided to hit bridge again instead.

Under the bridge I found a shallow point running out and worked it
with a jig head - got a hit at 4:15 and landed a 11.75 inch spot -
throwback. A few casts later got another hit and landed a 15 inch bass
- four in the boat at 4:30.

I worked hard for the last 25 minutes and hooked and lost another
short fish, lost it right at boat. Really hoped for a limit - have
caught a limit in every tournament day so far this year except the
first one in Jan, but I got a 8.80 in that one.

At weigh-in Butch had five weighing 13.65, including big fish of
4.25. My four weighed 7.21 and I was in second. Third was 2 at 3.64!
Eight of 15 zeroed. Tough day.

I told everyone I would be fishing bridge all day tomorrow - said I
got three of my four there and ran all over the lake for the little
spot. No need to go anywhere else.

Went in, grilled a steak, got stuff ready and got in bed by dark.