Flint River April, 2012 tournament

Sunday April 15, 2012 - Day 28

Flint River Tournament, West Point Lake, mostly cloudy, water very
clear and 71 degrees. Fished 7 AM to 3 PM

Excited about this tournament - it is mid April and the bass fishing
should be GREAT. NOT!

We started on a point I like to throw topwater on - shad were spawning
around the bank, should be perfect. Al and I got several hybrids each
and I got one bare keeper spotted bass on a popper.

At 7:30 we ran to a bridge where Chandler Ray told me he had a good
catch on Saturday - he is the college fisherman I did an article with
at Eufaula. The shad were around but not spawning and we didn't get a
bite. Fished there for 90 minutes - Al finally got a keeper spot on a
nearby point at 9 AM.

For the next three hours we tried lot of things with no luck - just
caught a few short fish. At noon Al got hung in a treetop in the water
and had a hard time getting loose. The boat was right over the tree -
we had made several casts to it - and I dropped my jig and pig
straight down, jiggled it and something hit. Landed a small keeper
spot. Two at noon.

We then fished a nearby bridge - wind was blowing in on it and they
should have been there. I ran a chatterbait by the piling and it hit
corner and I let it drop, and a small keeper spot hit it. Three at
one.

We ran back to a wind blown point and first cast a fish picked up my
jig head worm and started swimming off but I missed it in the wind,
had a big bow in my line. Next cast same thing but I landed a two
pound largemouth. We fished those points until quitting time and Al
got his second fish, a small keeper spot.

As we ran to the weigh-in I realized we had an extra 5 minutes so I
stopped on a brush pile and first cast got a hit. Another short spot!

I was disgusted with four small fish but everyone at weigh-in was
shaking their heads. Fishing was terrible for almost everyone. Jordan
had just under ten pounds with one of the two limits and won and had
big fish with a 2.5 pounder. Second was six pounds, third five and my
four at 4.5 came in 4th out of 24 people.

Guess the fish spawned last week on the full moon and were in post
spawn doldrums!

Ronnie

http://fishing.about.com

"Ronnie" wrote in message
...
Sunday April 15, 2012 - Day 28

Flint River Tournament, West Point Lake, mostly cloudy, water very
clear and 71 degrees. Fished 7 AM to 3 PM

Excited about this tournament - it is mid April and the bass fishing
should be GREAT. NOT!

We started on a point I like to throw topwater on - shad were spawning
around the bank, should be perfect. Al and I got several hybrids each
and I got one bare keeper spotted bass on a popper.

At 7:30 we ran to a bridge where Chandler Ray told me he had a good
catch on Saturday - he is the college fisherman I did an article with
at Eufaula. The shad were around but not spawning and we didn't get a
bite. Fished there for 90 minutes - Al finally got a keeper spot on a
nearby point at 9 AM.

For the next three hours we tried lot of things with no luck - just
caught a few short fish. At noon Al got hung in a treetop in the water
and had a hard time getting loose. The boat was right over the tree -
we had made several casts to it - and I dropped my jig and pig
straight down, jiggled it and something hit. Landed a small keeper
spot. Two at noon.

We then fished a nearby bridge - wind was blowing in on it and they
should have been there. I ran a chatterbait by the piling and it hit
corner and I let it drop, and a small keeper spot hit it. Three at
one.

We ran back to a wind blown point and first cast a fish picked up my
jig head worm and started swimming off but I missed it in the wind,
had a big bow in my line. Next cast same thing but I landed a two
pound largemouth. We fished those points until quitting time and Al
got his second fish, a small keeper spot.

As we ran to the weigh-in I realized we had an extra 5 minutes so I
stopped on a brush pile and first cast got a hit. Another short spot!

I was disgusted with four small fish but everyone at weigh-in was
shaking their heads. Fishing was terrible for almost everyone. Jordan
had just under ten pounds with one of the two limits and won and had
big fish with a 2.5 pounder. Second was six pounds, third five and my
four at 4.5 came in 4th out of 24 people.



Ronnie, Glad to see one of your posts. I was begining to think I was the
last one still posting here.

Guess the fish spawned last week on the full moon and were in post
spawn doldrums!

Fish spawn here for months sometimes. Also, they spawn at a variety of
depths, and even in very small breaks from the current in the main river
sometimes. In the same year I have pulled a fish off a bed by the end of
January, and again in May.

Glad to see you are still out there fishing tournaments. Even though we have had one of the warmest winters and springs ever I haven't gotten out yet.. Just had my second shoulder surgery and am doing rehab now. I'll probably have to start out with something a little easier on my body like crappie fishing but hopefully it won't be to long before I can chase the bass again. Good luck on your future tournaments. It's always good to be able to read about them.

Gary

On Tue, 17 Apr 2012 04:54:31 -0700 (PDT), wrote:

Glad to see you are still out there fishing tournaments. Even though we have had one of the warmest winters and springs ever I haven't gotten out yet. Just had my second shoulder surgery and am doing rehab now. I'll probably have to start out with something a little easier on my body like crappie fishing but hopefully it won't be to long before I can chase the bass again. Good luck on your future tournaments. It's always good to be able to read about them.

Gary

The doc said I have a torn rotator cuff. Wanted to know when to
schedule surgery...Not gonna happen. I can fish and ride the Harley
with it so I'm just gonna let it go!
Hope ya heal fast!

Dan

wrote in message
...
On Tue, 17 Apr 2012 04:54:31 -0700 (PDT), wrote:

Glad to see you are still out there fishing tournaments. Even though we
have had one of the warmest winters and springs ever I haven't gotten out
yet. Just had my second shoulder surgery and am doing rehab now. I'll
probably have to start out with something a little easier on my body like
crappie fishing but hopefully it won't be to long before I can chase the
bass again. Good luck on your future tournaments. It's always good to be
able to read about them.

Gary

The doc said I have a torn rotator cuff. Wanted to know when to
schedule surgery...Not gonna happen. I can fish and ride the Harley
with it so I'm just gonna let it go!
Hope ya heal fast!

Dan

Two of my fishing buddies have had rotator cuff surgery. One on both arms.
Both say they feel and fish much better now. Ask around, and check out what
people say about your surgeon. From what I hear one who has a really good
rep and specializes in sports medicine is the way to go for this. NOT a
plastic surgeon.

I have not posted much - not too much to report, had kinda slow year
so far, haven't won a tournament, just a couple of seconds and fourths
and one that sucked. I hate to see this place die.

Ronnie

http://fishing.about.com

Fish spawn here for months sometimes. *Also, they spawn at a variety of
depths, and even in very small breaks from the current in the main river
sometimes. In the same year I have pulled a fish off a bed by the end of
January, and again in May.

It is not unusual for bass to spawn here from February thru May, but
the vast majority spawn in April each year, probably 80 percent and
most of them on the full moon. So most are basically on the same
pattern.


Ronnie

http://fishing.about.com

Hate to hear about the problems - I know how you feel. I had a thumb
joint replaced a few years ago and it hurt a lot for months before I
got it done, then had to go a month healing before I could fish.

My wife says after every trip now, especially tournament, I comment
that I am getting too old for this. When it is hard to get out of the
van after driving home from a tournament maybe I am getting too old!

I post every one of my fishing trips in a fishing log on my site forum
- some are pretty boring, saying I caught a dozen bluegill in my pond
today. But at least I got to go fishing!

Ronnie

http://fishing.about.com

As long as you can ride and fish you are ok. When you get to the point
you can't, the surgery will be worth it!



Ronnie

http://fishing.about.com

All news group usage has declined.. Guess people don't know how to get here
anymore, plus a lot of ISPs no longer provide access..



"Ronnie" wrote in message
...

I have not posted much - not too much to report, had kinda slow year
so far, haven't won a tournament, just a couple of seconds and fourths
and one that sucked. I hate to see this place die.

Ronnie

http://fishing.about.com