Never Give Up

Lake Sinclair – Spalding County Sportsman Club July Tournament
5:30 PM – 2:00 AM – some clouds, hot, water 89 - 91, full moon

At the ramp while taking up money David came up and said “I told my
partner we would probably have to fight you for that spot in Rooty
Creek. Remember how many fish we caught there the first year I was in
the club and you took me there in a night tournament?”

We talked about it and how I had to give him some line when he got a
bad backlash and needed to replace his line. I told him I was not
going there first but would get there right at dark.

My partner and I ran down to a point I like near the steam plant and
there was a strong current running over it. Saw some baitfish
breaking the surface. The point has rocks on it, should have been
excellent – we fished it for an hour without a bite.

Worked over to the bridge and saw little bass breaking under it and
bluegill feeding on some Mayflies. I threw everything I could think
of, from topwater to a big spoon, without a bite. Partner got a
keeper on a jig head worm by a piling so we tried that for half an
hour without another bite.

Started hitting some other spots. No bites on a brushy point or the
grassbeds and docks in the shade at it. Ran up to my favorite night
time spot and, sure enough, there sat David. Could not believe he went
to that spot after I told him I planned on fishing it. Oh well, past
mistakes.

We fished another spot then went to the bank and worked it. No bites.
Back to the point at the steam plant. Nothing. George was working the
pilings, said he had caught some small bass.

As the sun set we ran to the creek where we had launched. Had seen
some Mayflies there and thought it might be good since the back of
the creek is no wake. Fished all around it – not a hit.

Right at dark we started hitting docks and brush piles. Started on the
one where I got the 5 pounder two weeks ago. Nothing. There were lots
of bass and crappie fishermen hitting lighted docks. A local club had
an 8 PM to 8 AM tournament tonight.

We had worked several miles up the river and fished some riprap, one
of my favorite places at night. Nothing.

Headed back down the lake hitting any dock lights we saw without a
boat on it. At one I caught a crappie on a crankbait. A few minutes
later I was reeling in a jig and pig for another cast and a two pound
bass jumped all over it right at the boat. All over it except for the
hook. It was 11 PM and I was getting disgusted – told my partner that
was a sign of a zero night.

Caught three more crappie and a small hybrid and partner got a 11 inch
bass off that dock.

Left and headed back to dock where I had caught the five pounder. Not
a bite.

At 12:30 told my partner we were going to try something different. Ran
down to the steam plant, hit the point one more time – very little
current but the geese on the bank were feeding. We had seen a deer
at the last place we stopped, drinking water, and a blue heron lit on
a dock near us, so figured it was the feeding period that was supposed
to start at 1:30 AM. Moon was up now.

After fishing the point we started around the cove at the intake. It
has lots of grass and lights around it make it look like dawn all
night long. At 1:00 I told my partner one hour to go, I am disgusted,
gonna zero.

Within two casts a bass thumped my spinnerbait and I landed a 14 inch
keeper – told my partner that one was worth a bunch of points!

About three casts later a little bigger bass hit my spinnerbait. My
back quit hurting and my attitude got a lot better! Told my partner I
was at least gonna beat him but was going to break my string – I have
finished in the top three in all my club tournaments this year. No way
I would tonight.

We fished there until time to head in. No more bites except from bugs
– I guess I stirred them up when I pulled the second bass out of a
grass bed and the boat drifted into it while I unhooked it. We were
eat up.

At weigh-in I was shocked. David had three small bass weighing 3.09
pounds and won. He said he caught them on Shadraps, not on the bank I
showed him. George had big fish with a 1.88 pound bass and came in
second with two at.2.73 for second, both off the bridge pilings. My
two weighed 2.64 for third and fourth was two at 2.42.

We had three zeroes and the 11 of us caught a total of 14 bass
weighing about 18 pounds. Very tough tournament.

Never Give Up

Ran up to my favorite night time spot and, sure enough, there sat David.
Could not believe he went to that spot after I told him I planned on
fishing it. Oh well, past mistakes.

========

Ronnie, 5this is from the movie "Bucket List"......a one liner from Jack
N. "Don't ever waste a hard-on, and never trust a fart!"

You might add...."Never trust a fellow bass angler in a
tournament!...they might just be a fart" .

Good read!

John K.

"John B" wrote in message
...

Never Give Up

Ran up to my favorite night time spot and, sure enough, there sat David.
Could not believe he went to that spot after I told him I planned on
fishing it. Oh well, past mistakes.

========

Ronnie, 5this is from the movie "Bucket List"......a one liner from Jack
N. "Don't ever waste a hard-on, and never trust a fart!"

You might add...."Never trust a fellow bass angler in a
tournament!...they might just be a fart" .

Good read!

John K.

The third item, never pass a bathroom and a chance to take a leak.

Jack

You might add...."Never trust a fellow bass angler in a
tournament!...they might just be a fart" .

Good read!

John K.

Thanks - and I agree about trust. I have learned to take younger guys
with me as partners - those that don't have boats! I guess what
bothered me most about this was we talked about it and how I showed
him the spot and that I was going to fish it and he went anyway.

I am sure your son has lots of followers looking for that bent pole
pattern. All the pros and semi-pros I have asked about this say it is
just part of the game and you haved to get used to it, I ain' t that
good - still bugs me.


Ronnie

http://fishing.about.com

The third item, never pass a bathroom and a chance to take a leak.

Jack

Nice thing is in the woods every tree is a bathroon and on the lake
every wave is one.

Ronnie

http://fishing.about.com

I am sure your son has lots of followers looking for that bent pole
pattern. All the pros and semi-pros I have asked about this say it is
just part of the game and you haved to get used to it, I ain' t that
good - still bugs me.

Ronnie

http://fishing.about.com

========

Ronnie, even when I am out there, and John and I go "fun" fishing, there
are always several boats shadowing us....John thinks it's funny.

But he also has had some bad experiences with sharing information with
fellow anglers, he believes one of those times cost him a second win in
the U.S. open a couple years ago.

I guess it cits both ways though, he has also had fellow anglers share
information that helped him win some tournaments when he was
struggling.. He told me, "You have to know who your real friends are!".

Not unlike every day life, hu?

John K

I agree. Never give up. My first win this year was like that. I almost
pitched my fish and didn't even weigh in at a YVRGC derby. Wound up with
second, and then 1st DQed himself because he forgot his license. I wound up
1st with fish I wasn't even gonna weigh in.