First 2010 tournament

Sunday - January 24, 2010 - Day 23 - one day missed

January 24, 2010 - Spalding County Sportsman Club tournament
Jackson Lake, water extremely muddy to heavy stain, 45 to 48 degrees
First tournament of the year, fished 7:30 AM to 3:30 PM
Rainy, cool, windy weather

At blast off I went to my usual rocky point on the main lake to start.
Water was very muddy and 48 degrees - kinda deflated my hopes which
were low to start with. Fished the area with two different crankbaits
and a jig and pig - nothing.

For the other boards that pull these reports, please visit my site at
http://fishing.about.com That is in my signature line here but it
isn't picked up. Hate to spam this board but I hate auto pulls of my
posts even more.

Ran to Tussahaw Creek at 8:30 - water was a little better but a little
cooler. Fished a rocky point and bank, then bridge riprap and pilings.
Not a hit.

At 9:30 it started raining a little harder and I decided to fish up
the bank rather than crank up and ride to a dock with brush I wanted
to fish. Between me and it was a big rocky point with huge rocks - I
have never fished it, it just looks too good and too obvious so I
figure it gets beat to death. As I rounded it at 9:45 I cast a black
and blue jig and pig to the shallow water and started working it
slowly done the slope. Felt mushy when it hit about 12 feet deep and I
set the hook - on a heavy fish. Got it to the surface with little
fight and landed what I figured was a 3.5 to 4 pound largemouth - was
thrilled to get a keeper, much less one that size.

Worked that point for a long time, then fished the brush and dock, and
the next rocky point. Nothing. Back to where I got the fish. Nothing.
Ran across to a shallow point with brush that merged into a deep rocky
bank and fished it all. Not a bite.

At 11:30 I ran way up the creek. The water got clearer - and colder -
the further I went. Stopped on a rocky island and worked the area hard
- I won here last year in January with 13 pounds. On one rocky bank I
felt a hard thump but missed - it was real windy. I looked and there
was a big stick floating along in the wind right where I thought I got
a hit - might have been the stick bumping my line. Many more casts
produced nothing.

At 2:15 went back to where I had caught the fish and worked all that
area for 45 minutes. Cast up to a boat ramp and thought I felt a tick,
but nothing was there when I set the hook.

At 3 ran down to a rocky point nearer weigh-in and worked it -
nothing.

At weigh-in winner had four pretty fish weighing just under 10 pounds,
including a 3 pound spot - all on crankbaits. My 4.08 pound largemouth
was second and big fish. Third was two bass at 2.5 pounds and fourth
was 1 spot weighing .95 pounds.

That was it. We had only 9 fishermen - several let the weather
guessers bad predictions make them stay home. Five zeros. Weather was
not really that bad. Bad thunderstorms were predicted but it never
thundered. I had my hood down most of the day, little rain, and had to
unzip my Cabellas Guide Wear jacket and bibs it got so warm in them. I
never stay home because of what the weather guessers say.

-----
Ronnie Garrison

http://fishing.about.com

Nice going Ronnie. In tourney fishing, sometimes, you don't have to do
good, to do good, if you know what I mean.

On Jan 26, 8:18*pm, RichZ
wrote:
Nice going Ronnie. In tourney fishing, sometimes, you don't have to do
good, to do good, if you know what I mean.

True, and cold, muddy water frustrates me more than anything else. I
am afraid I often over think under those conditions - hunker down too
much. But I feel lucky getting one bite!

If you are faced with those conditions, what would you do? Remember
45 to 48 degree water is real cold here, most winters it stays above
50. And the water was so muddy a chartreuse crankbait disappeared 3
inches down on most areas, in the best I found it was visible about
six inches down.

Ronnie

http://fishing.about.com

On Tue, 26 Jan 2010 08:22:58 -0800 (PST), Ronnie
wrote:

Sunday - January 24, 2010 - Day 23 - one day missed

January 24, 2010 - Spalding County Sportsman Club tournament
Jackson Lake, water extremely muddy to heavy stain, 45 to 48 degrees
First tournament of the year, fished 7:30 AM to 3:30 PM
Rainy, cool, windy weather

At blast off I went to my usual rocky point on the main lake to start.
Water was very muddy and 48 degrees - kinda deflated my hopes which
were low to start with. Fished the area with two different crankbaits
and a jig and pig - nothing.

For the other boards that pull these reports, please visit my site at
http://fishing.about.com That is in my signature line here but it
isn't picked up. Hate to spam this board but I hate auto pulls of my
posts even more.

Ran to Tussahaw Creek at 8:30 - water was a little better but a little
cooler. Fished a rocky point and bank, then bridge riprap and pilings.
Not a hit.

At 9:30 it started raining a little harder and I decided to fish up
the bank rather than crank up and ride to a dock with brush I wanted
to fish. Between me and it was a big rocky point with huge rocks - I
have never fished it, it just looks too good and too obvious so I
figure it gets beat to death. As I rounded it at 9:45 I cast a black
and blue jig and pig to the shallow water and started working it
slowly done the slope. Felt mushy when it hit about 12 feet deep and I
set the hook - on a heavy fish. Got it to the surface with little
fight and landed what I figured was a 3.5 to 4 pound largemouth - was
thrilled to get a keeper, much less one that size.

Worked that point for a long time, then fished the brush and dock, and
the next rocky point. Nothing. Back to where I got the fish. Nothing.
Ran across to a shallow point with brush that merged into a deep rocky
bank and fished it all. Not a bite.

At 11:30 I ran way up the creek. The water got clearer - and colder -
the further I went. Stopped on a rocky island and worked the area hard
- I won here last year in January with 13 pounds. On one rocky bank I
felt a hard thump but missed - it was real windy. I looked and there
was a big stick floating along in the wind right where I thought I got
a hit - might have been the stick bumping my line. Many more casts
produced nothing.

At 2:15 went back to where I had caught the fish and worked all that
area for 45 minutes. Cast up to a boat ramp and thought I felt a tick,
but nothing was there when I set the hook.

At 3 ran down to a rocky point nearer weigh-in and worked it -
nothing.

At weigh-in winner had four pretty fish weighing just under 10 pounds,
including a 3 pound spot - all on crankbaits. My 4.08 pound largemouth
was second and big fish. Third was two bass at 2.5 pounds and fourth
was 1 spot weighing .95 pounds.

That was it. We had only 9 fishermen - several let the weather
guessers bad predictions make them stay home. Five zeros. Weather was
not really that bad. Bad thunderstorms were predicted but it never
thundered. I had my hood down most of the day, little rain, and had to
unzip my Cabellas Guide Wear jacket and bibs it got so warm in them. I
never stay home because of what the weather guessers say.

-----
Ronnie Garrison

http://fishing.about.com


Hi Ronnie
Nice to see you're back at it in tourneys. What size was the jig/pig
you caught the Largemouth on?

BTW, goin to see the local expert about a thumb joint replacement
Friday. Gettin tired of the grinding and pain. How's yours holdin
up? How long did it take you for full recovery?

Dan

On 1/27/2010 11:06 AM, Ronnie wrote:
If you are faced with those conditions, what would you do?

I tend to not worry about the visibility. Some of my best winter fishing
in muddy conditions has been with smoke grubs and the like. But my most
reliable approach is a black, 1 oz jig. I like to feel it hit the bottom
hard, and never move it more than a few inches from the bottom, all
through the retrieve.

Find the area with deepest water least affected by current. Then use a
heavy, solid black jig, fished tediously slow and very tight to cover
and/or something vertical. Try to scrape the bottom as far into the
creases at the base of objects as possible.

On 1/27/2010 11:06 AM, Ronnie wrote:
If you are faced with those conditions, what would you do?

I tend to not worry about the visibility. Some of my best winter fishing
in muddy conditions has been with smoke grubs and the like. But my most
reliable approach is a black, 1 oz jig. I like to feel it hit the bottom
hard, and never move it more than a few inches from the bottom, all
through the retrieve.

Find the area with deepest water least affected by current. Then use a
heavy, solid black jig, fished tediously slow and very tight to cover
and/or something vertical. Try to scrape the bottom as far into the
creases at the base of objects as possible.

I was using a 1/8 ounce Rattleback jig - light head but full size
body, with a Zoom super chunk. I like the light head but bulky jig for
a very slow fall if I can get away with it in the wind this time of
year. Black and blue in muddy water, brown in clear water.

My thumb seldom hurts but I will never have the range of motion or
strength it it again. But it is far better then crying in pain when
trying to use it. My right one is starting to hurt some - I figure a
few more years and I will be getting it worked on.

When mine got bad at first cortosone shots worked to stop the pain.
Each lasted about six months, but after the fourth one they quit
working and I had the operation.

I wore a cast for four weeks and went fishing a little over a week
after getting it off. Caught one bass and hoped I didn't catch another
one - it HURT fighting it. About a month after I got the cast off it
was much better but I went to PT twice a week and did all the
exercises at home several times a day, too.

Its hell getting older!

Good luck.

Ronnie

http://fishing.about.com

On Jan 27, 9:50*pm, RichZ
wrote:
On 1/27/2010 11:06 AM, Ronnie wrote:

If you are faced with those conditions, what would you do?

I tend to not worry about the visibility. Some of my best winter fishing
in muddy conditions has been with smoke grubs and the like. But my most
reliable approach is a black, 1 oz jig. I like to feel it hit the bottom
hard, and never move it more than a few inches from the bottom, all
through the retrieve.

Find the area with deepest water least affected by current. Then use a
heavy, solid black jig, fished tediously slow and very tight to cover
and/or something vertical. Try to scrape the bottom as far into the
creases at the base of objects as possible.

Thanks - I will try a heavier jig. I have usually done the opposite,
using a very light jig for a slow fall, but your method makes sense
in low visibility water. I will get a chance to try it a week from
Sunday in my next tournament.

Ronnie

http://fishing.about.com

On 1/28/2010 6:55 AM, Ronnie wrote:

Its hell getting older!


It sure beats the alternative, Ronnie.

Ronnie wrote in
:

On Jan 27, 9:50*pm, RichZ
wrote:
On 1/27/2010 11:06 AM, Ronnie wrote:

If you are faced with those conditions, what would you do?

I tend to not worry about the visibility. Some of my best winter
fishing in muddy conditions has been with smoke grubs and the like.
But my most reliable approach is a black, 1 oz jig. I like to feel it
hit the bottom hard, and never move it more than a few inches from
the bottom, all through the retrieve.

Find the area with deepest water least affected by current. Then use
a heavy, solid black jig, fished tediously slow and very tight to
cover and/or something vertical. Try to scrape the bottom as far into
the creases at the base of objects as possible.

Thanks - I will try a heavier jig. I have usually done the opposite,
using a very light jig for a slow fall, but your method makes sense
in low visibility water. I will get a chance to try it a week from
Sunday in my next tournament.

Ronnie

http://fishing.about.com

Hey Ronnie,

Well we don't fish much here in the winter unless you like sitting on
the ice ;-) Not me...... But in the the Spring with conditions like you
are describing I remember a tournament on a day like you are describing.
Except it rained like a sob. We tried everything. The pond was pretty
shallow with an average depth of about 7 - 8. One cove with plenty of
large rocks at the entrance. Tea stained water like you described with
jigs disappearing after a few inches. Usually we throw 1/8 oz black jig
with pumpkin green and black fleck grub trailer in shallow water. That
day we could only find a few shorts after working that cove and plenty
of shore line with some brush and smaller rocks. It then started to rain
so hard we could hardly see each other from one end of the boat to
another. It was the last hour so we decided to go work the mouth of the
cove around the big rocks. My brother changed to a 1/4 oz black jig and
changed the trailer to a black pac a chunk. We banged 3 keepers between
2 and 4 1/2 pounds and won that tournament. Many zero's that day from
the rest of the field.

The next year at the same pond we tried the same game with no luck. The
guy that won did so at the same spot using 5" green senko's with black
flake... Go figure....

It's very difficult with a slow bite to figure what they want. Sometimes
we get stubborn and only want to throw our confidence baits but it goes
to show you have to be flexible and try different stuff to get the bite
on. BTW I'm no expert, I just get lucky once in a while ;-) Mostly when
it doesn't count when I'm just fishing by myself.............


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