Oconee Tournament

Sunday - March 16 - Day 65

Got to Oconee and put boat in the water. Pulled up on the bank and
took up entry fees. Both clubs I am in were having concurrent
tournaments.

At 7 I pushed off as tournament directors let both clubs go. Put
trolling motor in water to get away from the bank and nothing
happened. Pulled it out and could hear it running but prop not
turning.

Took the prop off in the dark - could not find the shear pin. Dug
around in the boat and found an Allen wrench that was the right size,
cut it off with my pliers and it worked.

Took off 15 minutes late. Disgusting way to start the day.

A local guide had suggested I got up Richland Creek to a spot he had
been catching fish. I had planned on going the opposite direction but
decided to take his advice. Wanted to fish a couple of my old spots in
that area then hit his.

Got to what is usually a good rocky prespawn bank. Started with
spinnerbait - water very clear and 58. Too clear for spinnerbait.
Tried a crankbait then another, switching to a #8 Shadrap. Soon got a
hit right at the boat, lifted a 2 pounder out of the water and it fell
off back into the lake.

A litlle later I missed a bass on a jig head worm them my partner
missed one. Moved further down the bank and he got one on a jig head.
I missed another one. Really messed up day so far.

Started to run up to the guide's spot but hit a small creek I like on
the way. Water a little stained in it. Worked about 50 feet then,
coming out of a brush pile in front of a dock, jig head got heavy. Set
the hook and quickly landed a 15 inch bass - one keeper at 9:00 AM

As we worked down the bank partner got a 13 inch throwback and then a
boat with a man and woman in it came in and started fishing right
across from us. There are good ditches and brush on both sides. I got
another 15 inch keeper then saw them catch three and put two of them
in the livewell.

A minutes later I got a thump and set the hook, and broke my line.
Have been having problems breaking off on the hookset with 12 pound
PLine Flourocarbon. Retied and loosened up the drag.

We kept working up and down bank, catching a fish or two on every
pass. Most were short but I put another bare keeper in the live well.
Three at 11 AM. A little later I got my fourth.

Other guys said they were in a ABA couples tournament. They left and
we fished over and around their side. Got a solid keeper just past
where they had been fishing, a 14.25 inch keeper - five in the
livewell at noon.

One of our club members came in and started fishing where the couple
had been. He said he had 3 keepers and he caught two throwbacks out of
brush.

We worked the area and I got another keeper at 1 PM and culled the
one that barely made it. Glad I didn't have to use it.

At 1:30 we decided to leave and hit a similar area. I had six keepers
and 8 throwbacks and my partner had 6 throwbacks at that point.

Boat was sitting on the place I wante to fish so we ran up near the
weigh-in and started working a pocket where a guy told me he got
three in a club tournament the day before right before quitting time.
I did not get bit but my partner finally got a keeper.

At weigh-in I had five at 8.07. That was good for second in one club,
first had four at 8.57. I had the only limit in that club but there
were two over 5 pounds each, but they had only one or two fish.

Other club one guy had five at 15.7 for first, second was 5 at 11.8,
third was 4 at 8.1 and I was fourth with five at 8.07. Only 3 limits
in that club. Big fish in it was 4.9 by first place guy.

Each club had 15 people but three of us fished both. Four guys from
club the day before also fished but none did any good, including the
guy that won the day before with 11 pounds and fourth place the day
before with 8.5

Got home and ordered a new prop and pin from BPS!