That Didn't Go Well

I only caught 2 bass, one of which was short, and 1 pike.  I should have called my boater to find out if he pre-fished, which he did.  I didn't bring my dock skipping rod, a spinning rod with a Zoom Super Fluke.  I'm pretty sure I would have caught more fish had I brought it.  Both of my bass came off docks.  The small one on a Texas rigged Craw Fatty and my keeper on a white Zoom Horny Toad.  I think I came in last place.  So much for the #yearofrevenge.  My boater only caught 6 bass and a couple northerns.  And the camera batteries were dead, so I didn't even get a picture today.

Bass Snatcher Tournament Tomorrow On Mission Lakes

My #yearofrevenge was pretty much thrown in disarray with my health issues costing me being able to fish at Woman and Rush Lakes.  It resumes tomorrow at Mission Lakes, sight of my worst showing in a Bass Snatcher tournament in terms of place finished (32nd).  Tomorrow we only have 11 boats fishing, so I am not worried about a repeat.  I just hope the fish are snapping.  Hopefully the cool down has them turned on and not shut off.

A Measure Of Revenge at Farm Island Lake

"Sweet Revenge" color Mad Maxx frog

Conditions: Mostly Sunny, Wind out of the E ESE and ENE 5 to 15mph, Temps from high 50's to mid 70's

The Day:  We were a bit surprised to have the whole SW slop bay to ourselves in the morning.  We spent all day there fishing the shallow rice and pads with Tru-Tungsten Mad Maxx Frogs.  My boater Roger and I both mostly threw "Sweet Revenge", but I threw "Big Sexy" in the afternoon as well hoping it might get me a big bite.  Only 3 other boats came in there the whole day and they didn't stay long.  The fish bit throughout the day with only one about an hour long dry spell  from about 9-10AM.  I got the first bite of the morning about 5 minutes in, but it was a pike.  There was a lot of baitfish activity right away in the morning before the wind came up.  Roger was up two to nothing when I got my biggest bass of the day, a 16.25" about half an hour in.  As we were drifting across the flat Roger asked me if we should drift closer to shore.  I told him I thought the fish could be anywhere.  About 5 minutes later I herd a whooosh.  A big bass had annihilated Rogers frog.  I turned my head and informed Roger about the situation as he was watching my frog at the time.  Roger got it in and it was 4lb 5oz and to tied "Lunker of the Tournament."  Roger had his limit before I got another fish.  I just wasn't getting hit.  Roger had his limit in the first hour and a half.  We had to use my push pole a couple of times.  Roger had culled two times when I got on a hot streak and landed 5 fish to Rogers none (14", 14.75", 13.5", 15.25, and 15.9").  Roger was getting bites, but missing them.  I had my limit by 11AM.  I got a 15.5 to cull out the 13.5" and then caught a couple more pike, five 12inch fish, and 14.5", which I culled out for 14.75" fish.  We had lots of short strikes and a few bad hooksets cost me some fish I probably should of had.  I had three bites on the Havoc Pit Boss but I missed all of them.  I also fished the Fluke and Horny Toad but didn't get a bite on either one of those.

Results:  My six fish weighed 11lbs 7ozs and put me in 15th Place out of 27 fishing.  Roger's fish were 16lbs and netted him 3rd Place, with the 4lb 5oz Lunker.  The winner was Guy Henkensiefken with 16-8 edging out Keith Tuma by three ounces, two of which were for a dead fish penalty.

Thoughts: Frustrating, but fun day.  Here's my theory on why Roger kicked my butt. I believe the decision to switch out my Team Daiwa-S103 with a 6:1 ratio the day before for the 9:1 ratio Revo Rocket was a critical mistake. I couldn't slow down enough with the Rocket to give the frog the look they wanted. I was trying to match Roger's retrieve, but it just wasn't happening for me when I did that.   Roger had quite a few more bites than me, but we caught about the same amount of fish.  I definitely caught more 12" fish than Roger.  That and Roger was just lucky to land casts next to bigger fish that were able to take the frog well enough to be hooked.

It really would have helped if Roger would have had a small anchor to put down when we were drifting through good water.  That would have saved Roger some frustration of dealing with the rice as well.

How much can a guy complain on a day where he caught 17 fish and set the hook on at least that many more.  The fish bit all day and I fished one of my favorite ways.  Amazingly I didn't get a single hit while walking my frog when I had the opportunities to do that in holes in the weeds.

I saw one 5lb dogfish and an 8lb carp.

Next Tournament: Woman Lake July 18th

Snatcher Farm Island Quick Report

"Sweet Revenge" Color Tru-Tungsten Frog

Well it wasn't quite sweet revenge for me today, but it was my best tournament in terms of weight by 2lbs and number of fish caught at Farm Island Lake.  I believe the decision to switch out my Team Daiwa-S103 for the Revo Rocket was a critical mistake.  My boater Roger was getting more bites than me and the only difference that I can figure was that I couldn't slow down enough with the Rocket to give the frog the look they wanted.  I still had plenty of bites, but the fish weren't as big.  I was trying to match the retrieve, but it just wasn't happening for me when I did that.  I would often have to coax a fish that I already knew was there.  Roger rarely did that.  The fish bit pretty much all day and I got to fish one of my favorite ways.  It was a fun, but frustrating day for me.    

Bass Snatcher #yearofrevenge Starts Tomorrow at Farm Island Lake

Why is it my #yearofrevenge?

Farm Island Lake- Bottom 5 finish with 3 dead fish penalties
Woman Lake- Skunked while helping Jim Smith pre-fish last year
Rush Lake-  2nd to last place with 1 bass caught.
Cedar Lake- Bottom 5 finish with only 3 fish weighed
Mission Lakes-  3 tournaments fished with a 2nd to last place finish, bottom 5 finish, and didn't even get a limit in the Challenge Cup.

I've got a bone to pick with these last five lakes on the Snatcher docket.

My boater Roger and I had a pretty descent pre-fish last Saturday.  Will our pattern hold up?  I really hope so because due to wind we weren't able to establish a back up.  I really hope the fish are active in the morning on our first stop and we can just camp there for most of the day.  I am ready, let's go!

Bass Snatchers 2015 Tournament Lakes

So my year of revenge it is.

May 30th Bay Lake
June 13th Farm Island Lake
July 18th Woman Lake
Aug. 15th Rush Lake (Ottertail)
Sept 19th Mission Lakes
Oct. 3rd Cedar

The only changes we made were to switch the Mission and Cedar lake tournament dates.  I really hope I get a boater who will take me with to pre-fish Woman and Rush Lakes.

The Lakes Tentatively Are...

May- Bay Lake
June- Farm Island Lake (Platte/Sullivan lost out in a close vote)
July- Woman Lake
Aug.- Rush Lake (Ottertail)
Sept-  Cedar Lake (Aitkin)
Oct- Mission Lakes

I feel good about these lakes even though all the lakes but Bay haven't treated me so nicely in the past.

Farm Island Lake- Bottom 5 finish with 3 dead fish penalties
Woman Lake- Skunked while helping Jim Smith pre-fish last year
Rush Lake-  2nd to last place with 1 bass caught.
Cedar Lake- Bottom 5 finish with only 3 fish weighed
Mission Lakes-  3 tournaments fished with a 2nd to last place finish, bottom 5 finish, and didn't even get a limit in the Challenge Cup.

This could be my year of revenge