Monday, June 2, 2014

High school tournament on Lake Chickamauga

I fished a high school tournament out of dayton on May 31, 2014.  The fish seemed to be in between their shallow water pattern and their deep water summer pattern. I caught them on a Go 2 Baits 10" paddle tail worm in the plum color. I out fished my partner with this worm compared to his zoom worms. I started fishing shallow to catch a quick limit. Didn't really work out the way I planned, as I only had one keeper in the livewell after an hour and a half. I tried out of the ledges after that, but all I did was find out the fish have not made it out that far yet. I then decided to try a spot that was in 13-15 feet of water with brushpiles scattered around it. I would drag my worm until I hit a brushpile or a rock, then I would shake it in place for about 20 seconds. Then I would hop it right into the heart of that cover and let is sit. Then, if I have not gotten a bite yet, I will hop it fairly fast to try to trigger a reaction strike. Then I would hop it over the cover and drag until I felt another object that I felt like it had a good chance of having a fish on it.  I did this and missed one on the first cast, and caught a almost keeper on the 9th cast. Then, on the 13th cast, I hooked something that was coming straight at me. It was a 4 pounder! After two missed net tries, I went ahead and swung the bass in the boat. It could have easily broken my line, but thank goodness my 15 pound pline fluroclear held up to the task. My partner didn't catch any that day, and that was my last fish. I took it back to the weigh in and they weighed 5lbs 11oz. Not a great day but not a failure. These fish are probably going to be moved out to the ledges when I go back June 6 and 7th.