Bassmaster Weekend Series 4-25-10 Center Hill...

The tourney was scheduled for Saturday, but due to the severe weather threat they rescheduled it for Sunday. Forecast for the day was mostly sunny with high winds (15-25 MPH with gusts to 30).

I met my partner at the ramp at 5:15 am, and we ramped the boat at Ragland Bottom. They let the 40 boats go right at 6 am. We headed straight to the back of Mine Lick Creek, which is where we would spend all morning. On the first stop we had around ten bites on the rig, but we only connected with four. I had all four of the keepers here, and one of them was a nice 17" LM that went around 2.75 lbs. The other three were little spots around a pound each. We fished that area for two hours or so, and we moved around the corner to a similar spot. My non-boater caught a solid 2.75 lb LM here on the rig, but that was all we found.

We hit our spot from earlier one more time, and I was able to fill out my limit with another 12 1/2" spot. It was around 11:30 now, so we had 3 hours left to upgrade.

We moved around a lot looking for another group of fish, but unfortunately, we only caught one other short fish all day.

My five weighed just over 7 lbs, which was good for 24th place. The finish moved me up to 12th in the Tennessee Central division. My goal was to catch a limit, so it was all good there. I just underestimated the weights that would be caught.

On to Old Hickory next in June.

F3 #2 at Center Hill...

Wow- the weather really killed the good bite I was on last week. I wasted too much time hammering the same places we caught em last Saturday. Ended up bailing on that deal about 10:30, and we found a decent pattern. Ended up catching 6-7 out deeper, but only one solid keeper (13 3/4" Spot).

Finished 5th which moved me up to 5th overall, but I need to make up an 8 lb deficit on Priest next month. My best sack last year was on PP in May, so I just need to repeat that deal. Still a long season ahead so no need to panic yet.

Next up is Center Hill in two weeks. I expect the fish to be in full blown bedding mode. I probably won't get to pre-fish at all, so I'll be winging it. I know a bunch of areas to fish, so I'm cautiously hopeful that I can get a decent finish up there.

4-3-10 Center Hill...

Headed up to The Hill early this morning to scout for our club tourney next weekend. We put in at Hurricane Brige and ran downlake to a hump off of a mainlake flat. The wind was howling ahead of the aproaching front, and we felt like we would have the chance to catch a few brow fish. On about his tenth cast, Dwayne hooked up on a toad on the spinnerbait (bigger one pictured here). The wind got so bad that we gave up on the spot.

From there, we moved back to a bluff wall and attempted to fish a spinnerbait. The wind was pounding the banks, and I could not position the boat correctly for fear of smashing into the rocks. Dwayne did catch one on a spinnerbait, and it was a nice 2 lb keeper spot. We moved over to a more protected deep transition bank, and I stuck a nice non-keeper smallie (they have to be 18") on the jerkbait. From there we worked back in a small creek to fish a specific spot. We found what we were looking for, but we only caught one fish on the sructure. DD caught it, and it was a chunky 14" smallie.

The wind kept hammering us, and the stom started pounding rain on us, so I made a run to a marina to take cover. After the miserable run, the rain and wind died down, so we headed to another creek to see what we could find. We caught about 9 more fish in this one creek, with four of them being keeper spots, and I snagged a nice 17 3/4" smallie on the jerkbait.

We bounced around for another hour or so, and DD had to leave. I fished for another hour until the usual boat problems started up. I caught two more small spots, and then hit the road.

Sat 3-27- Priest....

The lake continues to be tough for me. I launched at Hurricane Creek, mid-lake. headed uplake about 3 miles to fish some spawning coves, and staging ares with moving baits. had one small fish on a crankbait early, but with the clear skies, the fish didn't seem interested in chasing.

I regrouped, and headed back towards the lower end, and I decided to slow down and move out a bit. I hooked a 3 lb smallmouth on a grub just inside a large cove near LHSP in about 6 ft. Unfortunately, the fish jumped and threw my grub back at me. I worked my way back in the cove, but there was nothing doing.

I worked back to the point and around the corner on a main lake flat heading back down lake. I picked up the C-rig, and moved the boat out to 10-2 ft. On the third cast, I hooked a good 3 lb largemouth. I stayed in the area and caught a 2 lb smallie and broke off one more. That was it for that spot.

I jumped across the lake to the end of a bluff wall where the bank transitioned to gravle / mud and scattered rock. this is where I caught the 4 1/2 lb smallie two weeks before. I picked up the jerkbait and worked the bait in 3-9 ft. I caught a noce 12" Spot, but no more takers.

From there, I headed under the bridge to check several shallow spots and a few deeper transition points. It was a waste of time.

Moved around near Four Corners for another hour or so, but the wind got so bad that it was nearly impossible to fish slowly. Loaded the Bee up, and I was home by 2 pm.

Water temps ranged from 47-51 degrees all day. The fish are still not ready to move up on the spawning flats in any numbers, so i continue to struggle. In hindsight, I have spent way too much time downlake the last few weeks. I probably should have joined the crowds in the warmer upper end.

Live and learn.

Later,

RBK

Weak start to Club season JPP 3-20-10...

Boy did I struggle today! My deeper jerkbait bite never materialized at all. We caught around 8 small fish all day, and the only way we could catch them was shallow, and most came on the little shad rap.

Good news is the boat ran great, so there's that. Winner had 9+ lbs, so I've got some work to do at Center Hill in April.

Until next time,

RBK

Boat problems.....Weekend Seies 1- JPP 3-13-10...

Made it down to my first stop on time, and had 3 short fish in first two hours. Went to crank the motor, and it would not turn over.

Had to get towed back to Long Hunter State Park. We fished around for a couple of hours, and I caught a nice 20" smallie on a jerkbait. That was it. I had to leave my co-angler at Long Hunter, and bag my fish up. I jumped on board with a friend, and he took me to weigh in.

The fish weighed 4.79 lbs, which was good for 17th out of 50 boats. Not bad for fishing half the time allowed.

Back to the dealer, again.

RBK

March 6th-cold water....

Headed out to scout for my first Weekend series event next weekend. We stayed down lake all day, and the water was ranging between 39-44 degrees all day. The fish didn't cooperate at all. We fished deep, shallow, and in between (flats, bluffs, 45 deg banks, you name it). Finally, around 1 pm I bumped into the nice largemouth pictured here. She crushed a jerkbait on my favorite 45 degree bank near the bridge. One fish in 8 hrs!

As it turns out, that fish would have possibly gotten me a check in the BFL. Only took 7.9 lbs to win it.

Wow, is it ever tough!

RBK