I think Grandma might have been with me...

In June of 2008 I lost my grandmother while fishing an FLW Tour event at Ft. Loudoun / Tellico lakes in east Tennessee. Every year that I have competed, my Grandmother knew what lake I was at, and always cheered me on. She was a great christian woman, she was my best ever fan.



For years my Grandma would give each of her grandchildren a $20 bill every year for Christmas, despite our urging not to, she insisted, twenty dollars it was. So a few years ago, not fully knowing what to do with twenty dollars, or at least not knowing how to use it in a manner that was repsectful to whom gave it to me, I started buying fishing baits, hard baits, you know, like crankbaits, topwaters, and jerkbaits. Two weeks ago on the Mississippi river during practice for a tournament, I needed a crankbait, one I felt the fish could see in the dingy water, one with a square bill that would deflect off of objects in the water, without getting hung up. So I dug in one of my crankbait boxes and found the perfect one. I didn't pay a lot of attention to the bait except it had a lot of white on it, perfect, just like a shad in dirty water, they too are very white.


After catching several fish on it in practice, and nearly a limit on the first morning of the tournament, I made a discovery about that bait that made it even more special, check out the
picture below...




You see, when I used Grandma's Christmas money to buy a bait, I put a "G" on the bottom of it, somewhere I thought it wouldn't get rubbed off.

Much to my surprise, when I went to re-tie my bait on the first day of the tourney, and found the "G", I had the overwhelming sense that I had a little help in the boat that day, someone rooting me on, from a far better place.

Grandma, Thanks, I owe you yet another one!

Fort Madison Stren Series: Baits, Patterns and Equipment

As promised, here's a run down of the baits, patterns and equipment that got me a 5th place finish in the Stren Series Central Division Tournament on the Mississippi River at Fort Madison, Iowa.

The baits, in order of importance, and how they were used:

1. Again the Dunn's Big Bite Baits "Honey Bug" comes through catching five of the eleven keepers I weighed in a week ago. I alternated fishing this bait on a 3/16th ounce Penetrater Tungsten weight and a 5/16th ounce weight. Ultimately for the tournament I used the 5/16th weight. I paired this bait with a G Loomis BCFR 894 flipping stick, 20lb Maxima Fluorocarbon line and a 4/0 Straight shank hook. I used this set up when fishing main river laydowns and scattered main river wood. I just can't say enough about the Honey Bug, it flat out catches them!

2. The second best bait in my arsenal was a Lucky Craft 1.5, I caught 3 keepers the first morning on this bait in 30 minutes! I had to change locations for day two due to muddy water in my primary area from day one, my day two efforts did not include any crankbaiting. But I was able to land a nice keeper smallmouth during the finals with this bait. I threw this bait on 15lb Maxima monofilament line on a G Loomis crankbait rod model # cbr847. The RC 1.5 was my go to bait when I fished sections of rock banks on the main river.

3. Bait number three is a bait that I had never thrown during a tournament, I had only used one during practice for a previous event three years ago on the Mississippi River in Wisconsin, and even then I only used this bait a little bit. The bait is a Brovarney swim jig. Specifically designed for a moving presentation. I used this bait in areas of the river that had lily pads. I would slow roll this bait through the shallowest sections of the pads that I could get my boat into, and repeatedly I found fish willing to eat this jig. I threw this bait on 15lb Maxima fluorocarbon line on a G Loomis rod model # bcr854

I have two things to mention before you see the picture of this bait, number one: a huge thank you goes out to Ben Kurtz who loaned me several jigs during the week, and another thank you goes to Tim Domaille who offered more and Casey Hewes (president of Brovarney Baits) for doing his level best to get me some baits before the tournament started. number two: For all you swim jig faithfuls, I know the trailer of choice is a grub. When I first tried the jig in practice, I wanted an electric blue trailer, all I had in that color was one bag of Zoom 6" lizards. After a little "doctoring" I came up with what you are about to see. After getting bit regularly on this bait during practice, I was scared to change anything, even after I got some electric blue grubs. So, go easy one me, it was a confidence thing!

The last two baits did more in practice, than during the tournament. However, with that said, they helped me find two of my most productive areas. I did manage to catch my first keeper on the final day with the Spro frog, and on the second day of practice I found several areas holding fish with the 3/8th ounce black Lunker Lure buzzbait pictured below. Both baits were thrown on a G Loomis Rod model #bcr854

This tournament was a tough one, I was very fortunate to catch a limit on Day one, and to advance to the finals with just three keepers on day two. Regardless of how tough it was, the Lord blessed me immensely, I needed a good tournament to move up in the points standings, and that is exactly what I received, a great tournament finish.

Hopefully, I've shed a little light on how I caught them on the Mississippi River two weeks ago.

Until then, here's a group photo of the baits I used either in practice or the tournament

God Bless,

D

Stren Series Central Division - Fort Madison, Iowa

This week has been an incredible blessing, it is extremely humbling to know the Lord blesses you with success, when you're doing something that you love to do. That is exactly what happened at the Stren Series event on Pool 19 this week at Fort Madison, IA. I finished in 5th place, cashed a nice check and gained a bunch of ground in the points race, what a neat deal.



I've been fortunate enough to fish Pool 19 of the Mississippi river a few times over the last three years. Unfortunately, this week I wasn't able to use a whole lot of that experience to help me. Since most of my experience revovled around the abundance of aquatic vegetation in this pool, the grass is now gone, and the mighty Mississp' doesn't fish like she used to! I was able to find several areas on or near the main river where there was a combination of rock and wood, both of which the bass were relating to. The weather did it's best to keep me from making it to my fishing areas, but thankfully we arrived safe and sound. I'll post more about patterns and techniques later.



The Stren Series Central Division is headed to Lake of the Ozarks for the final event of the 2009 Season. Lord willing it will be a good one.



To all of those who were praying for me and cheering me on, Thank you!


I'll leave you with a picture of the event, me and my good friend Ron Lappin (the tournament director for the Stren Series) and also some links to pictures taken by FLWoutdoors photographer Gary Mortenson

http://stren.flwoutdoors.com/photo.cfm?id=35630

http://stren.flwoutdoors.com/photo.cfm?id=35581





(Nothing beats standing in the check line on Saturday!)

Scene of the crime...

Tomorrow is it, the start of the Stren Series event at Ft. Madison, IA. After 4 days of practice, it's highly apparent that this is going to be a tough tournament. I took today off to get tackle together, straighten up the boat and check a few things out.



I got the boat and tackle ready by about noon, and took a little ride in my truck to the scene of the crime...the area that took the most pressure during the 2006 Stren event. I finished 37th in that tournament, and I too was in the middle of the group of anglers who absolutely mauled the area in the picture below.





This one of the biggest lily pad fields I've ever fished, and definitely the biggest on this pool of the river. In 2006 the majority if the anglers who made the top 10 came from this area. It doesn't look like this area is nearly as good as it once was, but, that was then and this is now. So tomorrow will be telltale story.

5am tomorrow will be another day of the usual grind on the mighty Mississippi just as it has been for the last four days. So, to quote the Dunkin' Donuts man, tomorrow morning it will be "Time to make the Donuts".

Wow, what a difference a flood can make...

I'm in Fort Madison, Iowa for the third stop of the FLW Outdoors Stren Series Central Division. All I can say, is wow, what a difference a flood can make. In 2008 there was a flood on this part of the Mississippi River. You may actually remeber CBS and NBC national news covering a break in a levee on the Mississippi River near Burlington, IA last year. The break occurred on Pool 19, which is where we are this week. Besides wiping out a levee, the flood wiped out almost all of the vegetation in this pool. I have found very few patches of eel grass and even less milfoil. The one form of vegetation that did seem to survive are the lily pads. This has caused the fishing on this pool of the river to be very tough. I can only think back to June of 2007, the last time I fished a tournament here and all of the grass that used to be here. Oh well, so much for wishful thinking.

I can say that practice has been pretty tough. I fished 12.5 hours the first day, and only managed to catch a single keeper. Sunday and Monday were better, I got a lot more bites, but I am very hesitant to try and catch any of them. I'd hate to catch any or very many quality fish in practice and not have them bite during the tournament. I've got 2 more days to look around, Lord willing I can expand on the ways I have figured out how to catch them, and do well in the tournament. I'keep you posted on how it goes.
God Bless,
D

I think I have a new hobby...

Well, this is a little bit off of the fishing subject, but I have a new hobby, well, not really new, but definitely improved! I like to cook, make that grill, just about anything. So a month ago I purchased what quite possibly is the best thing I have ever bought (non-fishing related items of course). I purchased a Big Green Egg! Yep, you read it correctly, a Big Green Egg. Never seen one? Want to?


Here ya go:


(pretty cool huh?)



I have a friend who lives in Murray, KY, on the shores of Kentucky Lake, who has shamed me unmercifully for several years about not having a Big Green Egg. So, I finally bought one, and all I can say is WOW! This thing is one bad to the bone cooking machine. I think you could cook a worn out flip-flop on this thing and it would taste good (with proper marination of course).

I got to use my egg a few times over the 4th of July weekend and a few times before I left for the Detroit Stren tournament, nothing serious, just your usual suspects: pork steaks, boneless butterfly pork chops, burgers, that's about it. But since I returned from Detroit, I have gotten completely mad at the Egg. This week alone I've went through 4 racks of ribs, last week it was a 10lb pork butt (I made pulled pork with it when it was done). The ribs were fantastic and the pork butt made some of the best pulled pork I've ever had.

I have to believe it's all because of the egg, this thing is near fool-proof, and extremely easy to use. I'll leave you with a picture of one of the finished products, just prior to removing them from the grill:

(oh man were they good! )




That's it for now, I've got to get outside and check on Egg. It's pork steaks tonight, smothered in some Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ Sauce! Oh, if you're in the neighborhood, swing by, chances are the Egg is cooking something, and there will always be plenty!

God Bless,
D

The phone is waterproof, and I'm definitely not a camera man!

As promised, here's some ameteur video of me and lake Erie, I stress the word "ameteur". I managed to shoot a little video while driving out on Lake Erie, it was extremely calm when I shot this, the wind picked up later in the afternoonm and I decided that keeping two hands on the wheel and watching the waves so I didn't spear one was a better idea than shooting video. 20 miles off-shore is not a good place to be messing around videoing in 4-5 foot waves. Remember, it was extremely calm when I took this video.

Oh, and by the way, the phone is waterproof!! After driving for and hour and forty minutes to get back to the ramp (I was only 18 miles away) I managed to "take" a few waves over the bow while driving and I then realized my phone was in the floor, yep, nice move wasn't it? But never fear, the phone is a keeper, waterproof as they come. Come to think of it, maybe it's a Timex?

God Bless,
D

Detroit River Stren...I'm glad it's over!

Well, I can tell you that again the great lakes got the best of me. I had an ok practice, ok at best. I really only had 1 good day, it was Saturday, the first day I practiced. I had found three areas holding good smallmouth, and felt like an 18lb limit was possible. I didn't get very many bites, but when I did, they were all in the 3.25-3.75 lb range. That is definitely the right size, the quantity had me slightly concerned. I spent several days on Lake St. Clair, and had several areas where a limit of fish was possible, but they weren't weighing very much, 13 lbs was the best limit I could put together on St. Clair. So I spent one more practice day day on Lake Erie, and a half-day in the river. I did find a few largemouth in the river in case I couldn't get to Erie. If you've never been on Lake Erie, the waves can get a little on the BIG side.

Day 1 of the tournament, I only managed two keeper bites on Erie (both of them around 3.5 lbs) , my co-angler had three (his were over 3.5lbs apiece), so I ran into the river at 12:30 p.m and finished my limit with 20 minutes to spare. I was 53rd after day 1.

After some lengthy debate, I decided to go back to Erie for day 2. I knew if I could just put five bites together, I could catch 17lbs+ and maybe cut a check. Between me and my co-angler, we had five that weighed 18lbs, they were just divided up between us. So I took off for Erie on day 2, and although the waves were bigger on day two, they never got over 3 feet high, which is very good for lake Erie. I managed to catch one 3lber and lose another of the same size, my co-angler caught two 3lb fish and that was it! I picked up a largemeouth in the river just before checking in, which gave me a dismal 4lbs 10oz for day two. Needless to say I was pretty disappointed, I fell from 53rd to 95th.

But, I'll say this, I could have went to Lake St. Clair and caught five keepers that might have only wieghed 10 lbs, that would not have gotten me a check, it would have gotten me more points, but no money. I conciously made the decision to go to Lake Erie where the fish were bigger, in an effort to make a big move up the leader board and put myself in contention for a check. I knew before take-off I would be fishinf for fewer bites on Erie, about one-third as many as you get on St. Clair, but the size of the fish I was catching on Eire versus St. Clair, was no comparison. As many of you know this game is a game of decisions, make the right ones and you look like a superhero, make the wrong ones, and people wonder if you can even tie a knot, much less catch a fish. All is not lost, after two tournaments, I'm 45th in the points race, and the top 40 advance to the championship.
I'd like to think the next time this situation presents itself, Lord willing, I'll make the right decision. I'll listen to intuention, and hope for divine intervention. With all of that said, I did learn a great deal about chasing these smallmouths, and I now know, they can't be trusted, they're worse than largemouth on be able to trust them to be there when you come back!

The next event is on Pool 19 of the Mississippi River at Ft.Madison, IA. Thankfully, I know I can get out the flipping sticks, and put up the drop shot rods...no more Erie...please no more Erie!!!

Detroit River Stren Series Event

Just rolled into Detroit...and as expected the wind is blowing!! Nice, nothing like a 25mph wind to get you excited about going out on Lake Erie or St. Clair for that matter. Regardless, it'll be a buckle up, hang on and pray the good Lord holds your equipment together so you can get back home event. Better yet, pray for light winds. It's pretty cool here, compared to Southern IL. I think it was 71 degrees at 3 o'clock when I got here, looks like it's going to be cold in the mornings, mid to upper fifties, real nice temperatures to get wet in. Anyway, I've got a new waterproof phone, or at least water resistant. I'm going to try and shoot a little video if it isn't to rough and post it later. We'll see how water proof this thing actually is by the end of next week. Hope everyone has a good weekend.
God Bless,
D

Illinois Bass Federation Open Trail Event - Rend Lake

I fished the 4th event of the 2009 Illinois bass Federation Open Trail this weekend at Rend Lake. I was fortunate enough to catch my limit, but struggled to catch any fish bigger than 2 lbs. I had one good fish that weighed a little over three pounds, that was it. My total weight for the event was 9.96lbs, good enough to finish in 4th place and cut a decent check. The top three places were 15lbs, 13lbs and 11lbs. One big fish would have moved me up considerably, but I would have needed two good ones to win. I can't complain, I didn't lose any fish the entire day, only missed one bite, which is really good, considering I flipped bushes for most of the day, which can often be a recipe for a lot of missed fish and some heartbreaking fish losses. I managed to catch my biggest fish with less than hour to go, which allowed me to cull out a very small keeper, in fact, that fish got me paid. Considering the cirumstances, I think a good dose of divine intervention took place at that moment. I attached a few pictures of the winners below.







That's the latest update, I'm still two and a half weeks away from the Detroit River Stren Series Tournament. I'm praying the wind doesn't blow very hard, if you've never been on Lake Erie (which is where the Detroit river runs into) fishing out there when the wind blows reminds me of the Discovery television series Deadliest Catch, the waves are huge, and many of them come into the boat with you, you just have to turn on the bilge pumps and keep driving.



See ya later,
D


(L to R: 1st, 3rd, 4th)






Always a good thing, the check line!