"In the Boat" presented by Jewel Bait Company |
Tournament: Vince Miller's Super Team
April 20th, 2008
Lake Dardanelle
Anglers: Jeremy Risley and Frank Leone
9th place - 5 bass - 16.49 pounds - $400
Practice:
April 19th: Practice started off cold!!!. We launched into Dardanelle Bay into the fog. Here it is
April 19th and it is 40 degrees, instead of fishing in shorts and a t-shirt we were freezing our butts
off!!! Anyway, we started on a steep bank in Dardanelle Bay. We had 3 or 4 bites and caught a
couple of short fish. Nothing spectacular, but getting those bites would be key to our success on
Sunday. After Dardanelle Bay, we headed to Delaware. No luck at all there. Next stop was in front of
the tubes. "Tubes, tubes, tubes" - seems like that's all I've been hearing for a month. "In the tubes,
in front of tubes" - heck seems like you could get a helicopter and fly over the tubes and catch a
bass this year. Anyway, we started chucking spinnerbaits and a Fishing Magician Voo-Doo Lures
bait (chatterbait style lure) to the chocolate milk colored water along the railroad tracks. It was
pretty funny watching all of the boats trying to idle across the shallow flat on the West side of
Goose Island. Everyone going to the Grail known as the tubes. Within twenty minutes, seemingly
out of nowhere, I catch a solid 2.5 pounder on the Voo-Doo. We kept fishing, but didn't get any
more takers. Off to Illinois Bayou. Our third stop was a steep rocky bank that I'm very familiar with.
Within 5-minutes we had three bites and got out of there - looked very promising. Next stop was the
Ski Pit. Caught a good 3-pounder in there on a jig - The Bayou was starting to look promising!!!.
After the Bayou we trailered to Shoal Bay. Boats were everywhere and trying to find a spot was
difficult. We did get 2 or 3 bites on steep rocks, but it seemed like the quality was lacking. This was
a pretty discouraging practice day....
Tournament: With a slight chill in the air we headed to the Bayou when our number was called. We
got to the bank where we had the 3 bites in 5 minutes and there's not just one boat - but two. Not
exactly what we wanted to see. We fished it anyway and didn't even have a bite. I could tell Jeremy
was getting discouraged, and he looked at me and said "where to next?" About a second after
saying that he sets the hook on a solid 3.5 pounder. That helped our confidence for about
20-minutes. We then proceeded to fish the Ski Pit and the Water Works without landing a fish. It
was sunny, no wind - Just one of those day's that didn't seem to have promise. We were both very
discouraged at this point and we decided to try some shallow grass in front of the State Park. That
didn't work either, and at that time the most critical decision of our day was made. "Shoal Bay or
Dardanelle Bay?" I asked Jeremy. In my head I was leaning towards Shoal - But Jeremy quickly
answered - "Dardanelle Bay". Off we went. Got to Dardanelle Bay and I had to take a bathroom
break. I just started my break when Jeremy sets the hook and hollers "Get the Net". "I can't" I
replied - How's that for timing?. Jeremy stayed cool and landed the fish - another good 3.5
pounder. Things were starting to look up!!! We kept fishing and Jeremy quickly boated another
keeper on the Jewel Jig. We now had three and it was time to go down hill to get 5! By this time
Jeremy had figured out the fish were in front of the water willow and they were taking the 5/16 oz.
Jewel Eakins' Jig. Within minutes of catching #3 we were working our pattern on a different bank
and Jeremy set the hook again. I leaped to the front of the boat but the net was still strapped in the
rod holder. Of course we lost the fish - Looked like a good 3-pounder. It hurt, but I told Jeremy to
shake it off. We would get more opportunities. Two banks later and Jeremy picks out an awful
looking spot. No grass, just a shallow flat leading to a spawning pocket. Didn't look like a jig spot at
all. I started chucking a chatterbait. I thought we were just killing time. Then Jeremy makes a super
long cast. About 30 yards. A second later and he sets the hook. It looked like one of those hook
sets that the Elite guys were making on those Falcon Lake monsters - Solid and the fish didn't
appear to budge. That's when I seen the fish - "It's a freaking toad" I yelled. We got the fish in the
boat and it was a solid 5-pounder. We now had time and a good bag started. We just needed one
more!!! By this time I'm questioning my ability. Earlier I was throwing a larger jig but I had now
switched to the Eakins'. I still wasn't getting any bites but I knew I had to stick with it the rest of the
day. Anyway, It was getting close to 2:00 PM and we still had four. We started down a bank that had
a little wood on it. I pitched my jig in there and wham! "I hope this is a keeper" I yelled as we got the
fish to the boat. But it wasn't. I got the fish to "barely" touch the line on one board, but not the other.
I chucked him back into the lake. "Too close" I said. We continued down the bank and I pitched my
jig to some more wood. Bang! "Get the net - It's a good one" I yelled. We boated the fish and it
turned out to be about a 2.5 pounder. Finally!!!! We thought we only had 14-pounds. I didn't think it
was enough for a check, but we found out at the weigh-in that we had underestimated our bag!
Keeper Count: Jewel Eakins' Jig (5/16 oz.; black/blue flash): 5 keepers
Final Thoughts: What a tough tournament!!! We just had to grind it out. Jeremy smoked em' and
taught me a few new tricks on Dardanelle. I'm glad I was along for the ride........
See ya' on the flip side,
Frank Leone
April 20th, 2008
Lake Dardanelle
Anglers: Jeremy Risley and Frank Leone
9th place - 5 bass - 16.49 pounds - $400
Practice:
April 19th: Practice started off cold!!!. We launched into Dardanelle Bay into the fog. Here it is
April 19th and it is 40 degrees, instead of fishing in shorts and a t-shirt we were freezing our butts
off!!! Anyway, we started on a steep bank in Dardanelle Bay. We had 3 or 4 bites and caught a
couple of short fish. Nothing spectacular, but getting those bites would be key to our success on
Sunday. After Dardanelle Bay, we headed to Delaware. No luck at all there. Next stop was in front of
the tubes. "Tubes, tubes, tubes" - seems like that's all I've been hearing for a month. "In the tubes,
in front of tubes" - heck seems like you could get a helicopter and fly over the tubes and catch a
bass this year. Anyway, we started chucking spinnerbaits and a Fishing Magician Voo-Doo Lures
bait (chatterbait style lure) to the chocolate milk colored water along the railroad tracks. It was
pretty funny watching all of the boats trying to idle across the shallow flat on the West side of
Goose Island. Everyone going to the Grail known as the tubes. Within twenty minutes, seemingly
out of nowhere, I catch a solid 2.5 pounder on the Voo-Doo. We kept fishing, but didn't get any
more takers. Off to Illinois Bayou. Our third stop was a steep rocky bank that I'm very familiar with.
Within 5-minutes we had three bites and got out of there - looked very promising. Next stop was the
Ski Pit. Caught a good 3-pounder in there on a jig - The Bayou was starting to look promising!!!.
After the Bayou we trailered to Shoal Bay. Boats were everywhere and trying to find a spot was
difficult. We did get 2 or 3 bites on steep rocks, but it seemed like the quality was lacking. This was
a pretty discouraging practice day....
Tournament: With a slight chill in the air we headed to the Bayou when our number was called. We
got to the bank where we had the 3 bites in 5 minutes and there's not just one boat - but two. Not
exactly what we wanted to see. We fished it anyway and didn't even have a bite. I could tell Jeremy
was getting discouraged, and he looked at me and said "where to next?" About a second after
saying that he sets the hook on a solid 3.5 pounder. That helped our confidence for about
20-minutes. We then proceeded to fish the Ski Pit and the Water Works without landing a fish. It
was sunny, no wind - Just one of those day's that didn't seem to have promise. We were both very
discouraged at this point and we decided to try some shallow grass in front of the State Park. That
didn't work either, and at that time the most critical decision of our day was made. "Shoal Bay or
Dardanelle Bay?" I asked Jeremy. In my head I was leaning towards Shoal - But Jeremy quickly
answered - "Dardanelle Bay". Off we went. Got to Dardanelle Bay and I had to take a bathroom
break. I just started my break when Jeremy sets the hook and hollers "Get the Net". "I can't" I
replied - How's that for timing?. Jeremy stayed cool and landed the fish - another good 3.5
pounder. Things were starting to look up!!! We kept fishing and Jeremy quickly boated another
keeper on the Jewel Jig. We now had three and it was time to go down hill to get 5! By this time
Jeremy had figured out the fish were in front of the water willow and they were taking the 5/16 oz.
Jewel Eakins' Jig. Within minutes of catching #3 we were working our pattern on a different bank
and Jeremy set the hook again. I leaped to the front of the boat but the net was still strapped in the
rod holder. Of course we lost the fish - Looked like a good 3-pounder. It hurt, but I told Jeremy to
shake it off. We would get more opportunities. Two banks later and Jeremy picks out an awful
looking spot. No grass, just a shallow flat leading to a spawning pocket. Didn't look like a jig spot at
all. I started chucking a chatterbait. I thought we were just killing time. Then Jeremy makes a super
long cast. About 30 yards. A second later and he sets the hook. It looked like one of those hook
sets that the Elite guys were making on those Falcon Lake monsters - Solid and the fish didn't
appear to budge. That's when I seen the fish - "It's a freaking toad" I yelled. We got the fish in the
boat and it was a solid 5-pounder. We now had time and a good bag started. We just needed one
more!!! By this time I'm questioning my ability. Earlier I was throwing a larger jig but I had now
switched to the Eakins'. I still wasn't getting any bites but I knew I had to stick with it the rest of the
day. Anyway, It was getting close to 2:00 PM and we still had four. We started down a bank that had
a little wood on it. I pitched my jig in there and wham! "I hope this is a keeper" I yelled as we got the
fish to the boat. But it wasn't. I got the fish to "barely" touch the line on one board, but not the other.
I chucked him back into the lake. "Too close" I said. We continued down the bank and I pitched my
jig to some more wood. Bang! "Get the net - It's a good one" I yelled. We boated the fish and it
turned out to be about a 2.5 pounder. Finally!!!! We thought we only had 14-pounds. I didn't think it
was enough for a check, but we found out at the weigh-in that we had underestimated our bag!
Keeper Count: Jewel Eakins' Jig (5/16 oz.; black/blue flash): 5 keepers
Final Thoughts: What a tough tournament!!! We just had to grind it out. Jeremy smoked em' and
taught me a few new tricks on Dardanelle. I'm glad I was along for the ride........
See ya' on the flip side,
Frank Leone