"In the Boat" presented by Jewel Bait Company |
Tournament: Fruit Jar Tournament
June 28, 2008
Lake Chicot
Anglers: Jeremy Risley and Andy Case
1st Place – 18.32 pounds - $225
Background: Andy called me on Friday night and asked if I wanted to fish this tournament with
him. I told him sure because I had planned on going over there anyways.
June 28th: Derby day began with a short run to an area where Andy was told there was some fish
eating a buzzbait. Andy caught one short fish and had a good blow up. We then ran to the area
where I caught fish during the last club tournament. Andy managed one short strike on a
spinnerbait. We got to the end of the bank and there was a long dock. I told Andy, lets fish this dock
and we will leave. I picked up a Basshunter squarebill and begin cranking this dock. At the very end
of the dock, I got a hit. At first, I was thinking it was a small fish, but it started stripping drag so I
hollered for the net. It was a solid 3.75 to 4 pounder. We continued down the bank with no more
bites. We then ran to an area that I knew had some brush near some docks. The last dock on this
stretch, Andy loses a short fish and the next cast he catches a short fish on a Bandit squarebill.
Just down from this dock is a little cut so we fished down to it. On the way down this bank, I have a
solid 3.5 to 4 pounder eat my squarebill at the boat. Andy gets the net and nets the fish. He then
reels in his bait and catches a keeper. All this action happened in a 20 foot stretch. We used two
small cypress trees way up on the bank for our markers. We continued fishing. Right when we got
back to that section, I catch a short fish and Andy loses a 3 to 3.5 pounder at the boat. We started
to notice if you throw outside this 20 foot section you would not get a hit but if you throw in the
section you would get a hit. We let that spot rest and we went on. We fished for an hour with no luck
so we run back to that spot. I throw the squarebill and catch a short fish. We turn around and start
slowing down. Andy loses one on a brushhog which might have kept and I lose one on a 10-inch
Worm. Then I manage to catch 2 more keepers on the 10 inch worm in this small section. We fished
it off and on several more times without a hit. We then run to a small pipe and Andy managed to
catch a keeper on a squarebill and I catch a short on the worm. We then run to another group of
docks. On the very end of the dock, after we passed it, Andy catches a 4 pounder on the
squarebill. Shortly after that, it started to rain. It rained for an hour or so, then the sun came out
and the air temperature got HOT!! We were able to catch a few shorts of docks. We had about 30
minutes left, we ran to a group of docks and I was able to catch a 4.90 pounder on the 10-inch
worm.
Keeper count:
BassHunter BB3 Squarebill Crankbait – 2 Keepers
Bandit Flat MAXX Crankbait – 3 Keepers
Berkley 10-inch Power Worm – 3 Keepers
Final thoughts: We won by 6 pounds!!! I had great day fishing with Andy. Our magical 20 foot
stretch of bank was important. If you threw outside this area, you never got a bite but when you
throw in the stretch you got hammered. We also noticed by the end of the day, the larger fish were
coming off the ends of the docks. Hopefully, I can keep this hot hand into the next tournament!!!
See ya’ at the next tournament,
Jeremy Risley
June 28, 2008
Lake Chicot
Anglers: Jeremy Risley and Andy Case
1st Place – 18.32 pounds - $225
Background: Andy called me on Friday night and asked if I wanted to fish this tournament with
him. I told him sure because I had planned on going over there anyways.
June 28th: Derby day began with a short run to an area where Andy was told there was some fish
eating a buzzbait. Andy caught one short fish and had a good blow up. We then ran to the area
where I caught fish during the last club tournament. Andy managed one short strike on a
spinnerbait. We got to the end of the bank and there was a long dock. I told Andy, lets fish this dock
and we will leave. I picked up a Basshunter squarebill and begin cranking this dock. At the very end
of the dock, I got a hit. At first, I was thinking it was a small fish, but it started stripping drag so I
hollered for the net. It was a solid 3.75 to 4 pounder. We continued down the bank with no more
bites. We then ran to an area that I knew had some brush near some docks. The last dock on this
stretch, Andy loses a short fish and the next cast he catches a short fish on a Bandit squarebill.
Just down from this dock is a little cut so we fished down to it. On the way down this bank, I have a
solid 3.5 to 4 pounder eat my squarebill at the boat. Andy gets the net and nets the fish. He then
reels in his bait and catches a keeper. All this action happened in a 20 foot stretch. We used two
small cypress trees way up on the bank for our markers. We continued fishing. Right when we got
back to that section, I catch a short fish and Andy loses a 3 to 3.5 pounder at the boat. We started
to notice if you throw outside this 20 foot section you would not get a hit but if you throw in the
section you would get a hit. We let that spot rest and we went on. We fished for an hour with no luck
so we run back to that spot. I throw the squarebill and catch a short fish. We turn around and start
slowing down. Andy loses one on a brushhog which might have kept and I lose one on a 10-inch
Worm. Then I manage to catch 2 more keepers on the 10 inch worm in this small section. We fished
it off and on several more times without a hit. We then run to a small pipe and Andy managed to
catch a keeper on a squarebill and I catch a short on the worm. We then run to another group of
docks. On the very end of the dock, after we passed it, Andy catches a 4 pounder on the
squarebill. Shortly after that, it started to rain. It rained for an hour or so, then the sun came out
and the air temperature got HOT!! We were able to catch a few shorts of docks. We had about 30
minutes left, we ran to a group of docks and I was able to catch a 4.90 pounder on the 10-inch
worm.
Keeper count:
BassHunter BB3 Squarebill Crankbait – 2 Keepers
Bandit Flat MAXX Crankbait – 3 Keepers
Berkley 10-inch Power Worm – 3 Keepers
Final thoughts: We won by 6 pounds!!! I had great day fishing with Andy. Our magical 20 foot
stretch of bank was important. If you threw outside this area, you never got a bite but when you
throw in the stretch you got hammered. We also noticed by the end of the day, the larger fish were
coming off the ends of the docks. Hopefully, I can keep this hot hand into the next tournament!!!
See ya’ at the next tournament,
Jeremy Risley