"In the Boat" presented by Jewel Bait Company |
Tournament: Monticello Bass Club
October 11, 2008
Pool 2 of Arkansas River
Anglers: Jeremy Risley
Place: 7th place – 5 fish – 10.88 pounds
Practice: I knew that the backwaters were on FIRE, so I went out the Thursday before the
tournament to try to find a pattern in the backwater. I started in the Annex and was able to catch
three keepers and several short fish on a white spinnerbait. Then I went into Coal Pile, I was able to
catch one keeper, which had a toad chasing it trying to take the lure from it. I was able to catch a
few more short fish and miss a few more on Sweet Beaver. The only problem was most of these fish
came from a 75 – 100 foot stretch of trees. For the tournament, my strategy was to fish Annex and
the small stretch of bank in Coal Pile. If I could catch 5 keepers, I would stay in that area; however,
if I couldn’t I was going to run up river and try to get a limit.
October 11: Derby day began with me running into Annex. The second cast, I caught a short fish. I
was thinking they are going to bite in there that morning. Well I only managed 7 short fish but three
had tags so I made some money off that. Then I ran into Coal Pile and was only able to catch one
short fish. It was about 9:30 and I decided to head up river and take my chances. I stopped at one
of my best jetties and was able to catch a 16 inch keeper and a short fish on a spinnerbait. I then
went to a couple other jetties with out any luck. I then ran to the backwater that my dad and I did
good in a few week earlier. I got in there and struggled. I was able to get one keeper off the bank
but I wasn’t having many bites. I did lose one that wrapped me up and sawed my line in two. It felt
like a descent one but you never know. I then come up to this brushpile and I pitch in the middle. I
shook my jig a few times and started to reel in when one hammered my jig but I missed it. That
made me think they were in the brush. I tried fishing some more brush. When I pitched to the edge,
they would only hit it when I was reeling in. So I decided I needed to put my “big boy pants” on and
fish in the heart of the brush. You had to throw into the heart of the brush and work it all the way
through the brush. They would hit it at the edge of the brush. I was able to run that pattern for 6
total keepers. Then I ran down river and was able to catch a limit of spotted bass but they didn’t
help me.
Keeper count:
5/16 Ounce Black and Blue Flash Jewel Eakins' Jig: 9 keepers
White Spinnerbait: 1 Keeper
Final thoughts: What can I say!! I know the backwaters were going to be hard to beat but I need
the points. After finally figure a little pattern, I was able to execute it and put keepers in the boat.
This was the last regular season tournament of the year. Now, it is classic time and hopefully I can
have the same results as same year.
See ya’ at the next tournament,
Jeremy Risley
October 11, 2008
Pool 2 of Arkansas River
Anglers: Jeremy Risley
Place: 7th place – 5 fish – 10.88 pounds
Practice: I knew that the backwaters were on FIRE, so I went out the Thursday before the
tournament to try to find a pattern in the backwater. I started in the Annex and was able to catch
three keepers and several short fish on a white spinnerbait. Then I went into Coal Pile, I was able to
catch one keeper, which had a toad chasing it trying to take the lure from it. I was able to catch a
few more short fish and miss a few more on Sweet Beaver. The only problem was most of these fish
came from a 75 – 100 foot stretch of trees. For the tournament, my strategy was to fish Annex and
the small stretch of bank in Coal Pile. If I could catch 5 keepers, I would stay in that area; however,
if I couldn’t I was going to run up river and try to get a limit.
October 11: Derby day began with me running into Annex. The second cast, I caught a short fish. I
was thinking they are going to bite in there that morning. Well I only managed 7 short fish but three
had tags so I made some money off that. Then I ran into Coal Pile and was only able to catch one
short fish. It was about 9:30 and I decided to head up river and take my chances. I stopped at one
of my best jetties and was able to catch a 16 inch keeper and a short fish on a spinnerbait. I then
went to a couple other jetties with out any luck. I then ran to the backwater that my dad and I did
good in a few week earlier. I got in there and struggled. I was able to get one keeper off the bank
but I wasn’t having many bites. I did lose one that wrapped me up and sawed my line in two. It felt
like a descent one but you never know. I then come up to this brushpile and I pitch in the middle. I
shook my jig a few times and started to reel in when one hammered my jig but I missed it. That
made me think they were in the brush. I tried fishing some more brush. When I pitched to the edge,
they would only hit it when I was reeling in. So I decided I needed to put my “big boy pants” on and
fish in the heart of the brush. You had to throw into the heart of the brush and work it all the way
through the brush. They would hit it at the edge of the brush. I was able to run that pattern for 6
total keepers. Then I ran down river and was able to catch a limit of spotted bass but they didn’t
help me.
Keeper count:
5/16 Ounce Black and Blue Flash Jewel Eakins' Jig: 9 keepers
White Spinnerbait: 1 Keeper
Final thoughts: What can I say!! I know the backwaters were going to be hard to beat but I need
the points. After finally figure a little pattern, I was able to execute it and put keepers in the boat.
This was the last regular season tournament of the year. Now, it is classic time and hopefully I can
have the same results as same year.
See ya’ at the next tournament,
Jeremy Risley