"In the Boat" presented by Jewel Bait Company |
Tournament: Monticello Bass Club
October 17, 2009
Lake Enterprise
Anglers: Jeremy Risley
Place: 4th - 5 bass – 6.03 pounds
Practice: I wasn’t able to practice for this event because it was moved the Thursday before the
tournament. I have never fished this lake but have been on it several times for work.
Oct 17: I fished this tournament with Andy Case. Our plan for the day was to fish for a few hours
and leave and head to Lake Chicot to practice for the classic. We headed to our first spot and I
started throwing the normal lure for first thing in the morning on SE Arkansas oxbow lakes, a
spinnerbait. It didn’t take long for me to catch a short fish. Then shortly after that I caught my first
12 inch keeper. It didn’t take Andy much longer to catch a keeper on a square bill crankbait. We
worked up the bank and noticed the fish were along the inside tree line. So we made our way up in
the trees to the inside tree line. Andy gets his lure hung in a brush pile. I throw in next to the brush
pile on the way to get his lure undone and I catch a keeper. We get his lure undone and I throw
back in there and miss another one. We caught several more fish and headed to another spot.
That spot was dead so we run back to the spot we started at. At this point, the wind starts to really
pick up and we decided to stay there instead of going to Lake Chicot. I was able to finish out my
limit on that bank. Then, I let Andy have the front of the boat. It starts to slow down, so I start
pitching soft plastics. I was able to catch a few shorts but wasn’t confident in pitching the rest of the
day. So I pick up the spinnerbait and never put it back down. We jumped across the lake and got
way back in the woods. Andy was able to get another keeper on his square bill and then he lost it.
He tries some different ones with no luck. So we continue up the bank. At this point, I have caught 7
keepers and Andy has only 2. So, Andy picks up the spinnerbait and is able to catch 2 more
keepers. Time is starting to run out so I put down my spinnerbait and just watch the clock and run
the trolling motor. Andy continued to try to get one more keeper. One the very last cast, Andy
catches a keeper and we both get to weigh in a limit.
Keeper count:
Mr. Hooty Spinnerbait (White): 7 keepers
Final thoughts: This tournament was very enjoyable. Even though I missed out on a check by 1
ounce, I was still very satisfied with how the day went. We caught a lot of fish and figured out a
pattern quickly on a lake that we have never fished before. The fish were hammering the
spinnerbait, even the 10 inchers were feeling like good fish when they hit the spinnerbait.
Final thoughts for the 2009 Monticello Bass Club year:
Wow, I am really excited about winning the AOY but it is bitter sweet. This is my third and final year
fishing this club since I am moving to Jonesboro next month. These guys are some of the best in
the area. I have worked my butt off to compete with these guys. In the three years in the club, I
finished 11th, then 3rd and then AOY. As for this year, I really wanted this title and I worked hard for
it. Every chance I got, I was practicing for the next tournament. Some times that meant practicing
three and four weeks in advance. It has been a year filled with a bunch of highs and lows but it was
fun!! I want to thank Jim Towers. He gave his all in every tournament to compete for the AOY title
and that forced me to prepare for every tournament like it was the last one. In the long run that will
make me a better angler. I would like to thank Andy Case for putting up with me while practicing
and during tournaments that we fished together. Finally, I would like to thank all the members of the
Monticello Bass Club. They are all great guys and they have made me a better all around angler.
Before I moved here, I was a clear water fisherman. After competing down here, I feel like I’m a
better all round fisherman, now. It has been a great year and a great run!!
See ya’ at the next tournament,
Jeremy Risley
October 17, 2009
Lake Enterprise
Anglers: Jeremy Risley
Place: 4th - 5 bass – 6.03 pounds
Practice: I wasn’t able to practice for this event because it was moved the Thursday before the
tournament. I have never fished this lake but have been on it several times for work.
Oct 17: I fished this tournament with Andy Case. Our plan for the day was to fish for a few hours
and leave and head to Lake Chicot to practice for the classic. We headed to our first spot and I
started throwing the normal lure for first thing in the morning on SE Arkansas oxbow lakes, a
spinnerbait. It didn’t take long for me to catch a short fish. Then shortly after that I caught my first
12 inch keeper. It didn’t take Andy much longer to catch a keeper on a square bill crankbait. We
worked up the bank and noticed the fish were along the inside tree line. So we made our way up in
the trees to the inside tree line. Andy gets his lure hung in a brush pile. I throw in next to the brush
pile on the way to get his lure undone and I catch a keeper. We get his lure undone and I throw
back in there and miss another one. We caught several more fish and headed to another spot.
That spot was dead so we run back to the spot we started at. At this point, the wind starts to really
pick up and we decided to stay there instead of going to Lake Chicot. I was able to finish out my
limit on that bank. Then, I let Andy have the front of the boat. It starts to slow down, so I start
pitching soft plastics. I was able to catch a few shorts but wasn’t confident in pitching the rest of the
day. So I pick up the spinnerbait and never put it back down. We jumped across the lake and got
way back in the woods. Andy was able to get another keeper on his square bill and then he lost it.
He tries some different ones with no luck. So we continue up the bank. At this point, I have caught 7
keepers and Andy has only 2. So, Andy picks up the spinnerbait and is able to catch 2 more
keepers. Time is starting to run out so I put down my spinnerbait and just watch the clock and run
the trolling motor. Andy continued to try to get one more keeper. One the very last cast, Andy
catches a keeper and we both get to weigh in a limit.
Keeper count:
Mr. Hooty Spinnerbait (White): 7 keepers
Final thoughts: This tournament was very enjoyable. Even though I missed out on a check by 1
ounce, I was still very satisfied with how the day went. We caught a lot of fish and figured out a
pattern quickly on a lake that we have never fished before. The fish were hammering the
spinnerbait, even the 10 inchers were feeling like good fish when they hit the spinnerbait.
Final thoughts for the 2009 Monticello Bass Club year:
Wow, I am really excited about winning the AOY but it is bitter sweet. This is my third and final year
fishing this club since I am moving to Jonesboro next month. These guys are some of the best in
the area. I have worked my butt off to compete with these guys. In the three years in the club, I
finished 11th, then 3rd and then AOY. As for this year, I really wanted this title and I worked hard for
it. Every chance I got, I was practicing for the next tournament. Some times that meant practicing
three and four weeks in advance. It has been a year filled with a bunch of highs and lows but it was
fun!! I want to thank Jim Towers. He gave his all in every tournament to compete for the AOY title
and that forced me to prepare for every tournament like it was the last one. In the long run that will
make me a better angler. I would like to thank Andy Case for putting up with me while practicing
and during tournaments that we fished together. Finally, I would like to thank all the members of the
Monticello Bass Club. They are all great guys and they have made me a better all around angler.
Before I moved here, I was a clear water fisherman. After competing down here, I feel like I’m a
better all round fisherman, now. It has been a great year and a great run!!
See ya’ at the next tournament,
Jeremy Risley