"In the Boat" presented by Jewel Bait Company |
Tournament: Fisher’s of Men Arkansas South
February 20, 2010
Lake Chicot
Anglers: Adam Starks and Philip Starks
Place: Last Place- 0 fish
Practice:
Dad and I got to practice a couple times for this tournament. I normally do not practice on Lake
Chicot but with rumors of the bite being extremely brutal, dad and I both thought we might need to
spend some time on the water. I got in three good practice days and out of those days only two
bites. Yes you read that right, two bites in three days. I was however hopeful because the temps
were warming and the fish should be moving up.
February 20:
Tournament day and we were boat 17 out of 24. Not as good a turnout as years past but to be
expected with the bite as tough as it was. Dad and I started in the back of Conerlly Bayou by the
dam. This was some of the warmest water on the lake and was loaded with gizzard shad so I
figured that we might could actually luck up and coax a few into biting while they were gorging
themselves on shad……wrong! Dad did however manage to snag a gar that weighed about 8lbs
and that was fun but other than that, nothing. So we abandon that and run down south to some
clearer water and start running my dock pattern that usually produces for us. Wrong, not a bite
there either. So I back out and start fishing channel swings, deep brush, no nothing banks, bridge
pilings and even tried cranking for some suspended fish in the middle of the channel….not a bite.
We ran back to Conerlly Bayou where we started and caught a couple white bass….felt real good
to finally have something pull on the line but no largemouth. With time dwindling down we ran back
out to the causeway and fished the rocks in hopes of some last minute heroics but those dreams
were just that, dreams. 2:57pm and back to the weigh-in with no fish in hand…….humbled.
Keeper Count: Zero, Nada, None, Zip, Zilch…..The Big Goose Egg
Final Thoughts:
So I bet many of you reading this are wondering why in the world write about this day on the lake?
Well, let me tell you. It happens and it happens to us all, yes I even remember KVD zeroing in a
tournament. You can’t always catch them but you have to hang in there and keep trying. The lake
was drawn down this summer and fall. The cold rains we received this winter started to fill the lake
but it was still a foot or two from normal. The fish are a little shocked and haven’t moved up yet.
Most of the fish are still suspended out in the main lake. There was also a huge shad die off due to
the cold weather and you can see where they are on the lake just by following the birds diving.
They are still in the main channel of the lake and on Chicot this makes the bass just about
impossible to catch. So just how tough was it? 7 out of 24 boats weighed in fish and no boat
weighed in more than one fish. A six pounder won it! So with my fishing pride beat down I went to
the Arkansas River Sunday afternoon……one word for you…REDEMPTION!!!! Until next time….
Fish Hard,
Adam Starks
February 20, 2010
Lake Chicot
Anglers: Adam Starks and Philip Starks
Place: Last Place- 0 fish
Practice:
Dad and I got to practice a couple times for this tournament. I normally do not practice on Lake
Chicot but with rumors of the bite being extremely brutal, dad and I both thought we might need to
spend some time on the water. I got in three good practice days and out of those days only two
bites. Yes you read that right, two bites in three days. I was however hopeful because the temps
were warming and the fish should be moving up.
February 20:
Tournament day and we were boat 17 out of 24. Not as good a turnout as years past but to be
expected with the bite as tough as it was. Dad and I started in the back of Conerlly Bayou by the
dam. This was some of the warmest water on the lake and was loaded with gizzard shad so I
figured that we might could actually luck up and coax a few into biting while they were gorging
themselves on shad……wrong! Dad did however manage to snag a gar that weighed about 8lbs
and that was fun but other than that, nothing. So we abandon that and run down south to some
clearer water and start running my dock pattern that usually produces for us. Wrong, not a bite
there either. So I back out and start fishing channel swings, deep brush, no nothing banks, bridge
pilings and even tried cranking for some suspended fish in the middle of the channel….not a bite.
We ran back to Conerlly Bayou where we started and caught a couple white bass….felt real good
to finally have something pull on the line but no largemouth. With time dwindling down we ran back
out to the causeway and fished the rocks in hopes of some last minute heroics but those dreams
were just that, dreams. 2:57pm and back to the weigh-in with no fish in hand…….humbled.
Keeper Count: Zero, Nada, None, Zip, Zilch…..The Big Goose Egg
Final Thoughts:
So I bet many of you reading this are wondering why in the world write about this day on the lake?
Well, let me tell you. It happens and it happens to us all, yes I even remember KVD zeroing in a
tournament. You can’t always catch them but you have to hang in there and keep trying. The lake
was drawn down this summer and fall. The cold rains we received this winter started to fill the lake
but it was still a foot or two from normal. The fish are a little shocked and haven’t moved up yet.
Most of the fish are still suspended out in the main lake. There was also a huge shad die off due to
the cold weather and you can see where they are on the lake just by following the birds diving.
They are still in the main channel of the lake and on Chicot this makes the bass just about
impossible to catch. So just how tough was it? 7 out of 24 boats weighed in fish and no boat
weighed in more than one fish. A six pounder won it! So with my fishing pride beat down I went to
the Arkansas River Sunday afternoon……one word for you…REDEMPTION!!!! Until next time….
Fish Hard,
Adam Starks