"In the Boat" presented by Jewel Bait Company |
Tournament: Fisher’s of Men Arkansas South
March 20, 2010
Arkansas River- Pendleton
Anglers: Adam Starks and Philip Starks
Place: 7th Place- 5 fish- 16.82lbs
Practice:
Dad and I practiced for a total of 3 hrs in a two day period for this tournament. I was nervous
because I haven’t been able to pre-fish like I wanted to here lately and it has been really tough
fishing. We found a couple of areas holding small fish but couldn’t seem to pinpoint where the big
females have been holding, but I knew they were there close.
March 20:
We drew out boat 19 out of 31 and I had planned on making the run south but as boats 1-18
headed that way, I looked at dad and said let’s go north and see if we can get a quick limit in a spot
I knew they had been biting. Much to my surprise we were the only boat in there. That was either a
good sign or a bad sign. I picked up my spinnerbait rod and started chunking and on about the fifth
cast I catch one close to four pounds and we throw her in the box. With the goose egg out of the
way I was able to relax a little and start fishing. A few casts later I catch a short and then I another
short fish. Then dad in classic form starts to whack them on his Paca Craw. He catches the next
three keepers in this little area and we are one shy of the limit. I told dad that I was giving this place
till 10’oclock then we were heading south. With four in the box at ten, dad and I head south to
some of my places in “The Sack” that I have LOTS of history with. We pull up in the first pocket and
the wind is really starting to blow. I pull out my rod I had rigged up with an XR25 Rattlebait and
started throwing. I was keying on stumps up shallow but something told me to check the creek
channels so I start fishing the grass out in the middle of the channel and boat keeper number 5
promptly. Dad picks up his lipless crankbait rod and immediately catches another keeper that culls
a smaller fish. By this time it is noon and we are feeling pretty good, just need that kicker bite. I
catch a few shorts on the XR25 and then pick up my flipping rod I had rigged up with a Chigger
Craw. I flip by a stump and catch a keeper on the first cast but it didn’t help. Then dad bags
another keeper off the Paca Craw that culls. After flipping for awhile I go back to the XR25 and
catch another couple short fish. Dad then catches another good keeper that culls a fish from
earlier but still wasn’t that kicker bite we were looking for. It was about 1:45 at this time and I told
dad I wanted to head to the midlake area and hit some grass flats but the motor wouldn’t crank….
dead cranking battery 13 miles from the ramp!!! Dad fools around in the back of the boat and he
finally gets the motor to crank off the last trolling motor battery in the cycle and we decided to head
back closer to the ramp and not take any chances. We ran to Annex but didn’t get a bite. We
headed back to the ramp knowing we were going to be short because we had five that looked
almost identical but couldn’t get that kicker bite.
Keeper Count:
½ oz War Eagle Spinner Bait: 1 Keeper
Net Bait Baby Paca Craw: 3 Keepers
Excalibur XR25 Rattlebait: 1 Keeper
Cotton Cordell Hot Spot: 2 Keepers
Berkley Crazy Legs Chigger Craw: 1 Keeper
Final Thoughts:
We had a great day on the water. I will take fish like we caught any day of the week!! The way I
had been struggling here lately, it felt good to just have some little green things biting the baits on
the end of the line. The fish were biting extremely well and this part of the Arkansas River is a
tremendous fishery. The 7th place finish with 16.82lbs is a testament to that! Can’t wait to head to
Guntersville for the National Championship in April!!! Until next time….
Fish Hard,
Adam Starks
March 20, 2010
Arkansas River- Pendleton
Anglers: Adam Starks and Philip Starks
Place: 7th Place- 5 fish- 16.82lbs
Practice:
Dad and I practiced for a total of 3 hrs in a two day period for this tournament. I was nervous
because I haven’t been able to pre-fish like I wanted to here lately and it has been really tough
fishing. We found a couple of areas holding small fish but couldn’t seem to pinpoint where the big
females have been holding, but I knew they were there close.
March 20:
We drew out boat 19 out of 31 and I had planned on making the run south but as boats 1-18
headed that way, I looked at dad and said let’s go north and see if we can get a quick limit in a spot
I knew they had been biting. Much to my surprise we were the only boat in there. That was either a
good sign or a bad sign. I picked up my spinnerbait rod and started chunking and on about the fifth
cast I catch one close to four pounds and we throw her in the box. With the goose egg out of the
way I was able to relax a little and start fishing. A few casts later I catch a short and then I another
short fish. Then dad in classic form starts to whack them on his Paca Craw. He catches the next
three keepers in this little area and we are one shy of the limit. I told dad that I was giving this place
till 10’oclock then we were heading south. With four in the box at ten, dad and I head south to
some of my places in “The Sack” that I have LOTS of history with. We pull up in the first pocket and
the wind is really starting to blow. I pull out my rod I had rigged up with an XR25 Rattlebait and
started throwing. I was keying on stumps up shallow but something told me to check the creek
channels so I start fishing the grass out in the middle of the channel and boat keeper number 5
promptly. Dad picks up his lipless crankbait rod and immediately catches another keeper that culls
a smaller fish. By this time it is noon and we are feeling pretty good, just need that kicker bite. I
catch a few shorts on the XR25 and then pick up my flipping rod I had rigged up with a Chigger
Craw. I flip by a stump and catch a keeper on the first cast but it didn’t help. Then dad bags
another keeper off the Paca Craw that culls. After flipping for awhile I go back to the XR25 and
catch another couple short fish. Dad then catches another good keeper that culls a fish from
earlier but still wasn’t that kicker bite we were looking for. It was about 1:45 at this time and I told
dad I wanted to head to the midlake area and hit some grass flats but the motor wouldn’t crank….
dead cranking battery 13 miles from the ramp!!! Dad fools around in the back of the boat and he
finally gets the motor to crank off the last trolling motor battery in the cycle and we decided to head
back closer to the ramp and not take any chances. We ran to Annex but didn’t get a bite. We
headed back to the ramp knowing we were going to be short because we had five that looked
almost identical but couldn’t get that kicker bite.
Keeper Count:
½ oz War Eagle Spinner Bait: 1 Keeper
Net Bait Baby Paca Craw: 3 Keepers
Excalibur XR25 Rattlebait: 1 Keeper
Cotton Cordell Hot Spot: 2 Keepers
Berkley Crazy Legs Chigger Craw: 1 Keeper
Final Thoughts:
We had a great day on the water. I will take fish like we caught any day of the week!! The way I
had been struggling here lately, it felt good to just have some little green things biting the baits on
the end of the line. The fish were biting extremely well and this part of the Arkansas River is a
tremendous fishery. The 7th place finish with 16.82lbs is a testament to that! Can’t wait to head to
Guntersville for the National Championship in April!!! Until next time….
Fish Hard,
Adam Starks