"In the Boat" presented by Jewel Bait Company |
Angler: Terrance Narveson
June 19th, 2010
FLW BFL - Lake Dardanelle
Practice:
I got to pre-fish two weeks before the tournament and located fish in two places in the grass and
three places in the brush. Now I realize that two weeks in the summer is a lifetime because the fish
will move like the weather changes in Arkansas, so I had to depend on getting at least 1 fish from
each location. That is a lot to ask from Dardanelle right now, but I had high hopes.
Tournament Day:
I ran to a favorite place that has grass, rock, and some deeper water close by to start. It was my
trusty HogCaller Buzzbait and with a quick run through and two small nibbles I knew there had to be
some adjustments quick. I hit a community hole and the buzzbait turned on but the fish were coming
unhooked just after the fight began. (Note to self, maybe it would have been a good idea to put that
trailer hook on.) I ended up losing a decent keeper right at the boat and decided to run through the
grass again and right when I came to the end I hooked up with my first keeper. I knew a place where
some mayflies were hatching two weeks ago and decided to see if they were still there. As soon as I
pulled up you could see the fish schooled up. They were whites and the Blacks were mixed in there
occasionally. I pulled out "Tommy Lee" and started working it back in and slam a good 3.5+, but just
before I get the fish to the boat it comes unhooked. That one hurt becasue I really got a good look
at him and still cant figure out how it came unhooked. A rain shower moves in and we run to a ledge
and have no luck there so here goes the brush and ledge pattern stop and go. See if there are any
fish and pull out to the next one. The problem with my pattern is every stop is producing no fish and
only a rare bite. I was headed to another spot and ran into another angler and we discussed how
tough it was and crowded the ledges were getting. It was then I decided to run to the mayfly hatch
and try it again. Maybe I could get lucky. I tried the topwater and didnt get a bite so I tied on a
crankbait and started chunking. About 10 minutes down the bank I caught keeper number 2. It
barely measured but it counts. With just over an hour left we ran back to the grass where the
buzzbait fish were. I was throwing a cane stick, and fighting frog in front of the grass thinking the
fish may have pulled out a little but that was not working, so I pulled right in tight to the grass line
and started dropping my Jewel Eakins jig (Peanut Butter and Jelly) into the holes in the grass
watching for a fish to rattle the stems trying to get the jig. I ended up catching two fish just before
we had to leave, and one was about 3lbs - the other didn't measure.
Weigh-in time:
No one had a great day except for the few with limits, but I did manage 31st place with my 5.14lbs.
I was a little frustrated with losing those two good fish but that is part of tournament fishing that
separates the good days from the bad sometimes.
Keeper count and gear:
1 - Hog Caller Buzzbait - Dobyns 704c Shimano Reel
1 - Vixen (Tommy Lee) - Dobyns Savvy Series 663c Shimano Reel
1 - Eakins Jig (Peanut Butter/Jelly) - Dobyns DX704c Shimano Reel
I did catch a few other non keepers on the buzzbait and the jig.
I will see everyone at the next tournamnet.
Terrance
June 19th, 2010
FLW BFL - Lake Dardanelle
Practice:
I got to pre-fish two weeks before the tournament and located fish in two places in the grass and
three places in the brush. Now I realize that two weeks in the summer is a lifetime because the fish
will move like the weather changes in Arkansas, so I had to depend on getting at least 1 fish from
each location. That is a lot to ask from Dardanelle right now, but I had high hopes.
Tournament Day:
I ran to a favorite place that has grass, rock, and some deeper water close by to start. It was my
trusty HogCaller Buzzbait and with a quick run through and two small nibbles I knew there had to be
some adjustments quick. I hit a community hole and the buzzbait turned on but the fish were coming
unhooked just after the fight began. (Note to self, maybe it would have been a good idea to put that
trailer hook on.) I ended up losing a decent keeper right at the boat and decided to run through the
grass again and right when I came to the end I hooked up with my first keeper. I knew a place where
some mayflies were hatching two weeks ago and decided to see if they were still there. As soon as I
pulled up you could see the fish schooled up. They were whites and the Blacks were mixed in there
occasionally. I pulled out "Tommy Lee" and started working it back in and slam a good 3.5+, but just
before I get the fish to the boat it comes unhooked. That one hurt becasue I really got a good look
at him and still cant figure out how it came unhooked. A rain shower moves in and we run to a ledge
and have no luck there so here goes the brush and ledge pattern stop and go. See if there are any
fish and pull out to the next one. The problem with my pattern is every stop is producing no fish and
only a rare bite. I was headed to another spot and ran into another angler and we discussed how
tough it was and crowded the ledges were getting. It was then I decided to run to the mayfly hatch
and try it again. Maybe I could get lucky. I tried the topwater and didnt get a bite so I tied on a
crankbait and started chunking. About 10 minutes down the bank I caught keeper number 2. It
barely measured but it counts. With just over an hour left we ran back to the grass where the
buzzbait fish were. I was throwing a cane stick, and fighting frog in front of the grass thinking the
fish may have pulled out a little but that was not working, so I pulled right in tight to the grass line
and started dropping my Jewel Eakins jig (Peanut Butter and Jelly) into the holes in the grass
watching for a fish to rattle the stems trying to get the jig. I ended up catching two fish just before
we had to leave, and one was about 3lbs - the other didn't measure.
Weigh-in time:
No one had a great day except for the few with limits, but I did manage 31st place with my 5.14lbs.
I was a little frustrated with losing those two good fish but that is part of tournament fishing that
separates the good days from the bad sometimes.
Keeper count and gear:
1 - Hog Caller Buzzbait - Dobyns 704c Shimano Reel
1 - Vixen (Tommy Lee) - Dobyns Savvy Series 663c Shimano Reel
1 - Eakins Jig (Peanut Butter/Jelly) - Dobyns DX704c Shimano Reel
I did catch a few other non keepers on the buzzbait and the jig.
I will see everyone at the next tournamnet.
Terrance