Bassmaster Southern Open - Lewis Smith Lake - A Good Ending

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The extremely clear, deep waters of Alabama's Lewis Smith Lake reservoir is intimidating to most first time anglers. Don't fret and keep reading.  Being  born in and raised in Florida where our deepest lakes are 20 feet deep, the deep water of Lewis Smith was more challenging than the water clarity.  I found ways to succeed under both conditions and if you follow along in my blog you too can catch more bass.

This was the final Bassmaster Southern Open #3 event of 2017 on Lewis Smith Lake in Jasper, Alabama and the last chance to get out of my 129th place standing.  More importantly, this was my last opportunity to complete the journey of testing my "instinctive fishing" skills in another high-stakes tournament. I accomplished both goals and achieved a 28th place finish in the event, raising my Pro AOY points to 80th place overall on the Bassmaster Southern Open tour. 

Lake Conditions: 

The house my fishing buddies rented was near the Duncan Bridge Marina in Cullman, AL , so I began my scouting from that general area of the Sipsey River.  Water level in the reservoir was about five feet below full pool.  Working my way toward Rock and Ryan Creeks, I noticed the water temperatures were hot (mid 80's), fish were suspended about 15 feet, and lots of trees showed on my Lowrance electronics standing 70-feet tall in over 100 feet of water. Such as contrast from Florida waters!

During my first few days of scouting I realized that extreme water clarity and depth were primary factors to deal with in the event, and the habitat was limited to rocks, docks, sand banks, and open water.  Weather and water temperatures during the week suggested to me that the fish were still dealing with the "dog days of summer".

I didn't like all the suspended bass as they are often inactive and difficult to consistently catch in a tournament. Sure, I knew I could catch my share of three pound spotted bass, but it didn't "feel right" as a winning pattern for a three day Open event.

After two days of scouting, I made the decision to stay shallow and use  "Florida baits" in for wolf packs of spotted and largemouth bass that I observed cruising the shallows. I planned to use my instincts and fish new water every day "that looked good" in order to accomplish a top 12 finish.

Tournament pairing and registration and pairing events are fun!  Getting to see friends from all over the states and have a chance to unwind before the event.

We all have the same goal of winning that trophy.











Day One:

On day one of the tournament, I was drawn out as boat number 25 and paired with a local Alabama angler.

Myself and two other boats ran up the Sipsey River to the Duncan Bridge Marina area.

 During the early-morning conditions, I threw a top water plug for the first time the entire week because it just "seemed right" . I was rewarded with a three pound largemouth that BASS featured on the website and a non-keeper spotted bass.

Throughout the day I worked threw soft and hard jerk baits  and swimbaits to fill out my mix-limit of spotted and largemouth bass. Aquatic plants Stonewort and Waterwillow in the back of pockets played a key role in my fishing pattern.

My first day catch ended up to be 9 pounds and 14 ounces, good for a 23rd start.

Day Two:

On the second day of the tournament I was boat #151 paired fellow angler Jordan McDonald from Georgia. We had been paired together before, and as luck would have it we had another good day fishing together.  While we waiting before the event started, Jordan and I watched first hand when Bassmaster Elite Pro Shaw Grigsby went "live" on Facebook in his boat next to us!

At my first shallow-water stop, the topwater bite over shallow water brushpiles and sand banks didn't happen, but my coangler Jordan hooked a nicer keeper spotted bass and another dozen small bass on a shakeyhead jig.

The bigger bass I had found the day before didn't reload and I realized I had burnt the area of resident fish.  To accomplish my goal I had to search new water and new schools.

I began searching new water along sand pockets and rocky areas with 40-foot depths nearby. By 1 pm I had only caught a few short bass and did not have a single keeper fish in the boat.  My quest and mental resolve was being put the the challenge, but I remained strong with a sense of confidence.

My second move was out to the main river along sand banks near the 80 foot range. This paid off!  My first catch was a 4 pound spotted bass that took my jerkbait away from a smaller spotted bass. As I was fighting the fish I laughed as I  noticed my coangler Jordan captured it on GoPro. The area also produced another two more spotted bass that measured over the 15 inch size limit.

At the end of the second day I was unable to fill out my limit. I ended up with three spotted bass for a total weight of 7 lbs. 2 ounces, putting me in 28th place overall. I finished the event by missing my top-12 goal by four pounds; the equivalent of only two small keepers.

Tournament director Chris Bowes handed me a check that helped solidify a long 2017 and challenging year as I pursued a complete change in my mental fishing theory.

Looking back my ranking felt respectable as It had been two years since I cashed a check in the Bassmaster Southern Opens. While I don't truly understand the reason, my mind seems to thrive on the most difficult fishing and weather conditions.

My theory is that I must subconsciously believe the challenging fishing conditions even up the playing field against locals and full-time pros who spend many more hours than me on the waters finding fish. I guess when abnormal conditions change how the fish react, my "instinctive skills" for finding bass are faster than my competitors.

I will always be an active student of the sport a bass fishing and I continually strive to learn faster methods of finding and catching fish from unfamiliar waters. An angler's best tool is their experience and ability for observation. Learning to trust instincts on choosing the right fishing locations based on observation has totally changed my fishing.  But this is not for the timid angler as it requires tremendous mental strength and resolve.  

Regardless, my fishing this year has been a fun pursuit of discovery that has produced incredible self awareness and positive personal rewards. I think I will continue on this journey in my future tournaments. I hope you will follow along. 

In Studio With The Three Amigos

Meeting the Three Amigos
Every morning, the pink and purple colors of sunrise push away the darkness of night. On this morning, I was not watching the lavender color of sunrise from the water, but instead I was witnessing radio show host BooDreaux walking up to Clear Channel's media center dressed in all purple.

 

This was my first visit to the "Fishing Florida Radio" show broadcast room. A funny thought made me pause: should I turn and run away now while I had the chance? Once the other hosts Steve and Captain Mike let me in the secured building, I might not be able to escape. I had to suppress my "flight or fight" instinct and join the guys on the show.

Seriously, the three Amigos: Steve, Captain Mike, and BooDreaux, hosted a great radio show and made me feel at ease. Fishing Florida Radio (FFR) has been traveling the air waves for over six years.


Steve Chapman (L) and BooDreaux (R)...thinking.

The first hour of the show we discussed experiences on the Bassmater Open Tour, shared stories about my recent charity events on Lake X and with Kids In Support of Soldiers, and worked on the pronunciation of the acronym A.E.R.F. (Aquatic Ecosystem Restoration Foundation). 

 

Bill Biship (L) and Captain Mike Ortego (R) in studio

The other guest was Bill Bishop, a Tarpon flyfishing expert who shared stories as effortlessly as waves lap upon a shore.  Our fishing philosophies between tarpon flyfishing and bass fishing held many similarities. Bill and I shared an understanding of paying attention to how individual fish react to each cast.

In between air times, we discussed our regards for fishing, illustrating, and teaching. Again, our philosophies were a like. Bill authored a book, "High Rollers: Fly Fishing for Giant Tarpon," which demonstrated his love for all three.

My blog is a dynamic book that I use to improve my writing. One day I will share a book of my own with the fishing community, mainly to pass on the fishing tips and techniques I have learned over the years.  The more I write the more fun it seems to become and I look forward to getting a book published.  My friend Stephanie has become my mentor as she is now authored five published paperback books under the name Petie McCarty.  Her books are now available on Amazon.com. Check out "Catch of the Day" if you want a good action story with a fishing theme.

During the radio show I found myself relating to Bill's stories of his evolution as an angler. He spoke of measuring success in his younger years by counting the number of fish he caught per trip. Now, as a seasoned angler, he targets a single tarpon or two in a day to acquire an even higher level of success.

After reflecting on what he said, I found I measure my success by determining the habitat, cover, and lure cadence needed take to catch bass in a tournament.  I am proud to say my biggest bass weighed in a tournament was 11 pounds, 13 ounces from a Florida event. In other states I target the more common but elusive six to eight pound bass.

The pace of my pursuit of working for "one big fish at a time" clashes with Bill's, as my pace is very fast and intended to cover water. Because I usually fish lakes over 10,000 acres in size, I must use "moving baits" to efficiently work as much habitat as possible in two and a half days of practice.  Once I get a few bites, then I focus on the productive types of cover and habitat where I might catch the bigger bass, "one at a time."


Floating On The Radio Waves:

Broadcasting on Fishing Florida Radio was more fun than I imagined. The April 26th show was syndicated on the radio stations "740 The Game", "West Palm Beach's 1230 The Talk Station",  and "Fox News Radio 94.5 WFLA."

The Amigo's conversations were engaging, the stories were enlightening, and the information shared by the Captains calling in to the show made me want to leave the studio and get out on the water! It was awesome to be a part of the whole production!

It felt good to contribute to the bass fishing content of the show and it was nice to have a podcast  recording on ITunes to get a measure of my performance on the show.  We made a joke of everything was going well until I looked down and noticed BooDreaux's purple-funk growing on my right arm.

Ok. Never mind. Here was the joke: In my facebook comments, I shared my worry that the purple growth now on my arm from sitting next to BooDreaux was going to infect me with Barney-song turrets and give me the urge to water my hair like BooDreaux's hat-hair. Again, the guys were great and the radio show was a lot of fun! Boudreaux takes the jokes in stride. I hope he survived the parachute jump the following day.

Anytime you are planning a fishing trip in Florida you should listen to FFR and get the latest info on what species of fish are biting. On our episode, we heard from the Captains how the Cobia bite started picking up last week and the Tarpon bite is just starting. Great stuff!

Similarity in the fishing community amongst the freshwater and saltwater groups is really neat. The freshwater side is just a micro-version of the saltwater side. Fish and habitats are smaller and more limited in freshwater, but every technique is comparable. That's why Bass Pro Shop Orlando has two separate sections that keep inventory of similar styled baits.

Fishing is an friendly sport and is unique in giving anglers the ability to meet and talk with icons in the sport such as Shaw Grigsby, Gary Klein, and Bill Bishop. The professionalism and down-to-earth nature of these top anglers is inspiring. 

Fishing Florida Radio! Please take a minute to visit ITunes or IHeart Radio and check them out.

Thanks for following along.

 Jeff

I just finished a video sharing with anglers my method of saltwater wade fishing in Florida's rich and abundant fisheries of the East Coast Intracoastal. Enjoy.   http://youtu.be/kpCFelTtMZ0

The Natural Course of Things

I just attended the Florida Aquatic Plant Management Society (FAPMS) training conference and learned a wealth of knowledge about aquatic vegetation from leading researchers. 

Are you aware of the fact exotic vegetation has taken a foot-hold in most Florida lakes and humans intervention is the only hope for nature to gain back its balance?  

Most invasive plants are exotic from countries overseas. They have evolved in harsh places and easily over take our native plants. These invasives grow faster, need little food and sunlight, and do well in our fertile waters. 

http://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/manage/overview-of-florida-waters/public-waters-bathymetry

I think it is ironic that most people with a bacterial or viral infection wouldn't think twice about seeking medical prescription help, but those same people often tell lake biologists to let nature control exotic plants, not herbicides.  Just like the super germs, invasive plants have few, if any, natural enemies in the US. 

I am tired of plants from other countries invading my backyard with no controls or natural enforcement. Don't get me wrong, I love to fish aquatic vegeation because it's the habitat that fish like.  I do not think bass care what plant species makes up their habitat, but we both care if the vegetation get too thick! Fish can't move or feed well and I can't hardly get a weed less bait into weed infestations to catch my bass. 

This week at FAPMS I was reminded of the various methods of vegetation control such as pulling up weeds with aquatic plant mowers (harvesters), stocking sterile carp to eat the plants, and using the newer, EPA approved, short-lasting products to selectively get rid of nuisance weeds.  Research EPA labels here:  http://www.cdms.net/ACM.aspx

Herbicides are still the most cost-effective way of controlling nuisance plants, whether in food crops, your yard, or our lakes. I like it when government agencies actually use our public money wisely, such as herbicide weed control. 

Our generation of nearly-organic EPA herbicides promise to keep us safe and restore our lakes and diverse habitats. The bad, long-lasting chemicals of our forefathers have long been removed from use. 

The federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has shifted its focus of chemical screening to human-health concerns rather than the ability to kill weeds. This means that aquatic herbicides used today get rid of lake weeds safer and without long-term harm.  I like that, and I know my kids like that. 

It was brought to my attention that many chemicals under my kitchen sink have worse warnings than the herbicides used on my lake to control exotics. It is a sad fact that household chemicals like Bleach, Lysol, WD40, and DrainO have hurt more kids under the age of two than any of today's plant herbicides! 

Did you know that none of today's EPA-approved aquatic herbicides for hydrilla control are toxic enough for the danger or toxic ratings? But under kitchen sinks you will often find skull and cross-bone symbols indicating TOXIC or. list the text DANGER! 

Anglers, please do not be hypocritical about weed control. Today's lake restoration herbicides do an excellent job of keeping exotic plants from destroying our lakes. I know the men and women who hold jobs killing lake weeds and they have families, enjoy the outdoors, and are professionals too. 

I knew you wouldn't mind that I thanked the applicators for their weed control efforts. Most were surprised to receive thanks from an angler. I saw true appreciation in their eyes for recognition of their work!  I even caught bass after they sprayed an area on Lake Okeechobee that was previously choked out. 

You see, applicators don't get thanked for caring and doing a respectable job. They don't get thanked for supporting their family and protecting Florida's fragile environment. But this week, I thanked them for us,--those of us that enjoy standing on the shoreline of a lake at sunset, those of us that enjoy the laughter of children catching bluegill, and those of us that watch a full moon shimmer off the lake while holding hands with our loved one.

Anglers, please stop judging today's weed sprayers by the past. The problems of Lake Conroe, Guntersville, DDT and "Silent Spring" chemicals have been addressed and removed by EPA. New challenges are needed for our officials and legislators. Protect our rights and property from invasions!  That includes our lakes.  

We all want clean water, the ability to enjoy the great outdoors, and life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness! 

Please support your aquatic applicators, ask questions to gain understanding, but continue to support a balance with our natural resources. 

Thanks for reading my post,

Jeffhollandfishing.com 

#AERF #MercuryMarine #Power-pole