My best fish on the final day of Southern Regionals on Neely Henry

In 2006 I looked at the Bassmaster Series 2007 schedule and decided to fish the Peach Division for two reasons. It had lakes I had never fished but always wanted to, and that division’s Regional event was less than an hour from home and on familiar water, Lake Neely Henry. The only problem was that Neely is good in October and the event was for November. Shouldn’t be a big change, right? Wrong.

Sunday before the tournament was great on Neely. Everyone was catching fish. Beautiful sunny days and light breeze. Sunday’s trip was with a friend and we caught fish on every single stop for the day. Catch a couple and on to the next one where we’d catch a couple more within just a few casts. Monday began official practice. Same thing. Fished main river points and land a good fish immediately. After that first bite, I’d switch over to a crankbait with no hooks and the 2-3 pound Spots were inhaling it. Ok, that pattern was good, so I decided to look for a backup plan. Hit the shallow pockets like everyone else was doing. Flipping docks, spinnerbaiting the grass and blow downs. Nothing. Tournament expectations were high since I didn’t see any other boats doing the same pattern I was on. Everyone was back in the pockets and not out on the ledges.

Tuesday was a repair day for me. Didn’t hit the water since I got an extra practice day in on Sunday. New boat trailer tires, reel repair, truck cleanup and the likes. Back on the water on Wednesday. Another bluebird day early. Back to the channel ledges with a hookless crankbait. The big Spots were annihilating it. Back to looking for another patter in case of a weather change. Looked in the grass, under docks, creeks, pockets and rip rap. Absolutely nothing. Couldn’t find a bite. Back to the ledges and back to getting good bites by main channel Spotted bass. Then it hit. Heavy rains set in Wednesday evening and that would change things a bit.

My non-boater for Thursday was an experienced angler. Lee Byrds father, Bill. Super nice guy and a heck of an angler. Drew out boat #25 and had high hopes for the first stop. The first planned stop had a boat sitting right on top of it so we only went down about 100 yards and started. Four quick keepers on a Davis Fishco crankbait but no size. Next planned stop had yet another boat within yards of it. On down river and winds are howling. Winds hit about 25 mph and the main river was rocking. Hit a sea wall with crankbaits and my co-angler lands a 3 pound Spot off a boatramp I’d already hit with four casts on the same crankbait. That’s the way the day would go for me. Ended day one in 31st place with 7-12.

Day two. Only five pounds back from the leader. But decide to “big picture” fish the event. I need to make a top eight to qualify for Nationals which is also only minutes from home on Lake Guntersville. Friday’s co-angler is an Indiana youngster and fine young man, Wesley O’Hair. Wes finds himself taking a quick swim while we were backing up to get his crankbait off a shallow stump. I’ve never seen a human being get back up in a boat so fast in my life. Loan him some dry upper clothes and back to fishing. I have to say he was a tough trooper. I would have been begging for a trip back to the truck, which I offered, because it was down right cold. First two stops were nothing and the winds are still howling. Find a sweet spot down river and get a quick small limit on a crankbait and Shakey Worm. I begin to get stubborn and stay on the ledges because I’m thinking the fish have to move sometime during the day. Get a good a good three pound plus Spot on the very last cast and head in hoping it’s enough to make the top 24 in order to fish the third and final day. Weigh in 8-7 for a total of 16-3 and make the final day in 22nd place, only 4 pounds 3 ounces out of the top 8.

Day three. Wind is a bit lighter but early temperatures are still freezing. Back to the ledges. Cranking, cranking and more cranking. Starts out slow, but lose a nice three pound Spot that hit right at the boat and just comes unbuttoned. Non-boater is Ohio’s William Grooms. Nice guy sitting in 17th place in the co-angler division. He’s cranking right along with me. Second stop I make another good hook up. Thinking it’s the one I need to get back into the top eight. Only problem was that it was a five pound striper. Go to the quick limit hole and land four fast keepers. Co-angler finally gets one on the next stop and needs two more for a good finish. Change up a bit and hit a few docks down river in hopes of a good bite. I get it. A jig bite under a dock and she comes off around a post. Just my luck. Last day and I’ve already lost two nice fish. Nothing more around the docks and back to the ledges. The last stop gives us about an hour and a half to land some weight. Grooms gets a quick two and a half pounder and I follow up with a two pounder right behind him. I figure I still need about seven more pounds to what I have. Then I think I hook this rope tied to a pole on the point. I’ve hooked it about three times already in the tournament. As I’m shaking the crankbait lose, the rope comes up thrashing around and jumping. No rope this time, nice largemouth. Land her quick. Over four pounds. Now that first three pounder and the dock fish are really stuck in my mind. “Shoulda’s” and “woulda’s” are abounding. As they still are. Grooms lands his third for his limit and ends up making a check. I ended the day with one of the biggest bags at 9-9 and the day’s big fish at 4-9. Only enough to move up to a 13th place finish and miss the Nationals.

The tournament was a bit disappointing for me as I had high hopes. But, still made a good rebound after a disappointing day one and landed in 13th place overall, missing the top eight by only 2 pounds, 1 ounce and a win by just over five. Two of my three co-anglers make a check and I win just enough for gas expenses for the week. My Series season is over for the year and next week starts practice for another backyard event. The FLW Series on Smith Lake. Guess I can see what other hopes gets shattered there while fsihing against the big boys...

Trip Equipment:

Bait: Davis Fishco crankbaits in Tennessee Shad
Rod: Dobyns Rods 7 1/2 ft. Medium Heavy Crankin’ Rod
Line: 10 lb P-Line
Reel: Pflueger President