June 7, 2008

Alabama River; Cooters Pond Bassmaster Series
by Rex Chambers

Well, I’ve fished the Series since the very first “practice” tournament they held on Lake Martin in late 2005. And now I’m proof positive that a blind hog can find an acorn every once and a while.

Went down the week before on a Tuesday to pre-fish since I haven’t been there in a couple years. Actually won a tournament there in the 90’s but couldn’t even remember where the ramp was, let alone any holes. So practice was slow but did find one place in particular that a few two pound spots were moving up on chasing shad and landed about six or eight nice ones on that day.

Practiced on Thursday before the tournament and could have boated 12-13lbs of largemouth from the grass on a buzzbait. Figured that would be the ticket to a good finish. Moved from the grass to the main channel and fished twenty miles up river, and twenty miles down river, with the water moving heavily. High gas bill for the week by the way. Really didn’t find anything different to depend on at either end on Thursday.

Friday’s practice was about the same. Took my guaranteed co-angler, Shane, with me on Friday and we looked both up and down river for something different simply because the water was just about out of the bank grass and I knew that bite would totally disappear. I was right. We went up past Montgomery to a community hole to let Shane catch a few small fish. Well, one of my honey holes is within 50 yards of that community- hole which is a pump out station for a treatment plant, (I guess). There’s a boat on it, but I didn’t think it was a tourney guy. He leaves, something blows out of his boat and disappears. While he’s gone, Shane hooks a couple nice two pound plus spots on a finesse worm. The Ranger angler comes back and asked if we saw his T-shirt that blew out. We finished the day without finding anything much more to depend on. Now keep in mind that I’ve hit the hole that I had foun d the week before several times and have not gotten as much as a strike, and I’m pretty disappointed since I was really depending on this area.

At the draw meeting, I run in to the Ranger angler. He asked if we had caught any fish off of that community hole and I didn’t lie and told him we did. He said that was his only hole and he was going to start there. I told him I was too, and that if I got there first, he was welcome to bump boats. He said the same. I get boat #2 and make the run to the pump station. Only problem is that they aren’t pumping any water, but the river is flowing. No bites. He shows up a few minutes after I get there, and we both fish for about a half hour, and I move down the bank about 25yrds. While I’m down the bank, not one, but TWO catfish boats move right in on top of Ranger angler and ANCHOR right in the middle of where he’s fishing and start throwing casting nets! Now, he must be a much nicer fellow than I am, because they stayed there without even as much as a treble hook in their ear. I moved bac k up a nd told him I was leaving because there were too many hooks in the water.

I run back down river a couple miles and start cranking. Land a nice two pound spot from a tree top. Ok, the skunk is gone and I have points. Move even further back down river and stop on a point to crank some more. Nice three pound spot on a crankbait. Go into a shallow creek and get a small largemouth on a finesse worm. Then nothing for the next few hours.

Cruise by my honey hole that I found pre-fishing the week before and there’s a boat sitting right on top of it! I really didn’t think anyone would find this, but I was wrong. So we fish some other holes in the blazing heat and my co-angler for the day isn’t feeling very fresh. He was battling strep from the previous days and the heat was getting to him. Cruise back by the honey hole and it’s empty! Now remember I’ve hit this daggum thing numerous times in practice and couldn’t get a bite, but I knew what it could produce if I caught them feeding. Sit down and decided to quell my stubborn streak and use the bait we caught ‘em on the previous week. About the second drop with the drop-shot on 6lb test line, I land a nice three pound spot. Couple drops later, a 2-12. Couple drops later, another 3 pounder. Now instead of getting points, I’m thinking another nice one and a four pounder and I’m in business. About a ten minute slow time, and another nice 2-08. That one culls the small largemouth. A couple drops later I get another 3lber and I’m stoked. Co-angler tells me you might have a shot at this thing. Then I stick one and tell him this is the best one yet. A 4 pound spotted bass on the drop shot and cull a two pounder. Get another three pounder and a couple more two’s all from an area that was about as big as a dinner table. Co-angler managed a keeper spot for his points and pretty much quit due to the fact he really didn’t want to pass out from the heat and his sickness.

During all this time, several boats were trying to get in on this spot, and a couple actually saw me culling. One even proceeded to drift between me and the bank! I’m about 20 feet from the bank. And of course I land one a 2 plus with him talking to me. I would have never done that to another angler no matter how bad I wanted the hole. Go in a bit early since my co-angler was getting more than a bit flushed with the heat. He was better with some A/C from the truck.

All in all, I didn’t lose a fish the entire day end up with a first place finish with 16.11 pounds of Alabama River spotted bass, a sunburn and a nice $5,000 first place check. Just one of those days that comes along every once in a while where everything falls into place perfectly. All I could say is that it was about time for a win, and my lovely wife strongly agreed.