Saturday May 5th was a spectacular day to fish at the lake, due to the weather and the results. We had a dozen boats entered this year. The boats ranged from high powered bass boats to a small aluminum Jon boat with a “Minn Kota” trolling motor. The results proved that the size and power of the boat do not matter, although being in the right place at the right time can be a good thing.

At the 7:30 AM shotgun start, eleven boats scattered from our dock on the first basin. Daron Strub and I were backing boat number twelve out of my boathouse when the Brian Dykes flagged us down, just two docks away. Twin Andy had already caught a large Bass on his first cast. They were trying to figure out what to do with it for the next four plus hours. At twenty-two inches in length, the bass would not fit into their cooler. I found a fish stringer and we secured the lunker in my slip’s water for the weigh-in.

Our boat sputtered and headed for the third basin. There were teams fishing everywhere, the dam, the silo platform, the Scout camp, the narrows and of course around snake island. We headed up the creek, past camp Firewater. Daron thru a Zara Spook walking lure at the entrance, which a few fish slapped at in kill mode. He got a couple smaller than the 12 inch minimum into the boat and released them to grow up. The weeds, oak wrappers and pollen on the surface were annoying but made the water less clear, better for fishing. I stuck with the Zoom watermelon seed trick work, no weight and a large hook skipping sidearm under docks. Daron varied his techniques. We fished back past the birdhouses, having better luck boating Bass from the deeper water. We had three keepers in our cooler as we headed to the Scout camp. Those waters already held three boats, so we fished one side of the second basin. An hour later we motored back to the Scout camp and joined two boats that were still there.

The day had been cloudy, about eleven the wind picked up and the sun came out briefly. The fish were less active as the weather seemed to change. On our homeward stretch, we worked the steeper side of the second basin near the lattice house where I’d caught last year’s winner. I jumped ship at our dock to setup for the weigh-in, Daron fished until noon. All in all, we landed a couple dozen bass, releasing most as they were less than the minimum 12 inches length.

The noon result event was the best ever, many Bass had been caught, and as usual most under the minimum length, but a few larger nice fish were produced. The Dykes boys aka “Team Stump Knocker “, worked from their trolling motor propelled family heirloom boat and took first prize ($50) with their six pound BIG Bass. Pontoon fishers Ned and Rut Workmen brought home a four and half pound heifer and with two smaller bass won the heavy stringer of three (7 lb., 6 oz.) worth ($40). Daron and my stringer of three took third place ($30) at 2 lb., 11 oz.

Just out of the money were Scott & Dale London (2 lb., 6 oz.), Jeff Harmon/Jay Geddings (2 lb., 2 oz.), John Prass/Kathy Davis (1 lb., 9 oz.). Other notable solitary fish were Mike Wiley/Bob Jutzi (1 lb. 3 oz.) and Terry Lynch/Steve Sims (2 lb.). Mike Wiley produced a huge Crappie he’d caught. Others were fishing included Smith and Larson Metcalf, George Alley with Tim Jackson, Bradley Rathburn with Jay Crider plus Stewart Owens and Mitchel Carr. Honorary retired fishermen attending the weigh-in were “First Basin” Bill Jones and Jerry Atkins.

As the many of the bass were smaller and hungry it was suggested that shad be added to their diet via stocking. This might assist in the survival of the grass carp fingerlings. All fish were released to swim another day.

The rules, results and photos of this and past year’s tournaments are the Internet, click here.

Good Fishing, Stu Davidson