2008 is going to be another explosive year.  HBF is fishing many national and local trails again this year.  FLW Tour, BASSMASTER Southern Opens, PAA, Ohio Bass Federation, USA Bassin as well as many charity and BASS Federation youth program events.

To start off the year HBF rolled down to Palatka, Fla. in January for the BASS Southern Open’s first tournament of the season on the legendary St. Johns River.  What a beautiful place to fish.  Although the competitors were faced with uncommonly cold weather that makes Florida fish very uncooperative the potential to catch a really nice sack of Florida bass is always there. 

HBF had a respectable showing catching good weight both days of the competition.  I was pleased with the results for never fishing in this area and only having a day and a half to practice.  A lot of anglers had trouble even catching one fish in two days to even start accumulating points.  Cold weather really affects Florida’s fish behavior.  I think these fish have so many nice days to capitalize on that they just don’t cooperate during cold front conditions.

Thanks to the manager Nick and his beautiful entourage of Hooters girls from the Gainesville Hooters store the event got a lot warmer.  Nick and the gals showed up for the weigh in on Friday and passed out over two hundred Hooters Magazines along with gear and fun stuff for the kids, fans and friends.  A huge response and countless photos were enjoyed by the public.

HBF would like to thank Todd Thompson (Ohio BASS Federation’s state president) along with Mike White and Paul Mullins.  Todd, Mike and Paul traveled and practiced with HBF on this trip and it wasn’t too hard to talk them into chaperoning myself into four visits to some awesome Hooters stores during our travels.  Thanks to Gainesville, Chattanooga, Kissimmee and Lexington stores for all the hospitality and T-shirts!  A special congrats to Mike White for an eleventh place finish in the tournament as well.

HBF took the opportunity to role down to Lake Toho in Kissimmee after this event for some practice before the off-limit period for the first FLW event.  What an incredible practice!  I stayed and visited with my old Gator hunting buddy, Gator Mike.  We went fishing together and caught 150 bass in 3 days! 

Old Gator Mike introduced me to a bait made by Reaction Innovations.  What a weapon for grassy conditions!  I wish I was privy to this bait a week earlier at the St. Johns River.  HBF can’t wait to get back to Toho in February and capitalize on the pre practice for the first FLW tour event for 2008.

Fish on!