PAA & The BassMaster Southern Open
The Carrot Stix’s PAA Tour inaugural season began in 2009 at Lake Toho in Kissimmee, Florida. West Lake Toho is one of my favorite places to fish. HBF used the famous Skinny Dipper swim bait by Reaction Innovations to catch over three limits of keeper Bass on the first day of competition.
Day two cold front affected our fish and the catch was slim until the water warmed and the bite came back towards the end of day two. The last 30 minutes HBF was able to start putting fish in the boat.
Just not quite enough bites to repeat day ones weight. We finished just outside the cut. What a great job the PAA is doing and how far the organization has come in the last five years. If you fish you should become a member. Check it out at fishpaa.com. Big thanks to all our friends’ fans and good people in Kissimmee. Thanks, Capt. John Lawson and Rich Beam for all their hospitality. As well as good friend Capt. Tim Boggs from B8Fish guide service, the ultimate crappie experience. If you like to catch crappie you owe it to yourself to fish with Team Boggs; B8Fish guide service (407) 791-1341.
The second half of our trip to Florida landed us an hour North of Lake Toho at the Harris Chain of Lakes in Tavares for the BASSMASTER Southern Trail opener. What a great chain of lakes and beautiful area. The bass were just coming in to spawn the day of the competition. Preceding cold fronts hampered the practice and made patterns and fishing challenging.
At the conclusion of practice I had half a dozen places I felt I could scratch out a limit on the lower lakes. However I had found a small stretch of cattails in Lake Griffin the last day of practice that I had caught three nice keepers in the3-4 pound range which would go far in this event.
The run to Lake Griffin would cost me 2 1/2 hours of fishing time during the tournament due to locks and canals and if those fish decided not to bite I would be stuck. I played it safe the first day thinking I could catch a reasonable limit on the lower lakes and see if I needed to risk the run to my only spot in Lake Griffin the second day.
The safe bet was the wrong decision. I only ended up with two fish on day one. With nothing to loose I swung for the fence and went to Griffin on day two. Sure enough they were biting. I slowed way down and picked the cattails apart with a June bug trick worm and whacked them. If I had just went to Griffin the first day I would’ve easily made the cut. I came in with 14lbs. on day two with a seven pound kicker. Hindsight is 20/20.
I would like to thank Frank Woodruff for all the hospitality and Darren Mcdermott for practicing with me. A special thank you goes to Dean and Peggy Morris from the PVA who visited the Hooters of Sanford with HBF. I look forward to participating in any way the Dean and Peggy. They have been associated and committee members with the PVA for nineteen years, truly admirable.
Enormous thanks to the Hooters of Sanford, the gals and regional manager Dan Davis who came out to the BASSMASTER weigh inns to support HBF and the event. Nobody left the weigh in site not covered in I love Hooters stickers and super bowl invitations to the Sanford store. Thanks BASS for a great event and coverage as well as the mentions to Hooters on the stage.
Fish on!
|
