| This is a Fish Tail of a whale worth $104,600 Setting: 2006 McDonalds Big Bass Splash on Lake Fork 3-day tournament for the biggest bass. Conditions were tough. Lake looked/smelled to be turning over somewhat, high winds, storms and a northern frontal passage. These conditions called for my favorite technique with my favorite bait. Nothing beats the Drop Shot with a Chompers 8" Shaky Worm in Dark Melon especially under these conditions. I knew there wouldn't be many bites and I'd have to use the very best bait possible if I had a chance to land the lunker of my dreams. When I'm using Chompers with, G Formula I know that the fish will hold on to the bait so all I have to do is find the right spot at the right time. The winning fish almost ripped the rod out of my hands as she took the bait. I set the hook and the fight was on for what seemed to be an eternity. Never worried that she would throw the hook because they always gobble up anything with G Formula. My biggest concern was keeping her away from all the structure that was in the area and things seemed to work out for me that day. They say luck has a lot to do with winning something like this but I know that you can dramatically improve your odds by fishing with the right equipment and nothing is more import than the right bait. You have to hook them before you can net them. So to me the bait is the single most important item in the equation, because it's first. With Chompers, I know I have the first part of the puzzle solved, giving me confidence that if I can find them then I WILL catch them. |
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Caught the Fish in the first hour and a half of the 3 day tournament. Fish were there the whole time but would only bite in spurts. We would catch 3 in a 30-minute span then go hours without a bite. It's hard to do sometimes, especially in 20-35 mph winds but when you know they're there and you have to wait for the moment. We waited on the 12:00 - 1:00 PM hour so we had a chance at the extra $1000 bonus to weigh her in. There's no way I ever thought a 9.19 pounder would ever hold up overall but hoped that it might place in the top 5. They give updates on KMOO (99.9 FM) every 20 minutes and I was listening to everyone I could, waiting to hear about the one that might beat mine. This was the smallest winning fish since the 1st year (this was the 20th year) so I anticipated that it could happen. No sleep that night but after leading the first day, I felt more confident that I would place. I heard of 4 fish several in the 10-pound class that were turned away for being short (16" - 24" slot) and would breath a sigh of relief with their every passing. Storm blew through at about 1:00 PM and we raced to get off the water just ahead of 50 other boats. I was whopped from the high winds and suffered severely from the lack of sleep the night before so I came in for a nap. I was awakened by a soft tap on the shoulder and handed a shot of Crown "I'm so sorry that you got bumped, not once but twice" by my friends :(I use that term loosely for the moment...love you man):... Well I didn't think that I took it too hard but I slammed the shot as I fell hook, line and sinker. For 15 minutes they just kept piling it on and I was totally suckered. Man, when they told me they were yanking my chain and after I got over the shock and they quit laughing, I really felt that I actually had a really good shot at pulling this thing off. After all, a cold front was blowing through on top of all the other negative conditions giving me visions of me driving an H2 pulling a Triton. Na, I shook the thought out of my mind as I laid down for another sleepless night. Next day was the most nerve wrecking day I can remember. My child being born is as close as I can describe it. As the hours passed without another over being weighed, the more nervous I became. A friend called me about noon with a trashed lower unit (lake was over 5' low) so we quit early to get him in. Funny how many people will buzz by you, stranded, when time is running out for a Hummer.  |
| Went in for a radio interview with 1.5 hours remaining. Couldn't stand to hang around the weigh-in site so I struck up conversations with anyone handy and met some great folks that share the same passion. There was even an over 24" weighed in the last hour to give me one last blast of nerves. When they counted down the last seconds, all those nerves turned to euphoria creating one of the most awesome moments anyone could experience. |
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After that was one of the sweetest rides through time I could ever imagine. I still get that feeling as I write this and every time I talk about it. Ask me, I'll tell you. I also got the greatest joy, looking at my partner's face, (Mr. 40% and wanted a new boat so bad for a long time) and wide-open smile. You see the tremendous joy that your feeling in him and it just blew the joy meter off the charts. Man, I couldn't have shared the moment with a better partner. Disclaimer, Wife doesn't like to fish for bass, back door cover. To Terry Maxwell, the great wife (second back door cover), Dustin Maxwell the great son, Chompers the great bait company, all the great people of the Tournament staff, Bob Sealy the great MC, Billy and Kay the great couple, Curtis Harrah (Mr. 40%) the great partner, Cast-A-Ways the great learning tool (individual format), Poormans the great team club, BBFT the great big bass format and all the people that I haven't heard from in the last 15 years, I love you all man and I want a group hug. I hope that you all get the chance to experience a moment in the spotlight at something you love to do. It just doesn't get any better than that. But just remember what the lord giveth and the taxman taketh away but sharing this moment with you all is priceless. >))))*>FISH ON>))))*> |
