[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PnjCK-lidBk]

Tournament time again.  I’m unusually optimistic about stringing together a good tournament.  I have been catching fish, not in great numbers or size, but I think the fishing is generally pretty tough out there.  Guys who I know can catch them are struggling, which I’m not suprised.  This leg of the journey has been tough.  Yes, there is a shad spawn, and yes the bass are bedding, but Seminole is a different animal than most lakes.  This year, the grass on Seminole has not grown up and it’s relatively barren compared to the other times I’ve fished here.  What that means is you cannot go pound the grass and milk fish out of it.  Grass lakes without grass can be confusing.  Keeping it consistent and being able to have solid sacks of fish for 3 days is the goal.

My gameplan:  Fishing Small, getting a good solid limit, and then breaking out and fishing Big.   I have various areas where I can fan cast finesse style baits and get it done.  I have areas that are in danger of being ruined by muddy water coming down Spring Creek, however, I think I can adjust and fish the moment and conditions.   We have relatively strong winds and thunderstormy type day forecasted for tomorrow.   That means the bed fishing will be tough for the most part.   Not game over, but the bed fishing on Seminole that I’ve experienced is pretty fickle.  The fish are really smart, trolling motor aware, and require extreme stealth and skills to get to bite (the big fish anyway).   Ideally, I get a good limit with enough time to go have some free time to go hunt some big ones. I am hunting them with Triple Trouts, 3:16 Sunfish/Bluegills and the 5″ Big Hammer sight fish rig (bed fish).    The big swimmer bite has been tough, but it’s out there.  I need a good 2-3 hours of chunking and winding to get a bite, and that assumes muddy water and muck haven’t messed with my water.  Muddy water and muck (ie, floating grass niblets the ducks pull up, or snot grass pieces, or just wind blown garbage are the doom of the swimbait at times).

I’m fishing for a Top 10 and God willing, am able to pull off a Top 5 or better.  I think I can be consistent.  Worst case, I get 10-12 pounds per day, but best case, I think I can get 15+ a day, and sustain it for 3 days in a row.  I think 28- 30 pounds, two day total, will make the Top 10 cut or slightly less. Guys are going to have some big sacks, but I don’t believe they can do it 3 days in a row, let alone 2 days in a row.  We shall see.  I feel good about catching some fish and competing.

Music from the above video clip:

“Preying Mantis”

Album: The Left Hand Side

http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/lefthandside

Usage Courtesy:  Body Deep Music

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eKiwo5xOZeU]

I was humbled and flattered to get an invite to the 2011 Ranger Advantage Tour.  The event was 2 days, and gave me a chance to see the Ranger Boats ‘family’.   Besides getting great insights into Ranger Boats, the 5 Star Advantage Program, and what is new with the products and marine industry products that are installed on Ranger Boats, it was a chance to test drive boats on the lake and also get a tour of the Ranger Boats Factory.

Ranger Boats was more than accommodating, and put on one heck of an event.   The tour of the factory, or the ‘plant tour’ as it was called was off the charts.  I mean, like getting to walk and get a tour of the Chevy assembly line or something.   They welcomed pictures and video, and I did my best to keep up with tour group, because there was a lot to take in and observe.    Imagine how few business welcome folks to come on in, video our plant, and just have their clients, business partners, competitors ( you know it happens ), etc just walk thru and take it all in.   That speaks to confidence in what you do and how you do it.    I really enjoyed the event, and was great to get exposed to what is going on in the industry.

ranger advantage tour
The Ranger Boats Advantage Tour = Dealers, Professional Angers, the Marine Industry getting together as a 'family' and touching bases and looking forward to 2012 and beyond