Leaving directly from the TOC, I did not get a real early start on Saturday. My father and I got on the lake around 10am. It was very windy, so we ran around and check some main lake stuff and the crankbait bite that I had going last year in the MN TOC seemed very solid, lots of fish, but for the most part, just keepers. I whacked them pretty good on a Parrot DT6 and a Chartreuse Craw Rat-L-Trap. Checked a few docks in Carlos and called it a day.
Day 2, I had to practice by myself as it was now official practice. I stared the morning in a shallow area and had little success. I then moved to a deep turn that had big fish history, got a few small keepers. I then went in and hit one dock and tried to pull on a fish and ended up hooking and catching a 4lb fish on my 3/8oz Tru-Tungsten Jig. I was glad it was early in practice, maybe she would bite again. I bounced around and tried a few other new things with limited success. I watched a small weigh-in and it only took 3 fish to win, obviously it was tougher today. I fished for a bit longer, my batteries were fading as they did not get charged at all. I caught about a 6lb Walleye on the DT6 and then headed back to the Holiday Inn.
Day 3, was much calmer. I started out on some main lake stuff in Le Homme Dieu and had a couple of good schools of quality keepers in a series of inside turns. I caught them on Vixens, chuggers, DT6 and the Rat-L-Trap. I then checked another handful of areas and the last one I checked I had a couple of very good bites, so I left. I then ran to the Darling Lakes to scout for some bigger shallow fish. I found and pulled on some quality fish on some docks in Darling. On the way back, I located a small school of really nice fish on an inside weedline that I could see. I got one of them to go after my bait and I left, did not hook them. All these fish I found in high sun in the afternoon.
Day 4, Last day of practice. Try not to burn any fish and add some more spots to the arsenal. I struggled trying to find new fish on LHD in the morning and then headed to Darling again. I found some more docks with big fish on them and the inside weed line fish were still there. Get off the lake early to get ready and for the pairings meeting.
My strategy going in to tomorrow was to get a decent limit in the morning and get my partner fish and then try for those bigger fish in Darling. I drew Larry from Michigan and we had found similar patterns, so we were set to go fishing the next day. I was feeling very confident in the fish that I had found and thought I had a legitimate shot to win this tournament.
Rich
RichLindgren.com
Rich’s Bassin’ Forum
Bass Fishing Blog
If you enjoy this Blog, consider making a PayPal donation to help me keep it going. No Donation too small, Thanks!