CTFishTalk.com: Empty Lake Bass Club - Mashapaug Tournament 10-11 - Connecticut Fishing Tournaments ( CT Fishing Tournaments ) - A Community Built for Connecticut Fisherman.

slimecoat · Joined: 09 Nov 2007 Posts: 1576 Location: Newington, CT.

Pointing Dog couldn't make this one, so I pulled Justin Tralli in to fish in his place. It tourned out to be the toughest tournament we have fished in a long time.

A few factors we feel made for an unbelievably tough bite were....

Fishing on a Sunday with used water from the big mouth bassers having fished a tournament there on Saturday.

Super cold overnight conditions.

And lastly a cold front blew through around 9-10 am, causing the bite to completely shut down for us and most others.

Conditions:

air temps- 38 degrees in the am warming to 60 or so in pm
water temps- 58 to 61 degrees
partly sunny skies, wind calm at first- then very breezy conditions
water gin clear

1st place - Slimecoat and Justin T. with 3 fish for 5-8 and a 2-1 largie for lunker
2nd place - Steve K. and partner with 3 fish for 3-3
3rd place - Greg and his son with 2 fish for 2-1

An unbelievably hard day of fishing, only 4 of the 7 teams caught fish. Our next and last outing is on the CT River on 10-25, out of Haddam Meadows.
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Stratos17 · Joined: 31 Aug 2008 Posts: 372 Location: Bristol, Ct.

Good to hear Tralli came out of retirement!
Way to go guys!

slimecoat · Joined: 09 Nov 2007 Posts: 1576 Location: Newington, CT.

He's come out of retirement a few times now. It's in his blood, I'm sure he'll continue to come out of retirement from time to time.
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Life's Short - Fish Hard - Take a Kid Fishing

Bass Addict · Posted: Mon Oct 12, 2009 9:53 am Post subject:

does tralli ever loose? He could make a living doing these tourneys. Gary you seem to always win as well. WTG..
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Sorry honey, looks like we will be late again due to motor problems.

Justin

SkeeterJim · Joined: 08 May 2007 Posts: 2219 Location: Newington, CT

Sounds like Tralli with a little help from Slimecoat is adding c-notes to his "new boat" fund! Very Happy

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Eat, Sleep, Fish......I Love my SKEETER ZX225!!!
If I didn't have to work for a living....I'd be fishing.
If I'm not in my Skeeter then I'm in my Hobie!

DirtyDawg10 · Joined: 27 May 2009 Posts: 2238 Location: Granby, CT

Nice job guys!

slimecoat · Joined: 09 Nov 2007 Posts: 1576 Location: Newington, CT.

Thanks for the kudos guys, but Tralli is a fish catching machine. He has been a welcome fill in for pointing dog and I when 1 of us can't make a tournament.

I think for the most part our success this season has come from knowing each others strengths and weaknesses, working water effectively as a team, good communication within the boat at all times, fishing to our strengths, making good decisions on the water, being flexible and open as to where to find fish, letting them tell us what baits they want, and what colors they prefer on different bodies of water. And when we've been struggling with a small limit of fish, we've always gotten that one 4 or 5+ pounder that has vaulted us to victory. As well as having a fill in like Justin tralli who can catch them in almost any situation or set of conditions.

keeping an open mind, knowing when to change baits, and be willing to try something outside the box, staying confident, focused, and never give up are all keys to success.

We are having our best season ever, having won 5 tournaments, placed 2nd -5 times, and 1 -3rd place finish out of 15 tournaments with the Empty Lake Club. It has been a fun ride this season, it's to bad it will all come to an end in 2 weeks. Then we get a chance to attempt to earn it all over again next year. It is our passion and we love to fish. I believe if you work hard good things will come from it, and we certainly have worked for it this year.
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Nickp · Joined: 07 May 2007 Posts: 708

Just a tough lake to fish in the fall gary.

I havent seen more then 9-10lbs take 1st there in the fall, only been to 4 t's there that time of year but the fishing is good. Just gotta be patient. They look slow and small there. Wink

That place has just as much offshore structure as cwood by the acre. Theres tons of points, humps, rockpiles, ridges etc.

slimecoat · Joined: 09 Nov 2007 Posts: 1576 Location: Newington, CT.

Personally you can have that place all to yourself Nick, I don't care for it. I've never done overly well there, no mater what the season or conditions. The god damn boat launch area, with all kinds of woods that could be turned into plenty of parking for all, caters to hikers and car top canoes and kayaks and boat trailers get tickets. They guys actually using the launch are forced to park way the hell down the street and walk a country F#@$%&ing mile to park their tow viehicles and boat trailers. Then we get to walk all the way back down to the boat trailer parking area again to get the truck and trailer after being on the water all day.

The state should spend some trout stocking funds and cash from the increased cost of a fishing license next year, to increase the size of the parking area up by the launch to allow parking for everybody, especially the guys with bass boats buying these fishing licenses every year. Some how we fisherman are still getting the shaft.
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Phish · Joined: 22 Aug 2008 Posts: 454 Location: West Hartford

Well said, Gary. I'm sure I'd go up there more often if they did that. Only been there once and since a lot of the time I'm fishing alone, I don't want to have to deal with the security issues of leaving the boat and all of my equipment sitting there while I go to get the tow vehicle...it's not like it's a walk in the park carrying 14 rods and your electronics units.

slimecoat · Joined: 09 Nov 2007 Posts: 1576 Location: Newington, CT.

Exactly, great point!
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Nickp · Joined: 07 May 2007 Posts: 708

Lol. The first lot is only a few hundred feet tops. More of a reason to get there first.

slimecoat · Joined: 09 Nov 2007 Posts: 1576 Location: Newington, CT.

Or don't go at all, I'd rather stay home and sleep in. Then get up and fish a lake than is not a CF.
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Life's Short - Fish Hard - Take a Kid Fishing

Phish · Joined: 22 Aug 2008 Posts: 454 Location: West Hartford

Totally understand your point, Nick, and it's a good one. At the same time, a few hundred feet isn't the same for everyone, nor is the ease of getting there first. 3 back surgeries, 3 knee surgeries and a ruptured disc in your neck makes you a little less pysched to carry a bunch of crap back and forth from your boat after standing on one leg for 8 hours making over 500 casts. Now if you're saying Mash has "man, you've got to hit Mash" type fishing, then that changes things and I guess I'll need to man up a little to go find out. As far as getting there first...man I'd love it if I could prioritize "be at the ramp first" over "try to get a little sleep with two teething 1-year-olds running my life," but that's not exactly in the cards for a couple of years. Laughing

Bass Addict · Posted: Wed Oct 14, 2009 1:16 pm Post subject:

I hear you phishon the teething. you got 1 years old twins? I got a 11month old daughter who has been teething for the last 2 weeks. I feel like a zombie as she has been getting up almost every hour for 2 weeks. She is getting her upper 2 teeth and I can actually see them but the haven't broken through the gums yet. Hopefully in the next day or so the will pop through so I can get some sleep. I got a tourney at cmond this weekend which is going to kill me sleep wise.
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Sorry honey, looks like we will be late again due to motor problems.

Justin