CTFishTalk.com: Empty Lake Bass Club - CT River Salmon River 10-25 - Connecticut Fishing Tournaments ( CT Fishing Tournaments ) - A Community Built for Connecticut Fisherman.

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

Conditions:

Air temps: 50 in am warming to 60 in pm
Water temps: anywhere from 50 to 54 degrees depending on where you were
Winds: 15 to 20mph with 25mph gusts
Water clarity: stained in most places
Skies: party cloudy, some sun

The day started out with some difficulty. We tried to raise the motor to remove the transom saver, and found the cranking battery dead from the master power switch being left on after the last event by someone who will remain nameless at this time. Rolling Eyes

So after jumping the trolling motor battery to the cranking battery to remove the transom saver, we dropped the boat in the water. We tried to jump it from another boat, to find out that the battery was so low that we needed a truck to do the job. So at 7am away went the rest of the field and we are dead at the dock. So I pull my truck all the way out onto the concrete dock section and proceed to jump the boat battery after 20 minutes of charging. Cool

So by 7:30am we are at our first spot bridge pilings, and pointing dog catches a short smallie on a grub. We head to the second spot to find no moving water, but very warm, no bait and no bass after a 30 minute sling fest of everything we had with us. We head back to fish the bridge pilings more thoroughly and p dog gets a keeper smallie ( pound and a quarter) on a tube and she comes unbuttoned half way back to boat after an airborne flight. Crying or Very sad

We decide to move to Chapmans pond, to find 2 other boats in there, and oh yeah 9 to 12 mph winds my ass. Try more like 15 to 20 and gusts to 25 at least. It would be nice if the weather men could get it right just once in a while. Shocked

We come up empty in there too, after almost getting stuck in the south end, sucked some sediment up in the water pump, and warning buzzers started going off, but no harm done, it cleared out and we we on our way. We decided being wind burned, and with the tide going out and things getting skinny that we would head to Chester creek.

So we head to the back and some cockers from the tournament out of Haddam Meadows, are pounding the train bridge, so we idle past them and head up to the second bridge. We turn the corner to find that the bridge has been under construction for some time, it is a CF, and is not what it was. Crying or Very sad

We spend a half hour there and after not so much as a bump we head back out to muscle the other boat off the train bridge. They see us coming and head back out and hap hazzardly hit the docks and take off. Thank you for leaving us 5 fish. Laughing

So at about noon, P dog gets 2 or 3 - pound and a quarter largies from the bridge on a tube, and the skunk is out of the boat, and we both start throwing tubes. After beating the bridge for a half hour or more with various baits we decide to hit the docks right next to the bridge, and P dog gets 2 more cookie cutters on the same tube. Then I make a perfect skip under a platform dock and get bit big time on my bitsy bug with paca craw trailer, and set the hook on a (guessing) 4lb fish. Shocked

It instantly snaps my line on the hookset, bad or weak knot and the big girl is thrashing around under the dock trying to throw the bait that is now stuck in her mouth. That lost fish cost us the win, I knew it, but you move on. I finally boat fish # 5 a cookie cutter largie on the same tube. So tubes it is and we proceed to hammer docks on the way out and we catch 2 more cookie cutter largies for 7 keepers total for the day. We culled for a few ounces, we know it won't be enough.

So we head back up river to weigh in. I proceed to jack knife the trailer backing down the ramp, because I was stupid and forgot to drop the tailgate and lost sight of the trailer, and smashed the other taillight, so now she has a matching set. So after mentally and verbally abusing myself and others around me, I parked the truck. Laughing

All in all not a bad day, 2 lost fish, 1 (mine) hurt us, but it is what it is.

1st place - Greg by himself with 2 fish 7lbs 7oz with a 4-13 lunker largie
2nd place - Mike S. and Rich B. with 5 fish for 6lbs 4oz
3rd place - Pointing dog and Slimecoat with 5 fish for 6lbs 2oz

A couple other boats caught fish, but only 2 - 5 fish limits.

The points standings finished out as follows:

Pointing dog and Slimecoat with 2300+ points for 1st place team Very Happy

Mike S. and Rich B. with 2200+ points for 2nd place team
Ron B. and George with 1800+ points for 3rd place team
Pointing Dog with a 5-10 largemouth from Quaddick for Lunker of the year Very Happy

This is the last Tournament for the year, so see you all in the spring...........
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Life's Short - Fish Hard - Take a Kid Fishing

Bass Addict · Posted: Mon Oct 26, 2009 8:31 am Post subject:

dam, sounds like you earned that one. I hate when I have days like that. congrats on 3rd.
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Sorry honey, looks like we will be late again due to motor problems.

Justin

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

I love these reports.

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

Damn Gary, not a great way to start the T with a dead battery, then losing the lunker fish and your trailer episode. But at least you guys wrapped up the angler of the year award, Congrats! Very Happy

Jim
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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!

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

Thanks for the congrats guys, and yeah it was an eventful day. We would have fished this tournament differently if we actually needed to catch a fish that day. The tournament director had called me the day before the event, and told me we were so far ahead in the points race that we didn't even need to show up. So it was a low key no stress day for us despite all the mishaps.
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Life's Short - Fish Hard - Take a Kid Fishing

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

If that was the case I could imagine how stressed out you would have been if you needed to win to maintain your lead and have all THAT happen with the late start and all! 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!

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

Absolutely, we would have had to find some extra patience and been really focused. Like I said we would have done things differently and made a run to a different part of the river and been all alone, if we needed to win it. All things considered, I think the day went well taking 3rd and only being out of 1st by a pound and a half.
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Life's Short - Fish Hard - Take a Kid Fishing

Just4fun · Joined: 08 May 2007 Posts: 1389 Location: Saybrook

Congrats on the season championship guys!! Thumbs Up

I LOL'd when I read your report about the Rt 154 bridge construction over Chester creek because that was exactly what happened to Johnny & me the last time we were back there,...and if i remember it right, he called it exactly the same term!!!! Shocked

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"If people concentrated more on the really important things in life there'd be a shortage of fishing poles."
Mark

Ryan G. · Joined: 07 May 2007 Posts: 179 Location: Bristol

Great reports!!!!!!!!!!

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

I try Ryan.........
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Life's Short - Fish Hard - Take a Kid Fishing

flippy · Joined: 25 May 2008 Posts: 1150

Hey Slimecoat, how many boats in your champioship? 6

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

No Flippy, we now pay half the entry fee up front for half the season, and then halfway through the season we pay the other half up front, so we have had 10 boats at almost all the tournaments this year. If you don't show up your half of the entry fee stays in the pot for higher payouts than if only 5 boats showed up. It really played out and payed out well for us this year. It makes guys really commit to fishing instead of skirt wearing and staying home if it rains or if they have a sniffle.
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Life's Short - Fish Hard - Take a Kid Fishing

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

Johnny Skeeter · Joined: 06 May 2007 Posts: 700 Location: Vernon Ct

Man gary that is a fatty in your avatar...and the fish is big too! Laughing

Johnny

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I love rippin on the river!
"How much can ya bench?"

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

Nice........ You should see the girth from a side view! Quite impressive!!!

That is a Lake Osipee N.H. 4lb smallie..........
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Life's Short - Fish Hard - Take a Kid Fishing