BACK TO THE TOURNAMENT SCENE FOR A DAY

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BACK TO THE TOURNAMENT SCENE FOR A DAY

By: Ron Wilson

January 9, 2003.... Last Saturday I took a day off from hunting ducks and geese to do a little bass fishing at lake Don Pedro. So far this year its been more fishing weather than hunting weather as mother nature seems to have forgotten to set the weather temperature gauge to cold. Maybe she is waiting until duck season is over!

I was a little disappointed there hadn't been more anglers at the Nor-Cal Pro-Am, but what the heck only the top 20 Pro's and Am's make it to the fish off at the end of the year. The less competition the easier it is to make the cut, also less work for me as I usually check all the livewells.

Pro Scott Burke, of Oakdale, and I were paired to fish together. A quick conversation with Scott and I found out we would be dropshotting island tops. Here I was set to do some pig and jigging, with my lightest line being 15 pound test, and instead we would be out in deep water shaking worms in 50 feet. Nothing like getting caught with your pants down and that was the way I felt to start the morning off.

Scott drove a short distance to his first spot, where he had caught his largest fish while pre-fishing. Scott knows that in order to win or place high in a tournament you have to catch that kicker fish to get in the money
and a couple of them to win an event.

Scott was using a shad pattern Keeper worm and shaking it on 6 pound test line while I was flailing away in the back of the boat using this bait and that bait. Having not done any pre-fishing put me at a loss as to what I should throw, but I did know that brown and brown pig and jigs were working.

Scott soon had fish number one in the boat and decided to make a move over to the white rocks in middle bay. He dropped a buoy marker and then started looking for the fish he had seen on his depth finder. Scott soon had fish number 2 and 3 in the boat.

Next move was into Rogers Arm near the waterford hole where several underwater humps are lined up. I pitched out a pig and jig and started shaking it downhill from 25 feet of water. When the bait reached about 35 feet, I suddenly realized that I could not feel the bait any more. My brain said "hey stupid you just had a bite set the hook". I quickly had my first fish of the day, a nice fish in the 3 pound class. About that time Tony Costanza, of Stockton, who was also in the tournament, and his partner showed up and took the farthest underwater hump. They quickly boated a couple fish off it. Scott looked at me and said "boy did I mess up" that was where I had located the fish during prefish and Tony was where we are now. He saw me catch a couple out there.

We made another move back toward Ramos, where Scott put fish number 5 in the boat. I'd thrown about everything in my tackle box, but the kitchen sink by this time. As I started digging in the bottom of it, I just knew Scott figured I was looking for the kitchen sink. But what I came out with was an extra reel spool with 8 pound test line on it. After getting my butt kicked all morning long I figured I had better try to catch a fish dropshotting. Well needless to say Scott put another fish in the 2 1/2 pound class in the boat. He was able to cull a 1 pound fish with that one.

Scott had one more spot to try back at 49er Bay. He stopped on the right side entrance where the rocks ran down the bank into the water. I grabbed my brown jig with a Superpork brown tadpole and threw it out. I pulled the bait over the rocks and let it fall. The fog was rolling over the hills and the wind was blowing hard which created waves that rocked the boat, making it difficult to keep contact with the bait. I lifted the bait up and over another rock and when the bait got to about 30 feet deep, I felt that familiar thump. But that was all I felt as the fish never hung onto the bait long enough for me to set the hook!

I had a great day on the water fishing and getting acquainted with Scott. After the weigh-in I also enjoyed meeting his two beautiful daughters and his lovely wife. We finished 9th, just out of the money but with a family like his, Scott is a winner everyday. As for myself, I feel I win something when I get drawn with a Pro like Scott Burke, an enjoyable outing and getting knowledge on different fishing techniques.

Scott even offered to take me out fishing and show me how to catch my first dropshot fish! Lets see, so far I have dropshotted about 20 hours without catching a single fish. I am not sure Scott has that much free time to teach me, let alone wait for me to catch one. However he recently took his daughters to Lake McClure and they both caught dropshot fish! I guess my next goal is to catch a bass dropshotting during a tournament, the bass at Lake Camanche better look out on February 1st at the next Nor-Cal Pro-Am because I am long overdo. I hope its like the time I finally caught my first spoon fish, it was one after another for a dozen fish!