10-05-2017, 09:00 AM
<br /> We performed blast-off duties on Saturday so we were the last boat out. Getting to our normal slough, there was already one boat where we normally start so we opted to go to the other side. Caught a 14.75 on second cast with a shaky head and later Dusty caught a large mud cat on a crankbait. Also had six blow-ups on topwater but no hook ups. With boats all around us, and peckerhead and his partner in a Phoenix fishing literally on top of everyone like they owned the lake and beating the water to death, it did not take long for us to realize we needed to move. Finally attempted to fish our original on river spot but the wind was too much, and we had to abandon. Headed to another slough and after catching another 14.95 inch shorty saw my line move and hooked up a monster smallie on a creature bait in an area with rip rap and grass. Fought the fish for a few minutes around a dock, a jet-ski platform, and the boat. Right as she gets to the boat she makes a last jump....and come off in the air. Dusty tried to get her with the net but did not succeed. We figured at that point, with a 4.5-5lb smallie gone we were going to blank. Headed to Lakeshore and after fishing the boat slips fished the rocks out front and caught two more short smallmouths on consecutive casts. Moved around the front area when Dusty finally caught our only keeper, a 15 inch spot that looked like it had been on the Jenny Craig diet. We got several more bites but finally ran out of time. Fish caught on creature baits, worms, crankbaits, and topwater. <br /> We had a brutal day, as we had prefished sunken islands and other areas on the main river, but the never-ending winds simply would not allow us to fish it. When that failed, we found ourselves in sloughs with at one time 10 boats, all courteous except the forementioned slob asshole in a Phoenix who figured he would just fish all over everybody be damned. Losing that big smallie really hurt as it seems you never get a chance to catch that many big smallmouth, and with my largest being 5 1/2 on the river felt like this one could have been 5. <br /> Thanks to all who came out and congrats to Earl and Dink, as well as Silvertalon, who has put together two really good tournaments. Also congrats to Steven and Billy on AOY.