Jmax, Chick, Bass, Ratman, 1st and BB., 8/22/09, Beetlespin, Legend in training #3.

[FishNews]

Yesterday Beetlespin told me he was going to try and help me win the AOY. He called me at 12:30, asked if I would want to go looking for some schools and locate some bass for the tournament. I jumped on the idea and we met up at Wolftever about 3 and took to the lake early. We have been going south to fish but we went north this time and hit several locations similar to the area we had been doing well at. We located several areas that seemed to hold fish and caught several good ones with the best five going close to 19/20 lbs. emoEek Nothing huge but some solid fish. One area that was not all that big seemed to really have a good school holding on it. We left and headed for the blast off. Paid up and waited to go. We knew Treeman and McGill had been going north so we knew with their boats faster then ours we would be behind them.<br /><br />Blast off sounded and everyone took off. McGill shot ahead of everyone as usual and then the Allisons picked up speed and passed everyone except him. They are slow out of the hole. Treeman and McGill are faster then Beetlespin's boat so we settled in for the third spot. Hauling butt up past chester we came to that little island on the right. Treeman cut in front of the island and McGill swung out wide and went around the red bouy. This put him right in front of Treeman. Those allisons are not good on waves and McGill's boat put up a pretty good one. Next thing we know we see a huge explosion of water and Treeman's boat spins out. When the water settled there was the boat with no one in it. emoEek We hauled straight to him and saw him swimming towards his boat best he could. I asked if he was O.K. and he said he was. I got on one side and beetlespin on the other and we pulled him into our boat. The rest of the field was coming up and stopping to help. He again said he was o.k. and to take him to his boat. We dropped him off and left.<br /><br />We got back on plain and got to where that school had been. There sits McGill about 175 yards up stream from where we had located the school. emoDoh I thought to myself this was going to be interesting with both of us being able to see what the other one was doing and catching. emoTongue The water there was about 26 feet and hard to reach the school. Me and beetlespin went at it and watched mcgill out of the corner of our eyes. Beetlespin struck first with a decent 16 incher. A few later he tells me to get the net he has a big one. Rod doubles and the fight was on. It took a few minutes and up comes a big flat head about 10 lbs. emoBang I did not see McGill or his partner boat a fish. I then had one slam into mine and up comes one about 3 lbs. emoThumbsup I am getting pumped and starting to feel there is a chance. About ten minutes later another slams into mine and I knew it was a better one. With Beetlespin shouting how I was suppose to catch it (as usual) I got it to the boat. Once there it jumps twice and both times I was about to crap. Beetlespin got the net under it and we knew it was the biggest of the day. emoApplause With a limit in the well I was pumped. A few later I get another in the boat about the size of Beetlespin's. McGill had still not been seen by us to catch one and he was moving closer. emoRolleyes Next thing I know another one slams mine and up comes another keeper close to three. We cull out to the best three and I knew we had around 10 lbs.<br /><br />McGill left and we stayed. I think we caught two more but none that would better what we had. We left there and fished our way back down river to the wolf. Try as we did we could not better what we had. I knew that the only way I could take AOY was if we won and had big bass. I felt pretty good about big bass since I thought it was 5 lbs., the total was where I was worried. It has been taking more to win the Ratman then what we had. I knew McGill, Treeman and several others there were good and could easily pass us on a decent night. <br /><br />The weigh in was tease to say the least with two bags looking better then what we had but they came up just short. I kept looking for McGill knowing if he was to get anywhere in the top five he would take it. Treeman's big fish looked like a football but was not that long. I really thought it would take big bass but it fell just shy. :o Finally at 10 oclock with no other bags coming up Kirk made the last call and even walked down to the ramp to look for anyone else. No McGill was in sight so he called it. emoDance <br /><br />I really felt there was no way that anyone would catch McGill. The way my year had been going I felt I had a cloud over my head with all the lost fish and near wins I had. These guys and gals are great fisherman and fishergals so I am very honored to take the AOY place. emoWorthy I also want to make sure I strongly point out that I had some help. Beetlespin, Jason, Antman and Wiskers all have been partners of mine this year when we placed in the Ratman. Thanks you guys! emoThanks Jmax<br />