St. Clair Tournament

[rufus]

What a week! We arrived on Tuesday at 7am and spent the day on Erie. We fished Michigan waters for the first half of the day till around noon. We ended up catching 7 decent fish from 2-4 pounds, but it was a very slow bite. It was then time to run to check a few spots across the pond. We were very pleased to find the fish. We caught 5 in about 45 minutes from 3 3/4 up to just shy of 5. This was a longgggg run from Metro, but I knew the tourney could be won here.
The rest of the week was spent on St Clair and in the two rivers. The St Clair River was on the agenda for Tuesday and we soon found that this was not the place to win the tourney. We caught a few fish up to 3 pounds, but the areas that I do know were not producing very well at all. We spent the rest of the day on St Clair. The fish were very cooperative and we both had no problem catching a limit. We caught most of our fish on Erie Darters in 7-9 feet of water. We spent all Thursday fishing the mile roads and much of the Michigan side from Metro south. When we found them they were very cooperative. We both had 13-14 pound limits, possibly more, but not the fish I knew would win. On Friday we fished the Detroit River in the morning, but found the deeper fish were not on very good at all. We ended up back in St Clair and found a few more good areas with a lot of 2-3 pound fish. Still not what I was looking for.
Tourney day started out good for a run to Erie and after 1 hour and 11 minutes we were sitting on top of a rockpile in twenty five feet of water. The dead flat seas, high skies, and the cold front did not help the fishing out at all. We gave it a 4 1/2 hour effort with 1 fish each in the well and I decided to head back to St Clair to help the points out a little. We had about 2 hours to fish when we got back. My partner got two more and I got three more and we both had a couple others on that just would have given us a few more points. Going for broke can be hard on a guy, but I wouldn't have it any other way.  I always go into a tourney with a mind set that if I can find fish that will win I will go for it, if at all possible. If I can't I fish for points. I will see everyone at Grand River God Bless and Good Fishin'!
Rufus

[Team houston]

Was the same for us. My boater went to Erie too. He lost one early and I caught one a little later and that was it. I know if we would have caught limits he would have been in the top 5 and I might have won. Oh well, you swing for the fences and you are gonna miss sometimes. Still a great day on the water.

[dartag]

Survived my first BFL as a boater.  Drew boat number 2 so I did get out before the pack left.  On the way driving over the weather radio said waves 1 foot or less.  Guess I need a new radio since the waves were quite a bit bigger going south to the mouth of the river.  Caught lots of fish most of them 13.5 to 14.5 inches.  Fished another hour then headed over to the south shore.  The water was very dirty and only about 6 inches of visibility.  Was able to locate the rock piles I had marked but nothing there.  Went back to where we started and culled a bunch of fish.  Did get to use my scale and balance beam.  Finally about 1:00 we went back to the mile roads and caught fish but no size to them. Made it in on time and weighed 10.15 so I finished in the middle of the pack.  Heard stories of guys running to erie and not catching them.  My co-angler had a tough day catching short fish and having a nice keeper throw the hook at the boat.  guess if it was easy everyone would be doing it.  Dan got some good recognition at the meeting for all the hard work he has been doing. 

[angolajones]

My St. Clair tournament was interesting also.  Went up Tuesday following Rufus to Erie.  Fished Brest Bay and caught one 7 inch smallie.  The guy I was with caught a few 3 pounders.  Everywhere we went though we caught largemouths.  On my last cast of the day, I caught a nice fish.  Too bad it turned out to be a catfish. 

I decided to go back to Angola since bad weather was forcasted for Wednesday.  I think I made the right decision.

Thursday morning, I drove up to St. Clair and fished with Maize&Blue from this board.  He showed me some areas and I really appreciated it.  I found a spot I had intentions of starting on if I didn't find anything else down by the 9 mile tower.  I was going to work my way south.  Anyway that was the game plan. 

Friday, I went and checked a shipwreck to start out and there were fish on it but they weren't big enough to do anything.  The jobbienooner was going on and traffic was a pain and my boat was taking water from the big boats as I tried to hold it in the wind.  So, I left and tried some other areas.  I found my way down to the mile roads again trying to find more spots but didn't get onto anything consistent.   I fished Anchor Bay and wasn't impressed, I fished by the Clinton River and didn't find anything useful.  I had noticed a bunch of boats fishing out from the metro launch area and decided to fish the area but in different spots.  I found fish relating to weeds in five feet of water and starting putting a pretty good pattern there.  I still wasn't excited but it would give me a place to finish by the ramp.  I met Rufus on the water and we tied on baits for the tournament and then I showed him the area I had found.  It was hot and I decided to start there.

I told my partner  that we could catch between 12 and 16 pounds from this area but wouldn't be able to win the tournament.  All day we fished a 200 yard stretch and caught fish consistently.  I ended up with 14 -14 and he had 14 - 9.  We both ended up with checks. 

Now I'm home and fishing my local lakes just doesn't seem very fun right now as it is hard just to catch a keeper.

Jonesy

[DOWD]

I made the run to Erie, love the champion, ran 50 across those tight packed waves. Was the first boat in Erie from the BFL. Caught a 4.00 even the 3rd cast and co angler a 3.50 2 cast later. Moved to my primary spot that I was shared with Rob B. He had 2 in the boat and his co had 1. I proceeded to boat 2 fish both 3.75. My co caught a 4.5 and 3.00, then the local moved in. Watch to guys catch and keep 5 to 7 bass. That threw a huge mental block on me and I never recovered from it. I should have moved 200 yard deeper, and I would have found more fish, but that's Monday morning quarterbacking.
Shared this area with another friend for a Sunday tourney, he scored 21.00 in 45 minutes from this area.

[dman]

Guys  I had a really good tourney.  I started where  I fished during the opener and nothing, my co-angler 2 short fish.  So I decided to head to the south shore, got down there and caught 2 biggest being 2-10.  So  I decided to go back to spot one.  First drift I lost one around 4-5lbs.  I am mentally shot at this time it's 10:00 am and I have 2 fish.  I then proceed to catch 3 fish in a row around 4.0 to 4.5 lbs..  I am cruising around and I see this big smallie right next to the boat.  I pitched my bait over to her and she ate it 4.7 I cull out my small 1.6.  These are the only 6 fish that I boat all day for 17.09.  What a day I finished in 7th place my best in the BFL.  What a blast.  Dan I told you I would sign up I just didn't think that I would have such a good story to tell.

Derek

[djkimmel]

Derek - I figured it would take a high money finish to get you to sign up so I sent some good mojo your way...

[225XS4Garza200PXL]

Yeah... I think I could have cashed a check had I been able to fish...

I was making the LONG run to the other pond... between Peche Island and Belle Isle, the lower unit failed and threw a gear or something...

Didn't even get to make a cast...

Jose

Good news!! My new boat is HERE!!! Went to Wonderland to drop off my buddy's boat and was told that it came in that morning... and gosh it is SWEET... Thanks to the guys at Wonderland!!

[djkimmel]

Good news for you Jose! (the new boat being here, not the other issue)