Tcook lands 18-5 for 6th place on the non-boater side!

[1javelin]

Congratulations go out to Tim for his awesome performance after a more than grueling week on Burt-Mullet!  Way to pull it together man.  i'll leave the details to him, as I'm sure he wants to post them when he gets home and settled in.  I also noticed EBond took 3rd on the boater side, and heard his non had big fish of over 7?!  Wow

1Jav

[djkimmel]

Yup! I was tuckered and only had a roaming wireless Internet connection last night at the state park, so I just put up a few quick things I could remember before I konked out.

[skeeterman190]

 Yeah once again congrats to my travel partner all week TCook. Glad saturday made up for the rest of the god awful week I put ya through. This was kinda a mind bogglin week for me at some points I was almost ready to throw up the white flag and surrender. I wasnt really into what was goin down until about wednesday and then things started to look better. I will say im not the elite sight-fisherman that some of these guys are and have a hard time with thre deeper ones. So pretty much i was leaving my hope into the hand of FLW and what great boat number id get cause if i didnt id be toast. Well i was toast blackend toast at that. Everything I had was gone and covered with boats. Good job numbskull now what?? Well i looked and made my way to one fish i knew was there 3.3lb toad(hahaha) yeah ok. got it on the first cast coangler was like huh i didnt even know you had one on. Pretty much took the rest of the day as annother seek and destroy attitude i tried to find some more fish and only got one for in the boat found 3 more but after you stik and lose them a time or two they dont like to play oh well maybe next time. Had a blast go to meet some cool guys too.. um Lets see Madwags,Laporte, um i already knew stackenem, and McCarter umm Willie i think its cast n blast. Good times and see ya at the next one i got 47 places to make up in 4 tourneys i got my work cut out for me. Ill give it my best and hope!-skeeterman-

[djkimmel]

Saturday, the same rocks I couldn't catch them on last year, I tried to catch them again. Thanks to Burt Lake being on fire!!!!!! (I don't like Burt Lake) I had a lot less competition for those bass this year, but I hooked and lost one good one, and then looked like a repeat of last year where I couldn't get them on the hook.

I don't normally have that much trouble, especially on one of my favorite lakes in the world. I'm not saying it is always easy or something, but last year's BFL there wrecked my confidence. I only had 5 hours of practice on Friday, but the bass spawn on the same rocks and other places each year, which helps.

My co-angler got one small keeper, maybe a roamer, maybe a bed we couldn't see. Then I got one of them to bite and landed it finally. We both tried a lot of different approaches - the dead bait pile was growing. It was starting out almost like last year so I left my favorite spring spot I've been fishing since 1999 and ran up north rather than stay there and risk losing confidence.

We ran to a feeding bass area and my co-angler caught a toad - probably 4.5 lbs. Then I lost another 3 pounder #@@$%##@$@#$!!!

I went back to another even older time spot I fish a lot in prespawn and especially in the fall. Looking for new fish coming in. They were just starting and mostly followers. Then I found a little run of new beds. Caught one about 4 pounds, then I lost another one well over 3 a foot from the net. I told my co it was not hooked well.

Ended up with only 2 for 7-11 and losing 4 that were over 3 pounds. Better than last year, but nothing to yell YE-HAH over. My co-angler was fairly happy since it was his first BFL. I told him where he caught the big one is a difficult place to catch them so he'd done good in his first spring smallie tournament ever. He could not see most of the fish on beds because of bad eyes, so no surprise he didn't get into the bed fish better.

Sunday, I gave my old-time favorite spot another shot, again with someone who has never bed-fished big smallies. This time, I could suddenly catch the same old bass I couldn't Saturday. I caught 6, including 4 really good ones. After that, I tried hard to sit on beds and let my partner catch one. He had one on several times and another a couple times, but deep bedfishing is not something you just take up one day and excel at.

Tried the last two hours to find some shallower bass, but between the wind, heavy clouds, rain and all those other fisherman up there 123 boats plus 43 boats - it just didn't work out for him. I hate when that happens, but I hope both of them picked up some things from what I was doing, where we found bass on beds - actually quite a few deep ones still left and more where coming in as we watched at times - and things I suggested.

[McCarter]

I had the pleasure, and i do mean pleasure, of meeting and hanging out with Tim at the BFL.  What a cool guy.  Very down to earth and seemed very focused the whole time we were there.  I had a feeling he might have something up his sleeve once the tournament started.  I was very happy when he weighed in with over 18 lbs and cashed a check for 8th place.  GLB memeber Hooksetter, aka Willie Esmont, also cashed a check on the co side.  Congrats to both of you and it really was a blast hanging with you guys.

Also got to hang with MadWags and LAPORTE.  Didnt get to spend a ton of time with them, but its probably better.  I can see the 3 of us getting into serious shennanigans. 

My BFL experience wasnt a great one.  I did a bad, bad thing during the tournament and killed our fish.  But hanging out with this group of misfits well made up for my poor performance in my first BFL as a boater.  Thanks for the company guys.  Heres to next year.

McCarter himself

[djkimmel]

Forgot to add to the this - proud Pappa 5alive's 'little boy' and future terror of the tournament world, Cody Harris (only 16 years old) tied for 3rd place in the BFL with 18-something (I think)!!! Congratulations for such a high finish (and I'm still jealous he got to fish with the winner!!!!) when it can be very challenging in a bedding-based tournament from the back deck!!

We'll have an article about Cody's fantastic finish in last season's TBF Jr National Championship last season up soon on the new TBF of Michigan web site.

[TCook]

Thanks guys, first off I had a great time traveling and fishing with skeeterman all week. It might have been tough for us but I think its something we were bound to go through on a new northern lake during the spawn in less than ideal weather. Next year I think you will know what to do and have a good finish.
   I had low expectations going into tournament day because practice was tough and it was simply luck of the draw with this deal.
Luckily I had a good draw getting paired up with Randy Sparkman. One of the first things he said to me was I will try to get you 5 but first I gotta get 5 good ones. I thought that sounds good but how long will it take him to get 5 good ones with 124 boats in the field, hmm we will see?
  His first area he had a 5-14 on a bed and about 100 yrds away a 4-15. We had boat #112 so we didnt expect them to be left. He pulled up and one boat was in the area and it was Myrle Davis who looked to be searching. Randy pulled up to the 5-14 and thought it was gone after 20 min so he trolled over to the 4-15 and stuck it after a few casts. As we were about to check on the 5-14 we seen Myrle move in on the bed Randy was working first and he put it in the boat right in front of us. Sparkmen was ranting all day about that one to say the least.
   The next area we were fishing laydowns in about 6 ft of dingy water. I started with a jerkbait to cover water and a dropshot to follow up while I waited for Randy to get 4 more good ones. Luckily while he was working one log sometimes there was a second log in casting range but usually it took looooong casts, I had one smallie raise up on a pause directly over a log that looked to be 4-4 1/2 pounds on my pointer 100. She hit the bait hard and didnt hook up, what the duece was that all about!!! Not a good start! In the mean time Randy cought two more 5s and a 4 1/2 on beds. He started trolling over the logs to see if he could see any beds after he ran out of waypoints and he was not seeing a few here and there so when he did'nt spot the bed I would just drop my dropshot down on the bed in the back of the boat and let my reel freespool even when I was twitching the bait because he was moving fast. If I felt any pressure when I pinched the line I would flip the bail and set the hook. I cought 5 between 3-4 pounds doing this before he finally got a decent 5th in the boat. He was happy with his bag so he took me to a few beds to upgrade my smallest. We finally found one that was still there in the last few minutes that gave me another 6 ounces. That was a very cool thing for Randy to give me some of the day to put some fish in the boat, he was a class A guy all the way.
   I met and hung out with a bunch of guys from this site and had a good time. Madwags, Stackenem, Hooksetter, Langer, Vic, DK, Skeeterman, and of course McCarter who might just be the next Zona, what a character this guy is. Also congrats to Ebond, Cast n Blast, and Hooksetter on a great finish, well done guys. See you at Sandusky.

T

[MadWags]

Congrats to all the finishers. I enjoyed spending time with all the board members sharing beverage. I especially enjoyed my day on the water with Laporte. Hope we can all get together soon.

[LAPORTE]

I had a great day on the lake as well. My eyes were opened to a whole new world called bed fishing.... I would have not traded this past weekend for my best rod. It was awesome to see these huge bags coming in. What can you say about great fishing and great company? Btw thanks for the fish wags. It takes a darn good person to says here catch one of the fish that I found in practice. When he himself doesn't have 5 already... I needed that fish.

As always I give kudos to Mr.K for the great website. Without meeting up with people like Bshanner,Stackenem, Hooksetter,Waggs,Mazenblue,McCarter and many more that I can't remember.

[Hooksetter]

I had a great time last week also. Got to hang out with some of the GLB members and swap fish stories and such.

I drew Mark Snyder Saturday and he was on some serious smallies! A bad blast off number [99] got us off to a slow start as there were boats all over his first few beds. We re-grouped and had a good day. Mark ended up 6th with 23 1/2 lbs. He ran to a few beds just to try to find me a fifth fish but the beds were empty.

I caught my two biggest fish [a 4# and a 3#] on a Nemesis 3" goby dropshotted on beds. That is an awesome bait. Thanks Brian for hooking me up with some on Friday.

Congrats to all.

Willie

[McCarter]

I caught my two biggest fish [a 4# and a 3#] on a Nemesis 3" goby dropshotted on beds. That is an awesome bait. Thanks Brian for hooking me up with some on Friday.

Congrats to all.

Willie

My pleasure.  Glad you like them.

McCarter himself

[Dan]

Any of you guys know of some good places to camp for the next BFL. We're taking the pickup camper. We camped at Aloha as well, but I don't know the GLB guys who camp and according to T. Cook there were several. We were in a white pickup with a white camper pulling a red, white and blue Basscat with an evinrude 225. We were camped one road off the lagoon by kitty corner from the bathrooms. We're going to try and do the BFLs in the camper to save a few bucks. Worked well at Aloha.

[djkimmel]

In the past, I always camped here on the west end of Sandusky - been 5 or 6 years though:

BAYSHORE ESTATES CG
2311 CLEVELAND RD
SANDUSKY OH  44870
419-625-7906
800-962-3786

[jcox7]

I had a great time last week I was a little disapointed that one of my fish were caught the night before by a kid with a worm but it would of only gave me like 23.5 and I would of been devistated with that weight and not having a chance to be in the top 3 so Ill take my 20lb 13 oz. bag and be happy.  Rooming with both Pipkens and Matt Gray the co angler champ made it for a long weigh in but my small check was still better than nothing. The thrill was makeing the state team the next day it was a goal of mine and to be honest after all the mental wear from the bfl I really did not want to fish it.  I hope that next year it does not piggy back the bfl I put too much into that tourny and when it was done it was hard to go back out there of course this is just my opinion.  lastly I stayed to fish the tbf so that my co angler would get to fish.  I really wanted to leave, then after all of that, I fished the front of my boat all day with him and pointed out every bed I found to him he stiffed me on gas money which is a joke!!  So if any of you know Kyle Kellog let him know that I think that is pretty bush league and I will let everyone know about that for the rest of his tournament life.  BFL and Stren guys will really make sure they take care of someone like that.  Sorry for venting it is just a chump move.  To get the boat for four hours and fish the entire day up front and not even help put the boat on the trailer or offer gas money well you all know where I am coming from.

See Ya in Sandusky
Jeff Cox

[DOWD]

Jeff,
Thats what you get for back seating your co the day before.....

[MBell]

As a co-angler you run the risk of getting back boated, especially in a BED FISHING TOURNAMENT!!!!!!!!!!  If you want to be sure you don't get back boated step up and go as a boater, we need them in the Michigan division.  I don't blame guys for not putting their co's on beds they spent time and money finding.  If you think you got back boated especially from a good fisherman, you may need to adjust your attitude as a co and go to learn something instead of acting like joe bassmaster from the back of the boat.  Good fisherman will prevail from the back of the boat regardless of the boater.  For example the Penn brothers, made me look silly at Saginaw Bay and then took 2nd and 3rd on the co-angler side at Burt/Mullet, they're just good fisherman. 
-Matt

[jcox7]

stiring the pot, stiring the pot.......

I love life and love starting trouble even more

Cos help with gas or dont fish

[1javelin]

OK, you guys are hi-jacking my post I started to congratulate my fishing buddy.  If you want to argue about gas, please start another post.  (Co's should learn to scrounge!!)

1Jav

[djkimmel]

I'll unstir this tonight after I get home from work. I should have redirected yesterday.

When I saw the 'pot-stirrer' up to no good (jcox7)!! This is a no pot-stirring web site.

[dashaver63]

I've been thinking about this today and what the co-angler did. First off though I have to say T.COOK did an awesome job, way to go! Secondly, about the co in question. If you sign up as a co-angler, especially in that type of tournament, all you can really hope for is a chance to get some points for the season. The boater has so much time and money invested in locating fish, that to expect him to give you a shot at some is silly. If he does, kudo's to him, but I would not expect it. I knew going in that it would be tough to hope for anything more than points, but if the fish were up cruising, maybe I could get lucky. That didn't happen and I'm fine with it. I've been fishing as a co for a number of years so I'm used to these tournaments where it's first come-first serve type of fishing. But at Burt/Mullet, my boater had battery issues and we actually sat in the marina for a while hoping to get a little charge in the batteries for the trolling motor. I still gave the guy his 40 for gas and helped him with ever he needed. To his credit, he took me back out to my vehicle as soon as his boat was on the trailer so I could get on the road, he did all his tie downs, stowed gear, and what ever else he had to do after that. That is just another example of why I like fishing the Michigan Division. I have a lot of respect for you guy's.